2025 was a good year for horror. We saw a dog take center stage. We saw Final Destination make a big comeback. We had 2 Michael B Jordan and hundreds of Aunt Gladys’. 2026 looks like a very promising year as well, with sequels, originals, and much more to look forward to. Here is your horror movie guide for 2026.
We Bury The Dead (January 2)
After a catastrophic military disaster, the dead don’t just rise; they hunt. Ava searches for her missing husband, but what she finds is far more terrifying.
The movie stars Daisy Ridley and already has some great reviews. We shall see if the first horror of the year is already playing in theaters, so we’ll see if it lands with audiences or not.
Self-Help (January 6)
A college student infiltrates a dangerous self-actualization community when her mother becomes entangled with its leader.
Movies about cults are always intriguing to me because cults are surely a scary concept. This is a smaller film that will debut on the streaming service Screambox, but it still sounds interesting.
Sleepwalker (January 9)
Haunted by terrifying visions, a young woman’s sleepwalking episodes begin to intensify, accelerating her descent into darkness.
The movie has an interesting cast with Hayden Panettiere and Justin Chatwin, but overall, the plot seems pretty generic.
Primate (January 9)
A college student and her friends find themselves in a fight for their lives when a rabid chimpanzee goes on a violent rampage.
A killer chimp movie, and it already has really good reviews. Very excited for this one. The trailer seemed like a good mix of scares and camp. This one definitely feels like a must-see.
Night Patrol (January 16)
An LAPD officer discovers a police task force is harbouring a horrific secret that endangers residents of the housing projects he grew up in.
This one seems like it can be a lot of fun, especially with the cast. The secret here seems to be vampires, and that sounds cool. The cast includes Justin Long, WWE superstar CM Punk, Freddie Gibbs, RJ Cyler, and Dermot Mulroney.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (January 16)
Dr. Kelson finds himself in a shocking new relationship with consequences that could change the world as he knows it, while Spike’s encounter with Jimmy Crystal becomes a nightmare he can’t escape.
28 Years Later was released not long ago to mixed reviews and not the best box office results. Some people were confused by the ending, and this sequel will hopefully give people all the answers they were looking for. With a different director, we shall see what the quality will be like.
Mother of Flies (January 23)
When a young woman faces a deadly diagnosis, she seeks dark magic from a witch in the woods, but every cure has its cost.
This movie will be released on Shudder. The plot sounds intriguing and is directed by The Adams Family. They are a mother, father, and daughter duo who have made some very unique horror films, such as Hellbender and The Deeper You Dig.
Dooba Dooba (January 23)
In-home security cameras watch as an awkward sixteen-year-old girl terrorizes her well-meaning babysitter.
The found footage genre isn’t as popular as it once was, but now and then, we get a gem. Besides the bizarre title, this one does sound really interesting.
Return to Silent Hill (January 23)
When a mysterious letter calls him back to Silent Hill in search of his lost love, James finds a once-recognisable town and encounters terrifying figures both familiar and new, and begins to question his own sanity.
I honestly think that the original Silent Hill movie is one of the best video game films there is. It is creepy and stands on its own as just a good movie. The positive news is that the original director is back for this one. The news that makes me nervous is that the trailer looked cheap and just underwhelming.
Grizzly Night (January 30)
On 12 August 1967, in Montana’s Glacier National Park, the unthinkable happened: On the same night, nine miles apart, there were not one, but two fatal grizzly bear attacks.
Listen, I’m not sure if this is based on a real story or not. Either way, it sounds absolutely terrifying to me, as bears are insanely scary to me.
Send Help (January 30)
A woman and her overbearing boss become stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash. They must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it’s a battle of wills and wits to make it out alive.
Sam Raimi hasn’t made a horror film since Drag Me to Hell, so this is exciting. It also has a great cast featuring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien, who is really becoming an amazing actor.
Iron Lung (January 30)
Survivors of the apocalypse launch an expedition to a barren moon with an ocean of blood.
This is based on a popular video game and was produced, directed, and starring popular YouTuber Markiplier. It is hard to know what to think about this, but on one hand, Markiplier does love video games, so it might be good that a video game movie is made by someone who knows games.
The Strangers: Chapter 3 (February 6)
Survivors face new threats from masked strangers. Secrets emerge, jeopardizing lives as the line between reality and peril blurs in their battle for survival.
If that doesn’t sound generic, I’m not sure what does. These movies have not done very well financially or critically. This seems to be the final one in the franchise.
Whistle (February 6)
Terror strikes when a group of misfit high-school students discovers an ancient death whistle.
This seems to be one to look for as it has gotten some early buzz from festivals. This movie stars Dafne Keen of Logan and Deadpool, and Wolverine fame.
Cold Storage (February 13)
Two employees at a self-storage company have the wildest shift of their lives when a parasitic fungus that was sealed by the government escapes.
This Sci-Fi movie seems like a lot of fun. The movie stars Joe Keery and Liam Neeson.
Redux Redux (February 20)
A vengeful woman travels to multiple dimensions to exact justice on the serial killer who murdered her daughter.
