YOUR 2026 HORROR SCOPE

Well, 2025 was something. An eclectic mixture of the good, the bad and the just plain weird. And as usual, the intended film release schedule was severely screwed with. Films like “Flowervale Street” and “Mortal Kombat II” were pushed back so hard that they left celluloid bruises. Whereas expected heavy hitters like “Saw XI” just vanished into the ether because of various studio shenanigans. Some highly anticipated movies went on to greatly exceed expectations, both on an artistic and a financial basis (we’re saluting you, “Sinners” and “Weapons”). Whereas some eagerly awaited projects died a lonely death and were generally un-mourned (“Wolf Man”, “The Women in the Yard”, “M3GAN 2.0”, etc).

Whatever your opinion and personal likes, though, 2025 proved that horror was still hot, and (most importantly for studios and the indies) potentially exceptionally profitable. And looking ahead to 2026, we just know that this will be the case again. There are some really promising and interesting projects ahead. And of course, the fun thing about our beloved genre is that there will always be surprises.  

As always, Ts and Cs (along with studio bullshittery) apply. This may be even more the case, with the ongoing buyout of Warner Bros by Netflix (and challenge by Paramount). It’s early days, but who knows what effect that’s going to have on upcoming projects if it gets agreed? Aside from that, all the following dates and details are extremely subject to change. Being Brits, we’ve focused on (currently) “confirmed” release dates in the UK, but inevitably some will simply disappear, and some will premiere quietly on a streaming service without most people even noticing. In fact, as we’re pulling this preview together, the “M3GAN” spin-off (“SOULM8TE”) has just been deftly pulled from its 9^th January release and has an uncertain future (although that could change… see what we mean). For that reason, we’ve separated US-only confirmed releases, although some of these will get corresponding releases. We’ve also left details of some “maybe” releases that just might appear in the next 12 months on US or UK screens. Just bear in mind that these dates are only the ones indicated at the time of writing and should be taken with a Godzilla-sized lump of salt.  

We hope you enjoy this round-up and are looking forward to supporting the best film genre in modern times.  

Just be good to us, 2026! LFG!  

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Confirmed UK Releases (at the time of writing)

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE

Directed by Nia DaCosta

16^th January UK/USA

Shot back-to-back with its predecessor, this will serve as the fourth instalment in the film series. Given the divisive ending of “28 Years Later” (back-flipping, Jimmy you-know-who cult members saving our young protagonist, FFS!), this was always going to be a non-conventional follow-up. Especially given that the proposed 3^rd part of the intended trilogy was never a sure thing (up until very recently at least). But the trailers seem to be very promising. Jack O’Connell retains just the right amount of creepiness without being farcical, Ralph Fiennes looks to be giving a phenomenal amount of effort to the role (quoting “Spinal Tap”!), and Alfie Williams gives another great performance. Advance word from test screenings and previews has been very positive, but we know how dependable they can be! This will be the first major genre offering of 2026, so it will be interesting to see the final product and general response to it. Whatever happens, though, Cillian Murphy is slated to make a cameo as his original “Days” character, and this WILL lead into the 3^rd “Years” movie.

RETURN TO SILENT HILL

Directed by Christophe Gans

23rd January (USA/UK)

“Silent Hill” was actually a not-bad cinematic interpretation of the original game in 2006. Twenty years ago! Let that sink in for a moment. The imagery was on point and included some startling sequences (Pyramid Head flaying a character and other graphic body mutilations). However, the 2012 follow-up (“Silent Hill: Revelation”) was pretty horrible and pointless. The director/writer of the original film (Cristophe Gans) is back to reboot it, though. The “Silent Hill” game franchise has actually had a huge resurgence recently with the new game “Silent Hill F” (set in 60s Japan) and an excellent remake/update of “Silent Hill 2”. “Return” is actually an adaptation of SH2, and if you’ve played it, you know how F’ed up it is. The trailer looks pretty close to the game, with faceless nurses and jittery mannequins, so at least it should be authentic and thematically eerie in that sense. It’ll be interesting to see how gamers and horror fans react to it.

PRIMATE

Directed by Johannes Roberts

30^th January UK / 6^th January USA

Fancy a new animal horror from the creator of the sharky “47 Meters Down” films. You’ve got it. Sounding like a variant on “Cujo” or the sub-plot from “Nope”, the story sees a domesticated chimp (called Ben) get infected by rabies and start to terrorise his adopted human family. Sounds daft, looks quite effective in the trailers. And if there’s any doubt that it’s influenced by Stephen King, he is rumoured to be in an uncredited cameo. No big “names” in the cast, but the FX look to be convincing enough. Could be a sleeper, and it did get some very good reactions when it showed at Fantastic Fest in Texas during 2025.

