The 70 most anticipated horror movies of 2025

Here are our top 70 (yes, SEVENTY) most anticipated horror films of 2025. Are these all 100% guaranteed to come out in 2025? No. But are they all 100% horror movies? No – some are denizens of that wonderful realm known as “horror adjacent.” Do they all look great? Again, no – some are doubtless lazy ‘IP-sploitation’, or star Jack Black. But we think they’re all coming out next year, and we think they all have at least a streak of horror.

So let’s dive in – first with our top sixteen most anticipated films, in order of how much we want to see them:

1. Eddington (dir. Ari Aster) Ari Aster returns with this tale of a small-town New Mexico sheriff with higher aspirations. Joaquin Phoenix stars as the sheriff, alongside Emma Stone, Austin Butler, and as the mayor: Pedro Pascal. The tone is unclear, but rumours suggest its a comedy/horror mystery western. Mid-2025
2. No Other Choice (dir. Park Chan-wook) After being unemployed for several years, a man devises a unique plan to secure a new job: eliminate his competition. Serial killer fun from the director of The Handmaiden, Oldboy etc. Late 2025
3. Alpha (dir. Julia Ducournau) Ducournau’s follow-up to her triumphant Palme-winning Titane is an 80s AIDS allegory in which a tween girl is rejected by her classmates when rumours spread that she’s been infected with a strange new disease. Golshiteh Farahani and Tahar Rahim play the parents – and Finnegan Oldfield (Infested, Nocturama) is in the mix too. A possible entry for Cannes, in May 2025 – although they’re just finishing the shoot now, so it’d have to be a quick turnaround…
4. Frankenstein (dir. Guillermo del Toro) Dr. Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist, brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation. Oscar Isaac as the doctor, Jacob Elordi as the monster, Mia Goth as Victor’s fiancé, Elizabeth. Late 2025
5. 28 Years Later (dir. Danny Boyle) It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well. A packed cast includes Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O’Connell, and Ralph Fiennes. Rumours of Cillian Murphy returning abound – my guess is that’s the finale, setting up Nia DaCostas already-shot sequel. June 20
6. Die, My Love (dir. Lynne Ramsey) A woman (Jennifer Lawrence) living in a remote rural area is driven to the brink of insanity by marriage and motherhood. Perhaps not quite a horror, but a robust, psychologically unstable thriller from the director of You Were Never Really Here. A possible entry for Cannes, in May 2025
7. Bugonia (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos) Emma Stone plays a high-powered CEO, who is kidnapped by two young men who are convinced she is a space alien. Lanthimos’s loose remake of Korean hit Save The Green Planet is likely more sci-fi comedy than horror, but how could we leave out this voyage into the absurd fantastique? Also starring Jesse Plemons, and shot by Robbie Ryan. A possible entry for Cannes, in May 2025.
8. Presence (dir. Steven Soderbergh) A family moves into a suburban house and becomes convinced they’re not alone. Starring Lucy Liu, this got pretty strong reviews out of Sundance 2024, but Neon elected to hold it back until now. January 24
9. Death of a Unicorn (dir. Alex Scharfman) Elliot (Paul Rudd, finally starting to show his age these days) and his daughter Riley (Jenna Ortega) accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend work retreat, where Elliot’s billionaire boss (Richard E Grant) seeks to exploit the creature’s miraculous curative properties. Also starring Tea Leoni and the always excellent Will Poulter. Spring 2025
10. Sinners (dir. Ryan Coogler) Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back. Vampiric thriller starring Michael B Jordan and, well, Michael B Jordan, alongside Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell and Wunmi Mosaku. April 18
11. The Monkey (dir. Osgood Perkins) When twin brothers Hal and Bill discover their father’s old monkey toy in the attic, a series of gruesome deaths start occurring all around them. Oz Perkins’ writer-director follow-up to Longlegs is based on a troubling Stephen King short story, which he has turned into a dark comedy. February 21
12. Companion (dir. Drew Hancock) Hey you. Tired of swiping? Sick of getting ghosted? Are you feeling like a part of you is missing? FindYourCompanion.com is guaranteed to find you a Companion who’s made for you, in this unsettling sci-fi tale that may appeal to fans of Black Mirror. January 31
13. Hope (dir. Na Hong-jin) The writer-director of Korean horror epic The Wailing (2016) returns with this sci-fi thriller about a mysterious discovery on the outskirts of a remote harbour town, that leads the residents to fight for their lives. A possible entry for Cannes, in May 2025.
14. Opus (dir. Mark Anthony Green) A young writer (Ayo Edebiri) is invited to the remote compound of a legendary pop star (John Malkovich) who mysteriously disappeared thirty years ago. Surrounded by the star’s cult of sycophants and intoxicated journalists, she finds herself in the middle of his twisted plan. Also stars Juliette Lewis and Prey‘s Amber Midthunder. January 27 (Sundance)
15. The Ritual (dir. David Midell) Follows two priests who must put aside their differences to save a possessed young woman through a difficult and dangerous series of exorcisms. And the actors playing those priests? Al Pacino and Dan Stevens. SOLD. April 18
16. The Bride! (dir. Maggie Gyllenhaal) In the 1930s, a lonely Frankenstein travels to Chicago to seek the aid of a Dr. Euphronius in creating a companion for himself. The two reinvigorate a murdered young woman and the Bride is born. She is beyond what either of them intended, igniting a combustible romance, the attention of the police and a wild and radical social movement. This satirical gothic romance stars Jessie Buckley as the Bride and Christian Bale as the Monster, alongside Penelope Cruz, Anette Benning, and Peter Sarsgaard. October 3

