A recent analysis by VegasInsider’s supercomputer has delved into over 350 horror movies from more than 70 franchises to determine the most and least successful horror sequels, prequels, remakes, and spin-offs of all time. The study evaluated these films based on worldwide gross, return on investment (ROI), IMDb ratings, Metacritic scores, and Rotten Tomatoes scores.
Top Performers in Horror Continuations
Evil Dead II (1987) emerged as a standout, outperforming the original The Evil Dead (1981) in several key metrics. It achieved higher scores in worldwide gross, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, and IMDb ratings. Specifically, Evil Dead II grossed $5,932,279 worldwide, received an 88% Rotten Tomatoes score, a 72 Metacritic score, and a 7.7 IMDb rating, with an estimated ROI of 64.79%.
Similarly, 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) outshone its predecessor Cloverfield (2008) in Metacritic score, Rotten Tomatoes score, IMDb rating, and estimated ROI. 10 Cloverfield Lane grossed $110,216,998 worldwide, earned a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score, a 76 Metacritic score, and a 7.2 IMDb rating, with an ROI of 634.78%.
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Worldwide Gross Leaders
When it comes to worldwide gross, the top horror continuations are:
- It (2017) – $704 million
- It Chapter Two (2019) – $473 million
- Prometheus (2012) – $403 million
- The Nun (2018) – $366 million
Prometheus (2012), a prequel to Alien (1979), stands out as the highest-grossing horror prequel of all time, with a significant increase from Alien’s $108.5 million gross.
Critical Acclaim
The horror continuations with the highest Rotten Tomatoes scores are:
- Creep 2 (2017) – 100%
- Slumber Party Massacre (2021) – 100%
- Aliens (1986) – 98%
- Prey (2022) – 94%
- The Fly (1986) – 93%
On Metacritic, the top-rated horror continuations are:
- Aliens (1986) – 84
- The Fly (1986) – 81
- 28 Weeks Later (2007) – 78
- Pearl (2022) – 76
- 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) – 76
Slumber Party Massacre (2021) saw the most significant increase in critical acclaim, with a 55% higher Rotten Tomatoes score compared to its 1982 original. Conversely, Jaws: The Revenge (1987) experienced the largest drop, with a 95% lower Rotten Tomatoes score than the original Jaws (1975).
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User Ratings
Based on IMDb user ratings, the highest-rated horror continuations are:
- Aliens (1986) – 8.4
- Dawn of the Dead (1978) – 7.8
- Evil Dead II (1987) – 7.7
- The Fly (1986) – 7.6
- Army of Darkness (1992) – 7.4
Notable mentions include Pearl (2022) and I Spit On Your Grave (2021), both of which have higher IMDb ratings than their original counterparts. Pearl has a rating of 7/10, compared to X (2022)‘s 6.5/10, while I Spit On Your Grave (2021) has a rating of 6.2/10, compared to the 1978 original’s 5.6/10.
Jaws: The Revenge (1987) holds the record for the biggest drop in IMDb user ratings, with a score of 3/10 compared to the original Jaws (1975)‘s 8.1/10.
Return on Investment (ROI)
The horror continuations with the highest estimated ROI are:
- Paranormal Activity 2 (2010) – 5817%
- Paranormal Activity 3 (2011) – 4040%
- Annabelle (2014) – 3862%
- Saw II (2005) – 3593%
- Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) – 3138%
Annabelle (2014), a spin-off in The Conjuring universe, had a 2360% higher ROI than The Conjuring (2013), making it the most successful in terms of ROI difference.
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Methodology
The analysis included 361 horror movies across 72 franchises, focusing on notable horror franchises and movies with sequels, prequels, or remakes. Points were awarded based on higher performance in Rotten Tomatoes score, IMDb rating, Metacritic score, worldwide gross, and estimated ROI. Movies with unavailable metrics were omitted from the analysis.
Conclusion
This comprehensive analysis by VegasInsider’s supercomputer offers valuable insights into the performance of horror movie continuations. It highlights both the successes and failures within the genre, providing a detailed look at how sequels, prequels, remakes, and spin-offs have fared over time. For more detailed data and insights, the full analysis is available on VegasInsider.com.
