YOUR 2024 HORROR SCOPE

Well, 2023 might not have turned out as we expected. The SAG strike ruined release times, the tenth sequel to “Saw” did gangbusters on a critical and commercial level, a new “Exorcist” film disappeared from memory almost immediately after its release, everybody fell in love with the Japanese version of Godzilla again, a critically-hated film based on an Indie videogame cleaned up at the box-office (“5 Nights at Freddy’s”), and the “Scream” franchise has been stopped dead in its tracks by virtue of association with an international conflict. Couldn’t. Make. It. Up.

Anyway. 2024. Like last year we’ve come up with a list of films that we’ve got our eyes on over the next 12 months. There’s a lot here to take in with sequels, prequels, remakes, videogame adaptions, and a modern-day Frankenstein (that’s not “Poor Things”).

As always, we’ll remind you that all details are subject to changes. After all, nobody saw the impact that the SAG strike would have at the beginning of 2023. Many of these quoted dates will inevitably be “mucked about with” (industry term), some don’t have confirmed release dates in the UK, some will simply disappear (NB: What in the name of Krampus happened to the “Salem’s Lot” remake?), and some will simply slip quietly onto a streaming channel with no fanfare (*cough*The Black Demon*cough*). As before, we’ve done a little research and tried to highlight some of the more promising-looking titles. Where possible we’ve provided a US or UK date for release, but those are only at the time of writing … so don’t pre-book your tickets just yet.

We hope you enjoy this slingshot into the future and looking forward to supporting our favourite genre for the next 12 months. Again.

Let’s go …

NIGHT SWIM

Directed by Bryce McGuire

5th January (UK/USA)

With the director best known for “Unfollowed” (2018) and umpteen genre shorts, this is based on McGuire’s same-named mini-production from 2014. It can be summarised in three words basically. Haunted swimming pool. Or more specifically “After the Waller family move into a new house, they find an unknown supernatural presence haunts the backyard swimming pool”. This has led to a lot of pre-release chatter mocking the concept (Wouldn’t you just avoid swimming? Especially in the hours of darkness!). But we’ll reserve judgement. Joint UK/USA horror releases in the UK in January tend to be either dumping-ground fodder or surprisingly good. You never know. Stars Wyatt Russell (“Overlord”) and Kerry Condon (“The Walking Dead”).

FOUNDERS DAY

Directed by Erik Bloomquist

19th January (USA Only – No UK date yet)

Shades of “Thanksgiving” here. A small town is shaken by a series of brutal killings that take place just before a contentious mayoral election and the titular calendar date. Early impressions have been surprisingly positive, praising the viciousness of the killings and the emphasis on the state of political fervour in the States at the moment. So… there’s probably a touch of “The Purge” in there as well. The be-wigged and hollow-eyed villain points to a high-octane slasher. The US-centric narrative may be why a UK release has not yet been confirmed, so it might be a streaming release only over here.

SUNRISE

Directed by Mark Jenkin

19th January (USA Only – No UK date yet)

Somewhat off-kilter-looking vampire yarn. The trailer raises more questions than answers, but it shows a man (Alex Pettyfer) who becomes deliberately infected by a woodland blood-sucker at the hands of a sketchy rural town leader (Guy Pearce). Not only that, but the poor bloke loses his family as well. So it probably gets all violent and bloody at some point. The cinematography looks great, and Pearce is always watchable, especially when he plays loopy characters. It does look to be a mood piece rather than a gorefest, but we’ll see what the finished product brings us ... when we get a UK release.

