Horror is an ever-evolving genre and we see it more and more with every passing year. 2024 saw some heavy hitters likeLonglegs, the buzzy body horror comedy,The Substance, andRobert Eggers’remake ofNosferatu. It was also a year for sequels and prequels, withThe Strangers: Chapter 1,Terrifier 3, andA Quiet Place: Day Oneamong the releases. It was a solid year for the genre, with some memorable entries, and a few titles that will likely fade into obscurity. But as we prepare to enter 2025, the horror lineup is already looking far more exciting than that of 2024. With long-awaited sequels alongside promising new ideas,the scope of horror for the year is sure to be a bloody good time.
1’Wolf Man'
January 17
Co-written and directed byLeigh Whannel,Wolf Mankicks 2025 into high gear on January 17. StarringChristopher AbbottandJulia Garner, the movie is a reboot ofThe Wolf Manfrom 1941. It follows a young family of three who move to Oregon to inherit childhood home of the father, Blake (Christopher Abbott). Shortly after moving in, during a full moon, Blake is attacked by a werewolf that claws his arm. The family barricades themselves inside their house for safety, but soonBlake begins to transform into something equally as terrifying as the threat that awaits them outside.Wolf Manis also produced by Blumhouse andRyan Goslingand is the newest installment in the rebooted Universal Monster cinematic universe (which also includes 2017’sThe Mummyand 2020’sThe Invisible Man).
Wolf Man follows Lawrence Talbot as he returns to his ancestral home following his brother’s disappearance. In the village nearby, a brutal beast is terrorizing the residents, and Lawrence finds himself entangled in the hunt for the creature. As the mystery unfolds, he faces enigmatic family ties and a haunting curse.
2’Presence'
January 24
Also releasing in January isPresence, a film directed bySteven Soderbergh(director ofOceans ElevenandSex, Lies, and Videotape) and written byDavid Koepp(who pennedJurassic Park,Spider-Man, andMission: Impossible). StarringLucy Liu,Julia Fox, andChris Sullivan,Presencefollows a family who move into a new house and discover they are not alone. The film is told from the perspective of the titular spectral presence.Earning strong reviews at last year’s Sundance Film Festivalalong withstar power in its cast and crew,Presenceis a 2025 horror title you won’t want to miss.
3’Companion'
January 31
Companionis one of 2025’s early releases, coming out on January 31. Few details are available but we have a brief synopsis from the trailer:A billionaire’s death sets off a chain of events for Iris(Sophie Thatcher) and her friends during a weekend trip to his lakeside estate.StarringJack QuaidandSophie Thatcherin the lead roles, and directed byDrew Hancock,Companionproudly announces that it comes from the creators ofBarbarian. So it’s likely that the movie has got some major twists in store.
Companion is an upcoming psychological thriller crafted by writer-director Drew Hancock.
4’Heart Eyes'
February 7
Heart Eyesis the perfect movie to watch this Valentine’s Day, as it not only releases the week before the swoon-worthy holiday, but it’s actually a rom-com slasher.Heart Eyesfollows co-workers working late on Valentine’s Day who are mistaken for a couple by the infamous Heart Eyes Killer. The film starsMason Gooding,Olivia Holt,Jordan’s Brewster, andDevon Sawa, and isthe perfect watch for those who prefer to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a good horror flick than flowers and chocolate.
Heart Eyes
In Heart Eyes, two co-workers working late on Valentine’s Day are mistaken for a couple by the infamous Heart Eyes Killer. Directed by Josh Ruben and written by Michael Kennedy and Christopher Landon, the film stars Mason Gooding and Olivia Holt.
5’The Monkey'
February 21
Osgood Perkinsterrified everyone with one of 2024’s best horror releases,Longlegs, and he’s back to do it again in February withThe Monkey. Based on the 1980 short story byStephen King,The Monkeyfollows twin brothers who find their father’s vintage toy collection in the attic, including a toy monkey. Soon after, they begin to witness a string ofhorrific deaths that seem to be brought on by the mysterious toy. StarringTheo James,Tatiana Maslany, andElijah Wood, the all-star cast fits perfectly into Perkins’ follow-up to his 2024 mega-hit. It may not have a maniacalNicolas Cage, but the trailer promises a film just as dread-inducing and bloody.