This one is exciting as it has had very good word of mouth and has finally found a distributor. The plot sounds so intriguing and original.
Psycho Killer (February 20)
A highway patrol officer sets out to find the man responsible for the brutal murder of her husband. Her quest leads her to a sadistic serial killer whose mental depravity and sinister agenda are more twisted than anyone could have ever imagined.
Who doesn’t love a serial killer story? This one stars Georgina Campbell and Logan Miller.
Scream 7 (February 27)
When a new Ghostface killer emerges in the quiet town where Sidney Prescott has built a new life, her darkest fears are realized as her daughter becomes the next target. Determined to protect her family, Sidney must face the horrors of her past to put an end to the bloodshed once and for all.
Another Scream film is always welcomed, and this one brings Neve Campbell back to being front and center. The cast includes Neve Campbell, Matthew Lillard, David Arquette, Isabel May, Courtney Cox, and many more. Will this be the final installment? Probably not.
The Bride! (March 6)
In 1930s Chicago, groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious brings a murdered young woman back to life to be a companion for Frankenstein’s monster. What happens next is beyond what either of them could ever have imagined.
This one will be very interesting to see how it turns out. On the one hand, it sounds very original despite being based on Frankenstein. On the other hand, it is a horror, musical, and looks kind of odd, and apparently, the budget is about 100 million. Shall we see?
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (March 27)
After surviving an all-out attack from the Le Domas family, Grace discovers she’s reached the next level of the nightmarish game, and this time with her estranged sister, Faith, by her side.
When the first Ready or Not movie came out, I did not expect a sequel at all. Very excited for this one and its amazing cast that features Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Elijah Wood, and David Cronenberg.
They Will Kill You (March 27)
A woman takes a housekeeping job in a mysterious New York City high-rise. As she unravels the building’s dark history of disappearances, she uncovers links to a possible satanic cult.
As I said, cults are creepy. This one stars Patricia Arquette and Tom Felton.
Hokum (May 1)
A horror writer visits an Irish inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, unaware the property is said to be haunted by a witch.
The movie stars Adam Scott and is directed by Damian McCarthy, who had previously directed the haunting Caveat and the underrated Oddity.
Obsession (May 15)
A man’s wish for a beautiful woman to fall in love with him has terrible consequences when she starts to display increasingly disturbing and obsessive behavior.
This could be one of the best horrors of 2026 as it has insanely positive early buzz. The movie is directed by Curry Barker, who is known to make comedy skits on social media. He has been a part of some pretty good horror short films, though, such as The Chair and Milk, and Serial.
Evil Dead Burn (July 24)
There is no real plot as of yet, but this will be the third standalone installment after Evil Dead from 2013 and Evil Dead Rise from 2023. The movie will be directed by Sébastien Vanicek, who made an amazing film called Infested in 2023. This one will most likely be another big hit. The Evil Dead franchise seems to be alive and well.
Thread: An Insidious Tale (August 21)
A married couple uses a magic spell to travel back in time to prevent the death of their young daughter.
There is another Insidious movie on the way. The franchise seemed to run out of gas with the last installment, but maybe this one could put some juice back in these movies. The cast is interesting as it seems the movie will be starring Lin Shaye once again, as well as Kumail Nanjiani and Mandy Moore.
Clayface (September 11)
The DCU is putting out a horror film. The character of Clayface tells the story of an actor who becomes disfigured and turns to a scientist to fix him. The movie is described as a body horror film, and it will be interesting to see how it turns out and how it will eventually connect to the universe.
Resident Evil (September 18)
There have been so many Resident Evil movies, and objectively, none of them have been very good. Could this time be different? Actually, there is a good chance. Zach Cregger is set to direct, and he is one of the most exciting names in horror right now. He has previously directed Barbarian and Weapons. Both were huge hits. It also helps that Cregger has said he had not seen the previous movies, but the new film will be closer to the games.
Other Mommy (October 9)
Bela, an 8-year-old girl living in a home with marital problems, confronts a sinister entity that comes out of her closet. The presence, whom she calls “Other Mommy,” becomes increasingly threatening to her and her family.
The movie is based on one of the best books of 2024, titled Incidents Around the House, and will be directed by Rob Savage. The movie is set to star Jessica Chastain and Karen Allen.
Remain (October 23)
A grieving architect moves to Cape Cod for work after leaving a psychiatric facility. While staying at a historic B&B, he meets a mysterious woman who makes him question his rational beliefs about life and loss.
This is the new M. Night Shyamalan film. It is based on a novel that he and Nicholas Sparks wrote together. It seems to be a ghost story and will star Jake Gyllenhaal. Shyamalan has put out many stinkers, but he is always someone who has passion.
Werwulf (December 25)
In medieval Britain, a mysterious creature stalks the foggy countryside, transforming local folklore into terrifying reality as villagers face an ancient supernatural threat.
The movie will be directed by Robert Eggers, who previously made Nosferatu. It will be interesting to see his take on werewolves. Willem Dafoe, Lily Rose Depp, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson will star.
There will be many more horror movies released in 2026 that haven’t been announced yet. What are you looking forward to most? Let us know in the comments below.
