MONTH IN REVIEW: MAY 2025

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...

May brought a handful of notable horror releases worth mentioning, though overall it felt like a quieter month. The delay of Clown in a Cornfield to June didn’t help matters either. While it saw a U.S. release on May 6, for some reason the UK has been made to wait. It’s performed decently at the American box office and reviews have been largely positive. We’ll be sharing our thoughts on it in early June. We also missed The Ugly Stepsister, Shudder’s biggest release of the month - a definite oversight, especially given its near-universal acclaim. We’ll make sure to catch up with it next month.

While not strictly horror, Nicolas Cage’s The Surfer veers into genre-adjacent territory thanks to its surreal tone (it is a Nic Cage film, after all). Cage delivers a typically intense performance, and fans of surf culture and Ozploitation will appreciate the film’s distinct aesthetic. It’s wildly eccentric, yet oddly compelling - unlike anything else currently out.

May 16 brought two notable theatrical releases, both worth celebrating. Final Destination: Bloodlines marked a strong return for the franchise. It may not break new ground, but it’s entertaining, briskly paced, and best enjoyed with a Friday night crowd. With a grisly sense of humour and inventive kills, it’s been the highest-grossing entry to date, pulling in nearly $200 million. A sequel feels inevitable. It also includes a heartfelt cameo from the late, great Tony Todd - sorely missed by horror fans.

On the other end of the spectrum, Hallow Road - starring Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys - offered a taut psychological thriller made on a fraction of the budget. It’s a stripped-back, suspenseful ride set almost entirely in a car as two desperate parents search for their daughter stranded on a deserted country road in the early hours. Pike and Rhys are outstanding, and at just 80 minutes, it’s a lean, gripping watch. Fans of atmospheric, intimate horror will find much to enjoy.

Netflix closed the month with Fear Street: Prom Queen on May 23. The original Fear Street trilogy, released weekly in July 2021 and helmed by Leigh Janiak, was a major hit. Four sequels have since been announced, with Prom Queen the first out of the gate. Reception from fans has been tepid. We didn’t find it too bad - it’s a competent, if familiar, slasher that nods to '80s fare like Prom Night (1980) and Fatal Games (1984). But for most, it lacks the sharper edge and queer focus that Janiak’s trilogy offered.

Looking ahead to June, there’s plenty to be excited about - particularly on the big screen. Out June 5 is The Ritual, a traditional exorcism thriller billed as “America’s most documented possession case.” While the premise is familiar, the casting of Dan Stevens and Al Pacino gives it an intriguing edge. Expect Latin incantations, twisting limbs, and plenty of bed-shaking. As noted earlier, Clown in a Cornfield finally arrives in UK cinemas on June 6 – and that looks like it might be a fun little slasher. Dangerous Animals, out on the same day, stars Jai Courteney as a psychopath who likes abducting women and…feeding them to sharks. Not sure that one is going to be a barrel of laughs as let’s face it, sharks are bloody terrifying. Early reviews for the creature feature/slasher mash up have been really positive so that’s one to look forward to for sure.

On the 20th we have the one we’re personally most looking forward to – 28 Years Later. The original, released back in 2002, is probably one of the best zombie movies ever made and the sequel 28 Weeks later, released 5 years later was a really solid sequel too. Danny Boyle is back to direct, it’s written by Alex Garland and stars Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes and Aaron Taylor-Johsnon. We can’t wait. Interestingly, it was shot back-to-back with its sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple - directed by Nia DaCosta (Candyman). We haven’t got too long to wait for that either – January 2016! Finally, M3GAN 2.0 lands on June 27. The trailer is, frankly, ridiculous. Our favourite homicidal android returns, this time squaring off against a self-aware military robot named Amelia. It could be brilliant, it could be terrible - or maybe a glorious mix of both.

On streaming, Disney+ brings us Predator: Killer of Killers on June 6. This animated feature from Dan Trachtenberg (Prey) should tide fans over ahead of Predator: Badlands, slated for later this year. Over on Netflix, The Wrath of Becky drops June 13. We weren’t the biggest fans of the original Becky, but plenty of others were, so its sequel should find an appreciative audience. For physical media fans, The Monkey and Screamboat will get DVD releases on the 2nd and The Woman in the Yard on the 30th.

