The year is coming to a close, and it has been a monumental 12 months in the world of horror.
Demi Moore-starring The Substance won an Oscar, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners broke box office records, and we had brand new installments in the beloved 28 Days Later, Final Destination, and The Conjuring franchises.
Bring Her Back and Weapons both enjoyed incredible theatrical runs, while the likes of The Ugly Stepsister and Good Boy brought indie filmmaking to the forefront of the public eye.
But what do we have in store for us as we close the crypt door on 2025?
Like the 365 days we just experienced, 2026 has a wealth of horror titles waiting to haunt our nightmares, from blockbuster thrills to low-budget chills.
We’ve got sequels, remakes, reboots, and original titles aplenty coming to a cinema near you – if you dare.
SOULM8TE – January 9
The eagerly anticipated spin-off to M3GAN, SOULM8TE, kicks off the 2026 horror calendar on January 9.
A synopsis for the upcoming film reads: ‘A man acquires an Artificially Intelligent android to cope with the loss of his recently deceased wife. In an attempt to create a truly sentient partner, he inadvertently turns a harmless lovebot into a deadly soulmate.
‘The film is in the tradition of the 90s domestic thrillers but with a modern, technological twist.’
It is directed by Kate Dolan, famed for the chilling Irish folk tale You Are Not My Mother, and stars Evil Dead Rise’s Lily Sullivan.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple – January 16
After the runaway success of 28 Years Later this year, the acclaimed zombie franchise gets another installment in 2028 – The Bone Temple.
Directed by Nia DaCosta, the film follows the events of its predecessor, with youngster Spike (Alfie Williams) joining Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) and his thuggish gang of Jimmys.
At the same time, Dr Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) finds himself ‘in a shocking new relationship with consequences that could change the world as he knows it.’
Return to Silent Hill – January 23
It looks like 2026 will see its fair share of huge franchise returns to the big screen, with Return to Silent Hill released on January 23.
Based on the critically acclaimed video game series of the same name, fans are sure to have their fingers crossed that it will enjoy more success than the poorly-received Silent Hill in 2006 and its sequel, Silent Hill: Revelation, in 2012.
Return to Silent Hill, directed by Christophe Gans, is based on the events of Silent Hill 2, with a synopsis reading: ‘When a mysterious letter calls him back to Silent Hill in search of his lost love, James (Jeremy Irvine) finds a once-recognisable town and encounters terrifying figures both familiar and new, and begins to question his own sanity.’
Primate – January 30
If those flashback scenes in Jordan Peele’s Nope really got to you, Primate will be right up your alley.
The terrifying flick, directed and co-written by Johannes Roberts, focuses on a family and their pet chimpanzee, Ben.
When Ben is bitten by a rabid animal, he suddenly becomes incredibly violent, putting everyone around him in mortal danger.
Send Help – January 30
The Evil Dead creator Sam Raimi directed twisted survivor flick Self-Help, which closes out January’s horror release calendar.
The film stars Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien as two colleagues who become stranded on a deserted island following a plane crash.
As the only survivors of the wreck, they must put aside their past grievances and work together to stay alive.
The Strangers Chapter 3 – February 6
The third and final installment in the rebooted slasher franchise The Strangers comes to cinema screens in February – right in time for a, erm, romantic Valentine’s Day.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 was a remake of the original 2008 film, while this year’s Chapter 2 followed the events of the 2024 film after Maya (Madelaine Petsch) survived her ordeal.
In The Strangers: Chapter 3, Maya and her fellow survivors are once again pitted against the masked murderers for one final showdown.
Will you be heading to your local cinema to watch these horror films?
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Yes – I’m ready to hide behind my hands
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No – There’s not a release catching my interest yet
Cold Storage – February 13
Joe Keery won’t be away from our screens for long following the gripping conclusion of Stranger Things season five, as Cold Storage is released in the UK.
Directed by Jonny Campbell, the sci-fi horror also features the likes of Sosie Bacon, Georgina Campbell, Vanessa Redgrave, Lesley Manville, and Liam Neeson.
The film follows a group as they attempt to contain a parasitic fungus that leaks out of an abandoned military base – so it could well be perfect for those with a Stranger Things-shaped hole in their lives come 2026.
Psycho Killer – February 20
Georgina Campbell is also set to appear in another February release – Gavin Polone’s Psycho Killer.
Also starring Malcolm McDowell, Logan Miller, and Grace Dove, a synopsis teases: ‘Following the brutal murder of her husband, a Kansas highway patrol officer sets out on a journey to track down the perpetrator.
‘As the hunt progresses, she comes to realize the man responsible is a sadistic serial killer, and the depth of his mental depravity and his sinister agenda is more twisted than anyone could have imagined.’
Scream 7 – February 27
Revered slasher franchise Scream is back in 2026 with a seventh installment continuing the legend of the Ghostface killer.
