As horror films of 2025 quickly draw to a close, horror movie fans are looking forward to what the next year has to offer. Thankfully for them, 2026 is shaping up to be a brilliant year for horror enthusiasts. While there are some new and original horror films to enjoy, there are also plenty of sequels that people have been waiting for.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the most anticipated horror flicks coming out in 2026.
New Nightmares Unleashed: Horror Movies That Will Dominate 2026
Scream 7
Slated to come out on February 27th, 2026, Scream 7 is the latest addition to the long-running series that dates back to 1996. It stars Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, and Roger L. Jackson reprising their roles, and also features appearances from Joel McHale and Matthew Lillard.
It’s the first Scream film directed by Kevin Williamson, who is the original screenplay writer and creator of the franchise.
While not much is known about the plot, Williamson has said that with Neve Campbell back, she wanted to return to the vibe of the first film, focusing more on being suspenseful and scary than gory. Either way, you can be sure that Ghostface is going to do all they can do to make life hell for Sidney Prescott and her friends in Scream 7.
Terrifier 4
After the huge success of Terrifier 3, which grossed over $90 million at the box office, Damien Leone is back with Terrifier 4. Like the other films in the series, Terrifier 4 stars David Howard Thornton as the demonic serial killer, Art the Clown. It also stars Lauren LaVera as Sienna Shaw, who looks to defeat the killer clown, saving herself and her family in the process.
While Art the Clown has remained mysterious throughout the series, Leone has publicly stated that he’s finally going to reveal Art’s origin and how he came to be. However, he also said he won’t pull the curtain back too far, as he doesn’t want the character to lose his mystique.
With this film being the conclusion of the Terrifier saga, according to Leone, expect it to give fans the answers to questions they’ve been wondering about since the first film was released in 2016. Will it be able to match the commercial success of Terrifier 3? Only time will tell.
Scary Movie 6
Scary Movie 6 is scheduled to be released in theaters on June 12th, 2026, and is the first film in the franchise to come out in over a decade. The film sees Anna Faris and Regina Hall make their triumphant returns to the series, and the Wayans brothers are also coming back to the franchise for the first time since Scary Movie 2.
While the exact plot is being kept a secret, expect this movie to be full of horror movie spoofs, cliches, and the over-the-top comedic horror situations that the series has been known for since it debuted over two decades ago. The film is being directed by Michael Tiddes, who is best known for directing A Haunted House and A Haunted House 2.
How will the first Scary Movie in the last decade stack up to previous releases, and what sorts of horror movies will it spoof this time? You’ll have to check it out in 2026 to find out.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Few zombie or post-apocalyptic film franchises are as beloved as 28 Days Later. The franchise centers on the outbreak of the Rage Virus, which causes infected individuals to become mindless killers, and also details the lives and hardships of survivors.
Despite 28 Years Later (the third installment in the series) just releasing in 2025, the sequel is already scheduled to come out on January 16th, 2026, as the films were shot back-to-back. It’s being directed by Nia DaCosta, who is best known for directing Little Woods, Candyman, and The Marvels.
Not much is known about the plot, but many of the actors in 28 Years Later retain their roles in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, such as Cillian Murphy, Alfie Williams, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes. Will this sequel get as much love as 2025’s installment (which grossed over $150 million at the box office) or will it fall flat?
Evil Dead Burn
Coming out on July 24th, 2026, Evil Dead Burn is the sixth installment in the Evil Dead series that dates back to 1981. It’s a standalone entry in the series and stars Souheila Yacoub, Hunter Doohan, and Luciane Buchanan.
It’s being directed by Sébastien Vaniček, who was chosen because series creator Sam Raimi was impressed with his directorial debut in Infested.
As the film only just began shooting in July of 2025, there’s not much information about the plot or story. However, expect much of the same violent horror, possession, and gore that the Evil Dead series is known for.
It may be even more intense, as Vaniček has publicly stated his desire to make it even more extreme and disturbing. You’ll have to tune in when it releases to find out just how terrifying and gory it actually is.
Send Help
Send Help is a survival horror film that’s releasing on January 30th, 2026. It tells the story of two colleagues who get stranded on a remote island after a plane crash, and must work together and get beyond past issues with one another to survive. The film stars Rachel McAdams, Dylan O’Brien, Chris Pang, and Dennis Haysbert.
It’s being directed by the legendary Sam Raimi, who is best known for creating Evil Dead and directing the first three films in the series, as well as directing the Spider-Man trilogy. While everyone involved is relatively tight-lipped about the film, with Sam Raimi at the helm, we’re certainly excited to see what it’s all about when it comes out next year.
Werwulf
Set to release on Christmas Day in 2026, Werwulf is a supernatural horror film set in medieval Britain and focuses on a werewolf that stalks a countryside village. It features a star-studded cast that includes Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Willem Dafoe.
The movie is directed by Robert Eggers, best known for films like The Witch, The Lighthouse, and Nosferatu. While he’s told several unsettling and troubling stories over the years, he has said that Werwulf is his darkest by far.
With a strong lineup of actors and actresses, a brilliant director, and an interesting and dark premise, this is surely one to check out if you like a little horror around the holidays.
