We have finally entered a new year, and with that, we have so many great 2022 horror movies to look forward to. We’ve already had our first big horror release with Scream, so we’re taking a look at what else this year has to offer us. With the last few years being a constant waiting game of releases, we are finally looking at some new films that we haven’t had dangling in front of us for two years. 

Of course, this list is going to include a lot of the ever controversial remakes, reboots and sequels. But, unfortunately that is going to be a constant theme as they have become one of the few box office guaranteed successes in a volatile market. Also, there will undoubtedly be a lot of independent features that come out this year that aren’t even known about yet. 

Will these movies impress, or distress? We will find out soon enough, but judge for yourself if these upcoming 2022 horror movie releases are something to check out. 

2022 Horror Movies To Keep on Your Radar

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (February 18)

Sally Hardesty will return for revenge, sounds like its a Halloween style sequel 

Another classic film is getting a modern sequel in February, coming to Netflix. This version of Texas Chainsaw Massacre is being produced by Fede Álvarez — director of the brutal Evil Dead reboot in 2013 — and directed by David Blue Garcia (Blood Fest). In this direct sequel to the original, Sally Hardesty — the main character from the first film — will be returning to seek revenge against the leatherfaced killer. With that in mind, it sounds like this will be a sequel in the vein of David Gordon Green’s Halloween. 

The Cursed (February 18)

Originally titled Eight for Silver, this werewolf film has been much buzzed about since its premiere last year at Sundance. Directed by Sean Ellis (Cashback), this film stars Kelly Reilly (Eli, Eden Lake) and Boyd Holbrook (Gone Girl, Logan). Don’t miss this period werewolf flick!

Studio 666 (February 25)

Studio 666 will surely be at the top of all horror and rock fans’ lists this year. This film stars the actual Foo Fighters as they try and record a new album in a haunted mansion. It is directed by BJ McDonnell — director of Hatchet III — and will star Jenna Ortega and Will Forte. 

The Batman (March 4)

Perhaps the most anticipated film of the year, The Batman seems like it will combine the comic book genre with horror elements. From what it sounds like, it will be a cat-and-mouse dark detective film similar in tone to Zodiac. Directed by Matt Reeves (Cloverfield, Let Me In), this iteration of Batman will star Robert Pattinson as the caped crusader, Paul Dano as the Riddler, and Colin Farrell as the Penguin. 

X (March 18)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_67iqeUPfB0

Ti West is one of the most exciting horror directors working today. Known for The Sacrament (2013) and The House of the Devil (2009), X will be West’s long awaited return to directing after working exclusively with television shows (Them, The Exorcist) since 2015. Produced by A24, X will star Mia Goth (A Cure For Wellness, Suspiria), Kid Cudi and Brittany Snow (Would You Rather, Prom Night) and will take place in the 1970s following a production crew shooting an adult film in a rural farmhouse. 

You Won’t Be Alone (April 1)

This film, starring Noomi Rapace (Prometheus, Lamb) just premiered at Sundance to excellent reviews. Taking place in Macedonia, this film is a folky period witch movie directed by Goran Stolevski. 

The Northman (April 22) 

The Northman is Robert Eggers’ (The Witch, The Lighthouse) latest film coming out with a stacked cast of Nicole Kidman, Anya Taylor-Joy, Alexander Skarsgård, Ethan Hawke, Björk and Willem Dafoe. He wrote this along with Icelandic poet Sjón. It is described as an epic revenge thriller about a viking seeking to avenge his murdered father. 

65  (April 29) 

An upcoming science-fiction action thriller is directed by the team behind Haunt, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, and — most excitingly — produced by Sam Raimi. The film will star Adam Driver and feature music from Danny Elfman. While not much is known, 65 is about an astronaut who crashes on a strange planet, and will supposedly make use of dinosaurs! 

The Black Phone (June 24) 

A film starring Ethan Hawke, directed by the director of Sinister and Doctor Strange, based on a short story by Joe Hill, son of Stephen King? Sign us up! This film has already played across multiple film festivals, and has been getting excellent reactions praising this film for the creepiness, traumatic story and Hawke’s performance. The Black Phone is about a 13-year-old boy locked inside the basement of a masked killer, played by Hawke. 

