So it's Summer time! And as I did last year, I'm here to give a preview of what to expect out of horror this summer. Although unlike previous times I've done this, I'll be updating this monthly as right now, only May has things really planned out so pin or bookmark this thread if you want to know other new horror films coming out either in theaters or on streaming.

May

Rosario

May 2

And we're starting out with a lowkey horror movie on the first weekend of the Season.

A stockbroker played by Emeraude Toubia, spends the night at her grandmother's place who recently passed away. As she stays, she learns more about her grandmother, what she believed, and what she left behind in her apartment. The film also stars David Dastmalchian as a neighbor who lived next to the grandmother and perhaps may know more than Rosario. It doesn't look too crazy but if you want to binge nothing but horror movies this season, this looks alright.

Holy Night: Demon Hunters

May 2 (limited release)

If you're interested in Korean horror alternative, you can also check out Holy Night: Demon Hunters which will be in select theaters. When a network of evil demons tries to take over Seoul, law enforcement turns to a group of demon hunters to sort things out.

Korean Horror Cinema was been blowing up lately with both Exhuma and Dark Nuns being big box office hits. And with a solid cast that includes Ma Dong-seok, Seohyun, and Kyung Soo-jin, if you want something lighter, you can check select cinemas for this.

Clown in a Cornfield

May 9

So here's a film I've been hearing about for a while that might not seem all that novel if you read the premise but actually looks interesting if you read between the lines.

Based on the novel of the same name by Adam Cesare, in a small town, locals spread an urban legend of evil clown named Frendo. A group of friends play a prank involving dressing up as the clown...only for the clown to actually be real when it starts terrorizing them.

As I said rudimentary plot but there seems to be a lot more than meets the eyes. Firstly, it's got an interesting cast including Katie Douglas, Kevin Durand, and freaking Will Sasso as the deputy of the town. Most important however is the fact it's directed and written by Eli Craig who did Little Evil and most famously Tucker and Dale vs. Evil. So expect a lot of cheeky dark humor in this slasher. It premiered at SXSW to pretty positive reviews (currently at a 3.4 on Letterboxd). It's also being distributed by Shudder. The horror service doesn't distribute a lot of films in wide release but their last big wide release was last year's Late Night with the Devil. So it's a big show of confidence they're putting this in at least 1,000 theaters. Either way, who's to say no to another horror clown and if the kills and comedy can satisfy, I can see this having a lot of good word of mouth.

Final Destination: Bloodlines

May 16

Crazy it's been 14 years since we had a Final Destination movie. A lot has changed in mainstream horror since we last saw a collection of convoluted but darkly funny ways for people to die. Well Death is back only this time, it's not trying to kill a group of survivors who had a vision of a big disaster but avoided it in time, but rather the grandchildren of a survivor. It's an intriguing direction to take to revitalize the franchise, especially since judging by the trailers, this may also serve as a soft-prequel to the entire franchise as a whole. We've already gotten a taste at some of deaths in this film but it'll be interesting to see the other ways people can die. This is also getting IMAX screens so if you want to have the best sound and screen ratio for all the morbid deaths, you can hawk up the extra cash to do so.

It will also be one of if not the last scripted film role for Tony Todd as the mysterious William Bludworth. It's a tragic shame he passed away before even the first trailer could be dropped. I expect the film is to have a dedication to the man, and hopefully it's is a fitting farewell not just to this actor but to an iconic horror legend.

The Ruse

May 16

If for some reason you don't wanna see the big horror movie of the month, opening up on the same weekend is this film.

A caretaker starts to fear for her life after being assigned to a mysterious elderly woman, played by Alien and Invasion of the Body Snatchers alumni Veronica Cartwright. It's a standard horror movie premise but off the very small number of reviews its gotten from its premiere at TIFF, it's been overwhelmingly positive so there might be more to this than a tired premise.

A Breed Apart

May 16 (limited release)

If you're in the mood for something more schlocky and fun, this might do the trick.

A woman accepts an invitation to a private island with some of the world's most famous social media influencers. However, she soon becomes part of her own horrific reality show when the guests find themselves in a fight for their lives against the island's legendary man-eating dogs. The cast includes Grace Caroline Currey and Virginia Gardener who were in 2022's Fall as well as Hayden Panettiere.

