Oh, the horror! It's almost 2024! Where does the time go? If you’re anything like us then you’ve spent the year feasting on as many horror movies as possible. But don't worry if you've not kept up; the end of the year is perfect for revisiting the best horror movies of 2023. It's also an opportunity to look toward the coming year, and, hoo boy, is 2024 packed.
Whatever your preferred sub genre, there's plenty of titles on the stacked slate to appeal to every horror fan – from zombie comedies to giallo-inspired throwbacks to stomach-churning gorefests. Of the dozens of films scheduled for release, we've picked a select few we recommend keeping on your radar.
We'll also tell you which of the best streaming services you can find them on, based on which studios have made them and the streamers they have agreements with (or own). These aren't guarantees, but it's usually predictable in most cases!
Lisa Frankenstein
Release date: February 9, 2024
Where to stream: Peacock, Prime Video
Diablo Cody burst onto the scene with the knowing, hip script for Juno, followed it up with the cult classic Jennifer's Body, and now turns her hand to Mary Shelley's yarn. But, with a modern twist. Sort of. A period piece set in 1989, Lisa Frankenstein is dubbed a "coming of RAGE" story and features rising star Kathryn Newton (Freaky, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) as a teenager who reanimates her dead Victorian-era crush (Cole Sprouse).
Cody's signature zingers are brought to life by Zelda Williams in her directorial debut, and based on the first teaser, their styles mesh beautifully. It comes across as a gothic rom-com with flashes of horror. But who knows what the end result may be? After all, the Jennifer's Body marketing campaign advertised a wholly different experience to the finished product, so we'll have to wait and see.
Starring alongside Newton and Sprouse are Mike Flanagan stalwart Carla Gugino and M3gan's Jenna Davis. While we can't guarantee a specific date, Lisa Frankenstein will likely drop on Peacock four months after its theatrical release, before heading to Amazon Prime Video.
Radio Silence’s Untitled Universal Monster Movie
Release date: April 19, 2024
Streaming: Peacock, Prime Video
The Radio Silence team (responsible for Scream and Scream VI) takes its hand to a different sort of revival – the Universal Monsters catalog. Specifically, this as-yet untitled project (yes, even just months from its launch) is reported to be a loose adaptation of Dracula's Daughter that follows a gang of kidnappers who abduct young people. Melissa Barrera is currently set to reunite with her Scream directors to snag one of the abductor roles, with youngster Alisha Weir (Matilda) as one of the abducted.
Little is known about the specific roles of the rest of the cast but the call sheet boasts a roster of top-notch talent, including Dan Stevens (The Guest), Kathryn Newton (in her second appearance in this list), Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad), Kevin Durand (The Strain), Will Catlett (Lovecraft Country) and Angus Cloud (Euphoria).
According to Universal, the movie is positioned as a "unique take on legendary monster lore and will represent a fresh, new direction" for the Universal monsters series. What's most intriguing is that its release date is four months away and as yet no marketing materials have emerged, hence no trailer or even a still above this entry. With no definitive word on the actual content of the movie, this entire project remains masked in mystery which only serves to pique our interest more…
At least we can say that, as a Universal movie, it will likely go to the company's Peacock streaming service first, then to Prime Video due to the studio's exclusive agreement with Amazon.
The Watchers
Release date: June 7, 2024
Streaming: Max
Having racked up credits working as assistant director on Old and Knock and the Cabin, in addition to writing and directing on his Apple TV series Servant, M. Night Shyamalan's daughter makes her directorial debut this year. Ishana Shyamalan's feature The Watchers appears to be taking a leaf out of dad's book with a sinister premise carrying the possibility for twists galore.
The movie follows Mina, a 28 year-old artist who gets stranded in the Irish countryside and finds shelter alongside three strangers. Before long, the group discovers their haven features a floor-to-ceiling glass wall that allows them to be observed by mysterious creatures.
The movie is based on the novel by A.M. Shine, so it's likely this adaptation may take some unexpected swerves to avoid being predictable. Tackling the lead role of struggling artist Mina is Dakota Fanning, who is joined by Georgina Campbell (Barbarian) and Olwen Fouéré (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Mandy) who will likely play two of the other prisoners. Like her father, Ishana's upcoming pic releases at Warner Bros, so it stands to reason we'll see this make its streaming debut on Max – perhaps even on the same day as theaters, like Five Nights at Freddy's, but we'll see.
