2017 wasn’t really the best year for horror films. With the exception of “Get Out,” “Raw,” and to a lesser extent, “Annabelle 2: Creation,” “Gerald’s Game” or “It,” there weren’t too many horror films worthy of being mentioned. However, when it comes to horror films, 2018 already looks more hopeful.
Some classic horror films are getting promising remakes or sequels, great directors like Steven Soderbergh and Lenny Abrahamson are making their debuts in the horror genre, and on #7, we’ve got a film that has already been called “the scariest horror movie in years.”
The following list features 15 upcoming horror films that we’re looking forward to seeing this year. Let us know in the comments which of the following titles you think will have the most potential of being great films, and what other horror movies you’re expecting this year.
1. Summer of ’84
Release date: January 22, 2018 (Sundance Film Festival)
“Summer of ’84” is said to be a film in the same vein as “Stranger Things,” but instead featuring serial killers.
A group of kids spends their summer spying on their neighbor, who they suspect is a serial killer. As they come closer to discovering the truth, things get dangerous.
This film was shown at the Sundance Film Festival where it has received mixed reviews. Many criticized its overuse of the nostalgia factor and called it inferior to “Stranger Things.” Others praised its dark, more mature take on the genre and praised its unexpected ending. However, with only five reviews on Rotten Tomatoes at the moment, it is too early to judge this film and we are looking forward to a proper release.
2. Winchester
Release date: February 2, 2018 (USA)
“Winchester” stars Oscar winner Helen Mirren and is directed by the brothers Michael and Peter Spierig, who also made “Predestination,” one of the better sci-fi films of the last years.
The story is inspired by the true events surrounding the Winchester Mystery House, a historic mansion in San Jose, California which since its construction in 1884, has been said to be haunted by the ghosts of people killed with Winchester rifles. Mirren plays Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester fortune and owner of the most haunted house in the world.
February horror movies aren’t always the best, but judging by the trailer and the presence of Mirren, this one might be worthy of attention.
3. Unsane
Release date: March 23, 2018 (USA)
“Unsane” is Steven Soderbergh’s first horror film. You might know him as the director of “Traffic,” “Ocean’s Eleven” or the more recent “Logan Lucky,” one of the less-hyped great films of 2017.
The only description of the movie we’ve got so far is, “A young woman is involuntarily committed to a mental institution where she is confronted by her greatest fear – but is it real or is it a product of her delusion?” This isn’t too revelatory, but there is another thing that might capture your interest. The film has reportedly been shot using an iPhone camera in a single week.
“Unsane” will premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival next month and will be released in the United States on March 23.
4. A Quiet Place
Release date: April 6, 2018 (USA)
Often times, a good trailer is enough to make you enthusiastic about seeing a film, and this is just the case with “A Quiet Place,” an upcoming horror film starring Emily Blunt and directed by her husband, John Krasinski.
Reminiscent of a mix between Mike Flanagan’s “Hush” and “It Comes At Night,” one of 2017’s most underrated films, the trailer looks absolutely stunning and, unlike every other trailer nowadays, manages to generate a lot of interest without spoiling the movie at all.
The official synopsis reads: “A family living on a farm hides from a supernatural evil attracted to sound by avoiding making sound and communicating in sign language.”
If it lives up to its trailer and its premise, then “A Quiet Place” has the potential to be one of the best horror films of 2018.
5. Truth or Dare
Release date: April 13, 2018 (USA)
“A harmless game of truth or dare among friends turns deadly when someone – or something – begins to punish those who tell a lie or refuse the dare.”
“Truth of Dare” stars Lucy Hale (known for her roles in famous TV shows such as “Pretty Little Liars” and “How I Met Your Mother”) and is produced by Jason Blum through his company Blumhouse Productions, which has been responsible for a bunch of fine recent horror/thriller films such as “Get Out,” “Split,” “Hush” and “Happy Death Day.” An initial trailer has been released earlier this year and, based on it, it looks like this film could be pretty fun.
6. Cloverfield Movie
Release date: April 19, 2018 (Germany)
The original “Cloverfield” film was nice. Its 2016 spiritual sequel, “10 Cloverfield Lane,” was even better. It is only fair to assume that this third entry in the series will most likely be at least an enjoyable film.
Initial reports about the film said that its plot will feature a team of astronauts aboard an international space station who find themselves alone after a scientific experiment involving a particle accelerator makes the Earth vanish. When a space shuttle appears, the space station crew must fight for survival following their horrible discovery.
However, earlier this year it was reported that the particle plot might have been removed from the movie. We are not really sure what this film will be about, but considering it has a release date set for April 2018, we are expecting more info and a trailer to surface soon.
7. Hereditary
Release date: June 8, 2018 (USA)
This new A24 production has been shown at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and it currently has a 100 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics have called it one of the scariest horror films in years and already a contender for the best horror film of 2018.
“When Ellen, the matriarch of the Graham family, passes away, her daughter’s family begins to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry. The more they discover, the more they find themselves trying to outrun the sinister fate they seem to have inherited.”
A trailer for “Hereditary” is yet to be released, but based on the response from critics, we can only assume that this one is really going to be one of the best horror films 2018 has to offer.