7 Incredible Slasher Movies That Deserve A Reboot Like ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’
Slasher films remain one of the most widely loved – if commonly lampooned – subgenres in all of horror for a reason.
Delivering an array of memorable characteristics, most people tune in to slashers for a variety of reasons, be it for the films’ colorful, murderous antagonists or the enjoyably formulaic plot lines most movies typically evoke. While some viewers might take issue with this, others view it with unwavering enthusiasm, leaving little reason to wonder why some slashers like Halloween and Scream remain as relevant today as they were decades ago upon their original release to theaters.
With I Know What You Did Last Summer similarly set to receive a spiritual sequel, we decided to take a look at some of the many past horror films we’d love to see a reboot continuation for, be it iconic ‘80s slashers or more comedic interpretations of the genre.
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
One of the many holiday-centric slashers to arrive after Halloween, My Bloody Valentine also offered a tantalizing spin on the traditional slasher vehicle. Utilizing the idea of long-buried town secrets and vengeful killers seeking justice for past traumas, My Bloody Valentine has the potential to once again terrify viewers every time the Valentine’s Day season rolls around. After all, the last saw of the murderous Axel Palmer was seeing him disappear into the darkness of the mines, laughing and hurling threats about his imminent return to finish what Harry Warden started . . .
Chopping Mall (1986)
Before you start rolling your eyes, we know that Chopping Mall is admittedly a ridiculous idea for a slasher film. But therein lies its charm: rather than presenting the genre in a serious way, the filmmakers made the wise decision to portray its plot and characters in as ridiculous a manner as possible. Through this, they were able to shrewdly comment on the dangers of rampant consumerism and unchecked materialistic desires (an all-too timely theme in the age of Amazon and other online retailers).
The Burning (1981)
While it might seem like an obvious ripoff of Friday the 13th, The Burning nevertheless has enough stronger features to differentiate itself from its precursor. With critical reviews for the movie having substantially improved over time, there’s little doubt cult movie fans would love to see the enigmatic killer Cropsy snapping his trademark shears at unsuspecting teenagers once again, haunting sleepaway camps all across the country.
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)
It might not be as readily known as most other films on this list, but Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon remains one of the most unforgettable slasher films of the 21st century to date. Adopting a mockumentary approach to the slasher format, Behind the Mask ingeniously comments on the numerous tropes and cliches of the genre as a whole, doing so with surprising originality and ceaseless creativity. With the first film in the franchise openly exploring the slasher film as a whole, it’s worth wondering what topics a sequel, reboot, or requel could explore, allowing for some similarly introspective insight into the modern horror genre.
Sleepaway Camp (1983)
Like most films that came out in the early 1980s, Sleepaway Camp liberally leaned into the basic stereotypes and narrative themes of the Friday the 13th franchise, including (you guessed it) an isolated summer camp setting. Rather than offering a pale rehash of its genre predecessor, however, Sleepaway Camp provided a genuinely shocking plot twist that left most viewers literally speechless. With much of the original film’s ending rooted around questions of gender and sexuality, seeing a more faithful sequel to Sleepaway Camp could make for an endlessly interesting horror film – one as smart as it is undeniably scary.
Friday the 13th (1980)
Technically, Friday the 13th is already seeing a long-anticipated continuation in the form of A24’s Crystal Lake prequel series. But at the end of the day, it’s fair to assume most of us also want to see a more direct tie-in to the long-running slasher series, complete with a returning Jason Voorhees. Whether they opt for a straight reboot or a direct sequel to the original a la 2018’s Halloween, there’s plenty of creative directions a Friday the 13th reboot might lean towards, reviving Mrs. Voorhees’ murderous offspring for an entirely new generation.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
It might seem borderline sacrilegious to even suggest the idea of a Nightmare on Elm Street sequel. But if Wes Craven’s New Nightmare proved anything, it’s that you could craft a sequel every bit as good, if not better, than the original film it’s following in the footsteps of.
While most of the Elm Street franchise is indeed weighed down by lesser and lesser sequels, an occasional gem in the series sometimes manages to break through to the surface, be it New Nightmare or 1987’s similarly thrilling, Dream Warriors. If it’s happened before, why couldn’t it happen again with a subsequent reboot release? All we ask is that the film includes Robert Englund reprising his role as the infamous dream-dwelling serial killer, ideally opposite Heather Langenkamp in a main or supporting role.
