Before putting our theorizing hats on and diving into the realms of ‘what if?’ let’s make one thing clear before we jump on to our speculations. As of now, there has been no official announcement of a sequel, a prequel, or a spin-off set in the Insidious franchise. As per an interview with Discussing Film, Jason Blum (CEO of Blumhouse Productions) has said that the series is going on a kind of hiatus until someone comes up with a good story. All the trailers have explicitly stated that Insidious: The Red Door is the horrifying conclusion to this saga. So, it’s safe to assume that this is the last we’re going to see of this franchise. That said, after watching the end of the latest film, I have some ideas. I want to clarify that these theories sprung from my brain and my brain only and are in no way an indication of a new Insidious film that’s in the pipeline. Alright, now we can put our hats on and talk about some sequel expectations.
Spoilers Alert
Josh Lambert Takes Up Elise Rainier’s Job
At the end of Insidious: The Red Door, Josh and Dalton manage to close the titular door, thereby trapping the Lipstick-Face Demon in its realm. Much like Blum’s promise that there isn’t going to be another Insidious film or a film that’s set in the Insidious franchise, I don’t think the demon’s imprisonment in his evil lair is permanent. In fact, I think he is more motivated than he has ever been before to tear the Lamberts apart. We see him breaking through the closed door. So, will it be too difficult for him to tear through Dalton’s paint (which is symbolic of Dalton reconciling with his past)? Dalton is in college. He has a lot of life left ahead of him. Therefore, it’s highly possible that if and when Dalton’s resolve weakens, the demon is going to make a re-entry. And this time, he probably won’t be alone; he’ll bring his very own demon army. In the meantime, I think Josh should take on Elise’s role.
During the concluding scenes, we see Elise appear as an apparition and tell Josh that he has a bright future ahead of him. You can take this literally. However, since we are strictly theorizing here, I am going to say that it’s a hint that Josh will use his Astral Projection powers to help those who are either stuck or are being tormented by the creatures that live in The Further. The “brightness” that Elise is talking about probably indicates that Josh is in a much better situation than she was when she started helping people with supernatural issues. Elise was fighting her own demons while going to war for others. Josh has fought his demons, and he can use that positivity to heal those who are in distress. Also, Patrick Wilson is 50 years old right now. When Lin Shaye joined the franchise, she was 67 years old. So, if the franchise picks up the story ten years from now, Wilson will be perfect for the aged mentor role. Who is he going to mentor, though?
Adventures With Specs And Tucker
Given how talented Leigh Whannell and James Wan are, I think they’ve intentionally made Specs and Tucker a recurring, likable element in the Insidious franchise. In Insidious: The Last Key, they actually had as much screen time as the star of the movie, i.e., Lin Shaye. In Insidious: The Red Door, we see that their business is booming as they’ve opened a YouTube channel where they are advertising themselves and teaching people what to do if they accidentally Astral Projected themselves into The Further. So, I don’t think it’s a stretch to hope that they’ll become the face of the franchise under Josh Lambert’s mentorship.
The dynamic duo is good at ghost hunting, but they are a little chaotic. Josh, who has achieved some form of nirvana, can help them be more calm and composed and let the ghosts and ghouls cause all the chaos. And no, I don’t want them to be in a web series, a limited series, or anything episodic in nature. It’ll draw comparisons with Supernatural or Ash vs. The Evil Dead, and people won’t be able to look past that. Keep Tucker and Specs on the big screen. Turn the franchise into a road-trip horror genre where they go from one destination to another and solve mysteries along the way. The Last Key taught Tucker and Specs that mortal humans can be more dangerous than immortal supernatural beings. Therefore, dealing with criminals isn’t out of bounds for them too. It can be as gritty or as goofy as the director and writers want them to be. Josh can become the recurring cameo element, and the focus can be on the duo. This may sound a little mean because I do like how aloof Tucker and Specs are, but I want to see them break. We don’t know a lot about their past, even though the franchise is known for digging up a character’s buried memories. So, it’ll be interesting to see these comedic characters get a little serious and face their worst demons. Not deadly serious, though. A little existential dread will do the job.
Make Jenna Ortega The Face Of The Franchise
Here’s my final pitch: bring back Jenna Ortega! She has made quite a name for herself in the horror genre with Scream, X, and Wednesday. As per Insidious Chapter 2, her character, Annie, already exists in the Insidious franchise. Annie could see supernatural things, much like Elise, Dalton, and Josh. Her sister, Allison, was in a supernatural coma, much like the one Josh was in. Everyone assumed that Insidious Chapter 3 was going to be a continuation of that story. However, that plot has been left open-ended. Given how a lot of time has passed since then, and Ortega, Leigh Whannell, and Angus Sampson have grown old, it’ll be impossible to do a direct sequel to that incident. They can do a quick recap of that event by recasting those roles instead of using CGI de-aging because I hate CGI de-aging. And then they can jump to the present day, with Ortega being the face of the franchise while Whannell and Sampson continue to be the recurring comedic elements.
Since the Lamberts have already spent a lot of time running away from their past, Annie can do the opposite, thereby making some relevant commentary about how youngsters have to grow up and deal with trauma at a younger age. Ortega’s Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage can be extended to her character and make way for demons, ghosts, and ghouls that are synonymous with Mexican and/or Puerto Rican culture. Her films can be directed by someone from the Latinx community. For starters, Blumhouse can bring in Jayro Bustamante, who has given us the amazing 2019 horror film La Llorona. Guillermo del Toro is a big name. But if he becomes associated with the Insidious franchise, it’ll be insane! Then there’s J.A. Bayona, if he gets some free time after doing The Rings of Power. Last but not least, there is Jaume Collet-Serra. He’s the man behind the House of Wax remake, The Orphan, and The Shallows. That said, these are just my suggestions based on my limited knowledge of Latinx horror. The options are limitless. We only need Blumhouse and Sony to be interested in the franchise and the audience to be hungry for more Insidious.
