Classic Horror Characters We'd Love To See Return To Their Franchises

As if we needed another reason to be excited for "Scream VI." A recently released trailer for the slasher sequel features a Ghostface shrine, a shotgun-wielding killer, and a crowded subway reminiscent of the brilliant opening scene in "Scream 2." Fans also got their first glimpse of returning fan-favorite Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere). The high school horror fan was last seen bleeding from stab wounds administered by the second killer in the criminally underappreciated "Scream 4." Audiences won over by the whip-smart young woman who's not afraid to call out gatekeeping film bros have long held onto the hope that she somehow survived this vicious attack and will someday return to the franchise. It seems we've gotten our wish and news that Kirby lives quickly spread through the horror community. She now joins an elite group of survivors who have faced the infamous Ghostface and lived to tell the tale.

Though Kirby's resurrection is exciting, she's far from the first character to return to a horror franchise. Recent years have seen a trend of legendary final girls such as Laurie Strode (Jaime Lee Curtis) and Sally Hardesty (Olwen Fouéré) appearing in sequels to the films that made them icons. Scream (2022) featured the long-awaited return of beloved survivor Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), and Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) will be back in the upcoming sequel. With all the excitement surrounding these homecomings, it's only natural to hope that more of our favorite characters will follow suit. To manifest these returns, we've compiled a list of fan-favorite characters we would love to see revisit the horror franchises in which they first won our hearts.

Of all the characters in the "Friday the 13th" franchise's many chapters, Ted (Stu Charno) might be the luckiest. In "Friday the 13th Part 2," the redheaded prankster makes waves at Camp Crystal Lake with a spear and a well-timed jump from the shadows to punctuate a campfire tale about the legend of Jason (Warrington Gillette). On the titular night, Ted goes to a bar with a few of his fellow counselors. He drinks heavily and stays out all night. Luckily, this leaves him miles away when Jason attacks the camp and massacres everyone but the intrepid Ginny (Amy Steel).

Given this miraculous escape, it would be wonderful to see Ted return for a future installment. After a protracted legal battle, the first new franchise property, a prequel series called "Crystal Lake," is headed to Peacock in the near future. Set before the events of the original film, the story will likely not include Ted, but he could pop up in a future film release. As for Charno, he has a few ideas about the end of Ted's night all those years ago. When asked what happened to this most fortunate character, Charno told Midnight Spookhouse, "I think I'm not alone when I say that dear waitress and I were made for each other ... She didn't want the bar to fall down on me, and I was collecting empties ... True love..." Perhaps a series further along in the timeline could feature this happy couple owning the bar and warning counselors away from the dangerous campground.

Before Kirby and her predecessor, Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy), there was "Evil" Ed Thompson (Stephen Geoffreys) from "Fright Night." The lovably geeky high school student is so entrenched in horror and the occult that he's known by the sinister nickname "Evil." His in-depth knowledge of monsters is a blessing for his friend Charlie Brewster (William Ragsdale), who believes a vampire has moved into the spooky house next door. Simply humoring Charlie at first, Ed is eventually turned into a vampire himself and terrorizes his former friends. He suffers a horrifying death when he's staked in the heart while taking the form of a wolf. He slowly dies, and his body reverts to its human form as famed vampire killer Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall) watches in horror. Fortunately, the film's final scene gives us hope for Ed's survival. A pair of glowing red eyes appear in the darkness outside Charlie's window, and we hear Evil's distinct laugh, followed by what has come to be the film's catchphrase: "Oh, you're so cool, Brewster!"

Stephen Goeffreys declined to return for the film's sequel, opting instead to star in Robert Englund's directorial debut, "976-EVIL." He is also absent from the delightful 2011 remake, though the film does feature a cameo from the original vampire, Chris Sarandon. There are currently no plans for another remake or continuation of the story, but if one is ever announced, we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for Evil Ed's return.

With a few notable exceptions, the horror genre is not known for its female killers. In "Urban Legend," Rebecca Gayheart stars as Brenda Bates, a student at Pendleton University whose friends are targeted by a killer who styles their murders after various urban legends. The film's climax reveals Brenda to be the killer. She details her motives in a delightfully unhinged monologue that includes artfully smudged eyeliner, a slide projector, and a room full of candles. After an extensive chase, Brenda is thrown through a car's windshield, off a bridge, and into the rainy river below. Assuming Brenda is dead, final girl Natalie (Alicia Witt), presumably, moves on with her life and puts the horrific killing spree behind her. However, the last scene reveals Brenda (now with straightened hair) telling her version of the story to a new group of students at another university. She makes a brief appearance as a passing nurse in the sequel "Urban Legend: Final Cut," but otherwise, her fate remains unknown.

