A riotous ranking of Rob Zombie movies

Though they were last seen being riddled with bullets in a shootout at the end of The Devil’s Rejects, it looks like Rob Zombie’s favorite gang of sadistic outlaws are still alive and kicking. The cult horror filmmaker shared two new photos from his upcoming movie 3 from Hell on Instagram that show Baby (Sheri Moon Zombie) and Otis (Bill Moseley) in what looks to be a courtroom.

Interestingly, Zombie captioned Otis’s picture, “First shot of an angry Otis addressing the media after a long day in court. Justice! Free The Three!” Which suggests this could be the filmmaker’s first attempt at a gritty courtroom drama. However, we’re more inclined to think there’s a bloodbath awaiting that courtroom and that “justice” could be served in the most violent manner imaginable.

There’s still no release date for the highly anticipated horror unfortunately, but it’s at least encouraging to see that these captures appear to have been taken straight from the editing room. With the movie currently in post production, 3 from Hell could be arriving sooner than fans think!

While we wait for more news to drop about the film, we think it’s definitely time to revisit Zombie’s best films. Here’s how we rank the six horror features of his career so far.

6. Halloween II (2009)

Oh boy, there’s no easy way to put this except to say that Halloween II is a bit of a stinker. Delving into the psychology of an iconic killer renowned for his blankness and obscure murderous nature was something nobody needed.

5. 31 (2016)

Trying to retread the nihilistic sadism of House of 1000 Corpses but without any of the flair, 31 is a hot mess of a movie that never realizes its full potential.

The concept – in which five people are forced to survive twelve hours against a gang of psychotic clowns – sounds like the stuff of B-movie horror dreams. But the execution is far from it, including the use of some seriously shaky camerawork that makes much of the violence feel muddled and anti-climactic.

4. The Lords of Salem (2012)

Visually, Zombie’s movie about a radio DJ (played by his wife Sheri Moon) being haunted by the violent past of Salem, Massachusetts is striking enough. However, plotwise it’s a different story entirely and the movie falls flat. Still, Sheri Moon looks cool which we’re going to speculate is likely the true point of the entire film: Rob Zombie’s wife is made up to look like 90s era Rob Zombie in a film by Rob Zombie.

3. Halloween (2007)

The controversial remake divided the horror community upon release and continues to be a hot topic of debate among Michael Myers purists and those who believe Zombie can do whatever the hell he wants.

As a standalone horror, Halloween isn’t terrible, but as a remake of John Carpenter’s classic it’s lackluster and misses much of what made the original so creepy. Still, it least it featured an impressive cast including regular Zombie collaborator Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) as well as genre icons Brad Dourif (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), Udo Kier (Blade), and Danny Trejo (Machete).

2. House of 1000 Corpses (2003)

A grindhouse exploitation spectacular full of fiendish imagery and innovative kills, House of 1000 Corpses is a cult classic for a reason. Starring horror veteran Karen Black (Burnt Offerings) and exploitation legend Sid Haig (Bone Tomahawk), the movie is bold, brash, and diabolically fun, bolstered by irreverent performances by Rainn Wilson (The Office) and Walton Goggins (Justified).

1. The Devil’s Rejects (2005)

Zombie brought the ferocious Firefly family back for a second outing in what remains his most singular and inventive movie yet. At odds against some vengeful corrupt cops, the family go on the road, transforming the film into a savvy genre mash-up that’s part road movie, part crime thriller, and part Western with some gory horror roots.