Stephen King‘s movies haven’t produced the best sequels over the years, but there are a few derivative works that are worth watching. From the outset, it was clear to Hollywood that Stephen King’s best-selling novels would be perfect fodder for movies. King’s debut book, Carrie, was turned into a smash-hit film, and it helped establish him as the newfound “King of Horror”. Naturally, this trick would be repeated over and over again into the modern day, and King’s prolific output as a wordsmith has helped produce more than a few classic horror films as well.

Besides a host of miniseries on TV which have also done well, Stephen King’s novels usually excel as standalone stories and nothing more. However, that hasn’t stopped Hollywood from trying to squeeze as much as they can from his horror concepts, and tons of sequels have been made from the adaptations of King’s books. Some of King’s works feature open worlds that are ripe for exploration, while others are decisive and closed. Though they’re almost all poor compared to their predecessors, there are a few Stephen King movie sequels that die-hard horror fans should check out.

10

Children Of The Corn: Revelation (2001)

The Seventh Film In The Series Scores Points For Trying Something New

The landmark seventh Children of the Corn movie, subtitled Revelation, holds an abysmal 0% score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it does deserve some attention because it tries to do something unique with the already played-out Children of the Corn idea. Revelation has a mysterious quality that hearkens back to the original story, even if it pales in comparison.

The concept of scary children was overused by the seventh movie, so Revelation adds some new wrinkles to the supernatural elements. A strong performance from character actor Michael Ironside also adds some horror movie credibility, and it’s definitely worth watching more than many of the other Children of the Corn sequels, reboots, and remakes.

9

Creepshow 2 (1987)

Stephen King Wasn’t Involved With The Second Anthology

Creepshow 2

Release Date

May 1, 1987

Runtime

92 minutes

Director

Michael Gornick

After the brilliance of the anthology horror film Creepshow, the sequel was a step back. The individual tales are based on Stephen King stories, but the author himself wasn’t involved in the development of the movie. The result is a series of vignettes that feel like they were leftovers from the first film, and have a rough-draft quality overall.

However, Creepshow 2 is still worth watching because it does have some highlights. “The Hitchhiker” might be a stock-standard horror concept ripped straight from an episode of The Twilight Zone, but it’s still quite horrifying on its own. Furthermore, the wraparound story is the best part of the sequel, and has a great message about how comic books have been vilified throughout history.

8

Children of the Corn 666: Isaac’s Return (1999)

The Horror Series Returns To Its Roots

Children of the Corn 666: Isaac’s Return

Release Date

October 19, 1999

Runtime

82 minutes

Director

Kari Skogland

Writers

John Franklin

Producers

Bill Berry, Jeff Geoffray, Louis Spiegler, Walter Josten

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  John Franklin

  Isaac Chroner

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  Natalie Ramsey

  Hannah Martin

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• 

One of the biggest problems with Stephen King movie sequels is that they are usually divorced from the original film. However, Children of the Corn 666: Isaac’s Return changed that trend by featuring a direct link to the original film through its title character.

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John Franklin reprises his role as Isaac and delivers yet another excellent performance in the straight-to-video sequel. He’s joined by established icons like Nancy Allen and Stacy Keach, and Isaac’s Return has the largest scope of the Children of the Corn sequels.

7

Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace (1996)

Stephen King Disowned The Original Movie

Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace

Release Date

January 12, 1996

Runtime

92 minutes

Director

Farhad Mann

Producers

Avram Butch Kaplan, Edward Simons, Keith Fox, Peter A. McRae, Robert Pringle, Steven A. Lane

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• 

  Patrick Bergin

  Dr. Benjamin Trace

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  Austin O’Brien

  Peter Parkette

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  Ely Pouget

  Dr. Cori Platt

Lawnmower Man is one of Stephen King’s most controversial adaptations because it was so different from its source material that the author actually sued the production. However, its box office success inspired a sequel, and Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace was born. Unfortunately, only one original actor returned, and it wasn’t megastar Pierce Brosnan.

Like its predecessor, Beyond Cyberspace has nothing to do with the King story, but it’s actually a decent popcorn flick on its own merits. Matt Frewer turns in a charismatic performance that makes up for the cheesy script, and the visuals are actually an improvement over the original’s extremely silly CGI.

6

The Mangler 2 (2002)

The Sequel Adds More Mechanical Menaces

The Mangler is one of the oddest Stephen King adaptations, and it takes one of his goofiest short stories and puts it on the big screen. 2002’s The Mangler 2 is ostensibly cashing in on the name, and feels very much like it was based on a spec script that could be tied back to the original King adaptation.