The sequel has been marred in controversy following the departure of stars Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, as well as director Christopher Landon.
Scream 7, per a synopsis, will see ‘a new Ghostface killer emerges in the town where Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has started a new life, and her daughter becomes the next target. To protect her family, Sidney must confront the horrors of her past to end the killing spree.’
The Bride! – March 6
Couldn’t get enough of Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein? Mary Shelley’s iconic gothic horror novel comes to the screen once again in 2026…Sort of…with The Bride!
Maggie Gyllenhaal’s reimaging draws inspiration from James Whale’s 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein, starring the likes of Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley.
Set in 1930s Chicago, scientist Dr Euphronious (Annette Benning) brings a murdered woman (Buckley) back to life to be a companion for Frankenstein’s monster (Bale), setting in motion a chain of events no one could have imagined.
Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come – April 10
The year of the sequel continues with a second Ready Or Not film, expertly titled Here I Come, hitting cinemas in April.
Horror fans were already bowled over by the film’s fever dream cast, including returning star Samara Weaving as well as Kathryn Newton, Elijah Wood, Sarah Michelle Gellar, David Cronenberg, and many more.
The second film picks up right after the events of the first, as Grace (Weaving) is pulled from the hospital into a new, bigger game by the mysterious High Council.
The Mummy – April 17
The first Mummy film of the franchise not to come from Universal Pictures since the Hammer series of movies is set for release in 2026.
Lee Cronin – famed for Evil Dead Rise and The Hole in the Ground – will direct, with Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, Verónica Falcón, and May Calamawy set to star.
Details of the project are few and far between, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, the film will follow a married couple whose missing daughter inexplicably returns.
Obsession – May 15
After found footage film Milk and Serial went viral back in 2024, YouTuber Curry Barker is set to release Obsession in cinemas.
The supernatural horror film follows Bear (Michael Johnston), a music store employee who buys a One Wish Willow toy, wishing for his longtime crush and childhood friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette) to fall in love with him.
His wish comes true, but it has unexpectedly dark consequences for the couple.
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Evil Dead Burn – July 24
Following Lee Cronin’s wildly successful Evil Dead Rise in 2023, a brand new Evil Dead film comes to cinemas this summer.
Evil Dead Burn will be directed by Sébastien Vaniček, best known for the 2023 spider horror film Infested.
While the plot is yet to be revealed, it will be produced by Robert Tapert and Sam Raimi, and it stars Souheila Yacoub, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan, Tandi Wright, and George Pullar.
Resident Evil – September 18
The final release you should have on your radar (so far) for 2026 is another video game adaptation – Resident Evil.
The latest attempt to bring the zombie game series comes from the mind of Zach Cregger, who horror fans will be well aware directed smash hits Barbarian and Weapons.
Starring Austin Abrams, the film will follow an original story rather than any laid out in the game series, set in Racoon City following the outbreak of the T-Virus.
Horror films that do not yet have a UK release date
We Bury The Dead
Star Wars’ Daisy Ridley is set to appear in Zac Hildtich’s zombie drama We Bury The Dead.
It follows Ava Newman (Ridley), a woman who searches for her husband after a catastrophic military experiment wipes out hundreds of thousands of people in one fell swoop.
While We Bury The Dead is released in the US early doors on January 2, a UK date has yet to be confirmed.
Sleepwalker
Another film hitting our screens (hopefully) in 2026 with a high-profile leading lady is Brandon Auman’s Sleepwalker, starring Hayden Panettiere.
According to a synopsis: ‘Haunted by terrifying visions, a young woman’s sleepwalking episodes begin to intensify, accelerating her descent into darkness.’
We do not yet know when Sleepwalker hits UK cinema screens and streaming platforms, but it will be released in the US on January 9.
Night Patrol
Following its premiere at Fantastic Fest in 2025, Night Patrol is getting released next month.
With Jermaine Fowler and Justin Long among the cast, Ryan Prows’ film follows an LA cop who finds a task force hiding a dangerous secret that puts the residents of the housing project he grew up in at risk.
In the US, Night Patrol will be released on January 16.
Iron Lung
YouTube sensation Markiplier has directed his first horror film, Iron Lung, based on the 2022 horror game of the same name.
The director, real name Mark Fishbach, has teased that the film holds the world record for the most blood use, and said of Iron Lung’s plot in a synopsis: ‘The stars are gone. The planets have disappeared. Only individuals aboard space stations or starships were left to give the end a name — The Quiet Rapture.
‘After decades of decay and crumbling infrastructure, the Consolidation of Iron has made a discovery on a barren moon designated AT-5. An ocean of blood. Hoping to discover desperately needed resources, they immediately launch an expedition. A submarine is crafted, and a convict is welded inside.