LISA FRANKENSTEIN

Directed by Zelda Williams

9th February (USA) / 22nd March (UK)

Written by Diablo Cody and directed by the daughter of Robin Williams, you’d expect this to be an unorthodox horror-comedy, and that’s exactly what it seems to be. Set in the late 1980s, it focuses on a teenage goth girl named Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton) who reanimates a corpse from the Victorian era and rebuilds him into the man of her dreams. (Eew). It’s a PG-13 rather than an R-rated film, so expect “Beetlejuice”-type shenanigans and “Edward Scissorhands” romance, rather than a Hammer-movie homage. That being said, it does feature Carla Gugino and Newton was pretty wonderful in the underrated “Freaky”. Could be interesting. (Although… still eew)

IMAGINARY

Directed by Jeff Wadlow

8th March (UK/USA)

One of several films in 2024 that seems to be based around hi-jinks involving “Imaginary friends”. However, this one is definitely more our cup of tea. Wadlow has had mixed fortunes with his more recent Blumhouse horrors (“Fantasy Island”, “Truth or Dare”), but this one does look darker and more promising, with the studio flying high off the success of “5 Nights at Freddy’s”. The plot sees Jessica (DeWanda Wise from “Jurassic World: Dominion” ) return to her childhood home with her family. Her old stuffed bear, Chauncey, has remained in the basement during her absence … and he is pissed! Yup. It’s scary teddy-time. Unlikely to top “M3gan” or Freddy Fazbear, but there’s an excellent jump-scare in the trailer that has us hopeful for the overall content. Bears are the new creepy dolls.

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE

Directed by Gil Kenan

29th March (UK/USA)

With faith in the franchise somewhat restored again, this follow-up to “Afterlife” sees the same director (and most of the cast) return for further helpings of ectoplasm. This time the reassembled team are back in the big apple at a familiar location. But the discovery of an ancient artifact has unleashed an evil force that threatens to freeze the world (And it’s not Elsa … so, let it go … arf!). Cue new and old faces combining their skills to stop the catastrophic chill. Not much more to add to that, so you’re either looking forward to it or not.

THE FIRST OMEN

Directed by Arkasha Stevenson

5th April (USA Only – No UK date yet)

Yup. This is apparently what you think it is. A prequel to “The Omen”. The knee-jerk reaction would be to wonder exactly who the Hell (Hah!) thought this was a good idea or something that horror fans wanted. But for all that, Stevenson has been involved in some interesting projects before (“Channel Zero”, “Brand New Cherry Flavor”, etc). It also has the great British character actors Bill Nighy and Ralph Ineson in lead roles. The plot sees an American woman (Nell Tiger Free from “Servant”) being sent to work at a church in Rome and accidentally discovering the sinister conspiracy that will lead to the birth of the Antichrist. Apart from the perennial problem with it being a prequel (we know we happens next!), we’ve only got a couple of screenshots to base opinion on so far… so fingers (upside-down) crossed.

GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE

Directed by Adam Wingard

12th April (UK/USA)

We’d like to get excited about this. We really would. As ridiculous and Edgar-Rice-Burroughs-in-tone as “Godzilla Vs. Kong” was, we rather enjoyed it and it was better than the slightly dull “King of the Monsters”. But there are some big hurdles to overcome here. The biggest one is that “Godzilla Minus One” was SO BLOODY GOOD! It showed us what we had been missing from the MonsterVerse and Kaiju movies and it was literally a tenth of the budget of “G Vs K”. So … good luck following that up. Secondly, the MonsterVerse feels like it’s going the way of the MCU. Convoluted lore and unnecessary TV shows. And the trailer?! Why is Kong wearing a Nintendo power glove? Why does the main villain have to be another big ape? Baby Kong (“Suko” apparently) … just, why? Sigh It could surprise us though… As we’re writing this, images of a massive 4-legged reptile called “Shima” were just “leaking” online from the tie-in toy market.

HORRORSCOPE

Directed by Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg

10th May (USA Only – No UK date yet)

Based on the Nicholas Adams's 1992 novel of the same name, this is a classic/hackneyed (take your pick) sounding genre story. The plot focuses on a group of college friends who start dying in ways that seemed to be linked to their so-called “fortunes” after having their horoscopes read. Before they all bite the bullet, they have to work together to uncover the mystery, yada, yada. It’s shot by Cohen and Halberg (in their feature film directorial debut) and it does sound like a generic YA horror. But it could still surprise us.

THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1

Directed by Renny Harlin

17th May (UK and Streaming in the US)

So, another entry in the long-running series of “Cult Horror Movie Franchises: Nobody Saw This One Coming!”. A new trilogy of new films with the titular villains getting up in the faces of innocent victims. The previous continuation (“Prey at Night”) wasn’t terrible and excelled in places (“Total Eclipse of the Heart” pool-fight!!) but we weren’t expecting the director of “Nightmare on Elm Street IV” to take the reins and commit to this. Looks like it’s going straight to streaming in the States, but us Brits will probably get a cinema release. The plot follows a young woman (Madelaine Petsch from “Riverdale”) as she drives cross-country with her boyfriend, leading to them being terrorised by the familiar masked douchebags. Apparently (and we quote from IMDB) “Lionsgate plans to expand the story in new and unexpected ways with its sequels”. We’ll see about that.

FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA

Directed by George Miller

24th May (UK/USA)

“Mad Max: Fury Road” was one of the very few films that we gave 5-out-of-5 stars to. Just about the perfect action movie, we know it was borderline genre, but it’s still excellent. So instead of a Tom Hardy-driven sequel, we’re getting a prequel about Charlize Theron’s charismatic warrior and battle-buddy to Mr M. Rockatansky. And that’s okay because the marvellous Anya Taylor-Joy is playing her. Apart from the fact that we know she’s going to lose her arm at some point, this could repeat the success of Miller’s last Maxi-verse foray. The only slight concern is the scrappy FX shown in the first trailer, but that could just be due to the pre-production state of the footage (we hope). Might be a highlight of the year.

kingdom of the planet of the apes

Directed by Wes Ball

24th May (UK/USA)

The “Planet” reboot trilogy was such a treat mainly due to the quality of the cast, production, and narrative. It wiped memories of the Tim Burton jaw-droppingly bad effort and filled a lot of cinema seats. When we left the ape-nation, Earth was pretty much in the state that Charlton Heston saw back in 1968. This follow-up presents us with the state of play after 300 years of ape rule, with Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand) perverting the teachings of the long-dead Andy Serkis Caesar, and a young rebel ape challenging his methods. Ball was previously responsible for the “Maze-Runner” films, so should be comfortable with a crappy future. Freya Allan (“The Witcher”) pops up as a feral human ally. It’s had a messy journey to screen and will obviously be heavily reliant on the quality of the CG-acting. But if it's anything like Reeve’s offerings, it will be worth a visit.

The WATCHERS

Directed by Ishana Shyamalan

7th June (US) / 3rd July (Ireland) / No UK release date yet

Based on the book of the same name by A.M. Shine (who also co-wrote the script), this is the feature film debut for Shyamalan as a director. And yes … she is his daughter, being best known for her work on the TV series “Servant” so far. The plot follows a young artist (played by Dakota Fanning) as she gets stranded in a creepy forest in western Ireland. Finding refuge with three strangers she is shocked to discover that mysterious creatures stalk them each night. Despite the similarities with “From”, the book has a good reputation and Fanning usually picks good material. We still want to see her in a feature-length version of Neill Blomkamp’s “Zygote”! No footage (or UK release) so far, but it could be promising.

A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE

Directed by Michael Sarnoski

28th June (UK/USA)

There’s no getting around the fact that “A Quiet Place” was a brilliant sci-fi horror, had a great sequel, and was a showcase for the unexpected directorial talents of John Krasinski (as well as the already-known acting chops of his wife Emily Blunt). So this prequel has some pretty big shoes to fill. The plot details are being kept secret, but presumably it’s an expansion of the opening of “Part II”, where the arrival of the “Death Angels” (remember that newspaper headline?) is further explored, rather than the later years of the aftermath. There’s an all-new cast (including the great Lupita Nyong'o) and it sounds like it could be hi-octane journey that could fuel future entries in the franchise. Although Krasinski isn’t directing he still had a hand in the writing and production. Could be good, we’re hoping it’s great.

