The success of The Conjuring: The Rites wasn’t just due to it being the concluding chapter in a popular franchise, but because it tied together an entire universe that had been expanded by spin-off projects. In addition to the three main sequels, 2013’s The Conjuring led to Annabelle and its sequels, and both of the Nun movies. Few horror films can justify an entire universe, as spinning off individual elements can be risky and unrewarding. However, The Cabin in the Woods is one of the best horror films of the 21st century, and one that ends with an exciting tease about what other interesting threats could be a part of its universe.
Just because a horror film has promising sequels doesn’t mean that it could also inspire an interconnected universe; while there are many great sequels to A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloweenand Screamthose franchises would not be nearly as successful if they had spin-offs that didn’t include the main slashers. However, The Cabin in the Woods is a transgressive, subversive satire of clichés within the horror genre that ended with an amazing revelation about the insidious forces that were influencing the main characters. When considering how many interesting ideas were introduced in the conclusion, The Cabin in the Woods feels like just the tip of the iceberg.
‘The Cabin in the Woods’ Has a Lot of Potential for Spin-Offs
The brilliance of The Cabin in the Woods is that it is initially able to trick the audience into believing they are watching another generic horror film in the vein of The Evil Dead. However, The Cabin in the Woods is revealed to be an explanation for why certain clichés persist in the genre; after the college students Dana Polk (Kristen Connolly), Curt Vaughan (Chris Hemsworth)Jules Louden (Anna Hutchinson), Marty Mikalski (Fran Kranz), and Holden McCrea (Jesse Williams) become trapped in an isolated cabin in the middle of nowhere, they discover that they are being manipulated by a secret facility that ensures that people fall into a series of dangerous traps. The facility’s goal is to hold annual sacrifices to appease the desires of the Ancient Ones, and their plan includes the re-creation of horror clichés; the five leads were selected because they fulfill the archetypes of “The Virgin,” “The Athlete,” “The Whore,” “The Fool,” and “The Scholar” that often appear in horror movies.
The overarching concept of The Cabin in the Woods is more compelling than any of the individual characters, as spin-offs could be focused on different scenarios in which people were meant to represent different clichés. While The Cabin in the Woods is primarily inspired by slasher and survival filmsother installments in the series could highlight different subgenres of horror, including those that didn’t grow popular until more recently. The end of The Cabin in the Woods reveals that the facility has housed all sorts of horror icons that would be ripe for explorationincluding a pack of zombies, a dangerous merman, and various classical monsters. These creatures could get their own installments in the vein of Annabelle or The Nunas they only have to tangentially relate to how the species came to be captured in the facility. While the film ends on a fairly conclusive note with Dana and Marty initiating an apocalyptic event, the success of The Conjuring spin-offs has proven that prequel stories can also be exciting.
Drew Goddard Is the Right Person To Lead a Cabin in the Woods Universe
A central reason that many panned cinematic universes have failed is that they do not have a creative leader who can influence the direction of the narrative and ensure that the tone is consistent throughout. While James Wan fulfilled that role after directing both The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2, Drew Goddard could fulfill the same role for a cinematic universe based on The Cabin in the Woods. Goddard both wrote and directed the 2011 film and knows the inner workings of the universe better than anyone else. However, Goddard is also experienced at leading a team of storytellers to tell a complex narrative, as he was the showrunner of Netflix’s critically acclaimed Daredevil series, and worked as a writer on both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.
Even if Goddard wasn’t personally overseeing every project, he’s someone who could be trusted to find promising creatives to keep the quality of the franchise consistent. Goddard has previously said that he didn’t want to rush into a sequel “just to do it.” But now that he’s had 14 years and time to make other projects, he could return to his work with fresh eyes and a new perspective. Goddard hasn’t directed a film since 2016’s Bad Times at the El Royaleand a Cabin in the Woods spin-off would be the perfect project to see him back in the reins of.
The Cabin in the Woods has become more relevant than ever due to how popular horror films consistently prove to be at the box office. Audiences have shown that they are interested in a variety of horror films within different subgenres, and The Cabin in the Woods is a fun satire that takes a reflective look at many of them. Although it might connect mostly with cinephiles interested in the deconstructive themes, it’s also a purely scary endeavor that could satisfy those who simply want to see some good blood and gore. Given that The Cabin in the Woods has established itself as a modern cult classic in the years since its release, a franchise that explored the hidden nooks and corners of Goddard’s original film could be poised to be a significant cinematic event.