And now here’s the rest of the horror movies we think are coming out in 2025. While our top dozen were arranged in order of anticipation, these are arranged in approximate order of release. Are some of these optimistic guesses? Absolutely!

Winter

17. A Hard Place (dir. J. Horton) A group of criminals on the run in the mountains of West Virginia find themselves caught in the middle of an ancient feud between the monsters that rule the day and the creatures that rule the night. January 12 (premiere – full release later in the year)
18. Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare (dir. Scott Chambers) Another example of this sort of thing. January 13
19. Wolf Man (dir. Leigh Whannell) With his marriage fraying, Blake (Christopher Abbott) persuades his wife Charlotte (Julia Garner) to take a break from the city and visit his remote childhood home in rural Oregon. As they arrive at the farmhouse in the dead of night, they’re attacked by an unseen animal and barricade themselves inside the home as the creature prowls the perimeter. But as the night stretches on, Blake begins to behave strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable. January 17
20. The Ugly Stepsister (dir. Emilie Kristine Blichfeldt) Combining comedy and horror, the film is a daring and unexpected take on the world-famous tale, seen through the eyes of the Cinderella’s stepsister, Elvira. The gory film follows Elvira as she battles to compete with her insanely beautiful stepsister in a kingdom where beauty is a brutal business. She will go to any lengths to catch the prince’s eye. January 23 (Sundance), then in cinemas 18 April (US)/25 April (UK)
21. Dead Lover (dir. Grace Glowicki) A lonely gravedigger who stinks of corpses finally meets her dream man, but their whirlwind affair is cut short when he tragically drowns at sea. Grief-stricken, she goes to morbid lengths to resurrect him through madcap scientific experiments, resulting in grave consequences and unlikely love. Frankensteinian fun from promising Canadian director Glowicki. 24 January (Sundance)
22. Rabbit Trap (dir. Bryn Chainey) When a musician and her husband move to a remote house in Wales, the music they make disturbs local ancient folk magic, bringing a nameless child to their door who is intent on infiltrating their lives. Starring Dev Patel in rural Wales? Yes please. January 24 (Sundance)
23. Screamboat (dir. Steven LaMorte) A late-night boat ride turns into a desperate fight for survival in New York City when a mischievous mouse becomes a monstrous reality. More IP-humping horror product, but let’s give it a chance. 24 January
24. Together (dir. Michael Shanks) With a move to the countryside already testing the limits of a couple’s relationship, a supernatural encounter begins an extreme transformation of their love, their lives, and their flesh. A body-horror rom-com? You might even call it Cromcombergian (sorry). Starring and produced by my favourite cheese, Alison Brie, and her husband, everyone’s favourite Franco, Dave Franco. January 26 (Sundance)
25. The Virgin of the Quarry Lake (dir. Laura Casabé) One hot summer a group of girls fall in love with a boy called Diego. But when he starts hanging out with a 30-year-old woman he met in a chat room, one of the girls wards off the disappointment with an ancient dark power. Laura Casabé directed one of my favourite Spanish-language horrors, The Returned, so hopes are high for her latest. 27 January (Sundance)
26. Touch Me (dir. Addison Heimann) Two codependent best friends become addicted to the heroin-like touch of an alien narcissist who may or may not be trying to take over the world. Heimann was the director of the excellent, Golden Claw-winning, Hypochondriac. 28 January (Sundance)
27. Didn’t Die (dir. Meera Menon) As the zombie apocalypse unfolds, a podcast host struggles to maintain their dwindling audience amidst the chaos. Meera Menon comes straight from directing episodes of the very charming Ms Marvel. 28 January (Sundance)
28. Heart Eyes (dir. Josh Ruben) When the Heart Eyes Killer strikes Seattle, a pair of co-workers pulling overtime on Valentine’s Day are mistaken for a couple by the elusive couple-hunting killer. Now they must spend the most romantic night of the year running for their lives. February 7
29. The Gorge (dir. Scott Derrickson) Two highly trained operatives are appointed to posts across a vast and very secret gorge. From the director of Dr Strange and Sinister. February 14
30. Bambi: The Reckoning (dir. Dan Allen) Some would say Bambi is already a perfect horror, but here it is in Deersploitation form. Top billing goes to Roxanne McKee from Wrong Turn 5. Early 2025
31. Skyline: Warpath (dir. Liam O’Donnell) More action-sci-fi with a horror twist, as Iko Uwais (The Raid, The Raid 2) leads the human resistance against alien invaders and their glowing blue spaceships, and must take on that traitor to his species Scott Adkins (Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning, John Wick: Chapter 4) with a magical super space glove that can help him punch really hard. First quarter of 2025.