Instead of one deadly appliance, the gadgets at a strict boarding school come to life, and the sequel scores points for upping the ante. The Mangler 2 also stars horror legend Lance Henriksen, who gives his usual best in the straight-to-video sequel. Its connection to King is tenuous, but the practical effects in The Mangler 2 are top-notch for a film of its size.

5

Sometimes They Come Back…Again (1996)

The Sequel Is Essentially A Remake Of The Original

Sometimes They Come Back… Again

Release Date

September 3, 1996

Runtime

98 minutes

Director

Adam Grossman

Writers

Guy Riedel

Producers

Barry Barnholtz, Mark Amin

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  Alexis Arquette

  Tony Reno

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• 

  Hilary Swank

  Michelle Porter

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  Jennifer Elise Cox

  Jules Martin

Sequels often become repetitive when they copy the formula of their predecessor, but Sometimes They Come Back…Again is unique because it feels more like a remake than a follow-up. The 1991 original film, Sometimes They Come Back, is a forgotten installment in King’s TV movie filmography, but its sequel is still worth watching.

While it borrows the concept of King’s story and just changes details, it’s those details that make Sometimes They Come Back…Again so compelling. The author isn’t known for his subtlety, but …Again has so many ridiculous and over-the-top concepts that it borders on parody. It might not be particularly scary, but the forgotten sequel is never boring.

4

Children Of The Corn II: The Final Sacrifice (1992)

A King Sequel That Was Actually Released Theatrically

Released nearly 10 years after the original, Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice is a rare King sequel that got a theatrical release. Earning a small profit at the box office, the sequel picks up right after the events of the first movie, and sees the titular evil kids relocate to a new town where they can wreak havoc again.

The original Children of the Corn movies include:

The small budget is still put to better use than any of its direct-to-video sequels, and The Final Sacrifice features more than a few clever moments. Besides just coming too many years too late, the sequel also pulls back the curtain on the supernatural elements, which cheapens the experience. However, if one Children of the Corn sequel justified its existence, The Final Sacrifice is that movie.

3

The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999)

An Unusual Sequel With Some New Ideas

Carrie was Stephen King’s first novel and movie adaptation, but it took until 1999 for someone to dream up a sequel idea. The Rage: Carrie 2 follows Carrie’s younger half-sister, Rachel, who begins to develop telekinetic powers that she uses to get back at the evil jocks in her school. The script started as a wholly original idea, but was changed to connect directly to the classic ’70s movie.

As such, The Rage feels both like a sequel and a remake. Since there have been several remakes of Carrie, it’s clear that a straight-forward sequel is hard to pull off. However, The Rage does add new wrinkles to the telekinetic powers, and it brought back Amy Irving as Sue Snell. The telekinetic sequences are worth the price of admission, and the movie is a time capsule of late 1990s horror film style.

2

A Return To Salem’s Lot (1987)

Larry Cohen Made Salem’s Lot Funny In This Oddball Sequel

A Return to Salem’s Lot

Release Date

September 11, 1987

Runtime

101 Minutes

Director

Larry Cohen

Writers

Larry Cohen, James Dixon

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  Michael Moriarty

  Joe Weber

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• 
• 

  Ricky Addison Reed

  Jeremy

Most Stephen King movie sequels feel like cynical cash-grabs, but Larry Cohen’s A Return to Salem’s Lot was an obvious labor of love. The sequel was released theatrically (ironically after the original was a TV movie), and follows a father/son duo who return to the titular town to find that it’s a colony for ancient vampires. Picking up where the first story left off is a brilliant idea, but Cohen took things a step further by making it a comedy.

The vampires have been given a slight redesign, and the movie is mostly an exploration of their culture as it tries to grapple with the end of the 20th century. While this is in stark contrast to the gothic horror of King’s story and the Tobe Hooper TV movie, A Return to Salem’s Lot is a cheeky bit of horror comedy that has director Larry Cohen’s signature brand of humor all over it.

1

Pet Sematary Two (1992)

An Oft-Forgotten Stephen King Sequel

Pet Sematary holds a special place in Stephen King’s filmography, though the movie is a poor substitute for the excellent book. However, Pet Sematary Two was forgotten almost as soon as it arrived, despite being one of King’s most high-profile sequels. Set after the events of the first movie, the sequel focuses on a teenage boy who uses the cursed land to bring back his recently-deceased mom.

Whatever subtlety the original film had is thrown out in favor of off-the-wall thrills and chills. Pet Sematary Two is gruesome and violent, and that’s what saves it from being yet another rehash. It’s not a good film by any stretch of the imagination, but Pet Sematary Two is worth watching because it expands upon the mythology and asks “what if?”, something that most Stephen King sequels don’t do.