7 Horror Franchises That Went Full Sci-Fi

It has long been an in-joke among horror fans about franchises heading to space in order to spark some interest in a dying franchise. This statement holds some merit, with a few notable franchises reaching low points when deciding to do the equivalent of “jumping the shark.” At the same time, not all the franchises that made the leap actually suffered for it, with some of the movies being revered among the fan base. Perhaps most surprisingly, very few horror franchises have made the leap into full sci-fi series despite the joke that it seems inevitable.

We will don our space uniforms and log onto the master computer that is likely planning our demise to head out and explore the infinite, all in the name of finding the horror movie franchises that went full sci-fi.

7 Critters 4 (1992) – Critter Franchise

The crew aboard the salvage ship, RSS Tesla, make a surprising discovery when they find cryogenically frozen creatures onboard one of the vessels they are exploring. Offered a reward to bring the specimen back to Earth, the crew (led by the amazingly named Captain Rick Buttram) soon find their choice of riches to be a mistake when the creatures un-thaw after a ship malfunction. The crew must then battle against the creatures before they can return to Earth.

Aliens Returning to Space

The Critters franchise may have already existed somewhat in the sci-fi horror space with the creatures hailing from outer space. Yet, it was not until the fourth entry that they really embraced the ‘space’ elements by placing the murderous fluffballs on a spaceship in the year 2045. The Critters movies have always been enjoyed for their silliness, so it is somewhat surprising that the most sensational premise of all the films ended up standing out as one of the darker entries in the series.

Make no mistake, Critters 4 is a flawed film and leans heavily on both the cheese and the many shortcomings that befall ’90s horror, yet it is generally heralded above its predecessor and offers up a few nice twists and turns. Most importantly, the movie has some fun kills at the hands of the furry little terrors from beyond. Rent Critters 4 on Apple TV.

Related: 19 Best Horror Comedy Movies on Netflix to Watch Right Now

6 Leperchaun 4: In Space (1996) – Leprechaun Franchise

The Leprechaun schemes to marry an alien princess named Zarina on a remote planet in 2096 and kill her to reap the benefits. However, the queen also plots a similar betrayal and sends a group of space marines to eliminate the Leprechaun. After he is killed, he resurrects through one of the soldiers and begins to wreak havoc on the ship in an act of revenge.

Little Terror in the Big Galaxy

Warwick Davis is a treasure (no pun intended), and every movie with him as the Leprechaun has a degree of entertainment value with how exceptionally well he brought the character to life. This helps because Leprechaun 4: in Space is a bit of a snoozer within the franchise, with the space motif not really offering much intrigue outside other entries. The kills are so-so, and the humor also manages to be serviceable, looking at the film within the series’ cannon.

Still, if you are a fan of Leprechaun, this movie is not the worst in the series, and there are a few fun elements with the sci-fi theme, including a silly homage to Alien with a great chest-bursting scene. The movie also comes from Australian b-movie standout, Brian Trenchard-Smith, the man behind Dead-End Drive-In and BMX Bandits, which adds a layer of intrigue for those who like exploring directors on the fringe of cinema. Stream Leprechaun 4: In Space on Starz.

5 Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996) – Hellraiser Franchise

In the year 2127, Dr. Merchant attempts to close the gates of Hell forever by using a reverse box created to destroy the demons unleashed by the ‘Lament Configuration.’ The movie spans generations of families fighting against the cenobites, as well as infighting among Pinhead and his subordinates to rule over Hell. This leads to the final showdown to decide the fate of the cenobite ‘bloodline,’ going into the future.

Hundreds of Years of Lore Compacted into 85 Minutes

Hellraiser is one of the most peculiar franchises for ranging in quality and themes. There have been several attempts to keep it alive throughout the years, with many sub-par horror films coming out; a final glimmer coming for fans in David Bruckner’s revitalizing the series in 2022.

Still, out of all the entries in the franchise, Hellraiser: Bloodline marks the oddest deviation into the realm of sci-fi. This one is slightly divisive among fans, as its concept and attempt to expand on the Hellraiser lore was appreciated, but many also saw it as asking too much from the audience and taking on more than it could deliver. On the positive, the cast of cenobites in this one are among the best and there are a few great kills.

This entry would not mark the last time that the franchise would delve into the realm of sci-fi, with Hellraiser: Hellworld in 2005 which looked to capture interest in the online gaming community. The results here are passable at best, but it does give the Hellraiser movies the unique status of having gone into space and the virtual world. Stream Hellraiser Bloodline & Hellraiser: Hellworld on Paramount +.