A Quiet Place: Day One
Release date: June 28, 2024
Streaming: Paramount Plus
Just when you thought there was nothing new under the dystopian sun, John Krasinki's A Quiet Place dropped into theaters and promptly changed everyone's minds. A sci-fi horror thriller that scored both acclaim and box office receipts, it was only a matter of time before we got a sequel – A Quiet Place: Part II. Both were directed by Krasinski, who takes a break for this third entry in the franchise, handing the reins over to Michael Sarnoski who helmed the sublime Nic Cage drama, Pig. [The best movie of 2021!! - Ed]
As the title suggests, A Quiet Place: Day One takes place during the nascent stages of the invasion we've seen in the previous two chapters. Dubbed a "prequel spin-off", this suggests it won't follow the Abbott family – their story is expected to continue in A Quiet Place Part III – but instead explore this terrifying world with another group of survivors. This includes Lupita Nyong'o (Us), Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things), Djimon Hounsou (who appeared in Part II), and Alex Wolff (Hereditary, Pig).
Very few story details have been revealed so until we see a teaser there's a fair amount of guesswork required. Principal photography kicked off in London, England so it's possible the movie takes a global approach to the invasion, as evidenced by pics Krasinski posted to Twitter on the first day of shooting. We'll find out more once a teaser drops, but expect aliens and silence.
As a Paramount movie, this will certainly end up on Paramount Plus.
Trap
Release date: August 2, 2024
Where to stream: Max
It's a Shyamalan family double! At this point in his career, an M Night Shyamalan movie is a cinematic event. His signature blend of psychological shocks and third act twists mark his films as must-sees horror community. His upcoming Trap remains shrouded in secrecy – as per usual – except for this scrap of a synopsis: it's a thriller set at a concert. Headlining this thriller are Josh Hartnett (Oppenheimer) and Hayley Mills (The Parent Trap) but as yet no additional details have emerged about who they're playing.
"It’s very unusual and very new compared to what I’ve been trying to do [recently], but I’m feeling very excited about the story," Shyamalan said in an NME interview, "the angle into the story is why it’s so exciting. The story might be something that you’ve seen before but the angle is very, very unique – the point of view."
As Shyamalan recently moved over to Warner Bros, it's likely that Trap will be streaming on Max. Another major move for Shyamalan is the shooting locale. According to reports, Trap wasn't filmed in his home state of Pennsylvania, but shifted to the greater Cincinnati area in Ohio.
Alien: Romulus
Release date: August 16, 2024
Streaming: Hulu, Disney Plus
After Disney's purchase of 20th Century Fox, many wondered if we'd ever see another xenomorph encounter on the big screen. Well, quit your grinnin' and drop your linen, because we're getting a brand-new story set within the same universe. Expect this ninth installment in the Alien franchise to be a bloody affair as Alien Romulus hails from Evil Dead and Don't Breathe director Fede Alvarez, who seldom shies away from grue. The director co-wrote the script with his long-time collaborator Rodo Sayagues which is reportedly set between the events of Alien and Aliens.
Fans of Ripley may be disappointed as the warrant officer isn't reported to appear, with the story geared toward a new group of characters, skewing much younger than typical Alien movie casts. Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla, Mare of Easttown) headlines the movie, which 20th Century Studios' official synopsis describes as "a group of young people on a distant world find themselves in a confrontation with the most terrifying life form in the universe." Joining Spaeny for this undoubtedly bloody affair will be Isabela Merced (Transformers: The Last Knight), David Jonsson (Rye Lane), and Archie Renaux (Shadow and Bone).
Interestingly, the movie was originally slated for a direct-to-streaming release, but in light of genre pics making lucrative pivots (Evil Dead Rise) and the frustration of recent Hulu horror/thriller releases that really should have hit the big screen (Prey, No One Will Save You) the film will release exclusively in theaters before dropping on Hulu in the US, and Disney Plus worldwide.
