Seeing a horror movie with such promising potential is such a rare sight these days, making it all the more tragic when that potential isn't realized or, even worse, when there are no more sequels. These exciting flicks might only make a stunning comeback with the aid of movie reboots.
And no other movie deserves a reboot, other than these 15 horror movies on the list.
15. Leprechaun (1993)
Leprechaun follows Tory (Jennifer Aniston) along with a group of other survivors as they are terrorized by the titular evil creature, Leprechaun, in search of his beloved pot of gold.
The Leprechaun franchise has received two, three if you count Into the Hood, reboots. It’s a franchise so cheesy yet charming at the same time, one that isn’t afraid to poke fun at everything. Although none of the films in the franchise are ever really that great in the franchise, they are all still worthy films to watch.
However, this doesn’t need to be the case anymore. Maybe if a reboot were to be released today, not only will it deliver laughs, but as well as genuine scares. This might just help solidify the Leprechaun franchise as a solid entry in the horror genre.
14. Splinter (2008)
Trapped in an isolated gas station by a voracious Splinter parasite that transforms its still-living victims into deadly hosts, a young couple and an escaped convict must find a way to work together to survive this primal terror.
Splinter provided the thrills, chills, and creativity in the familiar zombie subgenre. It’s a film that delivers intensity from beginning to end, and many disgusting-looking creatures make each scene hard to watch and stomach.
The film’s only issue being its frantic camera movement which makes viewing the film’s gnarly scenes kind of a bit not understandable. But hey, maybe with a proper reboot, not only will this issue be remedied but some of the most intense moments seen in its forerunner might just return.
13. Stay Alive (2006)
For a group of teens, the answer to the mysterious death of their old friend lies within the world of an online video game based on the true story of an ancient noblewoman known as the Blood Countess.
Stay Alive is one of those cheesy 2000s horror films that time had forgotten, and it’s a shame because the film’s premise is just as relevant as ever. Giving us an immersive viewing experience that aims to deliver horror in the real world and in a virtual world.
Maybe with a reboot, every improvement that the gaming industry had implemented might just be used to great effect, along with taking influence from many digital horror films to provide us with one of the most memorable horror movies in recent memory.
12. Saw (2004)
Two strangers awaken in a room with no recollection of how they got there, and soon discover they're pawns in a deadly game perpetrated by a notorious serial killer named Jigsaw.
While the Saw franchise may still be receiving multiple sequels, with its most recent installment being Spiral, released in 2021. However alive it may be though, it can’t be denied that the franchise had become very much convoluted with its so many unnecessary sequels and plot twists.
Jigsaw, which was a pseudo reboot of its own, almost manage to provide us with a decent simplification of the horrific games, however, what we truly need is a reboot that starts from scratch. A film that would disregard those plot twist after plot twist, to create an atmospheric entry that’s more akin to its first film.
11. Cold Prey (2006)
Five young Norwegians head up to the mountains to snowboard. One breaks his leg and it's getting dark soon, so they spend the night in a big, abandoned hotel, that closed 30 years ago. They are not alone.
Cold Prey is one of those overlooked foreign slasher films that just never got the recognition that it rightfully deserves. A film that packs in many brutal and creative kills, a refreshing setting, and a menacing killer. What simply could you ask for in a slasher?
Well, unfortunately, the franchise’s final film was back in 2010, with no other news of a new film after it. Just imagine a new entry, one that is more brutal than had come before, and maybe a possible English entry, one that will bring the franchise into the mainstream.
10. The Descent (2005)
A caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as a group of female explorers become trapped and ultimately pursued by a strange breed of predators.
The Descent is one of those films that just never fails to make you feel unnerved thanks largely to its outstanding atmosphere, creepy monster design, and claustrophobic setting that will make anyone afraid of dark and tight places.
It’s a shame however that the sequel that it did spawn ended up tarnishing what made its forerunner great, giving us a lesser experience that ended up being underwhelming. Now, this time would just be the perfect time to release a reboot of sorts where the events of the second film would be disregarded in favor of a more polished sequel.
9. Cherry Falls (2000)
In the small town of Cherry Falls, a psychotic murderer is killing off the virgins of the local high school. And in the hopes of stopping the killings, the teenagers decided to plan a sex party to avoid the serial killer.
Cherry Falls was released after Scream’s meta influence had pretty much become stale which was the reason as to why this film isn’t really as recognized as the other greats in the genre. And it’s a shame because Cherry Falls is a really great slasher film that takes a hilarious new spin on the familiar setup.
Though its concept may prove to be controversial in today’s times, with a little bit of tweaking, we might just see another creative slasher film released in this era. One that will rival Scream’s own sequel/reboot.
