Final girls have been an iconic staple of horror movies since Lila Crane in Psycho, but their male counterparts are often overlooked. Nonetheless, there's a strong stable of final boys from which to draw in horror movie history, and with pre-existing intellectual property getting rebooted seemingly every day, it leads one to wonder how these roles might be cast in 2021 remakes.
The final boy in a horror movie is much like the final girl, a trope established in the 1960s, but not given a proper name until the '90s. He's the last man standing after the deadly terrors of the villain are put to rest. After a feature-length run time (and a significant body count), this hero usually goes toe-to-toe with the primary antagonist, and wins. Whether it's Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, or an entire army of the Undead, all the baddies of cinema are no match for these burly or brainy boys.
A whole rogues' gallery of actors have given life to these survivors throughout the decades. While in many ways their performances are irreplaceable, the current trends of cinema show that nothing is sacred for too long. In the event of remakes, reboots, or any other kind of re-imaginings, here are the best case scenario 2021 castings for the most iconic final boys out there.
Nicolas Cage as Ash Williams (The Evil Dead)
There’s only one Ash Williams; Bruce Campbell created the role in Sam Raimi’s original The Evil Dead and his indelible, committed performance has been inextricably bound to the character since then, carrying through two film sequels, a remake, and a television series. His square jaw, leading man figure and straight-faced approach to the zombie-fighting hero have made him an iconic foil for a whole host of ghouls and gross-out gags over the years, and a tough act to follow. Luckily, there's just one man for the job, and his name is Nicolas Cage.
Cage is a somewhat controversial actor. After winning the Best Actor Oscar in 1996 for Leaving Las Vegas, he's tackled a seemingly-unending supply of high-and-low-brow projects, leading many (including characters on an infamous episode of Community) to question whether or not he's a good actor at all. It's true he's turned in a bizarre mix of performances both phenomenal (Raising Arizona, Moonstruck, Kick-Ass) and embarrassing (Left Behind, Ghost Rider, and 2006's remake of The Wicker Man). However, anyone who caught him in 2018's Mandy, in which he straddles the line of camp while sword-fighting with a chainsaw and lighting a cigarette off a burning decapitated head, knows he's the perfect man for this job. Seeing him thrashing around a kitchen fighting with a disembodied hand would be a cinematic highlight for the ages.
Jacob Tremblay as Tommy Jarvis (Friday the 13th)
While Tommy Jarvis doesn't appear in the first Friday the 13th film, he becomes a central figure in three of its sequels, beginning with Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. In that film, he's a young boy whose parents are murdered by Jason Voorhees, off on another murderous rampage. Realizing he and his sister Trish are the last ones standing, he shaves his head to appear similar to Jason as a child, luring the villain into a trap and then hacking away at him with a machete. Discovered bald, bloody, and holding his weapon of choice, he's taken away to a clinic for rehabilitation.
This disturbed final boy was initially portrayed by Corey Feldman, whose appearances in films such as The Goonies, Stand By Me, and The Lost Boys would soon cement him as one of the biggest child stars of the time. One of his most apparent 2021 contemporaries is without a doubt Jacob Tremblay, whose breakout performance as Jack in 2015's Room won him a trophy case of awards. Tremblay's continued work has proven his range both dramatically (2017's Wonder) and comedically (2019's underrated comedy Good Boys). He's even playing a fish in Disney's upcoming Little Mermaid remake! Alas, he's never gotten the chance for some good old-fashioned machete-slashing, and seeing his cherubic face blood-stained and grinning with demented revenge feels like the perfect antidote to that.
Misha Osherovich as Jesse (A Nightmare on Elm Street)
While Jesse only appears in one chapter of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, he's left an undeniable mark on the horror genre at large. The only final boy in a series notable for its resourceful, defiant women, his appearance influenced some to call his entry "the gayest horror movie ever." This can be chalked as much up to then-closeted actor Will Patton's "Scream King" performance as it can to a whole bevy of queer subtext throughout the film - phallic candles dripping wax over his naked body, a scene at an S&M bar, and Jesse's panic-induced flight after a failed attempt at making out with his girlfriend. At the time, Patton was shamed and the film ridiculed, but now it's embraced as an LGBTQ staple. As such, a Jesse revival deserves an out and proud performer.
Misha Osherovich doesn't have many films to their name yet, but their recent turn as Joshua in 2020's slasher-comedy Freaky shows a remarkable aptitude for comedy, pathos, and (of course) screaming. Best of all, it's an out-and-out queer character portrayed affectionately and non-judgmentally by a queer actor. Identifying as non-binary, Misha Osherovich has the right balance of camp without parody to resurrect Jesse and bring him into a more accepting age.
Ashton Sanders as Charley Brewster (Fright Night)
Charley Brewster isn't a typical monster hunter. Featured in Fright Night, Charley is a bit of a small-town nerd, and his favorite hobby of watching late-night horror movie marathons is put to practical use when his neighbor turns out to be a vampire. Originally portrayed by William Ragsdale, the role was taken over by the late Anton Yelchin in a 2011 remake. Thus, the role calls for a kind of interesting, "still waters running deep" type of actor, one both believable as a high school wallflower and someone who can take down Nosferatu.
In Moonlight, Ashton Sanders was one of the biggest breakouts in a cast full of them. Playing the role of the middle-chapter Chiron, his face was a canvas betraying deep wounds and tightly-held insecurities, which melted into sweet relief in a beachside romantic encounter. Since then, he's played opposite Denzel Washington in The Equalizer 2, and folded beautifully into the ensemble of this year's Judas and the Black Messiah. A young actor with a long and varied career ahead of him, he deserves to kick back, have some fun, and roast some vampires.
Alan S. Kim as Andy (Child's Play)
Currently breaking hearts and taking names in Minari, Alan S. Kim is the latest child star phenomenon to grace the screen. Absolutely adorable in a pair of cowboy boots and a yellow tanktop, his endearing performance contributes to the undeniable heart and soul of Lee Isaac Chung's heartwarming film about Korean immigrants and the American Dream. The last thing you'd ever want to see happen to him is be terrorized by a killer doll, and yet the image is just too good to deny.
Child's Play, the story of a boy named Andy's battle with an innocuous but murderous toy named Chucky, was already recently remade in 2019. Alas, despite moderate success at the box office and overall positive reviews, it's not a film that had much staying power in the public consciousness. It's arguable what was missing was Kim as Andy, and that seeing this winning, adorable breakthrough actor lead a children's revolution to defeat the villainous Chucky would anchor a remake worthy of the franchise.
Kelvin Harrison, Jr. as Alex Browning (Final Destination)
Alex Browning is the prophetic final survivor of the main ensemble of the original Final Destination. After correctly predicting a horrific plane explosion, he and six passengers who were kicked off the plane before its departure become the target of a murderous reckoning which begins picking off the cast one by one. Chased by Death throughout the film, Alex somehow evades his fate, becoming the true final boy of the series' first installment.
Aside from being portrayed as a shy, attractive kid who doesn't want to die, Alex doesn't have many other defining characteristics, making him a perfect vessel for an up-and-coming movie star in need of a franchise. No one currently working is more deserving of said franchise than Kelvin Harrison, Jr., whose 2019 one-two punch of Luce and Waves announced the arrival of a major talent. In 2020, he proved he wasn't just an indie darling, playing Illinois Black Panther leader Fred Hampton in The Trial of the Chicago 7 and oozing charm as a singer-songwriter in The High Note. His easy charm, movie star charisma, and seemingly-unlimited range make him a prime candidate for the lead of a franchise horror movie reboot, as long as he doesn't stay away from the indie scene too long.