I am the type of Trick ‘r Treat fan who does not only believe it is one of the best horror movies of its time, but that the cult-favorite horror-comedy movie is cinema’s most passionate (but, admittedly, not quite its most grounded) representation of Halloween. Furthermore, I think its mischievous flagship character, Sam, should be recognized as the holiday’s true patron and would love to see more of his adventures in a proper cinematic follow-up. That brings up an age-old question: is Trick ‘r Treat 2 still happening?
There might be some who appreciate the original as a one-off horror movie, but myself and many others think it is one of the few horror movies that most deserve a sequel – especially since its Pulp Fiction-style horror anthology film structure opens up potential for more spooky tales. Writer and director Michael Dougherty has been teasing fans with Sam’s return so long that it has started to sound like only a trick, but could there still be hope for this treat after all? Let’s take a look at the all the major updates surrounding Trick ‘r Treat 2 so far and see what goodies we can find.
Michael Dougherty Teases Trick 'R Treat 2 Plans In 2009
Trick ‘r Treat was initially meant to hit the big screen 2007 only to be released directly to DVD and Blu-ray two years later – which could be why it is not quite the Halloween classic it deserves to be… yet. Right before it hit the shelves in 2009, Michael Dougherty told MTV News (via Bloody Disgusting) that he already had ideas for a sequel.
The filmmaker — whose animated 1996 short Season’s Greetings is the basis for the film — said the “excitement” his live-action directorial debut had generated in the last few years gave him ideas for a follow-up that he had already envisioned an ending for. He then added that it would all depend on if the film “does become something.”
In 2012, Dougherty Reveals No Sequel Is In Active Development
By 2012, having inspired a growing legion of fans, a comic book series, and merchandise you can find flooding local Halloween stores, it was safe to say that Trick ‘r Treat had become “something.” However, with there still not being any sign of Trick ‘r Treat 2, Bloody Disgusting — one of the film’s earliest and strongest supporters — reached out to Dougherty to check in on its status. Sadly, the outreach was not met with the most promising news.
The former cartoonist confirmed that the sequel was not in active development, nor had any story been officially pitched to the folks at Legendary Pictures. He was quick to provide some hope by assuring the idea for the follow-up never left his mind and that the demand from fans was not lost on him. Luckily, the most promising Trick ‘r Treat 2 update (or so it seemed) was just right around the corner.
Dougherty Claims Trick 'R Treat 2 Is Greenlit In 2013
In 2013, Beyond Fest held a screening of Trick ‘r Treat that concluded with Dougherty revealing that Legendary had officially given the greenlight to the film’s long-awaited sequel. Given its still early development status, the director was not able to provide Entertainment Weekly with too many juicy details, but he told them at the time that it could at least be expected to arrive in October of some subsequent year.
A couple years later — as Dougherty’s Christmas-themed horror movie, Krampus, was about to hit theaters — the filmmaker came out with a graphic novel that expanded on the universe of his cult favorite called, Trick ‘r Treat: Days of the Dead. When speaking to our own Eric Eisenberg about the comic, he shared some of his ideas for Trick ‘r Treat 2, specifically that it would be a deeper exploration of the “strange creepy magical things that do happen on Halloween.” However, he also assured that Sam’s backstory would remain a mystery, as he believes iconic horror characters become less scary the more you learn about them.
In 2019, Dougherty Said Leadership Change At Legendary Caused The Sequel’s Standstill
In 2019, six years had passed since Trick ‘r Treat 2 was announced, but there was no film developed. That year, Dougherty — who had recently come out with his contribution to the MonsterVerse, Godzilla: King of the Monsters — told ComicBookMovie that it seemed like asking him about the sequel had become a Halloween tradition of sorts, with questions regarding its status being brought to him almost annually. Fortunately, his further comments for the website below would provide some explanation to the film’s delay:
Listen, I'm intrigued by the idea and it's completely up to Legendary. It's been a few years since we initially talked about it and there's been a regime change since then. They still have the property and they love it and there's still a long line of merchandise and a continuing line of comic books based on the film but the ball is in their court. The moment they say they're interested and ready to go, we'll see if the stars align. At the same time, I think there's something to be said about not sequelising it. In a business that is obsessed with franchising and spinoffs and prequels and sequels, maybe there's something to be said about just leaving it alone.
So, it appeared that Trick ‘r Treat 2 had become a victim of shifting positions at its parent company, which is not uncommon and not necessarily a point of no return either. However, I do respect his sentiment about maintaining what made his cult favorite special by not making it a franchise. Yet, later comments would suggest he is still down for the sequel.
Dougherty Says He's "Working On" Trick 'R Treat 2 In 2022
In 2022, nearly a decade after Dougherty first announced Trick ‘r Treat 2 at Beyond Fest, the filmmaker returned to the event to confirm that the sequel was in active development, but still not officially greenlit (via Bloody Disgusting). However, the fans still had something exciting to look forward to, as the original film was finally getting a wide theatrical release for the first time that October.
That same month, the director’s latest question about the sequel’s status came from the hosts of ReelBlend, to whom he assured he and the “excited” folks at Legendary are “working on it.” He also reflected on how the film’s anthology structure is already making the project a challenge, given the number of characters and storylines he has to juggle.
Dougherty Says Sam Is Getting A Nemesis In 2023
Sam (Quinn Lord) might appear to be the antagonist of Trick 'r Treat, and that is not entirely inaccurate given his murderous tendencies. However, he is among the few horror movie villains with a valid motivation, being committed to protect Halloween tradition, whatever the cost, while still earning a few enemies along the way. Well, that will apparently be the case for the sequel as well.
On October 21, 2023, following a screening of the cult favorite at the Landmark Westwood in L.A., Dougherty had a Q&A with host Perri Nemiroff. Per Collider, the filmmaker revealed that Sam is indeed coming back in Trick 'R Treat 2 and will contend with a "proper nemesis... that would give [Mr. Kreeg actor] Brian Cox a run for his money." Considering how intense things got during the curmudgeon's battle with the violent trick-or-treater, I can only imagine what sort of unholy war we are in for this time.
Also In October 2023, Dougherty Says There Are "Several Drafts Of The Script"
In late October 2023, Collider reported that Dougherty gave yet another promising update at Beyond Fest. He said that "several drafts" of Trick 'r Treat 2 have been penned, adding that he had Simeon Wilkins working on storyboarding and Breehn Burns crafting a "good fat stack" of concept art.
He then went on to say that he brought on Zach Shields and Todd Casey — with whom he wrote his 2015 holiday horror movie, Krampus — to pen the sequel. The next step, as he described, is working out details regarding budget, scheduling, and such with Legendary.
As of October 2024, there are no recent Trick 'r Treat 2 updates to report but love for the original seems stronger than ever. This year's Fright Fest at select Six Flags locations involves an immersive experience inspired by the first film, which is also getting a 4K release from Arrow Video. Also, Sam can be purchased as a character in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Warzone.
Not that spooky season is here, I will also be sure to rewatch Trick ‘r Treat and see what thoughts pop into my head, since I always tend to find something new to appreciate about it with every rewatch. It is comforting to know a film I have already seen countless times still manages to keep me satisfied as we continue to wait for Trick ‘r Treat 2.