The Monkey
The Monkey is based on Stephen King’s 1980 short story of the same name. The plot follows twin brothers Hal and Bill, played by Theo James and Christian Convery, who discover a cursed monkey toy in their father’s attic. The toy is linked to a series of gruesome deaths, forcing the brothers to confront its dark power years later.
6’Vicious'
February 28
Vicious, fromBryan Bertino, will make its debut on February 28.StarringDakota Fanningin the lead role, the movie follows a young woman who receives a gift from a stranger. She then spends the night fighting for her life when she slips down a rabbit hole contained inside the gift. Little else is known about the movie butthat may be for the best since the details we know sound so twisted already. Bertino also directedThe StrangersandThe Strangers: Prey At Night, so we already know he is great at creating a tense and eerie atmosphere within his films. HopefullyViciouswill reach the heights he has already established in his career.
The 40 Best Movies of 2024
From great indie films to some of the year’s biggest blockbusters, these are Collider’s favorite films from 2024.
7’Sinners'
Michael B. Jordan pulls double duty inSinnerswhich releases on March 7. In the film, Jordan portrays twin brothers Elijah and Elias who return to their hometown in hopes of starting over again. Only when they return do they discover that something evil is waiting to welcome them home. Written, directed, and produced byRyan Coogler(who has worked with Michael B. Jordan numerous times before),Sinnersis a change of pace from his usual work which includesBlack PantherandCreed. Unlike those,Sinnersis a horror movie, and a damn scary looking one at that.
Two brothers return to their hometown in the Jim Crow-era South seeking a fresh start, only to find that an even greater evil, including the Ku Klux Klan, has taken root. Michael B. Jordan stars as twins in this vampire thriller directed by Ryan Coogler, blending supernatural horror with historical tension.
8’The Woman In the Yard'
The Woman In The Yardis a psychological thriller produced by Blumhouse and directed byJaume Collet-Serra, who just helmedNetflix’s Christmas action flick,Carry-On. StarringDanielle Deadwyler,Okwui Okpokwasili, andRussell Hornsby, the movie’s premise sees a woman dressed in black appear on a family’s front lawn and deliver a sinister warning. Butno one knows who she is, where she came from, or why she’s there. Quite frankly, the thought sounds terrifying, and since it’s deemed a psychological thriller,The Woman In The Yardis likely going to play tricks on your mind and keep you guessing until the very last second.
The Woman In The Yard
FromChristopher LandoncomesDropin April. It follows a widowed mother on a first date after years of being out of the game. All is going well until she starts being tormented by a series of anonymous airdrops to her phone threatening the lives of her children.Dropis described as a thriller, but the plot sounds much more like it fits into horror, and Christopher Landon is no stranger to the genre having written the majority of the Paranormal Activitymovies, and also bringing us the horror comediesHappy Death DayandFreaky.Time will tell ifDropalso keeps with Landon’s trend of blending horror and comedy, but it sounds like a thrilling time nonetheless.
A widowed mother’s first date in years takes a terrifying turn when she’s bombarded with anonymous threatening messages on her phone during their upscale dinner, leaving her questioning if her charming date is behind the harassment.
10’Final Destination: Bloodlines'
Yet another long-awaited sequel,Final Destination: Bloodlinesis releasing on May 16. Details have been kept extremely under wraps, but we do know some details such as the cast, which featuresBrec Bassinger,Teo Briones,Kaitlyn Santa Juana, andRichard Harmon, among others. But what fans were most eager to know was if horror legendTony Toddwould be reprising his role in the franchise as William Bludworth. It was confirmed by Bloody Disgusting that not only would Todd be returning, but the movie would actually focus on his character’s backstory and connection to death. Tony Todd sadly passed away in November 2024, soBloodlinesfocusing on his character feels especially fitting to honor him.
Final Destination Bloodlines
The premonition-based horror franchise returns in Final Destination Bloodlines. This entry acts a relaunch for the series with the formula remaining the same. Each Film’s protagonist is given a vision of a deadly event that takes several lives - by using this information to avoid their own death and the deaths of others, By doing this, death looks to claim those who’ve escaped by orchestrating bizarre accidents that kill them one by one.