‘Due to the pressure and depth of the ocean, the forward viewport has been encased in metal. If successful, they will earn their freedom. If not, another will follow. This will be the 13th expedition.’
While an exact release date has not been announced, Iplier is aiming for a late January release for Iron Lung in the US.
The Undertone
After making waves on this year’s festival circuit, Ian Tuason’s truly terrifying The Undertone was picked up by A24 and slated for a cinema release.
It stars Nina Kiri as paranormal podcast host, Evy, who moves back home to care for her dying mother, but starts receiving unsettling audio recordings of a pregnant couple experiencing strange phenomena, mirroring her own life
The Undertone will be released in the US on March 13.
Mother Mary
Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer, and FKA Twigs are among the star-studded cast in David Lowery’s Mother Mary.
The psychosexual thriller follows an affair between pop singer Mary (Hathaway) and fashion designer Sam (Coel) after the former’s need for a dress for her new tour draws them back together.
US audiences will be able to watch Mother Mary in April 2026, though an exact release date is yet to be confirmed.
Hokum
After capturing horror fans’ attention with Caveat and Oddity, Damian McCarthy’s follow-up feature Hokum has been picked up by Neon for a US cinema release.
It stars Adam Scott as an author who travels to a remote part of Ireland to spread the ashes of his deceased parents, unaware that his rented accommodation could be haunted.
Hokum will be released via Neon on May 1 in the US, and it is expected to have a UK release date that coincides.
Untitled Insidious sequel
Following the release of Insidious: The Red Door in 2023, a sequel is coming our way in 2026.
Plot details are being kept under wraps, but we do know it stars Brandon Perea, Lin Shaye, Amelia Eve, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Sam Spruell, and Laura Gordon.
After being delayed from a 2025 release, the latest Insidious film is slated to be released in the US on August 21.
Other Mommy
Based on the 2024 novel Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman, Other Mommy is set to be directed by Dashcam’s Rob Savage.
Starring Jessica Chastain, Jay Duplass, Dichen Lachman, Sean Kaufman, and Karen Allen, it follows a young girl who is terrorised by a supernatural entity known as ‘Other Mommy.’
Kicking off spooky season, Other Mommy comes to US cinemas on October 9.
The Demoness
Halloween season could be huge in 2026 with so many releases afoot, including Andrew de Burgh’s hotly-tipped The Demoness.
The synopsis for the film keeps things simple, teasing: ‘A demonic succubus visits Earth to torment the human race.’
We know that The Demoness is getting a limited theatrical release in the US on October 30, just in time for Halloween.
Werwulf
Robert Eggers will follow the success of The VVitch, The Lighthouse, The Northman, and Nosferatu with Werwulf, a period werewolf tale.
The eagerly anticipated film boasts an all-star cast, including Willem Dafoe, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, and Ralph Ineson.
A synopsis reads: ‘In medieval Britain, a mysterious creature stalks the foggy countryside, transforming local folklore into terrifying reality as villagers face an ancient supernatural threat.’
Werwulf will be a Christmas present to many in the US, quite literally, as it comes to cinemas on December 25.
The Mortuary Assistant
The next 12 months look to be rife with horror games coming to the big screen, with one of the most talked about being The Mortuary Assistant.
Based on the 2022 game of the same name, the big screen adaptation will be directed by Jeremiah Kipp and stars Willa Holland and Paul Sparks.
The Mortuary Assistant tells the story of Rebecca Owens, a recent mortuary science graduate who takes a night shift job at River Fields Mortuary that soon becomes darker than she could have ever expected.
The film is scheduled for release on Shudder in the US in 2026, but an exact date is yet to be confirmed.
The Backrooms
What began as a popular Creepypasta online has ballooned into a gigantic internet phenomenon, and now The Backrooms is being made into a feature film.
The premise of The Backrooms is a vast, maze-like space of empty rooms that no one can seemingly escape, and possibly inhabited by dangerous entities.
Directed by Kane Parsons in his feature debut, A24’s The Backrooms will follow a therapist who is thrust into a strange dimension beyond reality when her patient disappears.
It has several huge names attached, including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell, and Avan Jogia.
The Backrooms is expected to be released in 2026.
Forbidden Fruits
Another film that boasts an outrageously starry cast is Meredith Alloway’s Forbidden Fruits, set for release in 2026.
Among the roster are Lola Tung, Lili Reinhart, Emma Chamberlain, Victoria Pedretti, Alexandra Shipp, and Gabrielle Union, alongside others, while Diablo Cody produces.
A synopsis tells us: ‘Free Eden employee Apple (Reinhart) secretly runs a cult in the basement of a mall store. When a new hire challenges their performative sisterhood, the women are forced to face their own poisons or succumb to a bloody fate.’
Forbidden Fruits has been acquired by Shudder in the US and will be released in 2026 as it stands.
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