Related: 25 Best Sci-Fi Movies on Netflix to Watch Right Now

4 Jason X (2001) – Friday the 13th Franchise

In a future where Earth has become uninhabitable, a crew on a mission ends up accidentally awakening a cryogenically frozen Jason Voorhees. The flight then becomes a fight for survival, as the crew deals with the mad and violent slasher from a long-forgotten time. Jason X marked the 10th installment in the franchise and saw the killer re-envisioned in a more sci-fi, action version than in previous entries.

Sending a Franchise to Outer Space to Die

When horror fans joke about a franchise going out into space to die, Jason X is likely the culprit behind this long-running joke, as out of all the series to make the leap, this one is painful. The film is a muddled mess, due to disagreements behind the scenes and other struggles in getting the film to theaters. The plot is nonsensical, the effects are awful, and it is just not an enjoyable experience compared to other entries in the series.

It is quite the crowning achievement to give a generation of horror fans the impression that taking a franchise into space is to kill it. This is the last in the main Friday the 13th franchise, with Jason only making one more appearance in Freddy vs. Jason in (2003) and an unsuccessful attempt to relaunch the franchise in 2009’s Friday the 13th. Make no mistake, plenty still hold the franchise in high regard, and even Jason X has seen a slight resurgence in popularity. However, putting the hockey mask-wearing killer into space did more damage to Jason than any of his previous survivors. Rent Jason X on Apple TV.

3 Amityville In Space (2022)

After the infamous ‘murder house’ is exorcised from Earth, it reappears in outer space awaiting its next victims. In the year 3015, a deep space cruiser, Wyoming, is on a mission to seek out and destroy rogue black holes when they encounter the reemergence of the Amityville curse… in space! It is then up to the crew to deal with the evil emerging from the house and the supernatural entities it summons.

They Really Have an Amityville Movie for Everything

Fun fact, Amityville is not a trademarked name, but it is often used by B and Z-grade films to entice and possibly trick viewers into thinking they are getting something as part of a ‘franchise.’ Searching Amityville on IMDB or on streaming platforms like Tubi will bring up hundreds of matches, many with an absurd twist on the home and its contents (toilets, backpacks, outhouses, adult toys). So, while this is admittedly not a case of a franchise going full sci-fi, it will still fall under the parameters for those not in the know.

Amityville In Space is not a complete throwaway, however, as it does come from one of the originators of SOV horror cinema, Mark Polonia. Is it his best work and does it redeem the film? Not entirely, but it still carries many charms of a Polonia film and will still appeal to those looking for just that. Those who don’t follow or pay much attention to directors from the SOV era, though, will likely find it shoddy and nonsensical (charming for some). Stream Amityville in Space for free on Tubi.

2 The Cloverfield Paradox (2018) – Cloverfield Franchise

An international group of astronauts aboard a space station in 2028, wreak havoc when they attempt to use a particle accelerator to solve Earth’s energy crisis, but accidentally open a portal to another dimension with a parallel Earth. The crew faces various challenges, as they navigate the other dimension and their own unique problems brought on by the alternative Earth.

In the case of Cloverfield Paradox, taking a dive into sci-fi did not really mark either a high or a low in the franchise. This is primarily due to the film being a stand-alone. It does carry some of the same themes from the previous films, which evolved from the first one being found-footage horror, but you don’t need to know the lore leading up to the Cloverfield Paradox.

The film is still divisive, with some wishing for clearer continuity and disliking the twists that the movie did add to the monsters from the previous films. Whether the audience sees Cloverfield Paradox as a step back for the franchise will depend greatly on how they approach it and whether they had a fondness for the previous entries. Stream Cloverfield Paradox on Netflix.

1 V/H/S/ 7 (2024) – V/H/S Franchise

The V/H/S franchise, which had its first entry in 2012, has had a resurgence on Shudder, with the series offering an annual dose of terror since 2021. While the series has always been known to indulge in sci-fi elements, with V/H/S: Viral standing out as having themes outside of horror pushing the story, the series still stays routed in found footage horror with its themes often tied together by the year in which they are set to take place.

Continuing the annual tradition, the event entry in the V/H/S/ franchise is set for release later this year, likely around Halloween, as has consistently been the case, and is set to have a heavy sci-fi theme. Whether this choice proves to keep moving the franchise forward in exciting directions, or if it marks a downturn that befell others remains to be seen. Still, another year and another V/H/S entry have horror fans excited.

The Upcoming V/H/S/ 7 will be available to stream on Shudder and AMC+ later this year.