Thehorrorgenre is more complex and detailed than film buffs credit it for. Horror blends itself with other movie genres, such as thriller, mystery, sci-fi, and comedy, in ways that other genres do not. Slasher, paranormal, supernatural, religious, and even classic monster movies give the horror genre the opportunity to produce a variety of stories for horror fans to enjoy. Horror has given moviegoers some of the most unforgettable moments in cinema and some of the most intriguing stories to hear.
Updated July 06, 2025: In honor of Halloween, this article has been updated by Yosra Ben lagha with even more horror entries that jumped the shark.
Horror is one of the most creative genres of film. However, there have been times when that creativity has proven to not be effective in the way it was intended. Since the genre seemingly has no limitations, it doesn’t always work out in a film’s favor. Too many sequels to horror films have taken the narrative to ridiculous places that tarnish any credibility or legacy that the other films in a series previously had.
Jumped the Shark is a reference to the hit television showHappy Days, which featured an infamous episode where Fonzie jumped a shark in a moment that stretched believability for the audience. The term is typically used to describe when a series uses a gimmick to keep audiences invested or goes so far away from what fans loved about the series it is almost unwatchable. There are, unfortunately, many examples of sequels to horror movies that have gone wrong, but let’s take a look at 13 horror sequels that completely jumped the shark:
13The Final Destination (2009)
Gruesome, bloody, unexpected, and terribly scary deaths are what characterize theFinal Destinationfranchise. Even though the movies set the tone for death to happen, most of them still find creative ways to make it shocking, scary, and believable at the same time. The audience does not simply grow used to it and lay back yawning when a character’s head is split in two or when another’s body catches fire. While Final Destination 3 does feature some cartoonish, over-the-top deaths, it is 2009’sThe Final Destinationwhere it becomes absurd.
Every Final Destination Movie, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes
With Final Destination 6 on the horizon, it’s time to take a look back at what Rotten Tomatoes thinks of the horror franchise so far.
Nadia Monroy, for example, is splattered by a flying tire, Carter’s head is blown off by an explosion, Samantha Lane is stone shot through her right eye, Hunt Wynorski is disemboweled by a pool pump, Jonathan Groves is crushed by hospital overflowing bathtub, and the list of death scenarios that happen to less than 1% confidently continues throughout the movie. It’s aFinal Destinationmovie. Of course, people are going to die. It’s just that the carnivalesque mood in which the deaths take place makes it seem like the movie is just putting on a death show as opposed to making anotherFinal Destinationsequel full of tension, anticipation, and deaths that actually make the audience tremble. All in all, it just seems like a shameless downgrade.
12A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)
The first installment of Wes Craven’sA Nightmare on Elm Streetseries was entertaining in every way a horror movie can be. It had gore, scares, and an intriguing concept that probably left many people up at night. The series is a favorite among many horror fans, and some of the sequels are genuinely great. Unfortunately, a lot of them are not. The series really goes off the rails inA Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child. It involves a convoluted storyline where Freddy impregnates one of his victims and uses the unborn child as a vessel for his resurrection. Using an unborn baby as his weapon of choice is an utterly bizarre move that turned a once intimidating villain into a cringe-worthy nightmare (pun intended).
11Halloween Kills (2021)
David Gordon Green’sHalloweenrequel trilogy is actually far better than people give it credit for.Halloween Endsis a divisive film in the franchise as some fans believe it sidelined Laurie and Michael, but it was actually a sensible ending for their story and for the trilogy as a whole. Nevertheless,Halloween Killsjumped the shark a few times in its 105-minute runtime. First, Michael escapes Laurie’s house, which went up in flames at the end ofHalloween, and walks out of the burning structure like it’s nothing. He then proceeds to murder each and every firefighter there with ease.
Toward the end of the movie, the townspeople of Haddonfield form an angry mob to end Michael once and for all. The townspeople brutally attack him, even stabbing him in the back with a pitchfork. Somehow, Michael gets up and destroys the entire mob of vengeful townsfolk without so much as a wince. It’s an absolutely absurd moment that, unfortunately, aligns with otherHalloweensequels that this trilogy was supposed to retcon.
10Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015)
There once was a time when theParanormal Activityfranchise was the top horror series. For almost five years straight, they were the star Halloween attraction for moviegoers. But the found footage angle got old quickly, and by the time the sixth entry in the series came out, it was clear this series should have ended a long time ago. What began as a simple, effective thriller about one couple being stalked by an ancient force now had a sprawling mythology that muddied the previous intent of the original film.Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimensiontries to explain everything and wrap up the story that nobody ever wanted to expand.
9Saw 4 (2007)
TheSawfranchise is one of the most iconic horror franchises. The franchise was put in an odd spot where the main killer, Jigsaw, was killed off. While that would suggest the end of the series, it was far too profitable to end. So they decided to continue the series with copycat killers, which starts withSaw 4.
During Jigsaw’s autopsy, a microcassette is found in his stomach, in which he promises that “the games have just begun.” Detectives and FBI agents continue to be kidnapped and put to the psychopathic test as if the main killer were still alive. An apprentice is suspected of carrying the legacy of violence and gore, but it never had the same impact as the earlier films.
8Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1995)
Tobe Hooper’s original 1974 filmThe Texas Chainsaw Massacrewas incredibly influential to the horror genre and was one of the films responsible for the rise of slasher movies in the late ’70s and throughout the ’80s. There have been various sequels and remakes made in the nearly 50 years since the original was released, none of which have been able to live up to the glory of the first.Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generationis possibly the worst of all of them.
20 Times the Stakes Were Raised in Horror Sequels
Every horror movie sequel has a moment where things take a turn for the worst.
The movie attempted to redirect the tone of the franchise by adding more comedic elements and a gender-swapped version of Leatherface. It also gave indications that the Sawyer family had ties to the Illuminati, which is an understandably difficult angle to build upon when making a franchise. Not evenyoung Matthew McConaugheyand Renée Zellweger could save this one.
7Insidious Chapter 3 (2015)
Insidious Chapter 3shifts the narrative of the franchise and is a prequel to the first two films. Calling itInsidious 3when it is a prequel is confusing enough (which means the proper third film now has to be calledInsidious: The Red Door), but it was clear the filmmakers were more interested in fleshing out the world even though it took away many elements of what made the first two entries scary. This is certainly a case of a franchise overstaying its welcome.
Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmareis proof that thefranchise should have stoppedadding entries after the mess that the fifth installment was. This time around, Freddy Krueger has finally rid his hometown of all children and seeks to move on to new territory. So, he recruits the aid of his previously unmentioned daughter, but she discovers the demonic origins of her father’s abilities and meets her dad head-on in one last showdown. It’s revealed that Freddy’s powers were bestowed upon him by dream demons, which diminishes any of the mystery surrounding the once sinister character.
By this point in the franchise, Freddy had gone from a terrifying child murderer to an unserious prankster who enjoyed delivering bad one-liners before offing his victim. The movie was released when 3D was all the rage for major theatrical releases, so it featured an odd 3D final showdown that blended in with the regular 2D scenes of the film and ultimately added nothing to the narrative.
5Jaws: The Revenge (1987)
If you thought thatJaws 3Dwas the worst that theJawsseries could produce, then you are sorely mistaken.Jaws: The Revengejumped the shark and landed in a vat of toxic waste. The movie has a comical Rotten Tomatoes critics score of 0% and a 15% audience score. To say the movie is bad is an understatement. The shark attack scenes, which were once tension-filled, offer no suspense or even a hint of fear.
The shark that attacked Sean Brody followed his mother, Ellen, from Amity all the way to Nassau in the Bahamas, which is 1,200 miles away. Not only did it swim 1,200 miles to follow her, it knew exactly where she would be.Jaws: The Revengehad a few other poorly executed ideas that bring shame to Steven Spielberg’s classic summer blockbuster.
4Halloween Ressurection (2002)
It’s not the first or last timeHalloweenwill show up on this list. Michael Myers has jumped as many sharks as timelines he has been part of. Following the success of 1998’sHalloween H20, a sequel was put into production that looked to satirize reality TV show culture.Halloween Ressurectionis awful; no two ways about it. From the poor acting and laughably bad script that wants to be modern to the fact that Michael Myers is taken out by a martial arts Busta Rhymes, it was clear that the franchise had lost its way and that it would take a dramatic retooling to make Michael Myers scary again.