SEND HELP

Directed by Sam Raimi

6^th February UK / 30^th January USA

A survival comedy-horror set on a desert island, helmed by the creator of “Evil Dead” and starring Rachel McAdams, you say? Take our money and give us a ticket! It’s a snarky movie and looks to be in the same tragi-comic style as “Drag Me to Hell”. The film stars McAdams and Dylan O'Brien as a worker and her boss, who become stranded on an island after a plane crash and attempt to survive while tension rises between them. The trailer looks like great fun, with a whole lot of guilty pleasure coming from seeing the obnoxious douche-bag manager getting his comeuppance once McAdams discovers her primal instincts, going from dowdy secretary to warrior princess.

The STRANGERS: CHAPTER 3

Directed by Renny Harlin

6^th February UK/USA

Oh boy! When we said “promising projects” …. Easily the least anticipated entry in this list (and quite possibly the whole of 2026). Chapter 1 was a needless, almost shot-for-shot remake of the original. Chapter 2 wasn’t much better, adding an unwanted origin story for one of the title characters and consisting of basically just one-long chase sequence… that somehow managed to shoehorn a killer boar in the story to make it a bit more interesting. Yuck. This one looks to be just as uninspired, heavily hinting that Madelaine Petsch’s character will don the mask of one of the killers and potentially join the crew. Because that makes perfect sense after the earlier two films and isn’t at all a dull cliché in horror movies. Yes, we are being sarcastic, and we can’t wait for it to end. 

WHISTLE

Directed by Corin Hardy

13^th February UK / 6^th February USA

After “Logan” and “His Dark Materials”, Dafne Keen has gone all Goth, teamed up with the director of “The Nun” and made a horror in the style of “Final Destination”. Noice. The title refers to an Aztec Death Whistle, a real-life historical gizmo that weirdly emulates the scream of a human. In this story, characters who blow this particular version will summon “their future deaths to hunt them down”. As with similar genre set-ups, those affected need to investigate the artefact's history before they all bite the dust. Also features “Shaun of the Dead” alum Nick Frost in the cast.

COLD STORAGE

Directed by Jonny Campbell

28th March (UK/USA)

Why has it taken so long for Liam Neeson to do a “proper” horror film? Sure, he did “Darkman” for Sam Raimi, and this is a comedy-horror, but still. Based on a 2019 book by David Koepp, the film has a pretty impressive cast, including Georgina Campbell, Joe Keery, Sosie Bacon, Vanessa Redgrave, Lesley Manville, as well as Neeson. The film sees Keery and Campbell as two hapless self-storage workers who stumble across a parasitic fungus that turns its host into exploding zombies. Neeson apparently plays a “weathered bioterror operative” who helps them to try and stop its literal growth. If all that sounds a little familiar, the trailer does show it to be a tongue-in-cheek romp that plays off the chemistry of its cast and isn’t afraid to get gory or silly.

SCREAM 7

Directed by Kevin Williamson

27^th February UK/USA

Troubled production ahoy! At one point, this was going to be a continuation of the “daughter of Billy Loomis” story arc and potentially see Sam Carpenter don the Ghostface mantle (at least according to actor Skeet Ulrich). But life got in the way, things happened, and well, you know the story. So out went Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega (along with original director Christopher Landon), and OG Neve Campbell came back to the franchise. This new storyline sees a new Ghostface (quelle surprise) target Sidney Prescott and her daughter for unknown reasons. Gayle Weathers (Courtney Cox) is also back to help her, and there are a ton of “old” faces from the franchise queued up to reappear. This will include supposedly dead characters (such as David Arquette reprising his role as Dewey Riley), but whether this is just for flashbacks or something craftier, we have yet to find out. Not everybody was thrilled with the direction of parts 5 and 6, so fingers crossed for a return to the original flavour of I-Scream.

THE BRIDE

Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal

6^th March UK/USA

Could be great. Could be bad. Definitely looks weird. At one point, there was going to be a “Bride of Frankenstein” reboot as part of Universal’s doomed “Dark Universe”. After that disintegration, we now get a trippy monster film written, co-produced, and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal. It has a pretty jam-packed cast, including Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Penélope Cruz. Of course, the plot is inspired by the 1935 film “Bride of Frankenstein” directed by James Whale, apart from the fact that it’s set in 1930s Chicago! In this version, Frankenstein's creation (Bale) asks Dr Euphronius (Bening) to create a companion for him. This comes in the form of a reanimated murdered woman (Buckley), leading to a Bonnie and Clyde type-spree by the couple. One time mooted as a musical, it will nonetheless feature several big dance numbers and does sound like there have been shifts in tone and production during its shooting schedule. The trailers look… distinctive at least, so we’ll reserve judgement.

