The horror film genre has produced some of cinema’s most memorable antagonists. Since these antagonists first appeared, fans have speculated about the likelihood of them facing off against one another.
Their wishes have been granted, but it’s also true that until the new millennium, crossovers like Godzilla were generally confined to a few isolated occurrences. With the legendary Freddy vs. Jason duel, which was a major commercial hit, this swiftly changed. Crossover films became popular overnight, and Alien vs. Predator was no exception.
While there has been some successful crossover films starring renowned characters, the concept is more often than not abandoned. After much deliberation and effort, the creators may decide to stop the project, leaving the fantasy to exist only in our imaginations! In this video, we’ll look at ten fascinating examples of outlandish ideas that came close to becoming reality.
Michael Myers Versus Pinhead
Michael Myers, the psychotic masked killer from Halloween, must be well-known to all horror enthusiasts. He debuted as a young boy who was transported to a juvenile detention centre after murdering his sister. After fleeing for several years, he returned to his hometown to massacre more innocent people.
Pinhead, the leader of the Cenobites from the film Hellraiser, on the other hand, needs no introduction. His sadomasochism and love of pain and torture made him a terrifying figure who grew into a cult over time. The two were intended to team up for a great crossover, but it never happened.
The idea of putting together the two horror legends was first floated by renowned horror director Dave Parker who is famous for movies like The Hills Run Red and The Dead Hate the Living. Given that Dimension had both the Hellraiser and Halloween franchise, the idea was pitched to them, but they weren’t too hopeful about the outcome.
Dave found out a nice way to justify the immortal nature of Michael Myers and introduce Pinhead into the plot. According to his version, Sam Hain, the Lord of the Dead, escaped from hell and took over the body of Michael.
Hence, he could not be killed, and when people tried to destroy Michael’s house, they found the box that summoned Pinhead. Then the battle would begin between the two unstoppable forces!
However, such an exciting concept was rejected since the company believed Freddy vs. Jason would be a failure as well. They warmed up to the notion much later, after the popularity of Freddy vs. Jason.
The script would be written by Clive Barker, and the film would be directed by John Carpenter. Clive, on the other hand, thought the contest may become tedious because Michael doesn’t speak much and Pinhead is a seasoned funny line writer.
John Carpenter had recently experienced failure with films like as Ghosts of Mars, thus Myers vs. Pinhead was the right redemption film for him. Everything was poised for a takeoff, but Halloween producer Moustapha Akkad was against the idea. Even a fan poll strangely showed 54% saying no to the project.
Eventually, the project got shelved, and Hollywood moved on to try out more exciting crossover opportunities!
Leprechaun Versus Candyman
In a series of comedy-horror films that spawned a huge franchise, the infamous Leprechaun was the main antagonist. He slaughtered everybody who tried to steal his gold, and he used the most heinous and ruthless tactics to slaughter his foes.
Candyman, on the other hand, despite his tragic backstory, was one of the most terrifying horror villains. This terrible monster was six feet five inches tall and possessed a gory hook in his right hand. He’d mutilate his victims and return to the land where he’d been unfairly executed many years before.
There was a time when these two deadly villains were scheduled to face off in a crossover movie that would further each franchise. Leprechaun and Candyman were widely popular among horror fans during the 80s and 90s, but the success had dwindled in the recent past.
Some regrettable sequels had spoiled the fun for both series, and it was time to have a solid entertainer. There were serious discussions about getting this movie off the ground, and Tony Todd, who played Candyman, was even given a script.
However, he adored the role and believed that a crossover for commercial reasons would taint the seriousness of the character.
Because the makers were only considering doing this because both properties were controlled by the same studio, his reluctance may have actually prevented a calamity. There are little similarities between these two characters, and two wholly distinct villains fighting each other would have been ludicrous. While it might ignite our curiosity, it is probably for the best that the two never came together in some random narrative!
Freddy Versus Jason Versus Ash
Freddy vs. Jason was the king of crossover concepts in 2003. Freddy was a serial killer’s evil spirit who murdered his victims in their nightmares. For those who have seen A Nightmare on Elm Street, his gloved hand, laced with razors, is a terrifying sight, and his murders in nightmares would force the victims to die in real life as well.
Jason was the deformed killer who massacred innocent campers in Friday the 13th. The idea of pitting the two against each other was brilliant, and it was a big success. There were intentions to introduce Ash Williams, the protagonist from the Evil Dead series, as a sequel to this film.
The story was supposed to be a direct follow-up, and work had started for a project called Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash. For a major part of the film, Freddy Krueger would exist as a disembodied entity that would trouble Jason. He would require the Necronomicon to reconstitute himself, and it would grant him absolute powers.
But how would the plot bring in Mr. Ashley Williams? Well, do you remember how the Necronomicon from Evil Dead II featured in Jason Goes to Hell? This was to be the link, and Ash would be seen working at a local store during Christmas.
The plot was to be set over the holiday season, and Freddy Krueger to be played by Robert Englund While the actor was ecstatic about the project, the studio was less enthusiastic.