TRAP

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan

2nd August (UK/USA)

You’re out of luck if you want plot details about this one. Absolutely nothing there, which to be fair isn’t unexpected when you considered who’s directing it. All we can say for certain is that Josh Harnett and Hayley Mills are starring in it … and that’s it. We can only hope that we’re getting a “Sixth Sense” Shyamalan rather than a “Last Airbender” one, and that it’s a “Split” rather than a “Glass”.

BORDERLANDS

Directed by Eli Roth

9th August (UK/USA)

Another (appropriately) borderline genre offering maybe, but we’re including it for three reasons. One: It’s directed by horror perennial Roth, who also co-wrote it as a labour of love. Two: It’s got an eclectic cast that includes Jamie Lee Curtis, Cate Blanchett, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Gina Gershon. Three: If you’ve ever played the videogames that this is based on … they’re fucking nuts! Basically, they’re cel shaded POV shoot-fests on alien planets which are chockful of human-eating beasties and mutated bad-guys with access to (literally) millions of exotic weapons. Surprisingly, the overall narrative, elaborate mythos, and snarky characters could lend itself well to an OTT sci-fi/horror/comedy movie. It’s had a troubled shoot due to Covid and SAG strikes, but let’s hope it stays as R-rated as the games are.

SPEAK NO EVIL

Directed by James Watkins

9th August (UK/USA)

This is potentially a tricky one, not to mention that it’s release schedule is listed as being “limited”. It’s a remake of the same-named 2022 Danish film, which we thought was one of the best foreign language genre movies from that year. Where it becomes problematic is assessing whether this a viewable or accessible experience if you’ve seen the original. For those that haven’t (*no spoilers*) it involves two sets of ordinary families who meet socially, leading to a joint vacation weekend being spent in a country house. Saying more than that would be unforgivable, but let’s just say that it is in no way an “easy” watch. We can’t predict how much the remake is going to follow the original narrative, so it remains to be seen how the cast (James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis) will fit into proceedings. That being said, Watkins is best known for the harrowing “Eden Lake” and the somewhat upsetting “The Woman in Black”, so if there was a filmmaker best suited for a “feel-bad” movie experience…

ALIEN: ROMULUS

Directed by Fede Álvarez

8th September (USA Only – No UK date yet)

In the words of “Futurama”, good news everybody! This is not another ponderous and mixed-up prequel that includes an asshole android fingering his pipes and using humans as compost for xenomorph growing (how did Ridley get it so wrong?). Let’s be honest though, we’ve not had a REALLY good “Alien” film that has hit everybody’s sweet-spot since … err … probably “Aliens” in 1986. So what’s different about this one? Well, with Alvarez behind the lens, maybe we’ll get a return to its horror roots. Also, the plot is based on events set between “Alien” and “Aliens” and doesn’t have direct links to the Ripley narrative or “Prometheus” arc, which should reduce the bullshit level a little and ramp up the tension. Story details are limited to “Young people from a distant world must face the most terrifying life form in the universe.”, but hopefully it will be a bit more full-on than an off-world “Hunger Games” or something. The talented Cailee Spaeny heads up the cast, but will she be a proto-Ripley figure?

DOLLHOUSE

Directed by Emma Tammi

30th August (USA only - No UK date yet)

Another film with absolutely nothing to go on for plot details. It’s a “horror thriller set in the upper echelon of the New York City fashion scene.” So … “Blood and Black Lace” or “The Neon Demon”? We don’t know. But we’re including it as it comes from Tammi, who is riding high on the success of “5 Nights at Freddy’s” and it will be coming out before she has a chance to finish off the sequel to that film. But wouldn’t an R-rated slasher in this scenario be potentially great? We can live in hope.

BEETLEJUICE 2

Directed by Tim Burton

6th September (UK/USA)

The sequel you thought you would NEVER see. The original was a massive hit back in the day, for those of us old enough to remember the original release in 1988. Along with the original director and key members of the original cast (Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, etc), there are some intriguing new additions. Jenna Ortega is (almost inevitably) playing the daughter of Ryder’s Lydia Deetz. And then there’s Willem Dafoe as a ghost detective (!) and Monica Bellucci as “Beetlejuice’s Wife” (!!). It needs to find a balance between the zany freshness of the original tale and remain relevant to modern themes, but it could be a winner. Plot details unknown as yet, so let’s hope it’s more elaborate than Burton’s first sequel pitch, which was just “Beetlejuice goes Hawaiian”! True story.

