20 Horror Sequels That Would Make Great Standalone Movies

You do not always need to start at the beginning with horror franchises, because some follow ups tell complete stories on their own. These entries introduce clear characters, a self contained conflict, and a resolution that does not require previous knowledge. Many are prequels or side stories that fill in lore while staying easy to follow. Here are twenty sequels you can watch cold and still understand everything that matters.

‘Aliens’ (1986)

James Cameron brings back Ellen Ripley as a civilian consultant joining colonial marines on a rescue mission to LV 426 after contact is lost. The film explains the alien threat, the corporate angle, and the stakes through Ripley’s debrief and the squad’s briefings. It features Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, and Carrie Henn, with practical effects and miniatures driving large scale action. The theatrical cut runs about two hours and twenty minutes and was a major worldwide box office success.

‘Evil Dead II’ (1987)

Sam Raimi opens with a streamlined recap that reintroduces Ash Williams and the cursed cabin before launching a fresh night of demonic chaos. The plot tracks new characters arriving, the Necronomicon pages, and Ash’s transformation with the iconic chainsaw hand. Bruce Campbell leads a small ensemble while the movie leans on inventive makeup and stop motion effects. At eighty plus minutes it moves quickly and functions as a retelling and continuation in one package.

‘The Exorcist III’ (1990)

Writer director William Peter Blatty adapts his novel ‘Legion’ into a police procedural set in Georgetown years after the original case. George C. Scott plays Lieutenant Kinderman investigating murders that mirror a notorious serial killer while Brad Dourif delivers key interrogation scenes. The movie lays out its theology and mystery through conversations and hospital set pieces. It works as a self contained thriller with a clear beginning and end.

‘Halloween III: Season of the Witch’ (1982)

This entry shifts to an anthology approach with no Michael Myers, focusing on a mask company and a sinister Halloween broadcast. Tom Atkins and Stacey Nelkin follow clues from a small town factory to a plot involving ancient rituals and modern technology. The movie explains its new mythology within the running time and wraps with a race against the clock. Its California locations and electronic score give it a distinct identity apart from the earlier films.

‘Annabelle: Creation’ (2017)

Director David F. Sandberg presents the origin of the haunted doll years before the events of ‘Annabelle’. A grieving dollmaker and his wife open their home to orphaned girls and a nun, which sets the stage for controlled house based scares. The film details how the demonic presence attaches to the doll and connects to later stories without requiring them. It stars Talitha Bateman, Lulu Wilson, and Stephanie Sigman and became a strong global earner.

‘Ouija: Origin of Evil’ (2016)

Mike Flanagan crafts a period prequel set in 1967 Los Angeles about a widowed mother who stages fake séances with her daughters. A real spirit answers when they use a new board, and the rules of possession unfold through the family’s discoveries. Elizabeth Reaser, Annalise Basso, and Lulu Wilson lead the cast while in camera tricks and vintage style lenses match the era. The narrative stands alone and explains the board’s dangers within this chapter.

‘The Purge: Anarchy’ (2014)

This sequel leaves a single home and follows multiple strangers trying to survive a twelve hour night of legal violence across Los Angeles. Frank Grillo anchors the story as a man with his own mission who becomes protector to others. The movie explains the political backdrop through news bulletins and street level encounters, making the setup easy to grasp. Its structure plays like a contained urban survival tale from dusk to dawn.

’10 Cloverfield Lane’ (2016)

A woman wakes up in an underground bunker with two men who claim an attack has made the surface uninhabitable. Dan Trachtenberg directs a tight chamber piece where rules, supplies, and escape plans drive the tension. Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Goodman deliver central performances while the plot reveals its world through clues and conversations. It tells a complete story inside the bunker and then resolves the larger question in its final stretch.

‘Doctor Sleep’ (2019)

Adult Dan Torrance struggles with sobriety and psychic gifts as he protects a young girl from a roaming cult that feeds on the shining. Mike Flanagan adapts Stephen King’s novel and explains the powers, the villains, and the rules through mentor scenes and astral confrontations. Ewan McGregor and Rebecca Ferguson lead a large cast with carefully staged set pieces across motels and small towns. The film’s theatrical cut runs over two and a half hours and stands on its own journey.

‘Final Destination 5’ (2011)

A premonition saves a group from a catastrophic bridge collapse and an unseen force begins reclaiming them one by one. The script outlines how the pattern works and how survivors try to cheat fate with choices that may carry a cost. Nicholas D’Agosto, Emma Bell, and Tony Todd headline while elaborate practical setups deliver the set piece chain reactions. Presented in 3D at release, it plays as a full cycle with a memorable ending.