Freddy had recently suffered a beating at the hands of Jason, and the studio was hesitant to subject the horror icon to two defeats in a row. They were concerned that the public would perceive him as weak, and they didn’t want to limit future prospects because it was the most successful franchise.
Bruce Campbell, who was not all that interested in such a crossover, did not think that it was a bright idea and felt that there would be tons of creative differences to brush aside. All these problems ensured that the idea fell flat on its face, although a comic version of this was created by Dimension.
Given the franchises’ declining trend, it might not have been all that horrible to have a proper storyline and a proper ending.
Chucky Versus Freddy Krueger
Chucky is the reigning monarch of the killer doll genre, and he was created by transferring the spirit of a serial murderer into a doll via voodoo. The doll was little, yet it possessed amazing strength, allowing it to destroy the victims it picked.
Chucky carved out a niche for itself, and it wasn’t long before the studio began brainstorming ways to pit it against Freddy Krueger. Freddy was the wicked soul of a serial killer, as previously said, and it all came down to a legendary battle between two terrible paranormal monsters.
The Child’s Play franchise that featured Chucky has been there for over thirty years now, and it still has a special place in the hearts of horror fans. The creator, Don Mancini, had the perfect idea to blend it in with the world of Freddy Krueger.
He planned to call it Child’s Play on Elm Street, and would feature a lot of teenagers being murdered through the narrative. He felt that both Freddy and Chucky had distinct personalities,yet were both good talkers.
This may result in an entertaining double act, and Don Mancini had planned for it to be a horror version of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Chucky would wind up in a bedroom of one of the houses on Elm Street in the storey.
This is where Freddy would meet him, and their meeting would begin with mutual respect because they are both fans of each other. However, it wouldn’t be long before they realised that Elm Street could only have one giant villain, and the battle for supremacy would begin.
While this sounds like a fun idea, there is way too much red tape in the way because the studios are all different. The agreement between the likes of Warner Bros. and Universal is quite unlikely, so this remains only as an idea for now!
The Monster Squad Versus Godzilla
For horror enthusiasts, The Monster Squad was a one-of-a-kind event. It depicted a gang of teenagers battling Count Dracula and his army of famous horror movie monsters. The writer and director were already working on a sequel, and one of their ideas was to give this young gang a much more powerful foe in the manner of Godzilla.
The King of Monsters would be more than a match for the brave youngsters, and they believed that nothing could be more thrilling than the Monster Squad taking on the most formidable kaiju.
We would be lying if we said that the idea did not interest us at first! However, it was also thought-provoking if the contest would prove to be an unfairly poised match. Besides, the box-office failure of The Monster Squad didn’t do these plans any good.
It did enjoy a cult following over the years, but the commercial failure ended any plans of a sequel on these grounds. Recently, there were some talks about the project being revived one more time, but it all seems very unlikely as of now. The director, Fred Dekker, has admitted that such a sequel is not going to happen anytime soon.
However, imagining how this conflict would play out is a fun exercise in imagination! Godzilla is incredibly powerful, and knowing that he has defeated some of the most bizarre creatures imaginable, a gang of youngsters attempting to take him down would be ridiculous! Nonetheless, making things plausible would necessitate a really strong script, and we aren’t complaining that the project never materialised.
Supernatural & Friday The 13th
Supernatural is one of the most popular horror series of all time, and the third season had a decent chance of featuring Friday the 13th’s hulking slasherJason Voorhees. Supernatural follows monster hunters Sam and Dean as they travel through the world, encountering many forms of evil along the way. It was suggested that they deal with Jason Voorhees, and you would have almost seen it if it hadn’t been for some little complications.
Over the years, Supernatural has managed to come up with some outrageous, out-of-the-box concepts, and still facing Jason is not quite out there! Besides, you must also take into account that Jason had already been to Elm Street to face Freddy Krueger.
While it would have made for a mouth-watering contest to watch Dean and Sam takes down Jason, it is tough to imagine a conclusive victor. It would have been the first time that the duo would face an actual horror movie villain that was not specifically created for the show, and it is thus understandable that such icons in a show would disturb the continuity.
An even bigger problem would be the licensing fees and long list of permissions that would be required to go ahead with such a project.
The concept for Season 3 of Supernatural was virtually complete, and the story was almost complete as well. Dean and Sam would enter a dream in order to save Bobby Singer, their surrogate father figure, from his coma.
They’d go over some of Dean’s worst recollections, and Jason would make an appearance in the dream realm, attacking Dean. This was supposed to be a tribute to the Friday the 13th franchise, but legal concerns prevented it from happening. Warner Bros. owns Supernatural, and they also owned the rights to the Jason films at the time.
However, Supernatural creator Eric Kripke failed to have permission from the other parties concerned, and at the last moment, the idea had to be scrapped. The main Jason rights were probably still with producer Sean Cunningham, and the makers failed to broker a peace between Cunningham, Paramount, and Warner Bros. It surely would have been a cracker of a contest!