Spring

32. Mickey 17 (dir. Bong Joon-ho) Bong’s much delayed sci-fi yarn revolves around disposable space-worker Mickey (Robert Pattinson) who is simply replaced with a clone each time he dies on the job (shades of Duncan Jones’s Moon). Trouble ensues when he’s replaced after being left for dead, but not actually dying. That existential edge places it in a horror-adjacent space for us – in any case, Bong is always interesting, even (especially?) when he gets his Producers nervous. March 7
33. Popeye The Slayer Man (dir. Robert Michael Ryan) A group of friends venture into an abandoned spinach canning factory to shoot a documentary about the legend of the “Sailor Man” rumoured to haunt the factory and nearby docks. What they find is the nightmarish spirit of Popeye. Filmed in upstate New York on a shoestring, and boasting practical effects, one suspects this is in the Blair Witch Project found footage style. TBC. Early 2025
34. Ash (dir. Flying Lotus) On the mysterious planet of Ash, Riya awakens to find her crew slaughtered. When a man named Brion arrives to rescue her, an ordeal of psychological and physical terror ensues while Riya and Brion must decide if they can trust one another to survive. March 21
35. The Woman in the Yard (dir. Jaume Collet-Serra) A mysterious woman who repeatedly appears in a family’s front yard, often delivering chilling warnings or unsettling messages, leaving the residents to question her identity, motives, and the potential danger she might pose. From the director of Cary-On, Orphan, and House of Wax March 28
36. Drop (dir. Christopher Landon) A widowed mother is terrorized by an escalating series of air-drops to her smartphone, in the middle of a promising date. From the director the Happy Death Day movies, and Freaky. April 11
37. Wildwood (dir. Travis Knight) Set beyond Portland’s city limits, in Wildwood. You’re not supposed to go there. You’re not even supposed to know it exists. But Prue McKeel is about to enter this enchanted wonderland. Her baby brother Mac has been taken by a murder of crows into the forest’s depths, and she – along with her hapless classmate, Curtis – is going to get him back. Prue might think she’s too old for fairytales, but she’s just found herself at the center of one. One filled with strange talking animals, roguish bandits, and powerful figures with the darkest intentions. Animation with a starry cast, and a clear debt to Labyrinth. Early-mid 2025
38. Until Dawn (dir. David F. Sandberg) Film adaptation of the 2015 video game of the same name that follows eight friends who are trapped together on a remote mountain retreat and discover they’re not alone. Gripped by dread, with tensions running high, they must fight through their fear if they all hope to make it through the night in one piece. April 25
39. Clown in a Cornfield (dir. Eli Craig) After moving to the fading midwestern town of Kettle Springs, Missouri, a teenage girl and her new group of friends find themselves the targets of the city’s mascot, a clown who goes on a murderous rampage. From the director of Tucker and Dale vs Evil. May 9
40. Final Destination: Bloodlines (dir. Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein) Sixth installment in the Final Destination franchise. Exact plot under wraps, but you know the general concept by now – rumours suggest the instigating event in this one is a fire in a collapsing high-rise. May 16

