Though horror fans do experience a fair amount of remake fatigue when it comes to classic horror movies, there are many reasons why a Killer Klowns From Outer Space remake wouldn't just work, but might even be able to take the movie into a new direction with franchising.
There have been talks of another Killer Klowns movie or even a television series from the Chiodo brothers for years, and ideas have been tossed around as to how the klowns could return; there's enough lore to support a multitude of ideas, and for a movie that was just a standalone picture in the 1980s, it has a broad, cult following and remains popular with horror fans of all ages. As recently as 2019, the klowns were featured in one of the mazes at Hollywood Horror Nights in California and Florida, which proves the continued interest in the property and could lead to franchising. The remake boom of the early 2000s for classic horror franchises like Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street didn't hit Killer Klowns From Outer Space because the rights were tied up with 20th Century Fox.
However, fans are hungry for more of the popcorn-gun wielding, cotton candy cocoon making klowns, who have arguably never been terrifying as they have been entertaining even for younger audiences. The schlocky, B-movie charm of Killer Klowns From Outer Space could morph into something more sinister with a modern update or even find a niche for itself in 2020 by occupying the growing horror-comedy space.
Why Killer Klowns From Outer Space Deserves A Reboot
While there's certainly a heavy level of charm involved with the 1988 cult classic's overall aesthetic and appeal, as well as the artistic merits of the klowns' design, there's room for updates. Not only has CGI and practical effects work come a long way since the '80s, but a few tweaks to the general appearance could fully embrace what fans of the classic love about the nostalgic look of the alien creatures while making them slightly more terrifying than fully comedic. Although there's no reason why Killer Klowns From Outer Space should completely deviate from its roots as a horror-comedy movie, scary clowns have been successful in modern horror media.
The resurgence certainly dates before Andy Muschietti's two part update to Stephen King's classic IT; clowns have been featured in the Eli Roth produced Clown in 2014, which was directed by Jon Watts. Art the Clown has been prominently featured in short films before moving to his own feature in Terrifier, an indie horror that also developed a cult following. American Horror Story, the popular FX horror anthology series has dealt with scary clowns twice, in Freak Show (season 4) with Twisty the Clown, who became an instant fan favorite and in season 7, Cult, which had an entire cult of killer clowns. While all of this certainly leaned more on frights than laughs, it's even more possible for Killer Klowns From Outer Space to carve out a space for itself and boost '80s nostalgia, while making a few minor updates for a new generation of fans in either television or another movie.