THEY WILL KILL YOU

Directed by Kirill Sokolov

27^th March UK/USA

Shot in Cape Town, this one’s a bit of an unknown quantity. There’s been no trailer yet at the time of writing, and most of the attention has come from the interesting casting, which includes Zazie Beetz, Tom Felton, Heather Graham, and Patricia Arquette. The story sees a woman answering a help-wanted ad in order to become a housekeeper in a New York City high-rise. However, this involves her entering a community which has been witness to a number of disappearances over the years. All sounds very “Rosemary’s Baby” or “The Sentinel” (1977), but it could be promising.   

Ready or Not (2): Here I Come

Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett

10^th April UK/USA

One of those times where you just lost hope that a good film was ever going to get a follow-up… and then it gets announced out of the blue. With Samara Weaving returning in the role of the feisty Grace MacCaullay, she’s joined by an excellent genre-heavy cast, which includes Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kevin Durand, David Cronenberg, and Elijah Wood. Picking up straight from the final moments of the first film, Grace finds herself unwittingly progressing to Stage 2 of the game, which she was coerced into playing during her time in her in-laws' home. Only this time, her younger sister (Newton) has to join in as well. With Weaving (and the original BTS crew back), along with the new participants, it seems very unlikely that this won’t be an enjoyable horror romp.  

THE MUMMY

Directed by Lee Cronin

17th April (UK/USA)

… Or “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” as most industry listings have it. Which is even more relevant now that Brendan Fraser’s version of the bandaged one is to be resurrected, apparently. This production has picked up some decent interest for several reasons. One being that this is the first film that Cronin has directed since the very well-received “Evil Dead Rise”. It’s also produced by Jason Blum and James Wan under their respective Blumhouse Productions and Atomic Monster banners. Further to that, this is the first film in any “Mummy” franchise not to be produced and distributed by Universal Pictures since the Hammer Film versions. There are no big “names” in the cast as such, and no details about the storyline involved, but the amount of production support and creative names involved should make it worthwhile at least.

HOKUM

Directed by Damian McCarthy

1^st May (UK/USA)

The Irish filmmaker Damian McCarthy has been batting a pretty good average so far in terms of genre films. Both “Caveat” and “Oddity” have had very good reviews in recent years, played well at festivals, and proven popular on Shudder. This seems to be a direct continuation of that theme and plays with more folk-horror-ish shenanigans. The movie stars Adam Scott (flying high with the success of “Severance”) as an author who journeys to a remote part of Ireland in order to scatter the ashes of his deceased parents. However, it seems that his rented accommodation could well be haunted, and dark deeds are afoot. If it’s anything like McCarthy’s two previous films, this will be saturated with creepiness and drop some superior scares.

MORTAL KOMBAT II

Directed by Simon McQuoid

8^th May (UK/USA)

Spring. You wonder if the studios will regret that decision in hindsight because it would likely have cleaned up back then. The trailers look very good and were hitting an insane number of views when they were originally released. You can surmise that this might have something to do with “The Boys” Karl Urban joining all the survivors from the earlier film as the fan favourite washed-up martial arts actor Johnny Cage. But this looks to be erasing the previous major mistakes from the last flawed-but-fun film. Namely, that there actually will be a fighting tournament in this one and that the bland Cole Young is likely to be succeeded by Cage as the main character. Plenty of blood and Shao Kahn as well. Good times.

Disclosure Day

Directed by Stephen Spielberg

12^th June (UK/USA)

Once this was an “Untitled Steven Spielberg Event Film”, then it was “The Dish”, now (with an actual trailer) it has its confirmed title. Spielberg’s latest opus has been gestating since early 2024 and was known to be something to do with UFOs (or UAPs or whatever the hell they call them at the moment). Weird posters popped up in Times Square, but it wasn’t until footage dropped online that we got any idea as to what it might entail. Even now, it’s not that clear. But it stars Emily Blunt and Colin Firth, with some weird scenes showing Blunt being forced to talk in an “alien” language. Apart from that, it’s something to do with the revelation (or attempted cover-up) of the discovery of aliens among us (or on their way). Spielberg doesn’t do boring, and Blunt is always watchable, so this is unlikely to be anything less than a treat.

SCARY MOVIE 6

Directed by Michael Tiddes

12^th June (UK/USA)

Do we really need a 6^th instalment of this franchise? Common sense would seem to suggest otherwise. But then nobody thought that the “Naked Gun” reboot would get such a positive response or make a decent amount at the box office. Also, it’s been a long time since we’ve had horror parodies at the cinema, apart from meta-stuff like “The Blackening” and suchlike. So, there’s a lot of horror film stuff that’s flowed under the bridge that could be targeted since the last one. Like, a lot. Anna Faris and Regina Hall are back as Cindy and Brenda, as are the Wayans Brothers. Let’s hope that it’s a bit more chuckle-worthy than simple fart jokes or unfunny stoner gags.  

