The horror genre is known for its iconic franchises—Halloween, Friday the 13th, The Conjuring—but for every success story, there are chilling one-offs that begged for sequels and never got them. These films introduced terrifying worlds, memorable monsters, and gripping lore, only to fade into cult obscurity. Here are five of the best horror movie franchise opportunities that never happened—and why they remain some of horror’s greatest missed chances.
1. Event Horizon (1997)
Missed Opportunity: Sci-fi horror universe with endless hellish potential
Paul W.S. Anderson’s Event Horizon was critically panned on release but has since become a beloved cult classic. The story of a spaceship that opens a gateway to literal hell blended Alien-style tension with Lovecraftian horror, creating a mythology ripe for expansion. A franchise could have explored other ships, alternate dimensions, and the lingering effects of the Event Horizon’s “return.” Instead, it remains a stand-alone nightmare, with only whispers of a failed TV adaptation ever surfacing.
2. Trick ‘r Treat (2007)
Missed Opportunity: The ultimate Halloween anthology series
Michael Dougherty’s Trick ‘r Treat was tailor-made for franchise treatment—a love letter to Halloween filled with interconnected stories, dark morality tales, and the instantly iconic Sam. With its anthology format, each installment could have introduced new legends and myths from various cultures, all while building on the Halloween lore. Though a sequel has long been teased, it never materialized. In a world where The Purge thrives, it’s baffling this never became a yearly tradition.
3. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)
Missed Opportunity: A smart, satirical slasher universe
This indie gem deconstructed the slasher genre with wit, charm, and genuine scares. Leslie Vernon, a killer-in-training, navigates a world where Freddy, Jason, and Michael Myers are canon. A franchise could have easily followed Leslie’s rise through horror ranks or introduced other killers with their own twisted training arcs. A planned sequel, Before the Mask, has been stuck in development hell for over a decade. Considering the current appetite for meta-horror (Scream, The Cabin in the Woods), the timing was perfect—but the funding never was.
4. 13 Ghosts (2001)
Missed Opportunity: A ghost-by-ghost cinematic universe
The 2001 remake of 13 Ghosts (stylized as Thir13en Ghosts) wasn’t a critical darling, but its creative design and expansive lore around the Black Zodiac was undeniably franchise-ready. Each ghost had its own backstory, tragic origin, and disturbing design. A series of films or streaming episodes focusing on each spirit’s life and death would have been a horror goldmine. Instead, the film’s dense mythology remains untapped, kept alive only by fan theories and the occasional deep-dive YouTube essay.
5. Nightbreed (1990)
Missed Opportunity: A dark, monstrous fantasy-horror saga
Clive Barker’s Nightbreed imagined a world where monsters are the oppressed heroes, hiding in an underground city called Midian. With a sprawling mythos, rich world-building, and memorable creature designs, it felt like the beginning of horror’s answer to The Lord of the Rings. Studio interference derailed its release, and despite a strong cult following and the release of a director’s cut, Barker’s vision for sequels and a larger universe never came to fruition. A franchise could’ve explored other Nightbreed tribes, ancient wars, and new threats to their hidden world.
Final Thoughts
Horror thrives on reinvention and resurrection, and these five films had all the ingredients to spawn franchises that could rival genre mainstays. Whether due to bad timing, studio hesitation, or box office performance, they remain tragic “what-ifs.” In an era where horror is booming and nostalgia is currency, perhaps it’s time to revisit these dormant nightmares—and finally give them the franchise treatment they deserve.
