MOST ANTICIPATED HORRORS FOR 2025!
Happy New Year folks! With a brand new year ahead of us, comes a fresh slate of terrifying delights for us to check out! Consider us shivering with antici…pation! So far, 2025 is shaping up to be a landmark year for horror cinema, with a whole host of films on the cards, ranging from reimagined classics/requels to thrilling new franchise entries. Here’s a breakdown of our most eagerly anticipated horror films of 2025, and what we know about them so far…
January: A Terrifying Triple Bill
Nosferatu (Directed by Robert Eggers)
Kicking off the year is Robert Eggers’ reimagining of the silent-era classic Nosferatu. With Eggers’ signature atmospheric style, stunning cinematography, and an incredible cast including Lily-Rose Depp, Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson & Willem Dafoe. So far, the film has garnered critical acclaim, with audiences calling it a haunting masterpiece and a worthy homage to the original. Have you checked it out yet?
Wolfman (Directed by Leigh Whannell)
Blumhouse is back with their contemporary take on the Universal Monsters, this time with Wolfman, directed by Leigh Whannell and starring Christopher Abbott in the titular role. Sneak Peeks online have revealed just how much practical effects are at the forefront of this re-imagining, which has us nothing but excited even more! Whannell, known for his work on another Universal Monsters Classic The Invisible Man in 2020, brings a modern twist to the werewolf legend, citing David Cronenberg’s - The Fly as a huge inspiration for the tone of this movie. Fans of body horror and psychological tension look to be in for a treat with this one!
Companion (Directed by Drew Hancock)
This Warner.Bros production, looks to be a sci-fi, horror/thriller that weilds a dark comedic edge. Initially from early teasers the science fiction element of this film was not revealed at all! As the second main trailer dropped just this month, a lot of viewers were shocked to see just what this film was about. Whilst this twist might’ve been great to experience in the cinema, it sure looks like a lot of fun! Starring Sophie Thatcher who we loved in Heretic, Maxxxine & Yellowjackets – to name a few – it seems Thatcher is well on her way to earning that ‘scream queen’ status! Also who doesn’t love the idea of Black Mirror episode clashing with your favourite slasher?! Sign us up!
February: A Romantic Fright Fest
Heart Eyes (Directed by Josh Ruben)
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Heart Eyes is a romantic horror slasher that looks to blend love and dread in equal measure. Directed by Josh Ruben, we noticed Christopher Landon (Happy Deathday 1 & 2 and Freaky) had a hand in writing (and producing) this one and he has helped bring Slashers back in a huge way over the last decade so we are very excited to see something a bit more R-Rated! Just going off the trailer we know this film is going to pack a punch where the kills are concerned!
The Monkey (Directed by Osgood Perkins)
Stephen King’s short story The Monkey comes to life under the direction of Osgood Perkins – who was responsible for one of our favourite films of 2024 Longlegs. THERE SHE IS! Known for his eerie and unsettling style (The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Gretel & Hansel), Perkins aims to deliver a chilling adaptation of the tale about a sinister toy monkey with deadly powers. This cracking film looks like a comedic take on the Final Destination formula and we are here for it! More on that in a bit though…
April: High Stakes Horror
Sinners (Directed by Ryan Coogler)
Director Ryan Coogler ventures into the world of horror with Sinners. Who doesn’t love a good vampire movie, set against a backdrop of old time America no less?! This flick looks stylish and action packed! Reunited with actor Michael B. Jordan, the film follows twin brothers returning to their hometown for a fresh start. Little do they know something sinister is waiting for their return…
May: Death Returns
Final Destination: Bloodlines (Directed by Zach Lipovsky & Adam Stein)
After more than a decade, the Final Destination franchise returns with Final Destination:Bloodlines. Directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein, this instalment dives into the origins of the series’ infamous death design, promising both nostalgia and fresh thrills/kills for fans. Although we don’t know too much about this film just yet, rumours of the plot indicate this will be following a single family through decades of deaths’ trials. This series has always had a solid draw for fans with the inventively gruesome kills each instalment of the franchise offers up. Some highlights of ours have got to be the Gymnastic Pretzel in FD5, basically everything in FD3 – although we will never look at a tanning bed the same way again! FD2 will forever make us switch lanes if we are behind a lorry carrying logs and of course we can’t forget FD1’s gruesome railway decapitation! This film sadly marks Tony Todd’s last role on screen before his passing in late 2024. For that alone we will be buying a ticket opening weekend!
June: A Bold Experiment in Filmmaking
28 Years Later (Directed by Danny Boyle)
Danny Boyle reunites with writer Alex Garland for 28 Years Later, the third instalment in the 28 […] Later series. The trailer for this bad boy gave us chills! If the Teletubbies on the tele weren’t frightening enough we creep into a terrifying montage of clips set to a eerie reading of ‘Boots’ by Rudyard Kipling. The film boasts an incredible cast with Cillian Murphy rumoured to also make a return to the series in some way. Filmed entirely on an iPhone, this movie, like it's predecessor (28 Days Later – one of the first films to be shot on a digital format) looks to push creative boundaries once more and sets the stage for an ambitious new trilogy. Nia DaCosta’s sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple has already shot and slated for release in January 2026.