The Severed Sun

May 16 (limited release)

If you are looking for horror on the folksier side, you can also check out this debut which premiered at Fantastic Fest last year.

Inspired by Dean Puckett's own short film, a woman lives in an isolated church community ruled over by her father. When a man is murdered, paranoia sets in and people start to whisper about a strange 'Beast' that lives in the forest.

Fear Street: Prom Queen

May 23 (streaming on Netflix)

Direct-to-streaming horror can be rather hit or miss but one of the bigger success stories, at least for Netfllix, was the Fear Street trilogy back in 2021. Adapting the popular R. L. Stein books, it was an interesting concept to see three films all shot at the same time, using many of the same actors and released over the span of three weeks.

And after a few years, we're finally coming back to the Fear Street series, although this one will just be a stand alone film. A group of popular girls get into a somewhat friendly rivalry over being prom queen when other candidates start being taken out in let's say, macabre manners. We're also getting a new cast to follow which includes India Fowler, Suzanna Son, Chris Klein, Ariana Greenblatt, Lili Taylor, and Katherine Waterston. If you wanna save some money but still watch something horror this month, this will be the biggest release.

Bring Her Back

May 30

2023 was a quiet year for horror but one of the breakout hits that year was Talk to Me. Directed by the brother duo Danny and Michael Philippou, it was a suitably macabre and depressing horror film by A24 but one which surprisingly found an audience as one of the bigger sleeper hits of 2023. After leaving the Street Fighter film they were supposed to direct, the brothers are back with another horror movie about trying to communicate with the dead.

After their mother dies, two brothers move in with their foster mother - played by the criminally underrated Sally Hawkins. They discover though she has some occult secret that's terrifying but that may bring back their mother. As is tradition with A24's films, the marketing hasn't given away a lot of the plot but it'll be very interesting to see how the brothers do on their sophomore movie, if they can top or even match what they did with Talk to Me.

June

The Ritual

June 6

I guess after The Pope's Exorcist, the newest Summer trend is having a Hollywood legend do an exorcism film. Although in fairness to Al Pacino - and yes, THE Al Pacino is the lead actor in this film - it's not just him in the cast as we have Dan Stevens, Abigail Cowen, and Ashley Greene. But it is another exorcism film where a two priests have to save a girl's soul. It doesn't look back but nothing that stands out.

Still if you want to see Al Pacino being an Exorcist, this will be in wide release on the first weekend of June.

I Don't Understand You

June 6 (limited release)

So here's a very curious film that I bet most don't know is coming out but I just couldn't help but include.

Comedians Andrew Rannells and Nick Kroll play a gay couple who travel to Italy to adopt their first child despite neither of them knowing how to speak Italian. This sounds like a screwball comedy watching the trailer can give a glimpse of how dark this journey gets. This actually premiered at last year's SXSW and is only now getting released publicly. If you're looking hor something lighter and a good looking horror comedy, you might wanna check this one out.

Predator: Killer of Killers

June 6 (Streaming on Hulu)

It seems we can't get enough of Predator this year. The trailer for Predator: Badlands dropped a few weeks ago, Dan Trachtenberg's anticipated follow-up to his sleeper hit that was Prey back in 2022 which only got a Hulu release. But before the Predator returns to the big screen, we're actually getting a separate Predator film on Hulu, also directed by Dan Trachtenberg.

In the series' first animated film, we follow three different stories of Predators throughout human history: during the time of Vikings, in feudal Japan, and in the middle of WWII. It's very similar to what the Wachowskis did with the Animatrix before the release of The Matrix: Reloaded. And whether or not this ties into the film or like The Animatrix it's just a collection of fun stories set in the series' universe, it's at least interesting to see this type of worldbuilding that you normally don't see in horror and I'd love if other franchises took this approach.

Dangerous Animals

June 12 (limited release)

If you're bemoaning the lack of shark movies or creature features this season, never fear because I have a film for you.

A surfer names Zephyr gets abducted by a deranged serial killer played by Jai Courtney, who plans on feeding her to his sharks. She has to find a way to escape him while also not becoming shark food.

