The third entry in any horror movie franchise tends to be dismissed as a dud, but here are ten sequels that prove the old adage wrong. While it’s not a given that the third movie in a series will be a clunker, there’s plenty of evidence to suggest otherwise.

From The Godfather: Part 3 to Lethal Weapon 3 or The Dark Knight Rises, there’s usually a noticeable decline in quality. In the land of horror movie franchises, that’s not always a problem. Audiences return for a repeтιтion of a familiar formula, so even if outings like Saw III or Final Destination 3 lack originality, at least they’re still fun.

Once in a while, the filmmakers behind these sequels raise their game and produce genuinely good films. Sequels that honor what came before, while either trying something different or building on what’s been established. Again, they’ll never beat out the original, but at least they can stand on their own merits.

28 Years Later (2025)

For a time, it felt like the 28 Days Later franchise would tap out at two entries. The original was a breath of fresh air in 2002, and while the second film was entertaining, it was also a slight disappointment. Development on a third film dragged on for years – until it was suddenly announced there would be three more.

28 Years Later might be sold on names like Ralph Fiennes or Aaron Taylor-Johnson, but the real protagonist is a boy named Spike (Alfie Williams). The movie subverts most of the clichés of the zombie genre, with screenwriter Alex Garland always taking the story in unexpected directions.

28 Years Later can still be terrifying (like the causeway chase), but it’s also rich with subtext and emotion. Some viewers were irritated by the movie’s somewhat eccentric tone, but it’s still one of the best horror efforts of 2025.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street was an unexpected smash hit in 1984, making a slasher icon out of Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund). The second entry, Freddy’s Revenge, was a deeply bizarre follow-up that had to be course-corrected for the third outing. For many fans of the series, Dream Warriors is the best of the bunch.

The third A Nightmare on Elm Street movie sees the last surviving Elm St teens being stalked by Freddy, with the original final girl Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) returning to stop the dream demon once and for all. Dream Warriors is the one that nailed the series formula, making Freddy both funny and scary.

The sequel is rich with creative dream sequences and effects, including the downright gross Freddy Snake. It has a cool cast of then up-and-comers (Patricia Arquette, Laurence Fishburne, etc), and Dream Warriors features some of the most iconic scenes in the whole saga.

A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)

A Quiet Place: Day One didn’t sound that promising on paper. It didn’t feel that necessary to actually witness what happened the day the aliens landed, but this prequel might just be the best in the franchise. It’s got all the suspense and jumpscares of the first two, but is also more emotional and character-based.

Director Michael Sarnoski narrows the focus to two survivors trapped in New York and trying to stay alive. However, Lupita Nyong’o Sam is terminally ill and has decided her only objective is to eat her favorite type of pizza one last time.

Whereas the thoughts of a prequel dredged up images of the military shooting at monsters, A Quiet Place: Day One is a quiet character drama smuggled inside a blockbuster framework. Nyong’o and co-star Joseph Quinn both do great work, and viewers are likely to be teary-eyed by the finale.

Halloween 3: Season of the Witch

Halloween director John Carpenter never wanted to make a sequel and was essentially forced to produce Halloween 2. Having killed Michael Myers off in the second film, Carpenter wanted Halloween 3 to be the start of an anthology. In his mind, every new Halloween sequel could follow a different story and characters.

Unfortunately, the promotional material for Season of the Witch failed to make it clear that Michael wasn’t returning. That, in turn, led to terrible reviews and tepid box office. That’s a genuine shame, since Halloween 3 has since proven itself an undersung gem.

Sure, the central plot is goofy and some of it hasn’t aged well, but the third film has some intensely creepy setpieces too. Carpenter’s synth score is unnerving, Tom Atkins is an unconventional leading man but endlessly charismatic, and it’s easily the most unique of the Halloween saga.

The Exorcist 3 (1990)

The first Exorcist was a game-changer, and still holds up as a classic. The sequel was an almighty mess made by a filmmaker who despised the original, and nobody was clamoring for a third film. The third outing was originally intended as more of a spinoff, based on author William Peter Blatty’s novel, Legion.

This promoted The Exorcist supporting cop character Lt. Kinderman to the leading role, where he investigates the return of a serial killer supposedly executed years before. Blatty wrote and directed the third film, and despite being forced to re-edit it and shoot an over-the-top exorcism finale, it’s still a terrific follow-up.

The Exorcist 3 maintains an eerie, menacing atmosphere throughout, an ensemble full of scenery chewers (led by George C Scott), and one of the best jump scares in cinema history. It’s not nearly as iconic as the first film, but then again, few horror movies are.

Day of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ (1985)

Day of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ is the third outing in George A Romero’s zombie series, with the action taking place in a remote bunker. This sees a group of soldiers and scientists bickering endlessly while refusing to acknowledge that the world has already ended. It’s a bleak, dark little nightmare – which is also a lot of fun.

The intelligent zombie Bub (Sherman Howard) is a genre icon, while the zombie makeup and gore effects are some of the best put to camera. The first three Living ᴅᴇᴀᴅ films are great, but there’s something effectively haunting but oddly hopeful about Day of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ that makes it still out.

Army of Darkness (1992)

Sam Raimi’s movie debut, The Evil ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, was a mega-gory and unrelenting horror ride, but by the time the third instalment Army of Darkness arrived, the concept became a cartoon. The rating was lowered to a PG-13, and it evolved into more of a fantasy epic as ᴅᴇᴀᴅite slayer Ash (Bruce Campbell) is accidentally sent back in time.

It’s the least of the original Evil ᴅᴇᴀᴅ trilogy, but it’s impossible to have a bad time with Army of Darkness. Campbell is perfection as the cowardly, sardonic Ash, Raimi stages inventive setpieces of both the comic and action varieties, and it neatly closed the book on the original trilogy.

Hellraiser 3: Hell on Earth (1992)

Hellraiser III tried to take the gruesome, visceral violence of the original films and pivot into something lighter, like the Nightmare on Elm Street sequels. This included making Doug Bradley’s Pinhead a more Freddy-inspired villain. Now, there’s a lot wrong with Hell on Earth; it’s marred by bad acting, confusing lore and overly flashy camerawork.

On the other hand, it’s a dated charmer full of great effects and anchored by Bradley’s delightful performance as the Hell Priest. Hellraiser 3 is about as close to mainstream acceptance as the franchise ever reached, and its parade of themed Cenobites (including CD Head and Camerahead!) can’t help but raise a smile.

Alien 3 (1992)

The success of Aliens made a third film inevitable, even if nobody involved on the creative side actually wanted to make it. That’s why it took six years for Alien 3 to arrive, a film that’s one of the most downbeat Hollywood sequels ever.

It was trashed by fans and critics, while director David Fincher disowned it following a nightmare production. Alien 3 is also one of the boldest sequels ever attempted, with the filmmakers committing to its sweaty bleakness, even knowing audiences would probably hate it.

Alien 3 still has a lot going for it, including Sigourney Weaver’s incredible turn as Ripley, a haunting score and bravura setpieces. It’s not the masterpiece some admirers have tried to reclaim it as, but it is a much stronger sequel than its initial reputation suggests.

Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982)

Whereas a lot of 3D movies are almost ashamed of their format, Friday the 13th Part 3 fully embraces it. Every 30 seconds, things are prodding the screen (be it yo-yos or spear tips) and the sequel is committed to going totally overboard with its 3D.

The film itself has a thin story and two-dimensional characters, but none of that really matters. It’s a pure Friday the 13th movie experience, featuring needlessly gory demises, lots of creepy stalking sequences and it even has the first appearance of Jason’s beloved hockey mask.