The horror genre is off to a hot start in 2025 thanks to buzzy standouts like Companion, The Monkey, and Heart Eyes. An AI lovebot thriller, a murder-happy plaything, and a Valentine’s Day slasher are stealing (and stabbing) hearts — you love to see it. But it’s only April, and we still have plenty more horror releases to come. Will the rest of 2025 be as strong as its heights already through March? One can only hope.
This year’s slate of yet-to-release horror films is as promising as ever. It’s a shame that Saw XI has been removed from the calendar (possibly dead) or that Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride and Insidious 6 were pushed to 2026, but don’t fret — there’s still plenty to stay excited about. That doesn’t even include festival darlings that appear out of nowhere. From reboots to sequels to originals, here are some of the most anticipated horror movies of 2025 yet to come.
Sinners
Ryan Coogler going full-gear horror genre is a beautiful thing. Trailers for Sinners bring bloodthirsty mischief to a 1930s Jim Crow-era nightmare that's giving From Dusk Till Dawn vibes. Michael B. Jordan stars as twin brothers Smoke and Stack in a supernatural flick pointing toward bigoted Southern vampires, showing plenty of footage from a swinging party turned violent standoff. It's got fanged teeth, plenty of weapons, and a killer cast including Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O'Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, and Delroy Lindo. Honestly, it's my top-of-the-mountain most anticipated horror film of 2025.
Release date: April 18, 2025.
Until Dawn
David F. Sandberg knows how to scare an audience (Lights Out, Annabelle: Creation), and for that reason alone, I’m all-in on his Until Dawn adaptation. Sure, storytelling seemingly takes liberties with the game’s unique butterfly effect mechanic, but that’s necessary. Until Dawn is already incredibly cinematic — I don’t want a straightforward movie version of what I already played through. Writers Gary Dauberman and Blair Butler find an intriguing storytelling hook that feels like Cabin in the Woods but with a choose-your-own-adventure replayability.
Frankly? In Sandberg I trust. Plus, we’ve got Peter Stormare returning — it’s far too early to count this video game horror flick out.
Release date: April 25, 2025.
Final Destination: Bloodlines
It’s been over a decade since Final Destination 5, and franchise fans are hungry for a return. That positions Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein’s Final Destination: Bloodlines as a hotly anticipated pre-summer horror release, ready to duel with Death’s designs yet again. Our first taste of Final Destination’s next chapter was a red-band kill setup — the good, gory stuff — but the full trailer is even more intriguing. A story cracked by Jon Watts looks to embrace series lore, including flashback premonitions and a notebook filled with familiar doodles. It’s a choice that could overcomplicate an otherwise simple concept of Rube Goldberg fatalities, but could also develop Final Destination in complex, more rewarding ways. Hopefully the latter.
Release date: May 16, 2025.
Bring Her Back
Danny and Michael Philippou earned a “be hyped about their next movie” pass after Talk To Me. Their next feature, Bring Her Back, looks to be just as upsetting and unnerving if its first trailer is any indication. Sally Hawkins and Billy Barratt star in a film that appears to be about letting the dead stay dead or resurrecting their bloated, rotting corpses. Quick cuts of snipped hair locks and ritual circles spell enough supernatural eeriness, married with the Philippou brothers’ soon-to-be-signature sense of dread. I’ve watched the trailer several times now, each time keying on new aspects to fear. That’s a vote of confidence with only a minute’s worth of footage available.
Release date: May 30, 2025.
Dangerous Animals
Dangerous Animals is only Sean Byrne's third movie since 2009's The Loved Ones — a crime given his immense talents — and this unsurprisingly looks like a blast. You've got Jai Courtney starring as a shark-obsessed serial killer who kidnaps a "savvy and free-spirited" surfer played by Hassie Harrison. The film's first trailer parallels the predatory instincts of sharks and Courtney's murderer, creating a nautically nasty vibe. It's what we've come to expect from Byrne, whose Australian Horror mean streak stands out. Truly one of the genre's most interesting filmmakers, even given the infuriatingly small sample size.
Release date: June 6, 2025.
28 Years Later
Danny Boyle and Alex Garland return to the 28 Days Later franchise two decades after unleashing the rage virus on Great Britain. Given 28 Days Later's prestige, 28 Years Later should be on top of every horror fan's most anticipated list. Garland's screenplay fast-forwards to a future where survivors live amongst the infected. Mentions of cult leaders and NATO soldiers paint a picture of an apocalyptic wasteland where terror thrives. With a cast including Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, and Jack O'Connell, everything is pointing towards what could be one of the best horror films of the year.
Release date: June 20, 2025.
