Horror Facts Vol. 26: Number 5

For the 26th edition of Horror Facts, we’re featuring fifteen 5th entries from popular horror franchises like Scream (2022), Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989), Seed of Chucky (2004) and more!

Scream 5 (2022)

/ In Scream (1996) when Sidney uses her computer’s 911 emergency system, this scene originally was meant to show her typing the address 34 Elm Street, but it was cut from the final film for time. In Scream (2022) as an homage to Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) we finally learn that an Elm Street in Woodsboro does exist and is confirmed to be the street Sidney used to live on.

The Forever Purge (2021)

/ The Forever Purge is the only installment in the Purge franchise that doesn’t take place on the Purge holiday. Director Everado Gout has stated that if aliens were to invade earth The Purge would be one of the 10 films that represent who humans are as a species.

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014)

/ The Marked Ones is the only film in the Paranormal Activity franchise that doesn’t feature a camera POV or the shadow of a demon on its movie poster.

Scary Movie 5 (2013)

/ Anna Faris opted not to reprise her role as Cindy in Scary Movie 5 due to her pregnancy at the time. Fellow cast members Regina Hall, Kevin Hart and Anthony Anderson were also offered roles in this sequel but chose not to return as well. The original movie was set to spoof Scream 4 but filmmakers dropped that idea when the Scream sequel didn’t perform as well as expected at the box office.

Final Destination 5 (2011)

/ With the bridge scene lasting almost 5 minutes, it is officially the longest “opening disaster” in the Final Destination franchise. The sequence was created using green screens and mats, wires and digital compositing.

Saw V (2008)

/ Saw V is the first sequel in the franchise not to open at #1 at the U.S. box office on opening weekend.

Diary of the Dead (2007)

/ Director George A. Romero makes a cameo as a police officer at a Zombie outbreak press conference. Wes Craven, Quentin Tarantino, Simon Pegg and Tom Savini also have voiceover cameos in the film.

Seed of Chucky (2004)

/ Gay director and writer of the Child’s Play films Don Mancini, has said that Chucky and Tiffany’s gender-confused child was a metaphor for his own coming out. The child was named Glen or Glenda after the 1953 film of the same name about a transgender person.

Leprechaun in the Hood (2000)

/ Leprechaun in the Hood is the first film in the franchise where the Leprechaun is not killed off in the third act.

Hellraiser: Inferno (2000)

/ Original Hellraiser director Clive Barker had a falling out with Inferno’s director Scott Derrickson over the tone and feel of the film. Barker has said to have hated Pinhead’s character in this sequel.

Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror (1998)

/ Alexis Arquette appeared in Children of the Corn V and Bride of Chucky in 1998, both sequels of major horror film franchises.

Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker (1991)

/ Mickey Rooney was outraged after the first Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) and wrote a letter of protest stating that the “scum” who created it should be “run out of town” for making such a distasteful Christmas film. Seven years later he ended up co-starring in the fifth installment.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)

/ This is the final Nightmare film released in the ’80s and it was disfavored so much by franchise fans that a decision was made to kill off Freddy in the next sequel which was set to be the final film, Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991). Sadly, when the 6th installment came out it was even more disliked and made some fans come around to appreciate the 5th film more.

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)

/ During filming, Donald Pleasence made it clear he was not a fan of the direction of the film and how director Dominique Othenin tried to make his character feel heavy and overbearing. Pleasance thought it was a big miss not to continue the story from the ending of Halloween 4 where Jamie had seemingly taken over Michael’s dark forces.

Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)

/ This 5th installment in the Friday the 13th franchise is the second film where Jason Voorhees is not the killer, along with the first film. However, not taking the dream sequence from the original into account, this is the first and only film where Jason seen at all.