Horror News roundup: Ready or Not 2, Dolly, some Shudder news, and more

·         Ready or Not 2: Here I Come will be releasing a week earlier than was originally announced. Samara Weaving (The Babysitter) is returning to the role of Grace for the sequel, joined by Kathryn Newton (Freaky, Abigail) as Grace’s sister Faith. Also starring in the much-anticipated film are horror notables Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Elijah Wood (The Monkey), David Cronenberg (Nightbreed), and Kevin Durand (Abigail).

Ready or Not 2 was originally scheduled to make its theatrical debut on March 27, which is the same day the very similarly-themed film They Will Kill You is premiering. That’s likely why the date was shifted to March 20.

·         Sam Zimmerman was a driving force behind horror streaming platform Shudder since its launch in 2015. His job title changed several times, and until recently he was the Senior Vice President of Programming and Acquisitions at Shudder.

On January 21, Deadline announced that Zimmerman is joining Blumhouse-Atomic Monster as their new Senior VP of Development and Acquisitions. It’s a surprising move, given that he was such an important part of Shudder for so long. According to Deadline: “Well-placed sources indicated that he’ll be serving as a bit of a liaison between the two sides of Blumhouse-Atomic Monster — two genre powerhouses that completed a merger in January 2024 — also producing and/or overseeing films in the $2-8M range.”

·         IFC/Shudder have released stills, poster art, and a trailer for kidnapped in the woods horror movie Dolly. Dolly made a splash at Fantastic Fest, where Fangoria deemed it “most everything you’re looking for in a modern slasher.”

Dolly’s plotline involves a young woman named Macy, who goes on a hike in the woods with her boyfriend. Chase is planning to propose, but any chance of a romantic moment goes out the window when a person in a creepy porcelain doll mask injures Chase, and snatches Macy.

Dolly stars Fabianne Therese (John Dies at the End), Seann William Scott (The Righteous Gemstones), Ethan Suplee (The Butterfly Effect), and Max the Impaler (Slaughter at Camp Swinelake). You can catch it at a theatre near you on March 6.

Horror goes to the 2026 Academy Awards!

·         Horror is hitting big at the Academy Awards in March. The Ugly Stepsister was nominated for Best Makeup & Hairstyling, and Netflix’s Guillermo del Toro adaptation of Frankenstein received nine nominations, while Amy Madigan was nominated as Best Supporting Actress for her totally bonkers portrayal of Aunt Gladys in Weapons. But the biggest news was Sinners’ staggering 16 nominations, which is more than any film of any genre has received. Sinners was even included in the Best Picture and Best Director categories.

Maybe this is finally it – maybe the horror genre will get the positive attention it has deserved for decades!