2026 is all set to be a year stacked with spooky treats—from supernatural thrillers to horror comedies to haunting family dramas.
There’s the return of classic franchise sequels, be it Insidious 6, Scream 7, or Return to Silent Hill, as well as refreshing and bold efforts from artsy directors such as Jane Schoenbrun, along with new movies from Sam Raimi and Robert Eggers that are sure to be unnerving and entertaining in equal measure.
In short, you’ll be spoilt for choice! So, to make it easier, we’ve deemed some of the most “watchworthy” horror flicks to add to your watchlist!
Return to Silent Hill (January 23)
The third entry in the Silent Hill franchise, Return to Silent Hill, is based on the acclaimed survival horror video game, Silent Hill 2, and is set for a January release.
Co-written and directed by Christophe Gans and starring Jeremy Irvine and Hannah Emily Andersen in the lead roles, the movie follows James as he returns to the mysterious town of Silent Hill in search of his soulmate.
But is it just his mind or the malevolent forces about town that are playing tricks on him, causing him to doubt his reality?
Send Help (January 30)
A survival horror thriller set on a deserted island is always exciting, more so when it’s directed by none other than Sam Raimi.
Send Help focuses on the rising tensions between a worker and her sexist boss when the duo gets stranded on an island, following a plane crash that leaves no other survivors.
If you enjoy horror movies in the darkly comedic vein, Send Help will definitely delight and frighten you.
Psycho Killer (February 20)
The very title might remind viewers of the famous Talking Heads song from the late 70s, and indeed, this horror film centers around a serial killer.
Psycho Killer follows Jane Thorne (played by Georgina Campbell), a police officer determined to take down an elusive and depraved serial killer called the “Satanic Slasher” after he murdered her husband.
Well, blood and guts are surely guaranteed.
Scream 7 (Februrary 27)
If you have a soft spot for slashers, the entirety of the Scream franchise may as well be your comfort watch.
Scream 7 will almost certainly continue the bloodstained trail with a new Ghostface killer targeting Sidney Prescott’s daughter.
Directed by Kevin Williamson, Scream 7 might be a thrilling watch for Valentine’s Day as long as your date doesn’t mind an unhinged murder spree.
Hokum (May 1)
Starring Adam Scott in the lead and directed by Irish filmmaker Damian McCarthy, Hokum follows the exploits of a reclusive author who travels to the remote countryside to spread the ashes of his dead parents, except the inn where he’s staying might be haunted.
Intriguing and atmospheric, Hokum forces the protagonist to confront the dark corners of his mind—and will appeal to cinephiles who enjoy eerily nightmarish films, especially if they’ve already seen the director’s previous efforts, Caveat (2020) and Oddity (2024).
Insidious 6 (August 21)
One of the bigger horror franchises, the Insidious movies usually focus on a couple or a family vexed by visitations from the spirit world.
The sixth installment in the series, Insidious: The Bleeding World, is a direct sequel to Insidious: The Red Door, so you'd better watch it if you haven’t already.
Not much is known about the plot, but we’re fairly certain that some new characters are going to be introduced and some burning questions about the family history will finally be answered, along with a fair share of shivers and jump scares.
Werwulf (December 25)
Robert Eggers’ style of filmmaking evokes a Gothic vibe through folklore and mythology, as evident in movies like The Witch (2015), The Lighthouse (2019), and his latest, Nosferatu (2024).
After tackling the vampire mythos, he’s set his sights on another supernatural creature of the night—the werewolf.
Starring some of the usual suspects, including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, and Willem Dafoe, this period horror flick might be a satisfying way to end 2026.
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (TBA)
Jane Shoenbrun is definitely a director to keep an eye on—their two previous films were unique and captivating, exploring queer and existential themes in a refreshing way.
I Saw the TV Glow (2024) was particularly memorable, exploring the trans experience via psychological horror and nostalgia, with a thoughtfully ambiguous ending that definitely stayed with the viewers.
Their latest film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, promises to get pretty meta and personal, focusing on a queer filmmaker hired to make a slasher film as part of a long-running franchise—when things get pretty strange and maybe even steamy. Definitely, one of my most anticipated films of the year.
Featured image: Stills from Neon, 20th Century Studios, Paramount Pictures, and Cineverse