It's the third film by director Sean Byrne who's previous outings were The Loved Ones and The Devil's Candy. While he didn't write this film. Amusingly, this is actually getting screened at the Cannes Film Festival as part of the Directors' Fortnight section. If you're fan of his dark sense of humor, have this on your radar.

28 Years Later

June 20

And here it is: what could possibly be the biggest horror movie of the season. Coming not 28 years since 28 Weeks Later but rather 18 years since the last film in the franchise - 28 Weeks Later - director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland return to the franchise that really put them on the map at least for a mainstream audience.

We return 3 decades later to what the world where the Rage virus escape, following a group of survivors who actually live amongst the infected. Of course, nothing in the world is right or safe as a father and son discover when they travel off their island on a mission.

As with every film in the series so far, you don't need to have seen the previous films to get this as this will be disconnected to any of the characters in 28 Days or 28 Weeks. But as is tradition with the previous films, we have a talented cast filling out the characters including Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'Connell (who was just in Sinners) and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (who was in Nosferatu). It also should be said we won't have to wait another decade to return to this universe as we have a direct sequel coming next year or in 2 years with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which was shot right after this wrapped up production (although that will be directed by Nia DaCosta, not Boyle). Either way, there's A LOT of hype for this film so get ready.

M3GAN 2.0

June 27

Hell yeah, let's fucking GO!

One of my most anticipated releases this summer, not just amongst horror movies but amongst any of the blockbusters. I'll admit to not being a huge fan of Blumhouse's IPs but one of their best and biggest in recent years was the killer android M3GAN. Coming out right at the start of 2023, it was the right mix of camp comedy and horror that while not perfect by any means, was a lot of fun.

Well M3GAN is back and in a twist ala Terminator 2: is now the unlikely hero rather than the villain. After a different rogue android escapes and is killing people, Cady and Gemma decide the only course of action is to trust M3GAN and give her an upgraded body (that oddly looks like a young actress who suddenly had a growth spurt) to take out this android and protect Cady. While some may bemoan the pivot from a light horror comedy to a straight up action comedy, I welcome it. I say more franchises in and out of horror should embrace big pivots like this.

Whether or not this can replicate the same success of this first film, I know I'll be there Day 1.

July

I Know What You Did Last Summer

July 18

Since we're in the era of requels as well as seeing a ressurgence for slashers both in the mainstream and in the underground, and especially with the success of the recent Scream movies, it only makes sense another Kevin Williamson slasher film get a requel. Taking place presmably more than 25 years since the events of I Still Know What You Did Summer (Jesus Christ, time goes by fast), it looks like yet another another hooded killer is terrorizing Southport, North Carolina coincidentally after another set of teens also think they've accidentally killed a man only to realize their mistake when they start receing menacing letters. And it wouldn't be a requel if we didn't get some of the original cast back with Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. returning as Julie and Ray to help the teens survive this new killer.

What's actually most interesting to me is the presence of Jennifer Kaytin Robinson as the writer and director. Robinson's been mainly been involved in comedy up until now, having written and directed Someone Great and Do Revenge. While the trailers haven't showcased it, considering she also has a story credit for the film, it'll be interesting how she uses her comedic talents in horror and if she he'll still have that same tongue-in-cheek sense of humor for her biggest film to date.

Bambi: The Reckoning

July 25

*sigh*...do I have to?

Well it looks like the trend of turning formerly cute Disney characters to becoming horror movie monsters in dirt cheap horror movies sadly continues. With this one, as per the title, turns Bambi from a cute deer into an undead monster with sharp teeth. As is the case with these other films, it looks stupid, cheap, and the least bit from scary.

Look I know these have an audience and can be made ludicrously cheap for said audience which is why they can get made. I'm far from that as you can tell but if you must follow it, this will be out at the end of July.

The Home

July 25

James DeMonaco hit it big 12 years ago when he directed The Purge for Blumhouse studios. While the quality of the first film and the Purge series as a whole isn't really one of reverance, it's hard to deny the success of that first film. Well after a brief coming-of-age film in 2021, DeMonaco is back with a new original horror film for Lionsgates.

