Although it's still relatively new, A Quiet Place is already one of the better horror film franchises ever released. Both the first movie and A Quiet Place 2 have been met with widespread acclaim thanks to the unique concept, quality acting, and the steady hand of John Krasinski as director. Having two good movies in the series so far is actually somewhat rare in the genre.
Horror movies typically make good money at the box office and sequels are greenlit. However, a lot of those follow-up films don't live up to the original, and they disappoint fans. Like A Quiet Place though, a few have managed to buck that trend and deliver quality sequels.
Curse Of Chucky
As creepy as the famous Chucky doll might be, it can sometimes be hard for audiences to take it seriously. 1988's Child's Play was well-received but most of the sequels didn't do nearly as well. While 1998's Bride of Chucky has its merits, 2013's Curse of Chucky stands out the most.
Released nearly a decade after the previous entry, this was a straight-to-DVD installment penned by series creator Don Mancini. The plot followed a girl who believed that her niece's Chucky doll killed her mother. It was scary while keeping playful elements and also opened the door for a successful sequel and the 2019 Child's Play reboot.
The Devil's Rejects
So far in his career, Rob Zombie has directed several horror movies, including the Halloween reboot duology. House of 1000 Corpses was his first film, but it only got a mixed response at best. However, his 2005 sequel, The Devil's Rejects, was seen as a big improvement.
The concept was interesting as it took villains from the first installment and made them the protagonists as audiences followed them while on the run. The film arrived at the right time, as in the wake of series like Hostel and Saw, Zombie knew viewers were ready for his brand of harsh and sometimes nasty scenes.
The Conjuring 2
2013's The Conjuring proved to be one of the scariest films ever made in terms of everything from the storyline to the atmosphere. It was such a success that it didn't just spawn a sequel but also several spin-offs and an entire Conjuring film franchise that is still going today.
While audiences are a bit lukewarm on the third and most recent entry, 2016's The Conjuring 2 lived up to its predecessor. Although it didn't do too much different with the genre, it upped the scare factor and continued to show that James Wan is a top horror director.
Saw 2
It's tough to live up to what Saw pulled off in 2004. The story of two men trapped in a bathroom as part of a sadistic game was a true psychological horror. 2005's Saw 2 went in a different route, focusing less on character moments and more on the tests they were put through.
Though it changed things up, this was what a lot of audiences were hoping for. The concept of a bigger group of people facing more torturous traps in Saw became the staple of the franchise going forward, though it was never done better than in the sequel. Plus, Saw 2 also gave fans more insight into John "Jigsaw" Kramer.
Ouija: Origin Of Evil
In some cases, the sequel is actually viewed as a superior film to the original, and that's the case with this series. In 2014, Ouija came out and though it boasted a solid cast, it was widely panned and holds a mere 6% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it made a lot of money.
That allowed for another entry, and this one brought in Mike Flanagan as director. He's the mind behind hidden gems like Hush and Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House. The simple story of a spirit possessing a child through a ouija board worked due to the chilling style of Flanagan.
Scream 2
Audiences everywhere loved 1996's Scream because it managed to bring back the slasher genre in a big way while also parodying it without sacrificing any of the horror. A sequel arrived a year later and also proved to be a pretty big hit with critics and viewers.
The cast is a major reason why, keeping Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and others from the original while adding in the likes of Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Timothy Olyphant. The film was praised for mostly everything, including its music, and it all helped make Ghostface a horror icon.
Final Destination 2
It's always welcome to see something new within the genre, which is what 2000's Final Destination did. In it, a premonition saved the lives of a group of teens only for death to come for them one by one in increasingly violent and unique ways over the coming days.
2003's Final Destination 2 took that idea a step further. The premonition scene is something every fan from the era remembers vividly and the way the characters were killed off down the line only got more creative. It's a big part of the reason why many view this as the best installment in the series.
A Quiet Place Part 2
Not a lot of people would've pegged Jim Halpert from The Office as a guy who could nail a horror movie. However, much like Jordan Peele, Krasinki moved from comedy into horror in a seamless fashion. He did so with 2018's A Quiet Place, centering on a family living in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by creatures who use sound to find people.
The 2021 follow-up A Quiet Place Part 2 managed to be just as good despite a lot of the shock factor being gone from the first one. It explained a bit more about the origin of the creatures and upped the ante by splitting the family and including a newborn baby in a world where it was in constant danger. It also set up a possible third A Quiet Place movie.
Dawn Of The Dead
Most modern fans remember Zack Snyder and James Gunn's Dawn of the Dead remake from 2004, which was a hit. It deserves recognition as a great horror remake but the 1978 original still remains one of the most legendary zombie movies ever crafted.
Though it didn't have characters from 1968's Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead still managed to stand out. The makeup and effects were groundbreaking for the time, and it took what worked in the original and put it on an apocalyptic scale to great success.
Evil Dead 2
Sam Raimi broke out in 1981 with The Evil Dead, which holds up as one of the most terrifying films ever made. It's especially impressive to consider the practical effects used to get it all just right. When it came time to deliver on a sequel, Raimi changed things up.
For 1987's Evil Dead 2, Raimi opted for a blend of horror and comedy. It was unexpected but ended up being just as good as the original while also setting the tone for the rest of the franchise. 1992's Army of Darkness was full-on comedy, while 2015's Ash vs. Evil Dead series also consisted of both frightening and hilarious moments.