SHIVER

Directed by Tommy Wirkola

3^rd July (UK/USA)

Blimey. Tommy’s busy. With another high-profile film out at the end of 2026 (see below), this one is another survival horror film (seems to be a running theme in 2026. Blame 2025 for that!). Originally, this was titled “Beneath the Storm”, being based on a story that Wirkola wrote. Starring Phoebe Dynevor (“Bridgerton”) and prolific character actor Djimon Hounsou, the details on this are a little sparse at the moment. However, from the available synopsis, it sounds a little bit like a cross between “Crawl” and the Aussie natural disaster film “Bait” (2012). Or potentially “Sharknado”!  When a huge hurricane hits a coastal town, inhabitants have to battle the forces of nature alongside a deadly assault of washed-in sharks. With a combination of jaws, rain, debris, and darkness, they have to work together to survive the deadly predators and make it through the storm. Presumably, the title comes from the frigid conditions rather than a phobia of sharks. Still, it would be rare for Wirkola to disappoint, and this might fit the bill in place of a sequel to the excellent “Crawl”. 

THE ODYSSEY

Directed by Christopher Nolan

17^th July (UK/USA)

Why are we including a Nolan film, especially one as heavily hyped as this one? Three words. Greek mythological monsters. Expected to make an appearance are the Cyclops (Polyphemus), the multi-headed sea monster Scylla, the man-eating Sirens, and the sorceress Circe. Probably. And all are expected to be realised in cutting-edge SFX, although there has only been a very quick glimpse of a shadowy Polyphemus so far. Beyond that, expect an all-star cast (Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron) in existential angst as the Gods curse their voyage home from the Trojan War, and things generally go tits up for about 10 years or so. Quite possibly, the closest we’re going to get to another Ray Harryhausen experience in our lifetime.  

EVIL DEAD BURN

Directed by Sébastien Vanicek

24^th July (USA/UK)

“Evil Dead Rise” was far better and zingier than anyone had a right to expect. It proved that the franchise needn’t die and could continue without Bruce Campbell’s Ash if it really had to. It also proved that Alyssa Sutherland and Lily Sullivan are excellent in genre films and should be paid stupid amounts of money to be in more. Be that as it may, after the success of “Rise”, and still in his capacity as producer and moral guardian of the franchise, Sam Raimi hired Vaniček after being blown away by the spider movie “Infested”. This 6^th movie instalment is (allegedly) a spin-off from the events of “Rise”, although there have been no story details leaked or released. So, your guess is as good as ours as to why Deadites might be aflame. There are no big names (or cameos) attached to the shoot, but we’re betting it’s going to be pretty good.

Flowervale Street

Directed by David Robert Mitchell

14^th August (USA/UK)

And for the third year running, here’s an old favourite. Reshot, rescheduled, and with tons of time spent on SFX, this looks to be the definitive release date. At least for the moment. In production since March 2023, it actually wrapped filming in June 2024, with the release pushback either due to an enormous amount of post-production work or some other nefarious studio plotting. It has been helmed, written and co-produced by Mitchell, and was made in development with J. J. Abrams supporting it under the Bad Robot banner. And it’s not a “Cloverfield” film. But it does star Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor. Still no proper plot details (even after 3 years), but it does involve dinosaurs and potentially time travel in a suburban setting. Plenty of unsubstantiated rumours online from people who have allegedly seen footage, where apparently Hathaway goes Ripley-mode. We’ll see. We’ll just be glad to finally remove it from the preview listings and actually see the damned thing! 

INSIDIOUS 6

Directed by Jacob Chase

21^st August (USA/UK)

What the hell happened to “Thread”, the supposed spin-off film? Well, more on that later. But for the moment at least, part 6 of the franchise (with Lin Shaye confirmed for a return) is set for this date. Officially, this is still an “Untitled Insidious sequel”, but some sources are quoting “The Bleeding World” as a potential subtitle. Sounds ominous. Plot details are still under wraps, but this isn’t expected to have anything to do with the “Lambert Family” arc and their connection to the Further. Or at least, Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne are not expected to appear in the scenes. However, it may continue some plot threads from “The Red Door” (a.k.a. Part 5) and past entries. The franchise has a habit of bouncing around chronologically, so don’t take anything for granted. In fact, it sounds like practically all the current cast members (including Shaye) have had some kind of input into the screenplay, so expect it to be quite character-driven. Amelia Eve (Jamie from “The Haunting of Bly Manor”) is also expected to appear as a pivotal individual in the narrative.   