Jay And Silent Bob Meet Pinhead
Jay and Silent Bob aren’t your typical horror film antagonists. They are drug sellers who will be stoned for the majority of the day. They met when they were babies, and while Jay likes to cuss a lot, Silent Bob is typically quiet. Jay is more of a leader among them, and their distinctive characteristics have made them a legendary duo.
Pinhead, as you are all aware, is the Cenobites’ pleasure-seeking leader. He may be summoned by solving a puzzle box, and his victims are subjected to horrible horrors and torment. So, how would the comedy team fare if they were pitted against the horrible demon from Hell?
It all started after Hellraiser: Bloodline bombed at the box office. Dimension Films was in disarray, and they were desperately looking for ideas to help them revive the franchise. Hellraiser was once a very lucrative property to own, and they wanted to restore its monetary draw!
They even went ahead with a few direct-to-video efforts just to remind the people that the franchise still existed. When Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back released, the writer and director Kevin Smith was approached by Bob Weinstein.
They discussed a possible crossover, and the idea was hilarious! Jay and Silent Bob would find the puzzle box and end up in their Hell, which was rehab! Dimension Films was serious about the idea, but for Smith, it was no more than an amusing concept that lacked the detailing to succeed. Kevin Smith even consulted his friend Ben Affleck, who felt it would be a grand success!
The peculiar concept was never developed, and while Hellraiser proceeded in numerous unusual areas (including space), it never warmed up to the idea of battling a hilarious duet.
Jaws and Animal House
Jaws’ terrifying white shark was undoubtedly the worst antagonist in the creature film genre! The shark’s ruthlessness and the effort required to defeat it became cult classics, so it’s no wonder that people began to ponder a tasty crossover!
Chief Brody had already fought the threat in the first two films, and the filmmakers were concerned that doing so a third time would bore the audience. Their grand plan was to make a comedic spoof-style slasher that would amuse the audience.
The producers brought to the discussion table the publisher of National Lampoon, who had produced Animal House. The movie was supposed to be called Jaws 3 People O, and Home Alone writer John Hughes was asked to be in charge of the script.
The film would be directed by Joe Dante, the director credited with works like Piranha and Gremlins. This would involve numerous Hollywood stars and would have a parody-like narrative making fun of the series.
The story said that a film crew was attempting to film a Jaws sequel while also being pursued by a Great White! There were several amusing scenes mixed in, such as the novelist for Jaw being eaten by a shark in his swimming pool.
However, due to major disagreements with Universal Studios, the project was shelved. While this fantastic idea was ultimately dismissed, the filmmakers proceeded in the opposite direction, resulting in the dreadful Jaws 3D! We don’t know how this crossover would have turned out, but it would have been far superior to Jaws 3D.
Leprechaun Versus Wishmaster
Do you recall the nasty djinn from the Wishmaster movie? This ancient, evil genie is the franchise’s major nemesis, and he will grant the victim any desire in exchange for his soul!
As we’ve already established, the Leprechaun is a gold-obsessed monster that will go to any length to reclaim his loot! The reports of the two working together on a film could have been rumours, but there is reason to assume that such a possibility was considered.
It all started with a fan-made trailer started doing the rounds on the internet. This was an extremely well-cut trailer, and it used clips from both the franchises. While this is not enough reason to believe that the makers were considering an official crossover, the rumor mills were suggesting something like this on the cards.
There was some credibility to such news because both franchises were under the same banner! They clearly tried some other Leprechaun crossover ideas before, and this might not be all that impossible.
What would have made things more probable is the fact that both these franchises had a similar tone and style! Even the budget was more or less the same, and it would actually be no technical problem to put them together.
All we can say is that Leprechaun and Wishmaster would have made formidable foes, and with the correct script, it could have made for a really enjoyable viewing experience.
Cheech and Chong Versus Jason
It appears that the idea of a comic team taking on a feared horror legend has been pondered several times. In the film Up in Smoke, Cheech and Chong played stoned companions who delighted the audience.
These characters became cult figures, and it was a hoot to witness their antics! Jason requires no introduction, and we’ve already discussed him multiple times in this movie! The thought of bringing them together may sound ridiculous, but it was something the producers genuinely contemplated at one point.
The director of Friday the 13th Part VI revealed in an interview that he had pitched a sequel that included the stoner duo. The hockey mask-wearing murderer would be against the stoned buddies, and the marijuana-themed comedy would be the standout feature of the movie.
The first movie featuring Cheech and Chong was Up in Smoke, and Paramount Pictures had distributed the film. They also owned the rights to Friday the 13th, and it wasn’t too difficult to get such an initiative rolling.
Cheech and Chong could be camp counselors or something like that, and it would be a laugh-riot as the stoned duo figured out if Jason really existed or was just a part of their hallucinations!
Unfortunately, the film was never made because some of the producers were not enthusiastic about the concept. It would have been a complete entertainment, with the audience giggling uncontrollably.