Terrifier 3
Release date: October 25, 2024
Streaming: Screambox
Proof that the slasher is alive and well! Damian Leone's Terrifier series returns to the theaters next year for the third chapter in Art the Clown's repugnant journey. Following the huge box office haul from Terrifier 2 it came as no surprise when a sequel was announced as in development. But honestly, where can you go after the blood-soaked, entrail-dripping capers of the second part? Well, to Christmas of course!
Yes, that's right, what better place for Art to spill blood than over freshly-fallen snow? Terrifier 3 is set to unravel over the holidays in Miles County, where we'll hopefully learn more about the slasher's backstory and dedicate more time to the character of Victoria Heyes.
Played by Samantha Scaffidi, Victoria was introduced in the first Terrifier as one of Art's victims-turned-killer and had a brief cameo in the sequel. This time around she'll take a pivotal role alongside Lauren LaVera who returns as survivor Sienna Shaw, Elliot Fullam as her brother Jonathan Shaw, and of course, David Howard Thornton as Art the Clown. Thornton looks to be having a ball in the brief teaser that's been released, signaling no-one is exempt from Art's hideous brand of butchery.
Niche service Screambox is confirmed to have acquired the movie, so expect it there at first, at least.
Nosferatu
Release date: December 25, 2024
Streaming: Peacock
While he only has three films under his belt, Robert Eggers movies generate significant buzz, and his latest is no exception. His upcoming project is a reworking of the classic Nosferatu, F.W. Murnau's unofficial 1922 Dracula adaptation which starred Max Schreck as the vampiric ogre Count Orlok. Eggers' take enlists Bill Skarsgård as Orlok, and early word hints at a major physical transformation from its leading man. He lost "a tremendous amount of weight", according to a recent Eggers interview, and he also underwent vocal coaching to lower his voice. If the actor's Pennywise performance in IT is any indication, expect him to be somewhat unrecognizable.
Elsewhere on the casting slate, Nicholas Hoult (Renfield, Warm Bodies) tackles the role of Thomas Hutter, with Lily-Rose Depp (Yoga Hosers) on board to play Hutter's wife, Ellen. If this gothic horror traverses the same spooky route as the original, the movie follows the Transylvanian nobleman Count Orlok as he falls under the spell of Ellen Hutter and attempts to win her affections. Joining Hoult and Depp are Willem Dafoe (who appeared in Eggers' The Lighthouse), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Godzilla), Emma Corrin (TV's The Crown),
The official synopsis refers to it as a "gothic tale of obsession", which, so far, so Dracool. But the exciting part is Eggers' assertion that it will be terrifying. "It's a scary film,” he told Empire. “And I do think that there hasn’t been an old-school Gothic movie that’s actually scary in a while. And I think that the majority of audiences will find this one to be the case." Pack a spare pair? If you're not brave enough to manage a theater trip, it's likely that Nosferatu will land on Peacock shortly after its theatrical release.
Maxxxine
Release date: Not announced
Streaming: Max
Out of nowhere Ti West and Mia Goth blew everyone's collective minds with the double-whammy of X and its prequel Pearl. Both were filmed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and accrued critical acclaim for their unique approaches to the same character, played by Goth, who also tackled the part of Maxine in X. It's her tale that will continue in this third, and final(?), installment in the series which picks up five years after the gruesome events of X.
The teaser hints at another epoch-savvy chapter in the Pearl/Maxine tale, soundtracked by 1980s synth group Animoto's song 'Obsession'. The brief clip sweeps across the Hollywood sign which is replaced by one that reads "MAXXXINE". From what we know so far, Maxine lands herself a part in a nasty horror sequel directed by Elizabeth Debicki's character alongside another actor played by Lily Collins. Maxxxine will follow the wannabe starlet's exploits in Hollywood where she also crosses paths with Giancarlo Esposito's adult film agent, a private investigator played by Kevin Bacon, and members of the LAPD – two cops are played by Michelle Monaghan and Bobby Cannavale.
Rumors out of a recent advanced screening suggest the backdrop for the movie involves the Night Stalker, the notorious L.A. serial killer, which would be a perfect way to bow out this trilogy. As the movie hails from A24, it will eventually bow on Max thanks to a new streaming deal that was announced this month.
