MONTH IN REVIEW: JANUARY 2026

It's not always easy to keep track of the world of horror day-to-day. So here's a round up of what's happened last month and a glimpse of what we can expect in the coming weeks...

Happy New Year! Yes, it already feels like a lifetime ago, but hopefully 2026 has got off to a positive start for you and your loved ones. January isn’t traditionally a huge month for horror; it often feels as though the genre is still shaking off its winter slumber. While there weren’t many new releases, there’s still plenty to talk about - particularly when it comes to horror news and what’s lurking just around the corner.

We’ll start off by talking about a couple of films that were actually released at the back end of December, but still ran well into January. The Housemaid, which is actually STILL playing at my local cinema, has done exceptionally well – both at the box office and in terms of how it’s been received. This mystery thriller about a live-in nanny who begins to suspect something may be off with her new employers is supremely over the top and trashy, but it’s a lot of fun. It's taken over $250m at the box office; a figure that pretty much no one was expecting. A 74% score on Rotten Tomatoes ain’t too shabby either. Also released in late December was the Anaconda reboot, starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd. Leaning far more into comedy than horror, it’s done reasonably well financially (around $125 million), though it hasn’t been received with quite the same enthusiasm as The Housemaid. It’s fine, if a little pointless.

The biggest February release, however, was undoubtedly 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, the highly anticipated follow-up to last year’s 28 Years Later. With Nia DaCosta taking over directing duties from Danny Boyle, this uncompromising spin-off delivers some terrific central performances and a bold new perspective. The good news is that those who’ve seen it largely rate it. The bad news is that not enough people have. It’s earned roughly a third of what its predecessor made last year, which muddies the waters somewhat for a potential third and final instalment in this new trilogy. Not getting a third film would be a huge shame.

Return to Silent Hill hasn’t done particularly well either in terms of getting bums on seats. The fact that most early reviews (including ours) have been far from positive won’t have helped things either. A real disappointment this. The original Silent Hill was a solid adaptation of an iconic game. But this is pretty dull stuff.

Finally, Primate was released on the 30^th. I’m actually halfway through writing up a review for that. The film, about a group of friends on a tropical vacation in Hawaai who are terrorised by a rabid chimp, is gory and very entertaining. A brutal-but-fun 90 minute animal attack movie that’ll make you wince. I think it’ll do pretty well.

So that was January. But what about February? Thankfully, things pick up significantly, with a packed slate of new releases.

First up, there are a couple of VOD releases worth noting. Lure, out on the 2^nd, is a British indie horror about a wealthy heiress who invites six men to a remote party under the guise of an extravagant birthday celebration. Upon arrival, the men discover they are part of a brutal "Saw-style" game to determine who is the most suitable suitor for her family's bloodline. Irish folk horror The Morrigan, out on the 3^rd, stars Saffron Burrows as an archaeologist who, while excavating in Ireland, accidentally unleashes a vengeful Pagan War Goddess. Cool!

On the 6th, we get cinema releases for The Strangers: Chapter 3 and Whistle. The former… well, is anyone genuinely excited for this? The previous two films were pretty turgid, and we’re not holding out much hope for a sudden turnaround. Whistle, on the other hand, looks far more intriguing. Directed by Corin Hardy, it follows high school students who unwittingly uncover a cursed Aztec whistle - with predictably deadly consequences. What’s not to love?

The 13th brings another three releases (told you it was a busy month). Honey Bunch lands on Shudder and follows a woman whose husband takes her to a remote experimental trauma centre to help with her memory issues. As fragments begin to resurface, so do disturbing revelations about their marriage. Also getting a limited theatrical release is Jeremiah Kipp’s adaptation of the video game The Mortuary Assistant. The story follows a newly certified mortician whose first solo night shift quickly turns sinister. I’m a sucker for mortuary-set horror - and a fan of Kipp’s Slapface - so this is high on my list. Rounding things out is Cold Storage, starring Joe Keery (Stranger Things) and Georgina Campbell (Barbarian), about two employees at a self-storage facility whose night shift becomes a fight for survival when a parasitic fungus escapes and mutates rapidly. The trailer looks quite Stranger Thingsy. This will do pretty well I reckon.

Good Boy is getting a Blu-Ray release on the 16^th. So if you enjoy cute dogs with your horror, pick up a copy.

The 20th delivers yet another trio of genre releases. Australian horror Diabolic arrives on VOD, following a woman who returns to her former fundamentalist compound, where a ritual unleashes a witch’s spirit intent on possession. In cinemas, Psycho Killer - written by the screenwriter of Se7en and starring Georgina Campbell (rapidly becoming a horror icon) alongside Malcolm McDowell - follows a highway patrol officer hunting the serial killer responsible for her husband’s murder. The other theatrical release, The Dreadful, reunites Game of Thrones stars Kit Harington and Sophie Turner in a reimagining of the 1960s J-horror classic Onibaba, relocated to 15th-century England. Intriguing stuff.