Summer

41. M3GAN 2.0 (dir. Gerard Johnstone) She’s back, and ready to sashay your head away. Oh snap! (goes your spine.) June 27
42. The Strangers: Chapter 2 (dir. Renny Harlin) The plot will follow the events of previous film (The Strangers: Chapter 1) while the story will expand in “new and unexpected ways”. Allegedly reshot due to the identity of the killers being leaked. Mid 2025
43. Pinocchio: Unstrung (dir. Rhys Frake-Waterfield) More sordid IP necromancy from the Blood and Honey team. This one at least boasts the cadaverously-faced Richard Brake as Geppetto, and Robert Englund as the voice of the cricket. Mid 2025
44. I Know What You Did Last Summer (dir. Jennifer Kaytin Robinson) I know what your remade last summer, and it was this. A group of privileged teenagers, along with one less-fortunate peer, accidentally cause a death and attempt to cover it up. A year later, they find themselves being targeted and eliminated one by one, forcing them to seek help, in this requel revival. July 18
45. Vicious (dir. Bryan Bertino) A young woman (Dakota Fanning) must spend the night fighting for her existence as she slips down a disturbing rabbit hole contained inside a mysterious gift from a late-night visitor. Also stars Kathryn Hunter. August 8
46. Return To Silent Hill (dir. Christophe Gans) Apparently completed some time ago, it’s anyone’s guess when this belated video-game adaptation sequel might finally emerge – maybe it’ll drop as part of the late-summer/early autumn wave of horror festivals? Gans directed the fairly poor original, but also the superb Brotherhood of the Wolf, a movie that’s earned him a lifetime of second chances. Late summer 2025…?
47. Insidious: The Bleeding World (dir. TBC) The sixth installment in the “Insidious” franchise. More horror #content for a doubtless appreciative audience. Allegedly August 29, although how that can be true without a confirmed director I’m not sure.

