Over the past 15 years, horror movies have become entrenched into popular consciousness like nothing before. Once dismissed as a genre restricted to the realm of niche fan clubs and DVD connoisseurs, horror has seen more mainstream acceptance, with blockbuster remakes of movies like IT, the ever-expanding Conjuring universe, and re-exploration of classics such as Suspiria or the ever popular Halloween.
The last few years in particular have been great for horror movies, and 2018 continued the trend with the acclaimed Hereditary, the genre-bending creature flick A Quiet Place, the surreal scifi thriller Annihilation, Nicolas Cage’s blood-soaked arthouse terror Mandy, or the post-apocalyptic offerings a la Bird Box courtesy Netflix.
What does 2019 have in store for horror fans? Which are the most highly-anticipated horror movies of the new year? Read on to know the ones you should certainly be watching!
10. Brightburn
James Gunn’s firing from Disney was an unfortunate incident, especially because he had apologized for his controversial tweets several years back. However, here is the silver lining in this development. Gunn will be involved in some way with DC’s Suicide Squad 2, and he has also engaged in other creative pursuits like this unique, scary take on the superhero genre.
Imagine if someone like Superman came to earth, but instead of being the noble defender of truth and justice, he turned out to be an evil person with superpowers? This is exactly the premise of Brightburn! The movie releases on May 24, 2019.
9. Us
Jordan Peele’s Get Out, which intertwined racism with supernatural horror, is one of the most critically-acclaimed horror movies of all time, and it even picked up an Oscar for Best Screenplay. The formula seems to have struck with Peele, as he offers another truly terrifying mix with Us, which comes across as a home-invasion movie with a social subtext. Watch the trailer to get positively spooked!
Release date – March 15, 2019.
8. Pet Sematary
No year can possibly pass by without a Stephen King adaptation on the horror menu list. Of all the books written by King, Pet Sematary remains one of his most terrifying ones and the 1989 adaptation by Mary Lambert, though not an overwhelming critics’ favorite, was a fan favorite. Now indie filmmakers Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer, known for the dark psychological horror Starry Eyes, have been entrusted to make the remake of King’s cult classic. It will be fascinating to see how they approach the movie and which elements they plan to include in the same. Definitely on your must-watch list. Release date – April 4, 2019
7. The Curse of La Llorona
James Wan has experienced unprecedented success with the stupendous visual superhero fest of Aquaman, which has become the highest grossing DC movie till date. But did you really think he was making a shift from the horror genre? No way!
In fact, Wan had pushed Aquaman as a creature horror movie to Warner Bros and even pitched a Batman horror movie once. In 2019, we will see him back as a producer for The Curse of La Llorona, which is based on the Mexican legend of ‘The Weeping Woman’. Here is the premise of the movie:
“Ignoring the eerie warning of a troubled mother suspected of child endangerment, a social worker and her own small kids are soon drawn into a frightening supernatural realm.”
The movie will release on April 19, 2019.
6. 47 Meters Down: Uncaged
Great shark movies are hard to come by and it is more than enough for horror fans when they are offered a half-decent shark movie. 47 Meters Down, made on a budget of $5 million, garnered sufficient critical praise and was a commercial success (making $61 million worldwide). This certainly warranted a sequel, which will be again directed by Johannes Roberts (who had also been roped in to direct the Resident Evil reboot produced by James Wan).
If we go by the previous movie, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged should offer enough toothy scares to viewers, when it is released on June 28, 2019.
5. Three from Hell
‘Boy, the next word that comes out of your mouth better be some brilliant fuckin’ Mark Twain shit. ‘Cause it’s definitely getting chiseled on your tombstone.’
Who else was missing such brilliant quotes from the menacing Otis Driftwood?
Fret not, for Rob Zombie is back, and so are the sadistic three – Otis, Baby and Captain Spaulding in ‘Three from Hell’. Though the release date and plot of the upcoming movie are not known yet, Rob has confirmed that the trio survived the finale of The Devil’s Rejects and would be unleashing more hell in the new movie.
We can hardly wait!
4. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Who hasn’t heard of Alvin Schwartz’s children’s horror book series ‘Scary Stories to tell in the dark’? We had always looked forward to the adaptation ever since CBS acquired the rights five years ago in 2013. The project has finally been greenlit and will release on August 9, 2019.
With Guillermo Del Toro as the writer and producer, the movie will be directed by André Øvredal, best known for Trollhunter and The Autopsy of Jane Doe.
The official synopsis of the movie is as follows:
“A group of teens who must solve the mystery surrounding a wave of spectacularly horrific deaths in their small town.”
Sounds fun!
3. Zombieland 2
Finally, a horror-comedy on the list. Zombie movies are a fan favorite and what better way than to celebrate with a 10-year anniversary of the cult classic Zombieland with its sequel Zombieland 2, slated for October 11, 2019 release. The cast of Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin will be back, as will be Bill Murray in a fictionalized version of himself.
The movie will again find the group in the wastelands of the former United States, dealing in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. But this time, they better watch out, for the zombies are learning and evolving!
2. Midsommar
YIPPEE!
Forgive us for being so excited, but Hereditary director Ari Aster is making another horror movie!
Stories revolving around a pagan cult are sure shot recipes for success, and Midsommar follows the same blueprint.
The Wikipedia description of the movie reads:
“A couple travels to Sweden to visit their friend’s rural hometown for its fabled mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.”
The movie will release on August 9, 2019 by indie horror studio A24.
1. IT: Chapter 2
When IT: Chapter 1 was released in 2017, expectations were high. Based on a classic Stephen King book revolving around a shape-shifting clown who targets children, the movie had a scary AF trailer. We knew scary clowns would be a terrifying experience, but hardly anyone would have imagined that it would go on to become the highest grossing horror movie of all time!
The second chapter of the movie is scheduled to be released on September 6, 2019, and will star big names such as James McAvoy and Jessica Chastain, apart from the younger cast of the Losers Club, as well as Bill Skarsgård in his eponymous role. Andy Muschietti, who directed the first film, will be at the helm again.
Horror fans, you are in for a thrilling ride in 2019!