As Halloween Ends prepares for the final battle between Laurie and Michael Myers on October 14, it's stunning that Michael Myers has received many high-profile sequels and reboots decades after the 1978 original debuted its own franchise. Many other villains have reached this accomplishment like Ghostface, but for every Jason Voorhees or Freddy Krueger, there are the slasher villains who, for one reason or another, got the proverbial axe after just one flick and were denied their own franchises.
The slasher genre is so oversaturated that it's hard to make room for everyone, but these slasher villains deserved more than one stab at achieving greatness. Unfortunately, most of them just got a one-off remake decades later. From the Prowler to Patrick Bateman, they have the most potential to induce the most titan of terror that would have justified a franchise like others.
Man Marz
This summer-camp slasher is one of the more monstrous slasher villains to ever stalk cinemas, and Man Marz managed to leave an impression on audiences with just one film under his belt. While the first Man isn't exactly ed as a classic, it'd be easy to imagine this backwoods psychopath carrying at least a few more films and delivering some creative, memorable kills along the way.
Unfortunately for this deformed killer, Friday the 13th already had dibs on campground-themed slasher movies when this flick came out. Then again, Friday the 13th was aping Halloween, so it seems that Man Marz should've been given his own chance to evolve in a sequel.
The Miner
Aside from the Jensen Ackles remake that was produced almost thirty years later, this coal-miner-turned-killer was never given a proper sequel. That's quite surprising, given that the killer has still become iconic for his design and motif. He has everything a slasher villain could have: a memorable costume, a signature weapon with his pick-axe, and even a holiday that he can theme his murders around.
Even more, there's an air of mystery and intrigue surrounding this killer. Many townspeople think it's Harry Warden, a miner that killed townspeople on Valentine's Day after getting trapped in the mines. Still, the movie keeps the audience guessing, a quality that eludes most slashers. However, the final reveal of the killer might have left audiences uninterested in seeing further sequels.
The Prowler
The director of this flick, Joseph Zito, went on to make Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, easily one of the most venerated entries of the franchise. So, it's no surprise that Zito also has another slasher hit to his name in The Prowler, a grisly murder mystery about a masked killer stalking a graduation party.
The titular killer wears a WWII soldier's uniform and kills his victims in spectacularly ghastly ways. It would seem like a no-brainer that he be destined for his own franchise. Alas, for The Prowler, there was never a sequel or remake, leaving him a one-hit wonder. In the end, it seems that this cult classic was more of a stepping stone for Zito's career than it was the foundation for a new franchise.
Kenny Hampson
Most slasher villains have a memorable look, but this one has several. A socially awkward teenager scarred by a nasty prank, Kenny kills his fellow classmates aboard a train. Using an onboard costume contest to his advantage, Kenny dons several wardrobes as he stalks amongst the engers, making him more realistic, and all the more chilling as a result.
One of the more covert slashers, Kenny stands out from his slasher peers with just one film, Terror Train, under his name. Being a master of disguise, it would've been extremely intriguing to see further sequels with the character and see what other tricks were up his sleeve. And a villain responsible for one of the greatest twists in slasher history deserves at least one more outing.
Frank Zito
Unlike most of the other villains, who are usually theatrical in some way, Frank Zito is a grounded and more realistic killer who shares more in common with Travis Bickle from scary Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th. But that gritty reality only makes Frank all the more disturbing of a character, and he's a huge reason why Maniac was one of the most controversial exploitation flicks of the '80s.
Aside from the Elijah Wood remake, this character exists only in this one film. While he doesn't share the gimmicks or motifs that are usually associated with slasher villains, Frank Zito is such a compelling psychopath that it at least begs the question of whether horror fans should've seen more of him. Either way, Maniac exists as a powerful if not ultraviolent character study of a terrifying individual.
Patrick Bateman
American Psycho is so genre-bending that it's hard to say if Patrick Bateman is a "slasher" icon. One thing's for sure - audiences would've loved to see even more of Christian Bale's legendary performance as the narcissistic yuppie that moonlights as a serial killer.
A serial killer unlike any other, Bateman is somehow uber charismatic and utterly reprehensible, a totally unique maniac that's not been paralleled or even rivaled. So, the lack of true sequels or follow-ups is definitely felt. Technically, there was a sequel with Mina Kunis, but it had almost nothing to do with Bateman, and Bale wasn't involved. Patrick Bateman's homicidal exploits were restricted to this one masterpiece, for better or worse.
Horace Pinker
After creating one of the Shocker. There, he introduced the world to Horace Pinker, a serial killer that can travel using electricity. Almost more of a super villain than anything else, Pinker is one of the more interesting and experimental slasher villains put to screen.
While Shocker came out to mixed reviews, it's not hard to imagine that Craven would've perfected the concept with further sequels. Television broadcasts are a genuinely brilliant idea to further this story, such as the kind that could have only come from the late great Wes Craven.
Billy
One of the few slashers to pre-date Michael Myers (in fact, Black Christmas was a direct influence for Halloween), this faceless killer might not have an iconic mask or costume, but he's easily one of the most disturbing characters to grace a slasher movie. A cult classic that's only become more esteemed, Black Christmas never got a direct sequel despite being one of the progenitors of the genre.
If filmmakers could have kept the mystique surrounding the character, Billy could've easily continued to chill audiences. Of course, there were two remakes, but they either totally reinvented Billy or omitted him altogether. The character deserved more time in the spotlight. After all, if the world can have twelve Friday the 13th movies, it can spare at least one more for Billy.
Cropsey
This cinematic menace terrorized theaters in The Burning, a classic of the genre that shocked audiences with its vicious kills and for the killer's haunting design. Cropsey is so ruthless and evil that he makes Jason Voorhees look like Mr. Rogers. And yet, Cropsey was never given any kind of follow-up.
That's even more surprising, given that Cropsey was based on a popular urban legend, meaning that the character was almost scientifically designed to be the perfect boogeyman. Perhaps, The Burning was so violent that a franchise wasn't commercially viable, which is a shame. Then again, it's maybe best that Cropsey's image didn't get stained by the ridiculous sequels that most slasher villains get.
Mrs. Voorhees
While she technically helped launch one of the biggest franchises in horror history with Friday the 13th, Mrs. Voorhees never actually got to be apart of it. Instead, her son Jason took over the show, and the rest is history. But despite how synonymous Jason is with the franchise, it's hard to deny that Mrs. Voorhees would've been a welcome return to fans throughout the sequels.
Star Betsy Palmer didn't think the film would perform well, but she still gave it her all and delivered a performance that elevated the original movie. Her blending of psychotic energy and sweet maternal love made her a totally distinct figure in the annals of horror, and there's surely an alternate universe where she comes back for the sequels instead of Jason.
