1988 cult classic Killer Klowns from Outer Space has long been planned to get a sequel, but for various reasons, it never ends up happening. Horror history is full of villainous clowns, but most are presented purely as figures of fear. The titular aliens in Killer Klowns from Outer Space are almost affably evil, and while they do still kill people, their shenanigans are pretty hilarious, ranging from putting victims into cotton candy cocoons to firing flesh-eating popcorn out of ray guns.

Outside of a few brief scenes, Killer Klowns from Outer Space doesn't try to be scary, instead seeking to be a fun good time that both young and old horror fans can enjoy. It's a silly B-movie, and isn't ashamed of that fact, although that's not say it isn't well made. Directors, writers, and producers Charles and Stephen Chiodo put every bit of talent they had into Killer Klowns, filling the movie with creative ideas, spirited gags, and excellent practical special effects.

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Concrete box office data on Killer Klowns from Outer Space isn't available online, but it's the type of movie the designation "cult classic" was invented to describe, and still retains a large fanbase to this day. The Killer Klowns even got their own maze at Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights in 2019. Yet, that's never been enough to get a long-teased sequel off the ground.

Why Killer Klowns From Outer Space 2 Never Happened

Killer Klowns from Outer Space

The Chiodo brothers have been teasing a potential Killer Klowns from Outer Space sequel for years, said to be titled The Return of the Killer Klowns from Outer Space in 3D. The Chiodos publicly talked up a sequel intended to be released in 2012, but that obviously never happened. By 2016, the brothers revealed they were working on turning Killer Klowns into a TV series. Again, nothing ever came of the project. However, Stephen Chiodo has said that they've been trying to get a sequel in motion since not long after the first film ended production. According to him, both legal issues and financial difficulties have repeatedly stood in the way of a Killer Klowns from Outer Space 2.

Most recently, Syfy announced plans to finally make a Killer Klowns from Outer Space sequel in fall 2018. Unfortunately, the rights to Killer Klowns from Outer Space are owned and controlled by 20th Century Fox, and following the studio's sale to Disney in 2019, the decision was made to abandon development on the project. It seems like the stars might never be aligned to bring these murderous yet lovable Killer Klowns back to theater or TV screens. Well, at least we still have the theme song to listen to endlessly.

More: 10 Most Terrifying Clowns in Horror Movies