Predator: Badlands gets a physical release on the 23rd, before the month closes out in style. Crazy Old Lady drops on Shudder on the 27th, and the trailer alone is enough to pique curiosity. Produced by J.A. Bayona (The Orphanage), it centres on a man tasked with caring for his ex-girlfriend’s senile mother. That’s all you really need to know - go in blind if you can. Finally, on the same day, the seventh instalment of the Scream franchise hits cinemas. After a rocky production period, it’s encouraging to see creative changes, particularly the return of Kevin Williamson and Sidney Prescott. Fingers crossed. Don’t let us down, guys.

Right, onto the news…

• Frightfest Glasgow announced the official festival line-up. Taking place between the 5^th and 7^th March, it’ll open with the world premiere of Jailbroken and will wrap up with Australian fantasy horror Deathkeeper.

• Blumhouse's new Paranormal Activity film (the eighth one!) will be released on May 21st. James Wan and director of the original Oren Peli are co-producing and it'll be directed by Ian Tuason (Undertone)

• Mike Flanagan's Exorcist movie will be released on March 12th. Thankfully, it's not a direct sequel to 2023's 'Believer' and another reason to be hopeful is that Scarlett Johansson has signed up too. Diane Lane has also joined the cast!

• The Conjuring prequel, The Conjuring: First Communion will be released on September 10th. Plot details are under wraps but it's not likely that Vera Farmiga or Patrick Wilson will reprise their roles. A Conjuring TV series is also in the works too.

• IT: Welcome to Derry appears likely to receive a second season, despite no official HBO greenlight yet. CEO Casey Bloys has said the show is “not in limbo at all,” with rumours suggesting a Great Depression-era setting in 1935.

• Director Luke Sparke confirmed that we will get a follow up to dino action-horror Primitive War, which has been a big success on VOD. The sequel will reportedly follow a new U.S. platoon sent into a volatile valley in the aftermath of the first movie, focusing on "escalation" as prehistoric predators adapt to military tactics.

• Principal photography for Robert Eggers’ Werwulf has finished after an 82-day shoot. The project is now in the post-production phase, with a December release being mooted.

• Blumhouse and Atomic Monster are developing a feature film adaptation of the hit IDW horror comic series The Exorcism at 1600 Penn. The story follows Kelly Doyle, the first female President of the United States, as she juggles the threat of World War III, intense political divisions, and the terrifying discovery of a demonic presence within the hallowed halls of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

• Comedian and actress Catherine O’Hara sadly passed away at the age of 71 after a brief illness. Perhaps best known for her turns in Home Alone and Schitt’s Creek, she also appeared in a number of genre projects including Beetlejuice, Frankenweenie and The Last of Us.

• Finally, Ryan Coogler’s vampire thriller Sinners made history with 16 Oscar nominations at the 98th Academy Awards. Horror recognition at last.

January also saw the release of a few decent looking trailers too. Here are a few to check out (if you feel inclined)

• The Morrigan; (mentioned above in new releases list)

• Heel; about a suburban couple who abduct a 19-year-old hooligan and subject him to intense, violent "rehabilitation" in their basement. 

• The Bride; Maggie Gyllenhaal’s re-imagining of the 1935 classic Bride of Frankenstein.

• This is Not a Test; Described as "The Breakfast Club meets 28 Days Later," the story follows Sloane (Olivia Holt) and four other students who barricade themselves inside their high school to survive a sudden, fast-moving zombie outbreak.

• The Burbs; an eight-episode TV adaptation of 1989 horror-comedy movie of the same name. It follows a young couple who move back into the husband's childhood home. Their lives are disrupted when a mysterious new neighbour moves into a "murder house" across the street, leading them to uncover long-buried local secrets.

• The Undertone; acquired by A24, there is a bit of hype surrounding this one. It’s about a skeptical paranormal podcaster who moves back to her childhood home to care for her dying mother. She begins receiving cryptic audio recordings that seem to trigger unexplainable supernatural events within the house.

• Dolly; A backwoods slasher movie described as a blend of New French Extremity and gritty 1970s American horror. It’s shot on Super 16mm film so has a raw, vintage aesthetic.

• Bone Keeper; Six friends who venture into a remote cave system to investigate a decades-old legend and the disappearance of James Wheeler, who vanished in 1976 while hunting a mysterious entity.

January may have been quiet on the release front, but there’s clearly been no shortage of activity. And with February shaping up strongly, there’s plenty to be excited about. Hopefully, this has whetted your appetite a little.