SAW XI

Director not yet announced

27th September (USA only - No UK date yet)

Alright, there’s no director confirmed yet, there’s no casting announcements, and there’s no UK release date … but it’s going to happen. And it was always going to happen after the commercial and critical success of “Saw X”, which took everyone by surprise. The main reason for this was due to the fact that it went back to its roots. It was all about Jigsaw and Amanda, their motives and their stories … and some bloody fine traps. No flashbacks and no time-distorting trickery. It even managed to introduce a new nemesis for John Kramer with the sublimely spiteful Synnøve Macody Lund as Cecilia Pederson. Again, absolutely no plot details available, apart from the fact that producer Oren Koules has apparently stated the upcoming film will be a direct sequel to Saw X, to positively no-one’s surprise at all. Let’s hope the gore and quality factor are maintained for this next entry.

Joker: Folie à Deux

Directed by Todd Phillips

4th October (UK/USA)

Okay. So, it’s the biggest stretch on this list when it comes to genre definition, but the original was a truly dark delight and one of the best psychologically warped dramas of 2019. Perhaps the biggest obstacle to overcome is the fact that it’s billed as a “musical”. We can only guess (and hope) that it’s some kind of weird reflection of Joker’s perception of reality, and the occupants of Arkham Asylum aren’t really going to spontaneously burst into a rendition of “Time Warp” or “Baby Shark” or something. That aside, Joaquin Phoenix is likely to rule again as the titular character now he’s embraced the dark side, and the casting of Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn is genuinely interesting. Hopefully, it’s the “A Star is Born” Gaga, rather than the “American Horror Story” one. We’ll see.

SMILE 2

Directed by Parker Finn

18th October (USA only - No UK date yet)

Is this the beginning of another big horror franchise, or will it fizzle out with the first sequel? Given the strength and genuine scariness of the first film, we’re hoping it’s not the latter. Writer and director Finn returns to the concept of the viral curse that possesses its victims with suicidal tendencies and mind-bending illusions … but they always pop off this mortal coil with a grin on their face, so there’s that. Plot details are locked away, although the ending of “Smile” easily lent itself to an immediate continuation arc. Nevertheless, the only thing we know about the cast is that Naomi Scott is the lead, which is a far cry from “Aladdin”, “Charlie’s Angels”, and “Power Rangers”. Fingers crossed and lips twisted for a satisfactory follow-up.

terrifier 3

Directed by Damien Leone

25th October (USA only - No UK date yet)

Art the Clown has been around for a while, ever since his short film appearances from 2008 onwards in fact. But it was in “Terrifier 2” in 2022 that he really became a massive deal. With a mysterious origin that has yet to be made clear, the sick jester ripped and tore his way through two feature length movies with vomit-inducing glee and inventiveness. The small-budgeted sequel cleaned up with a US cinema release and become a hit on home media. There was a (mostly) positive reaction to the second part due to David Howard Thornton’s playful portrayal of Art and the introduction of an awesome final girl in the shape of Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera), which lead to a classic good vs. evil subtext. Somewhat brilliantly, and despite its American release date, this third entry is due to focus on Christmas rather than Halloween, as depicted in the teaser trailer with Art assuming the role of Santa Claus. We can’t wait, if only to see how they continue the batshit-crazy cliffhanger seen in the asylum in the previous film!

