10 Planned Sequels That We Never Got to See
MANIAC COP 4
1993’s second Maniac Cop sequel, Badge of Silence, ended with the strong suggestion that we hadn’t seen the last of Matt Cordell and his murderous ways. But for over a decade, it seemed that we in fact had. It wasn’t until 2008 that William Lustig started talking about Maniac Cop 4, revealing that he and writing partner Larry Cohen had gotten back the rights to the franchise, and were planning on bringing Cordell back from the dead for one last bloody hurrah. Lustig said that he had planned on “re-inventing the series” with the fourth installment, and that the late Robert Z’Dar would for the first time not be returning to play the titular Maniac Cop.
More recently we learned that Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn was in talks with Lustig/Cohen to produce a remake of Maniac Cop, rather than a sequel, which would essentially serve as a prequel to/reboot of the first film. That project, sadly, seems to have also fallen by the wayside.
PHANTASM’S END
Originally conceived as the fourth installment in the franchise, Phantasm super fan/Silent Hill writer Roger Avary once wrote a screenplay which at the time was called Phantasm 1999 A.D., but was later re-named Phantasm’s End. Set to star original cast members as well as Bruce Campbell, the script was billed as the epic conclusion to the series, set in a desolate future and centering around high-tech troops trying to destroy the Tall Man once and for all. Due to budgetary issues, Don Coscarelli instead wrote and directed Phantasm 4: Oblivion, reportedly hoping to follow it up with the more ambitious Roger Avary film. That of course never happened.
Set for release sometime in the near future is Phantasm: Ravager, which will serve as the franchise’s fifth installment. At the time of writing this, no release date has been set, but we do know that the film has been completely shot and is on its way. Ravager features Reggie Bannister in his decades-long pursuit of the malevolent Tall Man, and it finally forces him to confront the mysteries at the heart of the Phantasm saga.
THE RETURN OF THE KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE…IN 3D!
As far back as I can remember there have been talks about a Killer Klowns From Outer Space sequel, talks that tend to pick up and then die down with each passing year. But it wasn’t until 2011 that it seemed the film was finally on the horizon, when Klowns star Grant Cramer revealed that a 3D sequel was most definitely in the works, and that he would return to star in the film which would again be directed by the Chiodo brothers. He went on to say that the film would feature brand new Klown designs, and that Mike Tobacco would serve as the mentor to two new young leads, tasked with saving the world from the Klown invasion.
Last I heard, funding was secured but a distribution deal was not in place, and it’s been a couple years now since Cramer has revealed anything further about the production. With a script written and both fans and filmmakers eager to bring the Klowns back, we can only wonder one thing at this point; what the hell is the hold up?!?!
Which of these films would you most like to see find their way in front of the camera? And do you know of any other horror sequels that almost entered our lives? Comment below and let us know!