A reboot of the stylish franchise was announced in 2020, with Colin Minihan set to direct what he describes as "an iconic new slasher for the digital age in a world where internet urban legends are born and move at a terrifying pace." This new film would feature a different cast of characters falling victim to modern legends born on social media. Plans for this exciting reboot fell through but will, hopefully, be revived with the return of our favorite female killer.

"Aliens" is widely considered one of the best horror movie sequels of all time. In addition to the Alien Queen, the bombastic film is known for introducing fan-favorite character Lance Bishop (Lance Henriksen). The kind and compassionate synthetic crew member is a far cry from his malevolent android predecessor, Ash (Ian Holm), and earnestly tries to help Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) escape the ruined colony on LV-426 — regardless of what will happen to the valuable alien specimen. Bishop is ripped in half during a showdown with the massive Queen, but Ripley salvages his parts. Bishop is further damaged in a crash-landing, and Ripley reactivates him for information stored in his memory system. She complies when he begs to be turned off for good. This may have been the last time we've seen the loveable robot, but Henrickson has appeared in several other "Alien" films and voiced characters in the adjacent game series.

A planned sequel, helmed by Neil Blomkamp, would have featured Ripley and Bishop, though it's unclear if a script was ever completed. Disney's acquisition of the rights to the franchise generated newfound interest, and there appear to be two adaptations in development. Fede Alvarez is set to begin filming "Alien: Romulus" in 2023, and Noah Hawley is currently in pre-production on an "Alien" series for FX. Neither has announced Henrickson's involvement, but as Bishop is an ageless android and there are different versions of his model potentially scattered throughout the galaxy, the possibility remains that our favorite synthetic will soon be reactivated.

When it comes to cult horror favorites, few are as beloved as "The Slumber Party Massacre." A feminist slasher through and through, the story follows a group of teenage girls as they fight for survival when their slumber party is attacked by the notorious driller killer. One of the film's few survivors is Courtney (Jennifer Meyers), who observes the soirée from across the street. Though she has a limited role in the first film, she wins over the audience with her sassy wit and fondness for Playgirl Magazine. Courtney, now played by Crystal Bernard, returns as the star of the film's sequel, a musical version of the story in which she and her bandmates are attacked at their slumber party by the killer, who, this time, carries a drill-equipped electric guitar. Though she survives the film, her mental health may not. She's last seen in a psychiatric ward, under attack by her murderous rival, who may be a figment of her imagination.

In 2021, the story was updated in a brilliant satire by Danishka Esterhazy and Suzanne Keilly, which received a rare 100-percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Keilly's script reimagines the story for a new group of young women who travel to a remote cabin, where their slumber party is crashed by the killer with the power tool. There are currently no plans for another film, but if one were to arise, it could only benefit from the sassy and empowered young woman with direct experience fighting the misogynistic killer.

The "Paranormal Activity" franchise is one of the most fascinating in horror and the rare series that seems to get better with its sequels. The third film takes us back to the '80s and follows Katie (Chloe Csengery) and Kristi (Jessica Tyler Brown) as children when they first encounter the demonic spirit that will torment them in adulthood. In addition to an inventive oscillating camcorder, "Paranormal Activity 3" also features one of the franchise's most fascinating survivors. Randy Rosen (Dustin Ingram) is a videographer and family friend who becomes fascinated by the mysterious entity caught on video.

One of the film's most terrifying sequences sees Randy play an ill-advised game of Bloody Mary with Katie while her mother is away. They don't see the fabled specter appear in the mirror behind them, but they do receive a visit from the demonic presence. The invisible entity scratches Randy and traps them in the bathroom while ransacking the girls' bedroom. Randy earns major points from the audience by calming and protecting Katie but abruptly quits his job and leaves the house once Katie's mother returns. The original script saw the demon follow Randy and kill him in another location, but his death was never filmed. The series diverges after the original trilogy, and fans have divided views on the quality of its subsequent sequels. Randy remains a wildcard in the canon, and a film following his investigation into his friends' death could help bring the "Paranormal Activity" series back to its roots.