‘Insidious: Chapter 3’ (2015)

This prequel follows a teenager who seeks help from Elise Rainier before she becomes a full time medium in later stories. Leigh Whannell directs and shows how Elise confronts her fears and defines the rules of the Further. Dermot Mulroney and Stefanie Scott round out the family drama while Lin Shaye’s character arc drives the narrative. It explains its cosmology clearly and concludes without needing the earlier cases.

‘Child’s Play 2’ (1990)

The Good Guy company reconstructs a doll and accidentally resurrects the killer inside, sending Chucky back after young Andy in a new foster home. The film reintroduces Andy, sets up his caretakers, and moves through schools, houses, and a toy factory finale. Brad Dourif returns as the voice of Chucky with Alex Vincent and Christine Elise in key roles. Its brisk running time and clean setup make it easy to follow without the first film.

‘Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives’ (1986)

Tommy Jarvis accidentally resurrects Jason Voorhees in a cemetery and the masked killer heads toward a renamed Camp Forest Green. The movie establishes the setting, the camp counselors, and the sheriff’s family while tracking patrols and chases around the lake. Thom Mathews and Jennifer Cooke lead the cast and the story culminates with a plan to trap Jason underwater. It functions as a closed chapter with a clear resolution at the lake.

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

A group of teens in a psychiatric hospital learn to use dream powers to fight Freddy Krueger under guidance from returning survivor Nancy Thompson. The film explains the dream logic, the therapy program, and the stakes through sessions and group exercises. Patricia Arquette, Heather Langenkamp, and Robert Englund headline with imaginative effects and memorable set pieces. It opens, trains, and pays off the battle within one cohesive story.

‘Predator 2’ (1990)

The alien hunter arrives in a near future Los Angeles during a heat wave while rival gangs and a federal task force complicate the streets. Danny Glover plays a determined detective who follows evidence through crime scenes and hidden labs. The film lays out the creature’s code and technology through visual clues and a climactic showdown in a derelict building and ship. Viewers get a full case from first body to final confrontation.

‘New Nightmare’ (1994)

This meta sequel brings Freddy into the real world as Heather Langenkamp plays herself dealing with eerie events around a new movie. The production within the story, interviews, and phone calls explain why an ancient entity adopts the Freddy persona. Wes Craven appears as himself and frames the rules for how to contain the threat. The plot begins with strange accidents and ends with a contained fairy tale style finale.

‘The Devil’s Rejects’ (2005)

Rob Zombie follows the Firefly family as they flee a police raid and embark on a violent road trip across rural highways. The movie reintroduces the trio through arrest records, motel stops, and a relentless sheriff in pursuit. Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, and Sheri Moon Zombie headline while the 1970s setting guides music and wardrobe choices. It functions as a grim chase story with a conclusive last stand.

‘Paranormal Activity 3’ (2011)

Set in 1988, this prequel uses camcorders and a makeshift oscillating fan rig to capture strange events around two sisters. The film explains house rules, night time routines, and the origin of a covenant that shapes later entries. Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman direct with Katie Featherston and Sprague Grayden appearing in framing material. The story introduces the entity and ends with a decisive turn that closes this chapter.

‘Jigsaw’ (2017)

Years after the reported death of John Kramer, bodies begin appearing with signatures of his methods and new recordings. The investigation follows forensic clues across barns, labs, and a sealed game location while laying out fresh traps and rules. Matt Passmore, Callum Keith Rennie, and Tobin Bell lead the cast under directors Michael and Peter Spierig. The case presents a beginning, middle, and twist ending that completes its own puzzle.

‘Hellraiser: Inferno’ (2000)

A corrupt detective finds a mysterious puzzle box during a case and descends through hallucinations and moral reckonings. Scott Derrickson directs a noir infused story where Cenobites appear as manifestations tied to his choices. Craig Sheffer and Doug Bradley star while the narrative uses dreamlike transitions to chart the investigation. It plays as a self contained morality tale with a closed loop conclusion.

‘The Conjuring 2’ (2016)

Ed and Lorraine Warren travel to London to assist a family in Enfield after reports of a haunting tied to a young girl. The film introduces the Warrens’ background through an opening case and then establishes the house, the neighbors, and the local church involvement. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga lead a cast that includes Madison Wolfe and Frances O’Connor. The investigation sets its own rules, produces evidence sessions, and resolves with a showdown inside the home.

Share the horror sequel you think plays best on its own in the comments.