THE DOG STARS

Directed by Ridley Scott

28^th August (UK/USA)

Although Scott has about 8 film projects on the go at the moment (according to IMDB), this will be his next big release and his first sci-fi horror since “Alien: Covenant” in 2017. It’s based on a well-regarded 2012 novel by Peter Heller about a potential post-apocalyptic future where a virus wipes out most of humanity (uh-oh!). The remaining survivors face roaming scavengers, leading a civilian pilot and an ex-marine to face these invaders and find a better life outside their current homes. There’s an excellent cast involved (Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin, Guy Pearce, and Benedict Wong). So, let’s hope that Scott can get some of his old genre mojo back and make this a great experience.

CLAYFACE

Directed by James Watkins

11^th September (USA/UK)

Urgh!  A Superhero film? Well, the character is a Batman villain, and it is part of James Gunn’s newly established DC Universe (the 3^rd film in continuity after “Superman” and “Supergirl” in fact). But if you have any knowledge of the comic lore, there is potential for some decent scares here. In broad terms, Clayface has historically been a faeces-featured mound of goop in a generally humanoid form. He can transform into objects, impersonate people, and just drown people in his muck-like form. Tom Rhys Harries plays the Matt Hagen version of the character, who was an amoral criminal in the comics, but might have different motives and origins here. The interesting thing is that it’s directed by Watkins (“Eden Lake”, “Speak No Evil”) and it is based on a screenplay by Mike Flanagan, so it should be interesting at least. Hopefully more “Joker” than “Joker: Folie à Deux”. Gunn has stated that this could be considered a body-horror movie, more than a superhero spinoff. The cast also includes Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella, and the terrific UK character actor Eddie Marsan

RESIDENT EVIL

Directed by Zach Cregger

18^th September (USA/UK)

What? Again?! This franchise has more branches than a roided-out Triffid! Well after the end of a (financially successful, whatever you thought of it) film series, a failed movie reboot, and a failed streaming series, it’s all change. The big news here is, of course, Cregger’s involvement and the fact that his most recent projects were “Barbarian” and the hugely successful “Weapons”. Apparently, an avowed fan of the games (rather than the previous movies), he recently stated in an interview that “the film would be an original story set in the Resident Evil universe and would not feature any characters from the games”. Having said that, it is expected to be parallel to events or the timeline featured in the games “Resident Evil 2”, “3”, and (potentially) “4”. It’ll be interesting to see details (and probably fan-boy fury at missing characters) once they start to be released (or leaked).

OTHER MOMMY

Directed by Rob Savage

9^th October (USA/UK)

Here’s one that’s flying under the radar at the moment that could well be a cracker. First of all, check out the cast: Jessica Chastain, Jay Duplass, Dichen Lachman, Sean Kaufman, and Karen Allen. Savage is best known for his breakout indie hit “Host” and the King adaptation “The Boogeyman”. The story is based on the recent horror novel from Josh Malerman, a critical hit titled “Incidents Around the House”. This was a story about a suspected haunting told from the perspective of a young girl whose troubled family is being targeted by a malevolent entity called “Other Mommy” (hence the film title). As the book was so well reviewed and actors like Chastain and Lachman are attached to it, this all bodes well, and with all that talent, it could be a creepy treat for Halloween 2026.

WHALEFALL

Directed by Brian Duffield

16^th October (USA/UK)

As high-concept horror goes, the thought of being trapped inside an enormous animal’s gut is always going to be nightmare fuel. The popular same-named book by Daniel Kraus played on this using the deus ex machina of a hapless diver and a hungry sperm whale. This film adaptation of the story sees Austin Abrams as the scuba enthusiast searching for something in the ocean, and instead being swallowed alive by the aforementioned marine mammal. This apparently leaves him with about 60 minutes left to find a way to escape before he runs out of air or is crushed/digested to death. What works well on the printed page doesn’t always translate to the screen with success, so the visuals and tension will have to be immaculate for it to work. The cast also includes Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Shue, and Jane Levy.

REMAIN

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan

23^rd October (USA/UK)

It’s the Night Man back again. And this time it’s a Halloween movie. Having said that, it’s described as a “supernatural romantic thriller film”. Make of that what you will. It’s been written, directed, and produced by Shyamalan, albeit being based on an idea that was conceived with Nicholas Sparks, the prolific author (responsible for “The Notebook”, you have been warned!), who has written a novel for it separately. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Phoebe Dynevor, and Julie Hagerty, it is based around a New York architect heading to Cape Cod, after mourning the death of a loved one and being treated for acute depression. There he meets Wren, a young woman “who disrupts his carefully ordered world”. She’s dead, isn’t she...

