Even casual filmgoers know that in the horror genre, the "monster" never really goes away, no matter how soundly defeated by the protagonist(s). The prospect of Freddy, Jason or Pinhead, to name a few, returning is always left open. To do otherwise would go against the very spirit of the genre.

And like any B-grade horror-flick villain, the plans for the nuclear power plant at Belene just won’t go away. Lack of funding kept any sequel to the communist-era original off the air for 15 years, until the Saxe-Coburg cabinet took advantage of the booming economy to release the surprise remake.

Eager to capitalise, perhaps, on continued audience interest, the Bulgarian government is now preparing the third instalment in the Belene franchise (to borrow a word from across the pond).

Last summer, Boiko Borissov appeared to lack any interest in directing the new film, saying that there was no money for it and that he was more interested in other projects (avid filmgoers will recognise him as the man behind the hit crime thriller Bulgaria’s 300).

He now appears to have warmed up to the idea and at a recent red-carpet appearance in Berlin, he said that his team was working on scaling down the special effects budget and would seek non-studio funding for the production. Noted producer Angela Merkel is reportedly busy behind the scenes arranging meetings with prospective investors. Fellow film industry heavyweight Vladimir Putin, of course, has long been on board.

One has to wonder, however, whether Borissov is spreading himself too thin. To the relief of his many fans, he has only taken a producer’s role in another thriller, Economic Recovery: Mission Possible, but production seems to have hit funding hitches as well, prompting lukewarm response from audiences. Some critics were less than impressed with the script presented by Borissov’s team of writers, but there is still time for adjustments during the filming.

The simmering plans for a medical drama are starting to come to fruition as well, with a pilot episode reported to be in the works, but the same concerns about script quality and funding have dogged the production, which could result in postponement or outright cancellation of the show.

Sadly, Borissov’s attempt at comedy, In Brussels, raised chuckles for all the wrong reasons. Roumyana Zheleva was thoroughly lambasted for her acting skills and her mechanical delivery of the lines should not net her a new lead role anytime soon.

Borissov’s productions remain popular, however, even if film critics like Martin Dimitrov so far have not been supportive of his latest foray into the horror genre and the Belene project.

The raw novelty of Borissov’s early cop-drama TV action shorts captivated audiences, who stuck by the up-and-coming director’s dialogue-driven dramas after 2005 despite the lack of action, a direction that most felt Borissov was best suited to during an impromptu filmgoers’ poll in July 2009.

Like previous Bulgarian directors who saw their appeal decline because they failed to cater to the audience’s preferences, Borissov runs the risk of losing his viewers unless he goes back to his roots. Losing the plot is not an option with a finicky audience like Bulgaria.