Autumn

48. The Conjuring: Last Rites (dir. Michael Chaves) The next chapter in the story of Ed and Lorraine Warren. September 5
49. Him (dir. Justin Tipping) A blood-chilling journey into the inner sanctum of fame, power and the pursuit of excellence at any cost. Brings together the dream team of Marlon Wayans and Julia Fox. September 19
50. Saw XI (dir. Kevin Greutert) Eleventh installment in the ‘Saw’ franchise. Hoffman is BACK. September 26
51. Witchboard (dir Chuck Russell) More IP-reimagining, this time from the director of The Mask and Nightmare on Elm Street 3. Reviews from Fantasia 2024 are already available. Mid-late 2025 (although it did already play Fantasia in 2024)
52. Altar (dir. Egor Abramenko) Described as a horror film that follows the summer of a young boy, forced to grow up faster than he ever imagined. With January Jones and Kyle MacLachlan. Mid-late 2025
53. Bring Her Back (dir. Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou) The Talk To Me writer-directors are back, with Sally Hawkins! Plot TBC. Mid-late 2025
54. The Long Walk (dir. Francis Lawrence) In a dystopian near-future, 100 teenage boys must embark on an annual competitive test known as “The Long Walk”. The rules are simple: maintain a speed above 4 miles per hour. Receive three warnings in an hour and you’re shot dead. The last one walking gets whatever he wants for the rest of his life. Under these grim circumstances the boys develop deep friendships despite knowing that each of their friends’ survival is a threat to their own. Adapted from the tale by Richard Bachman – better known as Stephen King. Mid-Late 2025
55. Dracula: A Love Tale (dir. Luc Besson) The story of 15th century Prince Vladimir who curses God following the death of his beloved wife and is turned into a vampire. Later, in 19th century London, he discovers his wife’s doppelgänger and dooms himself by pursuing her. Mid-late 2025
56. V/H/S/8 (dir. Various) No details available yet, beyond it being an intended 2025 release on Shudder – not the theme (if there is one), nor even the directors’ names. We’re guessing October sometimes. Mid-late 2025
57. Black Phone 2 (dir. Scott Derrickson) Sequel to The Black Phone (2022). If you liked that, here you go. October 17
58. They Will Kill You (dir. Kirill Sokolov) A woman answers a help wanted ad to be a housekeeper in a mysterious high-rise in New York City, not realizing she is entering a community that has seen a number of disappearances over the years and may be under the grip of a Satanic cult. Late 2025
59. Fear Street: Prom Queen (dir. Matt Palmer) Prom season at Shadyside High is underway and the school’s wolfpack of It Girls is busy with its usual sweet and vicious campaigns for the crown. But when a gutsy outsider is unexpectedly nominated to the court, and the other girls start mysteriously disappearing, the class of ’88 is suddenly in for one hell of a prom night. Late 2025
60. Hell House LLC: Lineage (dir. Stephen Cognetti) The fifth installment in the Hell House LLC franchise – a series that’s patchy, but offers at least one great moment per film. Like all the others, this is a 100% Cognetti project, taking on all writiing and directorial duties. Release date is unknown, but it’s all filmed already. Looking at previous Hell House LLC entries, we’re guessing late October 2025.
61. Predator: Badlands (dir: Dan Trachtenberg) Trachtenberg returns to the Predator franchise after his very solid Prey (perhaps the second best Predator film?), this time with Elle Fanning in attendance. Said to be set in the future. November 7
62. Thanksgiving 2 (dir. Eli Roth) After Borderlands, Roth will be hoping this effort is no turkey. Perhaps this sequel to his Thanksgiving (2023) will come with all the trimmings. November 2025

Winter again…

63. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (dir. Emma Tammi) Another round with the animatronic band from hell: another five nights, but no second chances. December 5
64. DreamQuil (dir. Alex Prager) A woman embarks on a virtual wellness retreat in order to get her life back on track – but with nightmarish consequences. Elizabeth Banks and John C. Reilly head up an interesting cast. Late 2025
65. Dust Bunny (dir. Bryan Fuller) An eight-year-old girl asks her scheming neighbor for help in killing the monster under her bed that she thinks ate her family. the director of the Hannibal TV show brings us more Mads Mikkelsen,, this time with added Sigourney Weaver – together at last! Late 2025
66. 11817 (dir. Louis Leterrier) Inexplicable forces trap a family of four inside their house indefinitely. As both modern luxuries and life-or-death essentials begin to run out, the family must learn how to be resourceful to survive and outsmart who—or what—is keeping them trapped. Biggest selling point: Greta Lee. Late 2025
67. The Monster (dir. Darren Lynn Bousman) Two millennials make quick money by leasing incredible New York City apartments they don’t own to people who don’t know they are being scammed. The con works brilliantly until they run into an apartment owner with a dark secret who flips the game on them. Bousman was the director of several Saw films – Djimon Hounsou and Lauren “Terrifier 2 & 3” LaVera will star. Late 2025
68. Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble (dir. Rhys Frake-Waterfield) Will team Winnie the Pooh with murderous versions of figures including Bambi, Tinkerbell, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Tigger, Piglet, The Mad Hatter and Sleeping Beauty for an IP-bludgeoning frenzy. Late 2025
69. Anaconda (dir. Tom Gormican) Don’t get your hopes up – this remake stars Jack Black. December 25
70. Return of the Living Dead (dir. Steve Wolsh) Taking place 18 months after the events at the UNEEDA Warehouse in Louisville, KY, a new Trioxin 2-4-5 leak puts a small Pennsylvania town on the brink of a zombie outbreak during Christmas 1985. December 25

2025 looks to be a bumper year for horror films – especially if some of those later ones come in under the wire. Here’s to the new year!