8. Day of the Dead (1985)
The third entry in Romero’s Dead franchise, follows a group of scientists and military personnel sheltering in an underground bunker in Florida, hiding from the undead horde.
Three of Romero’s classics had already received their own remakes, with the two, Night and Dawn being some of the best examples of a remake done right. Day of the Dead, however, seems to always stumble, whether it be its remakes or sequel, the film just never really got the retelling that it deserves.
Maybe with another shot, we might just get the definitive Day of the Dead experience. A reboot that would get what makes its predecessor such a great and thought-provoking film in the first place.
7. Final Destination (2000)
Alex Browning is among a group of high school students readying themselves for a trip to Europe. When he suddenly has a premonition their airplane will crash, he screams to warn the others but instead he is thrown off of the plane along with others, but the plane crashes after they get off. Weeks later one of the survivors mysteriously dies, and Alex realizes that things just got more complex.
Final Destination is one of the most clever and original horror films to ever come out in the 2000s, delivering us four excellent films (we don’t talk about the fourth entry) that make excellent use of mundane events to create fear.
The franchise’s final entry was back in 2011 and after that, we’ve just been dying to see more creative kills and visions. With a proper reboot, everything that made its original great could be taken and further pushed to the next level to give us an unforgettable film.
6. The Return of the Living Dead (1985)
When two bumbling employees at a medical supply warehouse accidentally release a deadly gas into the air, the vapors cause the dead to rise again as zombies.
The Return of Living Dead brought humor, intensity, and originality to the familiar zombie genre. As a result, we got one of the most iconic films about these undead. Despite having a strong first outing, however, the film was turned into a franchise, an undead one that is, one that seems to only get worse with each entry.
A modern reboot of the franchise would simply be perfect in today’s era. A film that would provide a much-needed refreshing take on the zombie sub-genre, as well as give us a likable cast of characters that you’ll grow to love.
5. Friday the 13th (1980)
A group of camp counselors trying to reopen a summer camp called Crystal Lake, which has a grim past, are stalked by a mysterious killer.
Bloody, sexy, and purely absurd are just some of the words to describe the Friday the 13th franchise. The franchise had taken numerous directions before, from being a murder mystery, going to L.A., to even exploring space, all with varying success.
Now is finally the time though to go back and explore the woods of Camp Crystal Lake. A film that would take the franchise back to basics, with Jason terrorizing camp counselors once more and no gimmick insights.
4. Jaws (1975)
When a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.
It’s been a long time since horror movies about wild animals have truly been able to provide genuine scares and thrills. One notable film of this caliber would be 1975’s Jaws, a film that made everyone back in its day, scared of water.
A modern reboot that aims to do this would be incredible as well, making us once again afraid of what lurks in a such safe place and once again providing fear to a real living creature, and not an imaginary one. We simply couldn’t wait for this to happen.
3. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
The movie follows Nancy Thompson who must uncover the dark truth concealed by her parents after she and her friends become targets of the spirit of a serial killer with a bladed glove in their dreams, in which if they die, it kills them in real life.
Remember the time when A Nightmare on Elm Street dominated not only the market but the horror genre as well? Giving us 9 outstanding horror films that explore horrific and visually mesmerizing nightmares and an iconic slasher in the shape of Freddy Krueger.
Unfortunately, the franchise seems to have died out, but maybe it doesn’t have to stay that way with a release of a reboot. A film that would take the same approach as 2018’s Halloween, ignoring the unnecessary sequels to create a new timeline with a grittier and more brutal iteration of the characters.
2. Alien (1979)
The crew of a commercial spacecraft encounter a deadly lifeform after investigating an unknown transmission. Now, they must try to survive the grip of this unknown creature who lurks on their ship.
Many horror films set in space have tried to recapture the magic that the Alien franchise has established, however, none has managed to ever come close to it, including the franchise’s later sequels. The first two films are an incredible trek to space, giving us both horror and action, combined with science fiction, to create an iconic film.
Considering how modern technology has come since the release of the first film, maybe with a proper reboot, we might just rediscover again the horror in space. A film that would take advantage of mesmerizing contemporary effects, along with erasing the films that had tarnished the otherwise strong name of the Alien franchise.
1. Psycho (1960)
Phoenix secretary, Marion Crane, embezzles $40,000 from her employer's client, goes on the run and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother. Only to discover a dark secret deep within the confines of his home.
Psycho is one of the grandfathers of the slasher genre and helped establish many tropes that are still being used ‘til today. And its many sequels, while may not be as strong as its original, are still worth watching.
The franchise did receive a reboot of sorts before in the shape of Bates Motel, a psychological drama series, however, while incredible in its own right, it’s not really horror. Now is just the perfect time to release a reboot of the franchise, one that will scare and surprise the audiences as it did back in its release.