In terms of news, here’s some things:

• Shudder has officially greenlit a remake of the 2004 underground horror cult classic Creep, originally directed by Christopher Smith. The new film, retitled The Creep, will once again be helmed by Smith himself. Production is scheduled to begin this autumn, and early buzz suggests it will stay true to the claustrophobic terror of the original while updating it for modern audiences.

  
  

• In other Shudder acquisitions, the platform has picked up Crazy Old Lady, a Spanish horror film produced by Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom director J.A. Bayona. The movie marks the directorial debut of screenwriter Martín Mauregui. The plot follows a man who agrees to temporarily care for his ex-girlfriend’s senile mother only to discover she has no intention of letting him leave. What begins as a favor quickly unravels into a surreal and terrifying ordeal.

  
  

• Although she turned down reprising her role in I Know What You Did Last Summer (she was killed off to be fair), Sarah Michelle Gellar has said that she’d be up for a return to the Scream franchise. 'There’s a lot of people that died in all the Scream movies that are back. Skeet (Ulrich), (Matthew) Lillard. I’m just saying, I’m waiting for my call.'

• Eli Roth’s new production company, The Horror Section, continues to grow its slate. The latest project added is Final Cut, described as a love letter to 1970s Italian giallo films. Roth will direct.

• The Buffy reboot has found its new slayer. Although Sarah Michelle Gellar will reprise her role as Buffy, Ryan Kiera Armstrong (Star Wars: Skeleton Crew) will play the new lead slayer. Writers Nora and Lilla Zuckerman said ‘We are so overjoyed to have found this generation’s slayer in Ryan Kiera Armstrong, she absolutely blew us away there is no question in our mind that she is the chosen one.’

  
  

• Kathryn Newton (Freaky) has been cast in Devil’s Mouth, a survival horror film centred on a group of college friends traveling to Thailand. Their trip takes a nightmarish turn when they become trapped in an underwater cave system - alongside a massive and aggressive bull shark.

  
  

• Morris the alligator sadly passed away. He starred in the 1980 cult creature feature Alligator as well as Happy Gilmore (1996). He was estimated to be over 80 years old. :(

  
  

• Fallout fans can rejoice: although Season 2 of the hit Amazon series isn’t expected to premiere until December, the show has already been renewed for a third season. With over 100 million viewers tuning in for the first season, the early renewal hardly comes as a shock.

• The new Evil Dead film, called Evil Dead Burn, will be released in July 2026. It’s one of two new Evil Dead movies that Warner Bros are releasing. Sebastien Vanicek (Infested) will direct Evil Dead Burn, whilst the second as yet untitled film will be directed by Francis Galluppi (The Last Stop in Yuma County)

What about trailers worth checking out?

• HBO unveiled the first trailer for Welcome to Derry, a prequel series set in the universe of IT. Bill Skarsgård returns as Pennywise, and the tone appears to stay faithful to the creepy atmosphere of the recent films.

  
  

• The Conjuring: Last Rites, billed as the final instalment in the long-running franchise, also dropped its first trailer. It looks just as intense and unsettling as its predecessors, and we are hoping it delivers a worthy conclusion to one of horror’s most successful cinematic series.

  
  

• Weapons, the upcoming mystery-horror from Barbarian director Zach Cregger, released a haunting first look. When all but one child from the same classroom vanish simultaneously, a tight-knit community is plunged into suspicion and dread. Starring Josh Brolin and Julia Garner (she's in everything!), this one looks like a must-see.

  
  

• A new trailer for the next Jurassic World film debuted, showcasing several new dino creatures - including the terrifying 'Distortus Rex', a nightmarish hybrid sure to capture audience imaginations.

  
  

• Resurrection Road appears to be an intriguing mash-up of period horror and vampire mythology, while The Long Walk, based on a Stephen King novel, looks to be an emotionally intense and psychologically harrowing adaptation.

  
  

All in all, it’s been a solid month for horror fans. Between big casting announcements, classic franchise revivals, and a strong lineup of summer releases on the horizon, the genre is in great shape heading into the warmer months. Whether you prefer slow-burn suspense or creature-feature chaos, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into.