VIOLENT NIGHT 2

Directed by Tommy Wirkola

4^th December (USA/UK)

David Harbour’s reputation might be taking a bit of a hammering at the moment in the funny papers, but his Nordic Warrior version of Ol’ Saint Nick had a highly entertaining excursion in 2022. Harbour is back with his spot-on interpretation of a fighty Santa Claus. It was rumoured that Mrs Claus would make an appearance in this one, and sure enough, Kristen Bell is credited as the lady herself. There’s a surprisingly decent support cast-list as well, which includes Daniela Melchior, Jared Harris, and Joe Pantoliano. As for the story? Well, it supposedly sees Santa stranded in a New Jersey shopping mall and cut off from the North Pole. This somehow leads to him laying some smackdown on a ruthless Crime Lord and his henchmen who have overrun the building. Sounds stupid and brilliant at the same time. Merry Christmas!

WERFULF

Directed by Robert Eggers

1^st January 2027 UK / 25^th December 2026 (USA)

Well, technically, it’s a 2027 movie, in the UK at least. But it’s playing in the States (and other territories) in 2026, so we’ll bring it in. It’s the highly anticipated follow-up to “Nosferatu” and is another period horror film based on another classic Gothic monster. All of the leads (Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe, and Ralph Ineson) were with Eggers in that vampire remake and did sterling work there. Also returning to collaborate with the director is Sigurjón Birgir Sigurðsson (“Sjón”), who wrote the screenplay for “The Northman” and is performing the same task here (so maybe Björk will make another appearance!). However, the basic plot for this film will see events unfold in 13th-century England, where a “mysterious creature” (hazard a guess!) is prowling the foggy countryside, making local folklore all too real for terrified villagers. Can’t wait!

AMERICA FIRST! Confirmed USA Releases Only (No UK release details at the time of writing)

WE BURYT THE DEAD

Directed by Zak Hilditch

2^nd January (USA)

Or Rey Skywalker Vs. Zombies, if you want to be belligerent. An early 2026 release for this film in the States, at least, so we should have access to it shortly in the UK, especially as it’s confirmed for February in Australia. It sees Daisy Ridley as a desperate woman searching for her husband in the aftermath of a catastrophic military experiment. She joins a "body retrieval unit", hoping to get closure of a sort and find his body at least. But the corpses she's burying start showing signs of life and… well, you know where this is going. Coming across like a sombre mix of “28 Days Later” and “World War Z”, this has had some good reviews, praising Ridley’s performance and the dark tone of the zombie theme. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to see it soon.

NIGHT PATROL

Directed by Ryan Prows

16th January (USA)

This shouldn’t be in this section, because it was scheduled for the same release date as the USA, with plenty of trailers showing in UK cinemas. But now it’s not. Why? Who knows? Hopefully, this is a temporary situation, and it won’t go the farcical way of Last Voyage of the Demeter (the release for which got annihilated by studio copyright issues). Anyway, this is ostensibly a psychological thriller film written and directed by Drew Hancock and produced by Zach Cregger (Barbarian). Flanked by a brilliant teaser trailer (that goes from rom-com sweetness to disturbing torture), not much is known about the plot, apart from some random stuff about dating apps and bloody violence. Starring Sophie Thatcher (recently of “Heretic” fame) and Jack Quaid (The Boys) this looks painfully warped and decidedly good. Here’s hoping the UK release is confirmed soon.

PSYCHO KILLER

Directed by Gavin Palone

20^th February (USA)

No, it’s not a Talking Heads biopic. This is a bit of a random project, being in development for over a decade, with Andrew Kevin Walker's (the writer of “Seven”) original script being available as early as 2007. It’s helmed by Palone, a prolific film and TV producer, in his feature-length directorial debut. Perhaps the most interesting detail is that it stars Georgina Campbell (so awesome in “Barbarian”) as a police officer who becomes obsessed with taking down a serial killer known as the "Satanic Slasher” after he kills her state trooper husband, but she has no idea about the depths of his depravity and the extent of his crimes. The ubiquitous Malcolm McDowell also stars in a supporting role, so expect exemplary scenery-chewing.

THE UNDERTONE

Directed by Ian Tuason

13^th March (USA)

Said to be a stylish aural and creepy experience, this is a Canadian horror film written and directed by Tuason in his directorial debut. It stars Nina Kiri as Evy, a woman who hosts a paranormal podcast with her friend Justin (Kris Holden-Ried), where she plays the sceptic to his believer (or Scully to his Mulder if you like). Due to family commitments, she moves back home, where she is sent unnerving recordings of a married couple experiencing paranormal noises in their home, drawing Evy into the same terrifying situation. It actually features Evy as the only on-screen character, with the rest of the cast just heard as off-screen voices, so expect a lot of the horror to be conveyed via sound only.  