Pete Davidson plays a new caretaker at a home for the elderly, tasked in keeping the the place clean and making sure all the residents receive proper attention. Of course, all that seems normal isn't really so. The premise isn't so unique (I've seen this set-up used for horror and non-horror movies before) but Pete Davidson's last horror movie - Bodies Bodies Bodies - was a surprise hit so let's see if this can also surprise.

House on Eden

July 25 (limited)

Shudder over the years has been a haven for really interesting found-footage horror movies. Between offering a lifeline to series like V/H/S and Hell House LLC, to unique takes on the format like Late Night with the Devil, Host, and Deadstream, for those who miss the glory days of found footage horror, you'll most likely be satisfied thanks to Shudder.

Directed by Kristina Collins (aka KallMeKris), it follows two Paranormal Investigors and their cameraman as they spend the night in a supposedly haunted house. A very basic premise and to be honest, off of the trailer it seems rather generic. But considering Collins' background in comedy, I do anticipate some twists.

August

Together

August 1

Here's a film that I know has had a lot of buzz since it debuted at Sundance and that I'm fascinated to check out.

Real life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie play a couple who their relationship tested when they move to the countryside. Plot details have been very sparse so far outside of the fact this is a body horror film but as I said, the buzz out of Sundance has been very positive. You and I are just gonna have to seek this out to see if it lives up to the hype and how gruesome the body horror gets.

I should also note this is the directorial debut of Michael Shanks (who up until this film had primarily done VFX work on other indie films) and the fact that Franco & Brie are also producers on this film, so they weren't just cast. Either way, in spite of how little we know, I'm exicted to check this out.

Sketch

August 6 (limited release)

Ever think that sometimes the scariest things to child is what their imagination can conjur up? Well, this film puts that's to the test.

Coping with the death of her mother, a young girl and her widowed father try to move on in life. She's been drawing in her notebook to cope, making up a lot of weird creatures in them. After her notebook falls in a mysterious lake, the creatures come to life and terrorize the town. It's a silly premise but has some notable comedians attached to it, with Tony Hale playing the father and D'Arcy Carden of The Good Place being one of the neighbors. It premiered at TIFF last year and bizarrely, it is being distributed by Angel Studios, who look to be branching out of purely making films for a Christian audience.

Weapons

August 8

One of the biggest splashes of horror in the past 5 years was the directorial debut of Zach Cregger in 2022: Barbarian. It was funny, original, creepy, and most of all: way more thought provoking and smarter than most people expected. 3 years later, he's back with an even bolder sophomore film

A small community is horrified after a class of 17 children all decide to walk out of their homes one night never to return. A simple but effective premise and it helps having a talented cast that includes Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, and Benedict Wong. As with Together, even though we don't a whole lot, just seeing the talent involved and the premise makes this one to look out for.

Hell House LLC: Lineage

August 20

One of the bigger success stories in the Horror underground scene has been the slow but gradual appreciation for Hell House LLC. What started as a lowkey found-footage film released only on video-on-demand has become a franchise with a small but loud cult following online, especially once the films got a home on streaming thanks to Shudder.

Well fittingly 10 years after the first film, the series is coming to a close with the fifth and reportedly final film in the franchise. We don't have a lot of plot details as of yet but suffice it to say if you're a fan, you'll have to see this for the final goodbye. Like with the previous Hell House LLC film, this will have a release before being exclusive to Shudder.

The Toxic Avenger

August 29

Well this is a film I think most are even surprised is being released in public, let alone getting a theatrical wide-release. Indie-actor-turned-director Macon Blair made his directorial debut in 2017 with I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore starring Elijah Wood and Yellowjacket's Melanie Lynskey before turning towards his attention on a reboot of the Troma classic Toxic Avenger, with Peter Dinklage of all people being cast as the titular Avenger. The film was filmed all the way back in 2021 before being screened at Fantastic Fest back in 2023, with everyone involved expecting some release in 2024.

Well it never came as according to Blair himself, distributors found it nigh marketable to an audience. I guess it shouldn't be too surprising that a Toxic Avenger film would be offensive to people but it was still shocking an indie film with attached stars could've become lost media. However in 2025, Cineverse - fresh off of releasing another gory and offensive film Terrifier 3 - bought the rights to it. Even if the film isn't all that good, it's preferrable that it actually get released as opposed to being trashed forever so good on Cineverse for saving the film.