Both Sequels to an Iconic 1990s Horror Film Just Hit HBO Max (And One Is Way Better Than We Gave It Credit For)

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I’ll always remember the 90s as such an amazing time for movies, and especially for independent films! It felt like so many fresh voices, like Kevin Smith, Quentin Tarantino, and Wes Anderson, really hit their stride then. What was even more exciting was that these indie films weren’t just critically acclaimed – many of them became huge hits with audiences too. Some, like The Blair Witch Project, really broke through and became cultural moments. It’s incredible to think that movie was made for practically nothing – less than a million dollars, I believe – and then went on to earn over $248 million! The way it was filmed, like a found documentary about three students investigating a local legend in the Maryland woods, was so innovative and genuinely creepy. It really captured everyone’s imagination.

As a huge fan of The Blair Witch Project, I remember the buzz around its quick follow-up, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2. It really didn’t land with audiences or at the box office, and it took almost 20 years for another sequel, simply titled Blair Witch, to appear. But here’s the thing: both of those sequels just hit HBO Max, and honestly, I’m starting to think we might have been too harsh on Book of Shadows all along.

Blair Witch is A Proper Successor to The Original, But Book of Shadows is Actually Better

Released in 2000, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 was met with overwhelmingly negative reactions, faring much worse than The Blair Witch Project. Both critics and audiences disliked it, primarily because it felt completely disconnected from the original. While The Blair Witch Project used a realistic “found footage” style, Book of Shadows was a more conventional horror film with a standard storyline. Many viewers considered it one of the worst sequels ever made.

Looking back, it’s clear we might have misunderstood the movie’s main point. Book of Shadows isn’t just a horror film; it’s about a group of people fascinated by the mythology surrounding The Blair Witch Project – a film that became a huge phenomenon. They travel to the town where the original was filmed, hoping to have a similar experience, but things quickly go wrong. While the movie has some typical horror tropes that feel a little dated, it’s actually a commentary on obsession and mass hysteria. When viewed through that lens, it becomes a much more compelling film. Considering how much attention The Blair Witch Project captured upon its release, Book of Shadows feels like a particularly insightful and appropriate sequel.

Interestingly, this film is actually more effective than the 2016 sequel, Blair Witch. That movie centers on James Donahue, brother of the woman who vanished in the first film, as he searches for her after finding a potential clue on YouTube. He ventures into the woods with friends and the people who posted the video, hoping they can lead him to the lost footage. While Blair Witch stays closer to the original’s style, it largely retreads familiar ground. It’s an interesting and watchable movie, but it doesn’t bring anything fresh to the table like Book of Shadows does.

Now that both Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 and Blair Witch are available on HBO Max, you can watch them both and decide which sequel you think is better – and which one is truly scarier.

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2026-03-08 17:14