Hunting Matthew Nichols

Directed by Markian Tarasuik

27th March (USA)

We wouldn’t normally include a wacky family-friendly animated film in this list but get a load of the plot! A wolf and mountain lion team up when a meteor unleashes a virus turning zoo animals into zombies. They join forces with other survivors to rescue the zoo and stop the deranged mutant leader from spreading the virus. Even with David Harbour (Stranger Things) voicing the mountain lion (called Dan), it’s unlikely to appeal to hardcore horror fans or contain any graphic gut-munching. But it could be a fun genre gateway movie for youngsters and a goofy diversion for the more mature of us. Bizarrely, IMDB states that it was “inspired by a concept by Clive Barker”, but we’re not holding our breath for any Cenobite penguins.

DEEP WATER

Directed by Renny Harlin

1^st May (USA)

Well, at least it’s not another “Strangers” chapter, so let's be thankful for that. Sounding like a cross between “Open Water” and “No Way Up”, it sees a group of international passengers en route from Los Angeles to Shanghai having a very bad day. Their plane is forced to ditch in shark-infested waters, forcing some very different personalities to work together in order to overcome the frenzy of sharks drawn to the wreckage. Believe it or not, this started life as a belated sequel to 2012’s “Bait”, but was then shelved and resurrected in part due to the efforts of executive producer Gene Simmons (Yes! That one!). Actually, the cast isn’t half bad (Aaron Eckhart, Ben Kingsley, and Angus Sampson), but the number of writers credited to it (Eight!) suggests it may be messy. We’ll see if it’s a guilty pleasure or not.

OBSESSION

Directed by Curry Barker

15^th May (USA)

This raised eyebrows in America when it was awarded the coveted Friday night slot of Midnight Madness at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2025. It was quickly followed by a frenzied bidding war between studios for distribution, which is usually a good sign. It’s one of those “be careful what you wish for horrors” that sees a hapless music store employee use a supernatural novelty toy to make his longtime crush and childhood friend fall in love with him. Of course, it all goes wrong, but the teaser trailer looks impressively creepy. It’s written, directed, and edited by Curry Barker, who has previously been best known for comedy work, but that seemed to work in favour of Jordan Peele.

TERRIFIER 4

Directed by Damien Leone

1^st October (USA)

You can bet that this will get a similar release date confirmed in the UK in the upcoming months, maybe even a little closer to Halloween. But for now, only the US release date is confirmed. There are absolutely no plot details whatsoever, but the core cast are all back (David Howard Thornton, Lauren LaVera, and Elliott Fullam). Leone has teased that this will be the concluding chapter and will potentially focus on Art the Clown’s backstory, as well as Sienna’s attempts to rescue Gabbie from Hell. Probably. But you can never tell with Leone… or Art. Hopefully, it’ll be a banger if it is the final entry in the franchise.

RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD

Directed by Steve Wolsh

13^th November (USA)

Wasn’t this originally supposed to have come out in Christmas 2025? Not much in the way of updates after the original teaser, which saw Tarman dragging a Christmas tree through a graveyard. Smells like a troubled production, maybe? Anyway, if it sticks to the new Christmas date, it will be released on (US at least) big screens and star Devon Sawa in the main role. Somewhat oddly, it’s not so much a reboot as a potential sequel to the original film. As the synopsis has it, the plot takes place 18 months after the events at the Warehouse in Louisville (which is now presumably still a smoking crater), and a new Trioxin leak puts a small Pennsylvania town on the brink of a zombie outbreak during Christmas 1985. Let’s hope it has the “brains” to surprise us.

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED! Films (potentially) RELEASED in 2026

THEY FOLLOW

Directed by David Robert Mitchell  

The eagerly awaited… err… follow-up to “It Follows”. Absolutely no plot details or hint of a release date yet, but we know it began filming in 2025. Maika Monroe returns (presumably as still one of the followed), and the title promises multiple entities. As Robert Mitchell aced it with the first movie, here’s hoping that we get a chance to see the sequel sometime in 2026.

THE MORTUARY ASSISTANT

Directed by Jeremiah Kipp    

A new film based on the successful video game of the same name. That saw you take on mundane tasks in a funeral home, whilst coming to terms with the fact that demonic presences are on the prowl and ready to do you harm. It’s a good foundation for a horror, even if it’s not exactly an original concept. Kipp has done some good stuff in the past, including “Slapface”, so this could be a nice creep treat. In this adaptation, Willa Holland plays the titular science graduate who takes a night job at River Fields Mortuary. And as per the game, what begins as a routine job soon turns sinister as she faces terrifying supernatural forces. The ghouls in the game are particularly memorable, so hopefully some of that imagery will remain.

