It’s a cult horror treat filled with blood, guts, and dark wit. Plenty of people adore its orange pajamas-wearing, mask-sporting, lollipop-wielding central protagonist Sam—centuries-deep comic book lore and all. But will *Trick ‘r Treat* ever receive a sequel?
The anthology film is a natural choice for horror, offering up some great viewing options. *Trick ‘r Treat* feels like a perfect candidate to be continued in some format—whether it features brand new characters or revisits figures from the first movie’s cast like Sam, the innocent-seeming Laurie (Anna Paquin) and her werewolf pack, or the spooky Rhonda (Samm Todd).
### The Sequel: A Long-Awaited Promise
After years spent in developmental hell, the long-gestating sequel to *Trick ‘r Treat* has finally been written and is ready to be produced. The only question is: Will it ever make it to movie screens worldwide? Or even onto a streaming platform?
While horror fans might have to wait for an answer to that question, here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming sequel.
### Development History
A sequel to *Trick ‘r Treat* has been in and out of development since 2009. The project was announced again in 2013, but Legendary Pictures, who still owns the property, was going through an internal restructuring that caused the project to stall.
Finally, some new information about the film’s possible release emerged in a commentary track attached to the 2024 4K HD release of the original movie. Director Michael Dougherty explained that he and two fellow writers, Todd Casey and Zach Shields, had completed a sequel script. It had even been storyboarded.
Unfortunately, getting the studio interested has been difficult. Dougherty shared:
> “It’s tricky, because I think we really did capture lightning in a bottle with this one, and it nearly killed me. There aren’t the typical metrics that a studio can point at to make it an easy ‘yes.’ Something I was adamant about in the sequel was that it has to retain this nonlinear storytelling, [and] it has to retain that weird mix of horror and comedy.”
### Current Status and Prospects
While it’s thrilling that the script exists and the film’s producers remain committed to making it a reality, it doesn’t look like Legendary is aboard yet. Hopefully, the studio will come around or at least rent out the film rights to an interested party.
Michael Dougherty is still interested in directing the next chapter to his anthology series and is emphatic about wanting the movie to happen:
> “I want to do it. It’s not dead by any stretch. It has to be under the right conditions with the right resources. Otherwise, I will be content with just letting this be this weird little movie that fought its way through a lot of adversity.”
### Michael Dougherty’s Recent Work
While the status of *Trick ‘r Treat 2* remains up in the air, Dougherty has certainly not rested on his laurels. Since *Trick ‘r Treat* came out in 2007, he has directed the dark comedy horror classic *Krampus* and is heavily involved in the Western version of Toho’s Godzilla franchise, currently maintained by Legendary and Warner Bros.
He directed and wrote *Godzilla: King of the Monsters*, using its promo tour to reiterate how badly he wanted to return to *Trick ‘r Treat*. Dougherty also co-produced *Monarch: Legacy of Monsters* and provided the story for *Godzilla vs. Kong*.
### The Writing Team: Todd Casey and Zach Shields
Todd Casey and Zach Shields co-wrote *Trick ‘r Treat* with Michael Dougherty and continue to collaborate creatively.
– Casey went on to write and co-produce *Krampus* with Dougherty. He maintains a solid presence in Marvel’s animated universe, writing episodes of *Avengers: Assemble*, *Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.*, alongside substantial contributions to *Wander Over Yonder* and *Star vs. the Forces of Evil*. He also acts as a consulting producer on various projects, including Marvel’s *Inhumans*.
– Shields has worked on *Godzilla* projects and produced several short films and the Natalie Portman-led crime drama *Lady in the Lake*. He is also a musician, part of the musical duo Dead Man’s Bones with actor Ryan Gosling.
### What to Expect from *Trick ‘r Treat 2*
It’s arguably safe to assume that *Trick ‘r Treat 2* will be another horror anthology featuring Sam roaming a small American town and witnessing all sorts of chaos. Trouble will forever chase those who don’t follow the sacred rules of Halloween, and Sam is careful to catalog every single sin.
### Expanding the *Trick ‘r Treat* Universe
The film’s expanded universe doesn’t stop with its one movie. There are seven additional short films featuring Sam, putting the adorable yet menacing character in various situations—from dealing with Easter to destroying an overly cheerful snowman. These shorts aired as bumpers on the now-defunct network Fearnet to promote airings of the original *Trick ‘r Treat*.
Dougherty also directed *Ghoul Log*, a Yule log-style video featuring a Sam-o’-lantern, which is available on demand from AMC+ and Shudder.
Off-screen, there’s even more Sam-based fun. Comic book writer Marc Andreyko adapted *Trick ‘r Treat* into several new comic stories inspired by Dougherty’s ideas, collected into a graphic novel omnibus under the DC/Legendary label. The collection includes both an adaptation of the film and new tales of Sam’s visits through various Halloween histories.
Let’s just say things were as horrible back then for settlers, star-crossed lovers, and ’50s noir detectives as they are today for the citizens of Warren Valley, Ohio.
### Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, these tidbits will have to be enough to tide fans over until a sequel film finally appears in our treat buckets. For now, the future of *Trick ‘r Treat 2* remains uncertain, but the passion behind it continues to burn bright. Here’s hoping we see Sam back in action sooner rather than later.
https://www.looper.com/2009879/trick-r-treat-2-updates/