Six horror movies we can't wait to see in 2026

With movies like Sinners, Weapons, Good Boy, Bring Her Back, among others, 2025 was quite the year for the horror genre. 2026 also looks to be quite a stellar year, too, with highly anticipated sequels and new movies from some of the genre's most promising directors.

Here is a list of six horror movies we can't wait to see in 2026.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

Writer Danny Boyle and director Alex Garland reunited in 2025 for 28 Years Later, setting up a new trilogy that continues at the beginning of the year with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. This time, Nia DaCosta handled directing duties. The trailer looks great, especially the scenes with Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Ian Kelson and Jack O'Connell as cult leader Jimmy Crystal.

So far, the film has garnered positive buzz. DaCosta offered a fresh take on Candyman in 2021, so we'll see what she does with The Bone Temple. We'll know soon enough. Hopefully, this is the movie where Cillian Murphy returns.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple releases in theaters on January 16.

Scream 7

For fans upset that Melissa Barrera won't return to the Scream franchise, there's a bit of solace in the fact that some franchise originals are returning, most notably Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, Courtney Cox as Gale Weathers, and Kevin Williamson, this time in a directing role. Williamson wrote the first four movies. It'll be interesting to see what he does with the franchise years after he was involved and in the age of A.I.

Based on the trailer, it looks like Ghostface yet again terrorizes Sidney. Only, this time, the killer(s) go after Sidney's daughter, Tatum (Isabel May). At the very least, that adds a new twist to the long-running series.

Scream 7 releases in theaters on February 27.

The Bride!

Frankenstein adaptations are a long-running staple in the horror genre. Just last year, we had Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein. However, the Bride of Frankenstein is an underused character. When she made her debut in James Whale's 1935 Bride of Frankenstein for Universal, she barely had any screen time. Yet, she's what we remember most from that iconic movie.

With The Bride!, director Maggie Gyllenhaal gives a new twist to the lovers. The movie is set in 1930s Chicago and looks, in part, like a gangster movie. Christian Bale stars as Frankenstein's Monster, while Jessie Buckley, fresh off of her unforgettable performance in Hamnet, plays the Bride. This movie is definitely a must-see.

The Bride! releases in theaters on March 6.

Ready or Not 2

At long last, we're getting a sequel to 2019's Ready or Not. Tyler Gillett, one half of Radio Silence, who directed the first film, helmed the sequel. Samara Weaving returns as Grace, after she killed her fiancé and his rich family in the last film because they hunted her. The new movie is rounded out by an impressive cast, including Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elijah Wood as villains.

We'll see what Grace has to survive this time. Hopefully, the sequel maintains the level of fun and gore that the first film had. The trailer certainly looks promising.

Ready or Not 2 releases in theaters on March 27.

Alpha

Anything French director Julia Ducournau releases warrants attention after her stellar films Raw from 2016 and 2021's Titane. She's a new master of body horror, creating unnerving and uncomfortable features. Her latest movie is Alpha and follows a teen girl, who, after returning from school with a tattoo, is feared to have contracted a new lethal bloodborne disease.

The film premiered at Cannes last year. The cast includes Tahar Rahim, Golshifteh Farahani, Melissa Boros, Emma Mackey, and Finnegan Oldfield.

Alpha releases in theaters on March 27.

Hokum

Like Julia Ducournau, Irish director Damien Mc Carthy is one of the most exciting talents in the game right now. His first two films, Caveat and Oddity especially, are stellar creepfests. Mc Carthy is really a master at establishing a chilling mood and atmosphere. His latest, Hokum, follows a horror writer who visits an Irish inn to scatter his parents' ashes. He's unaware, however, that the property is said to be haunted by a witch.

Hokum releases in theaters on May 1.

Other potential 2026 horror movies

It's also possible that 2026 may bring us Terrifier 4 late in the year, Robert Eggers' 14th Century werewolf movie simply titled Werwulf, and a new Insidious universe movie. However, not all of these films have official release dates yet, so they may arrive this year or in 2027. We'll bring you more news on those other releases as we have it.