July: A Techno-Horror Sequel
Megan 2.0 (Directed by Gerard Johnstone)
Following the success of 2023’s M3GAN, Megan 2.0 brings back the AI doll with a murderous streak. We are just hoping we get another viral dance routine to be honest! Very little is known about the plot of this film so far, but honestly, who cares?! If anything we’d love to see Megan ‘go off’ just a little harder in this sequel! The first film felt like a gateway horror film, and although there is nothing wrong with that, a bit more gore wouldn’t hurt anyone right? Directed once more by Gerard Johnstone, the sequel promises to up the ante with more thrills, humour, and cutting-edge commentary on technology.
*Some images may be unofficial but as the films mentioned are not released for quite some time no official marketing material has been released - sorry!
September: The Warrens’ Final Case?
The Conjuring: Last Rites (Directed by Michael Chaves)
The Conjuring series continues with The Conjuring: Last Rites (rumoured title), potentially the final chapter in Ed and Lorraine Warren’s cinematic saga - although there are rumblings of an upcoming series with HBO, so maybe not. Although a little disappointed James Wan is not helming this final chapter, Last Rites will be directed by Michael Chaves (returning from The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It & The Nun II – both of which we loved). Now set firmly in the 1980’s (our favourite decade), this film is expected to tie up loose ends while delivering the franchise’s signature scares. Like a few of the films on this list we don’t know too much about what to expect from this entry. As of writing, the title hasn’t even been confirmed and no official marketing material has been released. Star Vera Farmiga took to her Instagram in November 2024 to mark her last day of shooting so we know the film is in the can! Now we wait…And while we wait why not check out Farmiga’s band The Yagas – their music is pretty spooky!
October: Don’t Answer the Phone! Again!
The Black Phone 2 (Directed by Scott Derrickson)
Scott Derrickson returns with a follow up to 2021’s The Black Phone. Building on the original’s success, this instalment is expected to delve deeper into the supernatural elements and twisted villainy of its predecessor. Not confirmed to be a sequel or a prequel we are curious to see how they bring back Ethan Hawke’s character as he has been confirmed to star in this. We’ve been fans of Derrickson’s work for years and always know we are in for a few solid scares whenever he offers us up something new! Plot points and official details are still fairly scarce, but we suppose that is expected as the release is still months away. The original gave us the incredible phrase of ‘dumb f**king fart-knockers’ which has been added to our vocabulary ever since! Here’s hoping we get another killer expression in this entry!
December: Holiday Horrors!
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (Directed by Emma Tammi)
Wrapping up the year (get it…wrapping because it’s Christmas) Emma Tammi follows up her 2024 hit with Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. Fans of the beloved video game franchise can expect more animatronic terror and a deeper dive into the lore that keeps audiences hooked. Whilst we weren’t thrilled with the first entry into this series, where the film ended up has left us with promise. Matthew Lillard made his return to the genre and we couldn’t be happier. Although not super familiar with the source material, we had a good time with it and look forward to more Lillard Villainy in this sequel! Also kudos to all involved in making those bloody animatronics, they truly are the stuff of nightmares!
Honourable Mentions:
While these films don’t yet have concrete release dates, they’re generating plenty of buzz already and we can’t wait to find out more
I Know What You Did Last Summer (Reboot): A fresh take on the 1997 slasher classic bring back original stars Freddie Prince Jr and Jennifer Love Hewitt. What are you waiting for?!
Until Dawn: A video game adaptation from the director of Lights Out & Annabelle: Creation – we know we are in good hands with this one! From a recent convention segment it appears this film will deviate somewhat from the source material but still bring those trademark scares and young people in peril! We love to see it!
Fear Street: Prom Queen: A brand new entry in Netflix’s Fear Street universe. R.L Stine recently seemed to confirm this might not be the only new Fear Street film on the way! We know this is not a direct sequel to the original trilogy that we loved from 2021, but very much set within the same world and town of Shadyside. We love a good nostalgic horror and the subtitle ‘Prom Queen’ – gives us all the feels!
Clown in a Cornfield: The adaptation of Adam Cesare’s acclaimed slasher novel is also set for release this year! We absolutely love the book and sequels so can’t wait to see Frendo on the big screen! This year definitely seems to be one packed with nods to the nostalgic classics we love and CIAC reads just like a classic horror movie so it makes perfect sense an adaptation is on the way!
With such a diverse lineup, 2025 promises to be an absolutely unforgettable year for horror fans. We are aware this ‘hitlist’ doesn’t even really cover any of the more independant releases we have coming our way this year, but we will just leave them as surprises for you along the way! The last few years have really been kind to us horror fans, providing us with some absolute gems we know will go on to become classics down the line! Horror is cementing its status as a sure fire win at the box office, so it’s nice to see a whole host of studios investing in the genre again this year! From innovative filmmaking techniques to the return of beloved franchises, there’s something for everyone to scream about in 2025!
Thanks for stopping by. What are some of your most anticipated Horror Films of 2025? Let us know in the comments below, and as always…
