Terror TV: 5 horror films that would make great television
Final Destination
Final Destination–Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Final Destination already has a film reboot in the works from a couple of the Saw writers, but we think that a television series would better serve the material. As fun and entertaining as the franchise may be, it is, in large part, a slasher series about a supernatural entity picking off young adults. Death may not wield a knife, but it can damn sure make you fall on top of one… or one-hundred.
The point is, with the established film format, the majority of these characters mean nothing to the viewer. They are easily disposable targets for clever and creative kills, but their loss bears no weight. Turning Final Destination into a television series is a way to remedy that. The first episode alone could establish who the core group of characters are, give us time to get to know them, and push them toward the big event and premonition that changes their lives.
The final 10-15 minutes of the episode could be dedicated to the horrifying premonition, the fallout from it, and then the tragic accident. Doing so would leave the characters in a place of grief and in a state of flux, searching for a way to move forward while Death is unknowingly on their trail. The television or streaming format would allow for a more compelling and lengthened central mystery as the lead characters uncover the truth about Death and what it means to cheat it, without skimping on the suspense and carnage that fans of the series crave.
The Crazies
The Crazies–Courtesy of Overture Films
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It’s one of life’s great surprises that Breck Eisner’s 2010 remake of The Crazies turned out to not only be good, but in many ways, better than George A. Romero’s original film. Set in what is billed as a friendly town in Iowa, the remake centers around an outbreak that turns the locals into insane, brutal and bloodthirsty killers after the town water becomes infected with the Trixie virus. The sheriff, played by the always-great Timothy Olyphant, leads his family and a small group of survivors in a search for safety.
The Crazies, especially given its cliffhanger ending, is prime for a television series. Similar survival horror dramas have thrived on TV for many years, so the path to success has already been laid. Having more time with the sunny, friendly town and the bright personalities would make for an even more pleasing and intense contrast when folks start turning into savage killers.
AMC remains all-in on The Walking Dead (I’m not complaining), with one spinoff already heading into its fifth season this summer and another on the way. If the network wanted to double down on its apocalyptic properties, they could cast a few bigger names to play the townspeople and central sheriff (or just cast Timothy Olyphant in every role), and aim the series directly at the millions of people who are still in the Walking Dead crowd. It’s a can’t-lose scenario that needs to happen immediately.
Tremors
Tremors–Courtesy of Stampede Entertainment and Universal Pictures
Picture, if you will, that Tremors returns to television with another series, this time following Kevin Bacon as an older, washed-up Valentine McKee who is lacking purpose in his life and holding on to his glory days. Imagine how much fun it would be to watch Val go up against the Graboids one more time. Lastly, and most importantly, consider that the pilot episode of this television series has already been made and is just sitting on a hyperbolic shelf somewhere.
Hell, there’s even a trailer!
Syfy passed on the Bacon-starring Tremors series and it has yet to be picked up by another network or streaming service. Although the original Tremors continuity is still churning out sequels – the sixth installment, A Cold Day in Hell, was released last year – none of them have included fan-favorite Val, so it’s quite a bummer that the character’s continued story is being kept from the masses. Maybe someday we’ll get lucky and the Tremors series will be greenlit elsewhere.
Next. The best horror performances of the 2010s. dark
What horror movies would you like to see become a television series? Share your thoughts with us in the comments and on social media!