THE WOLF MAN

Directed by Leigh Whannell

25th October (USA only - No UK date yet)

Yeah. This is in a bit of a mess at the moment it has to be said. In fact, we’ll be surprised if that release date survives in any shape, as coveted as it might be for a horror movie. Ever since Universal’s reboot of its monster franchise (“Dark Universe” … remember that?) went down the tubes, the only successful treatment of a related character was Whannell’s brilliantly suspenseful reinterpretation of “The Invisible Man” in 2020. So when a new movie of this furry character, starring Ryan Gosling no less, was announced with him at the helm, it seemed like a sure thing. Since then, Gosling has left the project, and Covid/SAG ravaged the production. Christopher Abbott (“Possessor”) has seemingly replaced Gosling, but the only thing known about the plot is that it will follow the same basic werewolf-bites-man structure, although the setting and period is still a mystery. Hopefully, it will make more of an impact than the generic Joe Johnston version in 2010, which managed to bomb despite an awesome cast.

VENOM 3

Directed by Kelly Marcel

8th November (USA only - No UK date yet)

Superhero fatigue has well and truly set-in and the Sony “Spiderverse” is awful (apart from the animated films, obvs). But we still have a soft spot for Tom Hardy’s playful take on Eddie Brock and his murderous alter-ego, although we’d like it more if they let him go full R-rated with it. This second sequel is actually written, co-produced, and directed by Kelly Marcel (in her directorial debut) from a story she wrote with Hardy. If that sounds a bit random, she also wrote the previous two films and is a frequent artistic collaborator with Hardy during many UK projects. The talented Juno Temple is signed up as the female lead in an undisclosed role and all plot details are under wrap. Hopefully it won’t turn out to be a “turd in the wind”.

NOSFERatu

Directed by Robert Eggers

25th December (USA only - No UK date yet)

Nothing says “Christmas” quite so much as a rat-faced vampire with long spindly fingers! Ignoring the uber-bizarre release date, Eggers has been teasing the horror community with this project ever since “The Witch” became a box office winner, although it was passed in development by “The Lighthouse” and “The Northman”. Anya Taylor-Joy was originally slated for the female lead but had to drop out to film “Furiosa”. Nonetheless, the film has a pretty stellar cast, including Bill Skarsgård (as the undead Count Orlok), Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, and Willem Dafoe. Unsurprisingly, the plot will follow the basic premise of the classic silent film, charting the effects of an obsession between a young woman and the grotesque vampire that becomes infatuated with her. Should be good.

ATTACK OF THE UNKNOWNS!

Films (probably) expected in 2024

THE HOME

Directed by James DeMonaco

An American psychological horror-thriller film coming from the creator of “The Purge” franchise should be something to keep an eye out for. Starring Pete Davidson, it tells the story of a guy that starts working at a retirement home and realises its residents and caretakers have some sinister secrets. As he starts to investigate, he finds evidence of a forbidden area on the fourth floor and a connection to his past. Lionsgate studio acquired the American distribution rights to the film at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, and it is expected to have an early 2024 theatrical release announced shortly.

WITCHBOARD

Directed by Chuck Russell

Yup. It’s another remake of a 1980s supernatural horror. Whilst the original movie, based around the possessive qualities of a Ouija board, wasn’t a classic by any means, it is fondly remembered by older genre fans and spawned a couple of (unconnected) sequels. This version is an update that sees a group of friends opening a café in the French Quarter of New Orleans by renovating an old carriage house. However, one of them finds an “ancient pendulum board” that was once used for summoning spirits. When things go pear-shaped, cue the appearance of an occult expert and a hidden coven of witches. Notable, if only for the fact that it’s a passion project for Russell and marks his return to the genre. Let’s not forget that he was responsible for “Nightmare on Elm Street III” and the superb “The Blob” remake. It’s scheduled to be released by Gala Films sometime in 2024

CUCKOO

Directed by Tilman Singer

A horror mystery that was due in September of 2023, but was pushed back for many reasons. It looks to be a post-modern slasher with some good advance word about it. The project comes from the director of “Luz” and stars Dan Stevens and Gemma Chan. Leaks suggest it is about a teenage girl being chased by a mysterious hooded woman after moving to an alpine resort. And there is also a deadly conspiracy mixed in there somewhere. It’s currently due to have a world premiere at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in February, with a release schedule to be announced afterwards.

