Horror Movies Uncut’s 25 Most Anticipated Horror Films of 2026
- Travis Brown
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
As the calendar turns and studios begin positioning their next wave of genre releases, one of the hardest things for a horror news site to do is look forward without getting lost in hype. Anticipation is a dangerous thing in horror — expectations can kill a film faster than a bad third act. Still, every now and then, it’s worth planting a flag.
With that in mind, Horror Movies Uncut is rolling out its Top 25 Most Anticipated Horror Films of 2026.
This list isn’t a ranking of what will be “the best.” It’s a radar sweep. A mix of indie projects, studio releases, international titles, franchise continuations, and original nightmares that already have filmmakers attached, concepts emerging, or early buzz building. Some have full synopses. Some barely exist beyond a title and a director. That’s part of the excitement.
Leading the list is The Hatred Spirit, directed by Sok Leng, a supernatural revenge tale centered on a woman whose rage survives her murder. The anthology space remains strong with Body Count, hosted by cult horror icon Malvolia, blending villain-focused stories under multiple directors including Alexander T. Hwang and Jennifer Nangle. Experimental genre storytelling arrives with Cabaret Absinthe, directed by Cosmotropia de Xam, a surreal, dimension-hopping body horror rooted in performance and identity.
Major franchises and legacy properties are well represented. Nia DaCosta and Alex Garland’s world continues expanding with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, while Christophe Gans returns to familiar territory with Return to Silent Hill. Kevin Williamson steps behind the camera for Scream 7, bringing Sidney Prescott back into the crosshairs of Ghostface once more. Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride promises a radical reimagining of Frankenstein mythos, while Robert Eggers’ Werwulf dives into medieval folklore and primal terror.
Indie and international horror remain just as crucial to the landscape. Natalie Erika James’ Saccharine explores obsession and bodily horror through grief and ritual, while Adrian Chiarella’s Leviticus weaponizes desire itself. Japanese horror is represented with The Convenience Store, adapted from the cult game, and Kane Parsons brings analog dread to the big screen with The Backrooms.
Creature features and survival horror are also in full force. Alive Till Dawn traps strangers inside a zombie-infested building, while Pacífico strands travelers on a cursed island. Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus Zero signals another large-scale kaiju moment, while Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil reboot hints at a stripped-down, outbreak-focused approach to the long-running franchise.
Sequels and continuations round out the list. Ready or Not 2: Here I Come escalates the deadly family game, Thread: An Insidious Tale expands the supernatural universe through time manipulation, and Clayface, directed by James Watkins, brings tragic shape-shifting horror into Gotham’s shadows.
The full Top 25 reflects exactly what Horror Movies Uncut tracks best: variety, risk, ambition, and the continued collision of horror with grief, politics, folklore, and identity. Some of these films will overperform. Some will disappear quietly. A few may redefine their subgenres entirely.
What matters is that 2026 already looks stacked with stories worth watching — and arguing about.
Horror Movies Uncut will be there for the premieres, the festivals, the surprises, the disappointments, and the films no one saw coming. Reviews, interviews, and coverage will follow as these projects move from anticipation to reality.
Happy New Year. Keep the lights on.
The Hatred Spirit
Body Count
Cabaret Absinthe
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Return to Silent Hill
Buddy
Saccharine
Leviticus
Rock Springs
Alive Till Dawn
Gale: Yellow Brick Road
The Convenience Store
Scream 7
The Bride
Werwulf
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come
Hokum
They Will Kill You
Thread: An Insidious Tale
The Backrooms
Godzilla Minus Zero
Pacífico
Resident Evil
Cold Storage
Clayface