A Haunted House 2
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motion picture |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Satirical horror comedy film |
A Haunted House 2 is a 2014 American satirical horror comedy film directed by Michael Tiddes, featuring performances by Marlon Wayans, Jaime Pressly, Essence Atkins, Gabriel Iglesias, among others. This movie serves as the sequel to the 2013 release A Haunted House.
The production was handled by IM Global Octane and distribution by Open Road Films. It premiered on March 28, 2014. Despite receiving predominantly negative reviews from critics, the film earned more than $25 million globally against a $4 million budget.
Plot
After Malcolm Johnson assaults his possessed girlfriend Kisha for attacking him, he and his cousin Ray-Ray rush her to the hospital. During the drive, Kisha breathes into Ray’s face, causing him to lose consciousness and crash the vehicle. Although all survive, Malcolm and Ray leave Kisha unconscious in the backseat.
One year later, Malcolm moves in with his girlfriend Megan, her two children—teenage daughter Becky and son Wyatt—and their dog Shiloh Jr. Following the delivery of a safe placed near their lawn, an unseen force causes it to topple, resulting in the dog's death. Megan introduces a sinister doll named Abigail beside their bed, which Malcolm soon interacts with in unsettling ways. He captures strange phenomena on video, including Abigail moving independently and discovering old recordings depicting a demon unsuccessfully attempting to kill a family.
Becky grows attached to an antique box, while Wyatt spends time with an imaginary companion named Tony. Malcolm consults paranormal psychologist Professor Wilde, who connects the demonic disturbances to Malcolm’s history with Kisha. Wilde is later arrested for unrelated offenses. Abigail terrorizes Malcolm through vulgar messages and arson attacks, culminating in him destroying a mutilated dog found inside Becky’s box.
Additional events include Becky releasing moths from the box, prompting Malcolm to install bug zappers around the house. The demon Aghoul mocks him through video messages. Despite warnings, Megan and her children remain doubtful. Kisha reappears, accusing Malcolm of abandonment before vanishing while revealing demonic eyes. Abigail repeatedly returns despite Malcolm’s efforts to destroy her.
Seeking assistance, Malcolm turns to Father Doug Williams, a mentally unstable priest who offers little support before shooting himself during a breakdown. Their neighbor Miguel brings a chicken intended for a blood sacrifice; after a chaotic struggle, they cook and consume it.
In desperation, Malcolm contacts paranormal investigators Ned and Noreen Swanson. They conclude that the family is magnetically linked to the demon, explaining Becky’s possession and Wyatt’s imaginary friend. During an exorcism attempt, Becky becomes violent; Doug shoots himself again. The demon transfers from Becky to Malcolm before being expelled back into Becky’s box. The Swansons take custody of the cursed objects, including Abigail.
The situation intensifies when Kisha kills Megan by twisting her neck. Ray and his associates arrive to discover Megan dead, Becky impaled upstairs, Wyatt missing, and Malcolm hiding alive in the basement. Kisha appears once more, frightening everyone present.
Production
Following the commercial success of the original film, on April 8, 2013, Wayans along with Open Road Films and IM Global Octane announced plans for a sequel. The release date was officially scheduled for March 28, 2014, on May 3 of that year. By August 24, 2013, actors Jaime Pressly, Ashley Rickards, and Gabriel Iglesias had joined the cast lineup. Principal filming occurred from August 26 through September 29, 2013. Although briefly postponed to April 18, 2014, the release date was ultimately reverted to March 28.
Box office
A Haunted House 2 earned $17.3 million domestically and an additional $8 million internationally, culminating in a global total of $25.3 million against its $4 million production cost.
Upon its debut, the movie ranked fifth at the North American box office with an opening weekend revenue of $8.8 million, positioned behind Transcendence, Heaven Is for Real, Rio 2, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. In its second weekend, it dropped to tenth place with earnings of $3.2 million, then slipped to fourteenth in the third weekend with $1.1 million, and further declined to twenty-second by the fourth weekend, generating $346,430.
Critical response
The film was met with predominantly unfavorable critiques, holding a mere 8% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a low Metacritic score of 17. Reviewers frequently condemned it for excessive vulgarity, disorganized execution, and an overreliance on crude jokes and pop culture allusions that largely failed to resonate.
Bruce Demara from the Toronto Star labeled it "a vile, wretched, appalling waste of time," while John Semley of The Globe and Mail assigned zero stars, highlighting its intellectual shortcomings compared to other comedic works. Conversely, Kevin C. Johnson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch offered a somewhat favorable perspective, granting three out of five stars for its exaggerated comedic style.
Additional critiques were severe: Jennifer Miller from Film.com rated it one out of ten; Justin Lowe of The Hollywood Reporter faulted Wayans' portrayal for relying heavily on exaggerated facial expressions and risqué innuendo; Stephan Lee of Entertainment Weekly gave it a D grade, noting it left audiences feeling uneasy rather than entertained.
Stephanie Merry from The Washington Post described the movie as "bombastically stupid," whereas Alonso Duralde of The Wrap characterized it as "less terrible, still terrible." Andrew Barker from Variety recognized Wayans' dedication despite the film’s immature content.
In contrast, Sherilyn Connelly of The Village Voice praised Wayans’ frenetic comedic approach reminiscent of Jerry Lewis. On the other hand, Scott Tobias from The Dissolve and Ignatiy Vishnevetsky from The A.V. Club criticized the film for its unoriginality and limited comedic scope, despite showing more energy than its predecessor.
Home media
The DVD and Blu-ray editions of A Haunted House 2 became available on August 12, 2014.