Not Stephen King Sequels

One of the turkeys I watched recently was Sometimes They Come Back... Again (1996), a "sequel" to the Stephen King story Sometimes They Come Back (1991). However, none of the characters return, so it's mostly a thematic sequel, and Stephen King seems to have nothing to do with it. Shameless cash grab, perhaps? Perhaps not?

The movie itself is okay. To be honest, I don't really remember much from the first one, except that Tim Matheson was haunted by some trauma with some bullies when he was a kid (the head bully is Grady from Elm Street 2), and he begins seeing those characters in the present.

This DTV sequel is kind of similar, in that Michael Gross plays a guy who saw his sister get killed in a cult, led by Alex Arquette, who's supposed to be the bad boy of the film. Something about him fails to give that vibe though. Then, Arquette is trying to toy with Michael Gross's daughter, Hilary Swank. There are a few interesting deaths (like the lawnmower, and the tarot cards), but the story is pretty uninspired. 2/5

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So what about some other sequels to Stephen King movies that he had no part in? Personally, I think Pet Sematary 2 (1992) is great. It has a lot of the same moods (mostly because it was the same director as the first) and some gnarly scenes in it, but most people know the movie really shines because of Clancy Brown. The dude is menacing. 4/5

Perhaps the most obvious of these not-King sequels would be the entire Children of the Corn franchise. The first film was only based on a short story of his, yet they made EIGHT more of these movies after it. This series is mostly a huge dud, but some of the sequels are bearable, but never even close to the level of the first film, which isn't even great to begin with (I still have a soft spot for it though). Funny enough, Alex Arquette is in one of these sequels too, part V: Fields of Terror, with David Carradine and Fred Williamson. Most of these sequels couldn't get big stars, but part 4: The Gathering did have Naomi Watts, before she was anybody. However, none of these sequels even try to feel like a Stephen King story though.

So what's the word on the other sequels to Stephen King written works, in which he had no part of? The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999)? Firestarter 2: Rekindled (2002), starring Marguerite Moreau (Wet Hot American Summer), Malcolm McDowall, and Dennis Hopper?! A Return to Salem's Lot (1987)? I'm pretty sure everybody hates Creepshow III (2006)