WOLF CREEK: LEGACY

Directed by Sean Lahiff

Despite some IRL troubles (which we won’t go into but have been apparently resolved to everyone’s satisfaction now), Mick Taylor isn’t done with messing about with trespassers in his beloved outback territory. Nine years after the “Wolf Creek” series and an ambiguous ending, John Jarratt returns to his well-known role. This chapter sees a family of American tourists wander innocently into Taylor's hunting grounds and pay the unnecessary price for disturbing the calm. If the available synopses are correct (which we won’t spoil), the narrative takes a particularly dark turn… even for “Wolf Creek”. Lahiff previously directed the “Drop Bear” horror called “Carnifex”.

Thread: An Insidious Tale

We’re absolutely befuddled as to what’s going on with this project. Originally, it was earmarked for the same release date as the newly confirmed “Insidious 6” (August 21^st), and some industry sites still have that locked in for that date. As both films have been delayed multiple times, it’s a real head-scratcher. However, we’re willing to bet that “Insidious 6” will stick to that release date and “Thread” will either get a later date or go to streaming. Having said that, it could easily go the other way. Anyway, this “spin-off” includes references to the Further but has none of the core characters. It sees a couple (Kumail Nanjiani and Mandy Moore) resorting to supernatural means to travel back in time, hoping to prevent their daughter's tragic death. And we all know how well these things usually pan out!

Untitled Exorcist/Mike Flanagan Project

Directed by Mike Flanagan

Well, despite the confident statement that “The Exorcist: Believer” would provide a new trilogy, its crappy reception ensured that this wasn’t the case. So, it came as something of a shock to hear Flanagan (he of “The Haunting of Hill House” and everything else fame) attached to a new project. Not only that, but it was then announced that Scarlett Johansson had bagged the lead role. Jacobi Jupe (currently knocking ‘em dead in “Hamnet”) is the only other member of the cast confirmed at this time (a young possessed victim?). No other details, least of all storylines, but it has been delayed until Flanagan finishes his “Carrie” TV series. So, it may or may not make it for 2026.  

The Backrooms

Directed by Kane Parsons

One of those weird concepts that just “grew” out of the Internet and caught everyone’s imagination. Basically a “creepypasta” scenario (like “Slenderman”) that sees someone being trapped in a repetitive “pocket dimension” that’s devoid of humanity, But they are potentially being chased by malevolent entities of some sort, making for jump-scares (in associated games at least) and a sense of panic as you scurry around maze-like structures, ranging from office blocks to swimming pools. Weird. And to nobody’s great surprise, A24 announced that they are working on a film adaptation of the Backrooms based on material from the online video shorts, which Parsons directed originally. James Wan and Shawn Levy are producing the project. Mark “Creep” Duplass is in the cast, and the only plot details given so far are that a series of disturbing home videos captures supernatural events that frighten anyone who witnesses them.

ICE CREAM MAN

Directed by Eli Roth

Who had Eli Roth teaming up with Snoop Dogg on their bucket list? Tick that sucker off. Depending on which trade sites you check, he’s either scoring the soundtrack or he’s also acting in front of the camera. Either way, he’s involved. Roth has (allegedly) had the idea of this film in mind for “two decades”, having finally written, produced, and directed it. Filming has apparently already wrapped, but no details on the story or release date have emerged. All we know is that a small American town is plunged into chaos when an “ice cream man serves kids sweet delights with horrifying results”. Make of that what you will. Still, if it’s as half as enjoyable or OTT as “Thanksgiving”, then we’re up for it.  

SACCHARINE

Directed by Natalie Erika James

From the director of “Relic” and “Apartment 7A”, we have an upcoming Aussie horror that sounds delightfully distasteful. The plot involves a female medical student succumbing to the promises of an obscure weight-loss craze. The dieting method? Eating human ashes! As should be expected in a horror-film universe, the dead don’t like being eaten. Spectral shenanigans ensue. “Relic” was a tidy body-horror with unusual twists, so we hope this will be as effective as that. The film will premiere in the Midnight section of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in January, with release and distribution details expected after that.

The Young People

Directed by Osgood Perkins

Fully expected in 2026, this is Perkins' next offering from a busy schedule, following up on the slightly disappointing “Keeper”. However, despite the lack of details, this has the potential to be a humdinger, if only for the casting, including Nicole Kidman, Heather Graham, Tatiana Maslany, Lola Tung, and Johnny Knoxville (?!). The only plot details available speak of two school friends who drift apart as one starts showing disturbing behaviour. This results in their relationship becoming sinister and potentially dangerous. Unlikely to exhibit the dark humour of “The Monkey”, this (hopefully) looks more like a creep fest in the style of “Longlegs”. Fingers crossed.