Let us be the first to let you in on a top-secret hot trend: watching horror movies. All the coolest, sexiest people you know are doing it. If you genuinely haven’t caught up with the latest and greatest in the genre, know that horror has made a comeback in a big way. Revived from the ’80s and ’90s curse of bland and forgettable franchise sequels, scary movies are finally exciting—and genuinely terrifying—again.
With A24 gracing us with X and Bodies Bodies Bodies and massive studios like Paramount bringing us Scream, some of the biggest movies of the past year were horror films. Bad news for all the scaredy cats out there—especially the ones who fainted during Terrifier 2. A ton of this year’s must-watch movies are of the spooky, chills-up-your-spine sort. We can’t wait to see what the world of horror brings us in 2023, but in the meantime? Here are the scary flicks we’re most excited to see—and be absolutely frightened by.
We can’t wait to see this dancing robot doll in action. M3GAN destroyed Twitter this fall, when the trailer dropped and immediately launched a million memes. M3GAN feels like a girlboss Chucky, who has such a distinct personality that we can already smell the M3GAN Halloween costumes coming from months away.
2
Knock At the Cabin (February 3)
M. Night Shyamalan is a horror auteur, bringing us unforgettable stories such as The Sixth Sense, Signs, and Split. But he’s not one to rest on his laurels. The director kicking 2023 off with another scary story. This time, we’ll follow a family who is taken hostage at their cabin. It’s a familiar, but terrifying premise that will sure will get a Shyamalan-esque twist.
If 2022’s Scream sequel showed us anything, it’s that this franchise can be reimagined over and over again and still find new ways to thrill us. Some familiar faces will return, including Courteney Cox and Hayden Panettiere. With buckets of blood and new killers on the loose, Scream VI will certainly be a must-watch.
Nicolas Cage as Count Dracula? Nicholas Hoult as his bumbling henchman, Renfield? Sounds like a campy horror fan’s dream come true. With a cast full of veteran comedians (see: Awkafina and Ben Schwartz), the latest take on the legendary Dracula characters will hopefully be the greatest.
5
Insidious: Fear the Dark (July 7)
James Wan’s Insidious kicked off a brand-new franchise with a story about a family who moves into a new home—and is promptly haunted by demons who attempt to possess their son. Now Patrick Wilson, the star of the Insidious films, will try his hand at directing for the first time. We can’t wait to see his take on the story that cemented him as a Scream King.
6
Haunted Mansion (August 11)
Remember the first Haunted Mansion movie? 2003 was a long time ago, but the film’s cultural impact—which itself is based on a Disney World ride—has been long-lasting. This time, a brand-new cast will take on the wacky haunted house. Rosario Dawson, LaKeith Stanfield, and Owen Wilson are just a few of the stars who will show off their horror movie chops in this Disneyfied romp.
7
The Nun 2 (September 8)
The ninth addition to The Conjuring cinematic universe will greet (and haunt!) us in 2023. After audiences were scared out of their wits by the first Nun film, a sequel was quickly announced. Taissa Farmiga will return as Sister Irene and lead this brand-new spinoff of the rich stories of The Conjuring world.
Yes, you read that right. We’re getting a tenth addition to the already huge and terrifying Saw franchise. Another James Wan original, Saw has been scaring audiences for decades now. Tobin Bell, who plays Jigsaw, will return to the role. Although it may seem like Saw has created (and recreated) every possible gory way to die, we might be in for more bloody surprises with a hopefully epic tenth sequel.
Sirena He
Sirena He is an editorial assistant and writer who focuses on media and culture.