5 Takes on Classic Slasher Films We’re Dying To See in 2017

2016 is coming to a close, which means we’re already looking forward to what the new year is going to have in store. It’s looking as though 2017 is going to make the theaters look like the early-’80s with a number of classic horror characters all set to make high profile returns. Say what you want about remakes but it’s always exciting to see the fresh takes and exciting ideas that new directors explore with some of our favorite characters. These are five of the franchises we can’t wait to see in the next year.

Chucky 7

Everyone’s favorite murderous, red-headed doll is coming back and it could be one of the best things to ever happen to the franchise. The last time we saw Chucky was in the first direct-to-video installment in the franchise, 2013’s Curse of Chucky. The movie actually got remarkably strong reviews, earning an 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, which made it a shame it wasn’t released on the big screen so more people could appreciate it. At any rate, the success of the last outing has us excited for the future of the franchise and we have our fingers crossed that this one might actually make it to the theaters in 2017.

Halloween 10

Rob Zombie’s reboot of the Halloween franchise was a mixed bag and it’s well known that John Carpenter wasn’t a particularly big fan of the new take on his famous creation. That might be why Carpenter himself has come back to serve as a producer and creative consultant for the 10th installment in the franchise. While we were getting tired of the constant attempts to bring back Michael Myers, the involvement of Carpenter is enough to make us give it another chance.

Friday the 13th

It’s been seven long years since they last tried to resurrect Jason, so it seems fitting that they’re going to take one more stab at bringing the hockey-masked maniac back to life. The film rights are back with Paramount, so we hope that the latest film will be something of a return to the roots of the series. 2017 is shaping up to be a big year for Jason as Friday the 13th will also be receiving one of the best looking horror video games we’ve seen in quite some time. The game is a multiplayer title where one player is Jason and the rest are camp counselors tasked with trying to survive through the night. If that wasn’t enough, the kill animations were designed by Tom Savini himself, so you can bet we’re excited to return to Camp Crystal Lake on consoles as well.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

The last remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street was back in 2010 and, despite lackluster reviews, the movie made plenty of money, so the studio is naturally willing to try again. Along with Jason and Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger is part of the unholy trinity of great slasher villains, so it’s fitting that all three will be making a comeback next year. Like Jason, Freddy has also gotten his own video game treatment with a licensed slot reel included among the selection of games available at major online casinos alongside many other games based on a variety of movies and other popular franchises. While nowhere near as groundbreaking as the Friday the 13th game, Nightmare on Elm Street still brings the scares to the slot reel with icons depicting victims of the supernatural slasher as well as Freddy’s trademark gloves and ominous warnings like “never sleep again.” Given how silly the series got toward the latter entries, starting over probably isn’t such a bad idea. We just hope they’ll do the rich history of the franchise justice with the ninth installment.

Leatherface

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remains to this day one of the most upsetting and unsettling horror films ever created, and now the franchise is taking a look at the origins of the villain. The latest film will be directed by Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, the pair behind 2007’s Inside and two of the “les enfant terribles” of the new wave of French horror, and will explore what lead to the creation of Leatherface. The movie will star Stephen Dorff and Lili Taylor and is currently scheduled for a January 2017 release.