If you’re a fan of The Lost Boys, you’ve probably wondered why there was never a proper sequel to the iconic 1987 movie. The simple answer is Joel Schumacher had great ideas, but they just didn’t make it to the screen. This happened because the studio didn’t take Schumacher’s suggestions.
The Lost Boys was loved for its classic California vibes, chic leather-wearing vampires, and a soundtrack packed with '80s hits. It is widely considered one of the best vampire movies ever made. It is available to watch on Prime Video, Netflix, and Apple TV.
Directed by Joel Schumacher, the film had a star-studded cast, including Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric, Corey Haim, and Corey Feldman. It quickly became a cult classic and had a huge box office success. But fans never got the traditional The Lost Boys sequel they hoped for.
Let’s explore it more and what Schumacher had to say about it.
The birth of The Lost Boys
Before the sequel question, let’s look at how The Lost Boys came into being. The movie was a rare mix of traditional vampire lore and a modern twist.
Screenwriter James Jeremias told Empire Magazine that he was inspired by Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire and the story of Peter Pan. He imagined a world where Peter Pan was a vampire, and his ability to fly, never grow up, and come out at night was because of that. This led to the creation of The Lost Boys.
We were introduced to the brothers, Michael and Sam Emerson. Jason Patrick played Michael Emerson, and Sam was played by Corey Haim. They move to Santa Carla, which is dramatically known as the “Murder Capital of the World.”
The town is plagued by vampires. The brothers with the quirky Frog Brothers (Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander) have to fight against the vampires to protect their family. This mix of horror, humor, and teenage angst makes The Lost Boys stand out amongst other such movies in the genre.
Why was there no The Lost Boys sequel?
Even though The Lost Boys became popular and was a successful movie, a traditional sequel never saw the light of day. This wasn’t because the minds behind the movie were not interested in making one.
The film’s director, Joel Schumacher, had plenty of ideas. However, for some reason, they just could not come alive.
According to Collider, Schumacher shared in interviews that he wished to take the story in a different direction. Instead of a sequel to The Lost Boys, he pitched the idea of The Lost Girls. He imagined a brand new vampire gang made up only of teenage biker girls.
However, the idea was shelved as the studios refused to listen. It’s difficult to keep ourselves from imagining what great fun The Lost Girls could have been. Especially in the '80s when the vampire genre was still emerging. It would have been a fresh addition.
Other The Lost Boys sequel ideas by Schumacher
Joel Schumacher had many more ideas for The Lost Boys universe. According to IndieWire, another of his ideas was to bring Kiefer Sutherland’s character, David, back. David survived his supposed death in the first movie and was widely considered one of the most memorable villains among vampires in movie history.
Schumacher even talked about a prequel. It would have been set in the early 1900s. This prequel to The Lost Boys would have been about the events that led up to the earthquake of 1906 that was mentioned in the movie. Schumacher was fascinated with the idea of vampires on horsebacks. This would have also added a historical touch to the vampire tale.
The Lost Boys direct-to-video sequels and comic series
We didn’t get The Lost Boys sequel that Schumacher imagined and wanted. But, we got Warner Bros’ two direct-to-video sequels, The Lost Boys: The Tribe and The Lost Boys: The Thirst. However, these movies did not have the essence that fans sought.
The Tribe saw Corey Feldman return as Edgar Frog and introduced new characters, yet it did not carry the same energy. The Thirst, too, failed to meet the high expectations of the classic movie.
Though these sequels were fun in their own way, they did not have the same effect as the original version. Moreover, when Corey Haim passed away in 2010, his character, Sam Emerson, died with him. Hence, it was certain that he would never return, which made the connection to the classic movie even more unachievable and weak.
Vertigo Comics released a comic series in 2016. That comic series is the closest we can get to witnessing a sequel of the original The Lost Boys. The comic's plot delved further into the story of the Emersons, the Frog Brothers, and the vampires of Santa Carla. It also gave us the Blood Belles, the all-female vampire gang. So, Schumacher’s Lost Girls idea eventually came alive through the comic series.
Watch The Lost Boys on Prime Video, Netflix, and Apple TV+.
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