I SAW THE TV GLOW

Directed by Jane Schoenbrun

A trippy-sounding horror from maker of “We’re All Going to the World’s Fair”. Co-produced by “she’s-everywhere-at-the-moment” celebrity Emma Stone, this sees two teenagers bond over their love of a television series, only to see it get mysteriously cancelled and their lives affected by strange forces. Justice Smith is one of the leads and it sounds very much like it could have a “Channel Zero” vibe to it. The film is due to premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival in January, with more release details following that.

YOUR MONSTER

Directed by Caroline Lindy

An American romantic comedy-horror film (another one?) which is written and directed by Lindy, being based on her 2019 short film of the same name. The film stars Melissa Barrera, who ahem was previously an important part of the reinvigorated “Scream” franchise. She plays Laura Franco, a young actress enduring a cancer diagnosis and upsetting relationship breakup (sounds a laff riot!). Her life is further changed when she discovers a “terrifying, yet weirdly charming” creature living in her closet. Seems offbeat but Barrera could make it work and some insiders have praised the indie vibe of the project. First showings are scheduled to take place at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival during January.

HANDLING THE UNDEAD

Directed by Thea Hvistendahl

… Or “Hanteringen av odöda” in its Native Swedish tongue. It’s based on a 2005 horror novel by Swedish writer John Ajvide Lindqvist (“Let the Right One In”), which revolves around the unexplained reanimation of thousands of recently deceased people in Stockholm. A film adaptation has been planned for many years, but only took off in 2022, with the involvement of award-winning actress Renate Reinsve (“The Worst Person in the World” … the film … not a description of the actress). The trailer shows it to be an elegant take on the zombie genre which focuses on social aspects of reanimation, but still has some damned creepy moments (the animal squealing is super disturbing). Like many of these other entries, this is due to be shown at the 2024 Sundance festival, although Neon has snapped up the rights for American distribution at some point.

WHAT REMAINS OF US

Directed by Alexander J. Farrell

This keeps appearing in online chatter, mostly driven by GOT fans getting excited by the possibility of Kit Harrington appearing in a werewolf film. It’s set in 1965 and the lead character (Harington) and his family are scraping an existence on a remote rural compound in England. But apparently somebody goes through an unearthly change on a monthly basis. Lunar cycle you say? Could be. But it could also be something as mundane as a 10-year-old questioning her parent’s life choices. We’ll just have to wait and see. No further details and no confirmed distribution or release details yet.

UNTITLED UNIVERSAL MONSTERS FILM

Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett

Simply put, this is an upcoming horror film directed by Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett, which is supposedly based on the Universal Monster stable. The Radio Silence duo are best known for “V/H/S”, “Ready or Not” and the recent “Scream” movies. This project is expected to be a celebration of iconic monster movies, but the security measures around the project have been off the charts. Allegedly (and don’t blame us if this is wrong, it came from a dubious source), it involves a young woman being kidnapped, who turns the table on her abductors when the identity of her parents is revealed, bringing several iconic genre characters into the mix. Having said that, a release date of April 2024 is still tentatively in place, despite the fact that it still has no title and only finished filming in mid-December 2023. So, expect delays. Still, get a load of the cast list: Melissa Barrera, Alisha Weir, Dan Stevens, Kevin Durand, Kathryn Newton, Angus Cloud (in a posthumous film appearance), and Giancarlo Esposito. And wouldn’t a modern-day “House of Frankenstein” or “The Monster Squad” just be ace!

MAXXXINE

Directed by Ti West

We loved “Pearl” and “X” and we were kind of hoping there might be further news on this trilogy closer by now. But it might well be the start of 2025 before we see it on the silver screen. Maybe it’ll squeeze in for the end of 2024 or just before. The last part of West’s and Mia Goth’s combined project, this sees Maxine Minx trying to make a go of it in Hollywood during 1985 but finding herself still tied to her X-rated past. Judging by the other films, expect more slasher hi-jinks and some nasty events to affect the lives of our heroine and those around her. And if you’re still undecided, check out the supporting cast who join Goth: Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Lily Collins, Halsey, Giancarlo Esposito, and Kevin Bacon. Not too shabby for a stabby.