M3GAN 2.0
With M3GAN, Blumhouse “stumbled” into success, not knowing what they had (viral marketing campaigns are a powerful tool). M3GAN 2.0 seems to be fully embracing “That Bitch” energy, as pastel-pink advertisements depict the girly-pop dancing M3GAN fans love to meme. Gerard Johnstone returns as director alongside co-writer Akela Cooper, keeping M3GAN in familiar hands — but their story sounds fresh and bonkers. Allison Williams’ Gemma upgrades and unleashes M3GAN as a counter to “Amelia,” an AI-powered spy robot running on stolen M3GAN technology. So you’re telling me we’re essentially getting a battling mech movie except with popping-and-locking murderdolls? I am seated, as the kids say.
Release date: June 27, 2025.
I Know What You Did Last Summer
The nostalgia cycle is hard at work this summer, which extends to 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer. Jennifer Kaytin Robinson’s fourth entry into the franchise is a direct sequel to 1998’s I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, like how David Gordon Green’s Halloween rebootquel only acknowledges the original. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. return as Julie James and Ray Bronson, joining a new cast of slasher victims in a plot said to be heavily influenced by social media. It’ll be interesting to see if fans flock back to this Scream-lite franchise that never saw the same success, but I’m here for Robinson’s take after her nifty high school black comedy Do Revenge.
Release date: July 18, 2025.
Weapons
Zach Cregger’s follow-up to Barbarian entered an unprecedented bidding war with nothing but a spec script. New Line spent $38 million on Weapons before a single frame was shot, with possible final-cut privileges going to Cregger (pending test screenings). Early plot details describe Weapons as a “multi-related” plot involving police corruption, witchcraft, and blood rituals in a small Florida community, but little else is known. Josh Brolin replaced Pedro Pascal to join Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Benedict Wong, and a stacked cast who will participate in the mayhem. If Weapons is anywhere near as unpredictable as Barbarian, we’re in for a treat.
Release date: August 8, 2025.
The Toxic Avenger
Rejoice, Toxic Avenger fans! Macon Blair’s The Toxic Avenger remake is no longer stuck in distribution limbo. We might even be able to thank Art the Clown and Terrifer 3’s box office success since Cineverse purchased distribution rights. I was one of the lucky few who got to behold The Toxic Avenger when it opened 2023’s Fantastic Fest, which I reviewed for Inverse. Now you’ll finally get to see all the Troma-inspired fun Blair cooked up, which is as grotesque and gore-forward as you’d expect. B-movie fans, this one’s for you.
Release date: August 29, 2025.
The Conjuring: The Last Rites
James Wan’s Conjurverse may not be cranking out as many spinoffs and sequels, but it’s still a noteworthy franchise. Michael Chaves will direct this year’s The Conjuring: The Last Rites, a presumed finale to the current timeline of Conjurverse stories. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson return as Lorraine and Ed Warren, continuing their more personal centerpiece in The Devil Made Me Do It. Their partnership through The Conjuring’s run represents top-notch genre acting that should be enough of a draw, as Lorraine and Ed have begun battling evils too close to home. Hopefully that continues, and The Last Rites sets a new bar for their portrayal of an iconic clairvoyant and demonologist duo.
Release date: September 5, 2025.
Him
I don’t know what to expect from a “sports horror movie,” which is not a common subgenre, but Him has my attention. Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie’s screenplay was featured on 2022’s Black List — then titled GOAT — with Monkeypaw Pictures attached. Justin Tipping is directing, and Marlon Wayans will star alongside Tyriq Withers and Julia Fox. All we know about plot details is that “a promising young football player joins an isolated compound to train under a dynasty team's aging quarterback,” so I’m guessing the veteran has a dark secret. Maybe something along the lines of John Malkovich’s culty musician in Opus? I’m all about an athletic thriller based on the horrors of getting to the top (if that’s the route).
Release date: September 19, 2025.
The Black Phone 2
The Grabber's coming to grab again in The Black Phone 2 — no shock after hauling in $160+ million worldwide on a reported $16-$18 million budget. Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, and Ethan Hawke are all reprising their roles in what's described as a high school coming-of-age movie. Scott Derrickson returns to direct as well as co-writer C. Robert Cargill, with confirmation that Joe Hill was involved in shaping the sequel's story. Apparently, the "iconic imagery" of the Grabber's masks greatly influenced where things are headed. As a fan of The Black Phone, I can't wait to see what about Hill's pitch brought Derrickson and company back for another.
Release date: October 17, 2025.
Frankenstein
Why are we excited for Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein film? Because it's Guillermo del Toro. This is his dream project, one he's been on the record talking about since 2007. "The best moments in my mind of Frankenstein, of the novel, are yet to be filmed," claims del Toro. His American Gothic take on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel will have tinges of a John Milton tragedy as del Toro once again explores the humanity of “monsters” by societal standards. Netflix finally stepped up and greenlit del Toro's baby, with Jacob Elordi starring as Frankenstein's creation. With Gyllenhaal's The Bride pushed out, del Toro's Frankenstein is now in the brightest spotlight.
Release date: November 2025.
