Sunday Scaries: Some Very Interesting Indie Horror Sequels Are Coming

The Sunday Scaries are upon us once again! Yes, as the weekend concludes, most of us feel an oncoming sense of anticipatory dread about the week ahead. Anxiety about work manifests itself into a feeling that’s known as the Sunday Scaries. However, we at Awards Radar are here to combat that, by taking back the name. Now, we want you think about a horror-centric piece on the site when you hear the term. So, let us continue on with another installment of the Awards Radar Sunday Scaries! This time around, we’re looking at a few interesting little horror sequels on the horizon…

Horror movies get sequels.That’s just a fact of life. Now, most of the fright flicks that get sequelized come from the studio system. However, some of the films are of the independent variety. Three such indie horror sequels on the horizon are They Follow, which follows up (no pun intended) It Follows, while this year’s In a Violent Nature is soon to get In a Violent Nature 2. There’s also Terrifier 3, the second sequel to, yes, Terrifier, hitting in just a few months. They’re very different, but all equally exciting, giving some fuel to the fire that not all sequels are bad and unnecessary.

They Follow is, obviously, the long awaited sequel to It Follows. Reuniting filmmaker David Robert Mitchell and star Maika Monroe already has me sold. In fact, back when I thought it had a chance of coming out this year, They Follow was one of my top three most anticipated films of 2024 (found here). Turns out, NEON had Longlegs for me instead, so I’m hardly complaining. Still, the possibilities for a sequel here are endless, so I’ve been pumped since the announcement. If it comes out in 2025, it will be one of the horror movies I’m most excited for, bar none.

In a Violent Nature is a film I’ve written plenty about, even without realizing a sequel was in the works. When you think about it, a new slasher makes a new installment pretty obvious. In a Violent Nature 2 is likely going to start a whole new franchise, which certainly works for me. I spoke to the filmmaker Chris Nash here in a prior Sunday Scaries segment, as well as fondly reviewed the movie. Part of my review here includes the following:

There has never been a film like In a Violent Nature. Sure, there are films that attempt something similar, in that it’s a horror movie told from the slasher’s perspective, but not in this way. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, for example, was a mockumentary and took a black comedy route. Here, we have a fright flick that’s an honest to goodness slasher, just from the killer’s point of view. It sounds simple, and it is, but it really makes a difference. Not only is this one of the best horror outings in years, it’s one of my favorite works of the year so far.

In a Violent Nature manages to do all of the things a work within this genre would do, but in following only the killer, it all comes off so much differently. There’s a level of dread you experience in following our murderous protagonist, knowing the victim in the distance is doomed, but not being able to do anything about it. Some folks might find this to be a deeply unsettling experience, but anyone who appreciates horror will love this big swing being taken.

As for Terrifier 3, we already had a previous Terrifier sequel in, you guessed it, Terrifier 2. Watching Art the Clown butcher people is some real gory fun, with the Christmas setting for this new one particularly able to capture my imagination. Plus, it’s a 2024 release, so it’s very much in our immediate future. You can watch my interview with the filmmaker behind the franchise, Damien Leone, here, while my Terrifier 2 review here starts off like so:

Art the Clown is back! After making a memorable starring debut in Terrifier (technically he appeared in the anthology film All Hallows Eve, but played by a different actor), the murderous clown is returning to take his place as the next great movie monster. Terrifier 2 injects steroids into the tiny horror flick that came before it, making a slasher epic. The bold move results in more gore, more kills, and more scares, but also added mythology and supernatural elements that just don’t really work. You almost never get two hour plus horror films, and this doesn’t earn that length, but it does have a lot of what you want out of a Terrifier sequel, that’s for sure.

Terrifier 2 is on the extreme side, but only really if you don’t know what you’re getting into. Anyone familiar with Art’s previous murderous antics will be prepared for the carnage at hand. So, if you’re concerned about reports of people passing out at screenings, just question if they went in blind or not. Sure, there’s some real gnarly murders here, but nothing so beyond the pale as to have someone require medical attention.

These three are just the tip of the iceberg. I’m sure more are on the way. Will they all be good? Probably not. Will all three of these even be good? Who knows? They’re exciting, however, and that’s not nothing. You’ll be able to see my takes on all three when they come out, so sit tight for that. Horror of all shapes and sizes is worthwhile, especially when these now franchises have such strong starting points…

Stay tuned for another Sunday Scaries installment next week!