Nope (July 22) 

One of the most exciting new directors in horror right now is Jordan Peele, and his latest film, following Us and Get Out, is one of the most anticipated horror movies of 2022. Entitled simply Nope, the film will star Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Black Panther), Keke Palmer (Hustlers), Steven Yeun (The Walking Dead, Mayhem) and Barbie Ferreira (Euphoria). Nothing is known about the plot so far, but keep an eye out for news on this film that’s releasing during the summer. 

Salem’s Lot (September 9)

This remake is based on the Stephen King book of the same name and will be directed by Gary Dauberman,  director of Annabelle Comes Home and writer of It. Lewis Pullman (The Strangers: Prey at Night), Bill Camp (Joker, Compliance) and Spencer Treat Clark (The Last House on the Left) will star and it will be produced by horror superstar James Wan (Saw, The Conjuring).  

Don’t Worry Darling (September 23)

With a promising cast including Florence Pugh (Midsommar), Harry Styles and Chris Pine, Don’t Worry Darling is one of the most exciting 2022 horror film prospects for those eager to see Pugh’s return to horror. Actress-turned-director Olivia Wilde wow’d audiences with her comedic Booksmart in 2019, and the thought of her turning now to horror is as enticing as Luca Guadagnino’s switch from Call Me By Your Name to Suspiria (2018).  In what sounds like a satirical psychological period piece, a dissatisfied housewife in the 1950s discovers her husband’s dark secret. 

Halloween Ends (October 14)

The modern Halloween trilogy directed by David Gordon Green comes to an end this October. Love it or hate it, this will definitely be on every horror fan’s minds come Halloween season this year. This will be the supposed end to the new sequels starring the franchise’s iconic lead, Jamie Lee Curtis. 

Violent Night (December 2)

David Harbour (Stranger Things, Hellboy) will star in what sounds to be a bloody violent good time of a holiday movie. Violent Night is directed by Tommy Wirkola of Dead Snow fame and the criminally underseen The Trip from last year, as well as produced by David Leitch, who also produced John Wick.

Disappointment Blvd. (TBA)

After Hereditary and Midsommar, Ari Aster’s next A24 film is definitely one of the most anticipated for horror fans. In typical Aster fashion, most details for this film, set to be released in 2022, are unknown and probably will stay that way until the film comes out. Let’s hope we at least get a release date sometime soon! What is known, is that Disappointment Blvd. will star Joaquin Phoenix (Joker, The Village) alongside Patti LuPone (Penny Dreadful, American Horror Story), Nathan Lane (Addam’s Family Values) and Amy Ryan (The Office, Goosebumps) and is described as a nightmare comedy. 

The Munsters (TBA)

Rob Zombie, both beloved and hated by genre fans, made waves after he was announced as the director of an upcoming movie reboot of The Munsters television show. So far, Zombie film regulars have been cast, including Sheri Moon Zombie as Lily Munster, Jeff Danile Phillips as Herman Munster and Daniel Roebuck as Grandpa. Interestingly, this film will be released at the same time in theaters and on Peacock. 

Evil Dead Rise (TBA)

We’re digging up the necronomicon again for a new look at the Evil Dead franchise with Evil Dead Rise. Directed by Lee Cronin, who is also behind The Hole in the Ground, this film will star Alyssa Sutherland and Lily Sullivan as estranged sisters. The fifth film in the Evil Dead franchise, it will have involvement from Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell only as executive producers. From what’s known, it will be following the events of Army of Darkness, but move to a modern setting in a city — an interesting concept. What’s more interesting, it will forego the theatrical release and go straight to HBO Max on an unreleased date.

Something in the Dirt (TBA)

Having just premiered at Sundance, this film from the celebrated horror duo Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson (Spring, The Endless, Synchronic) is one of the most highly anticipated horror movies of 2022. The duo directed, wrote, edited and even acted in this film that they shot during the pandemic. 

Orphan: First Kill (TBA)

Orphan: First Kill is a prequel to the 2009 film Orphan bringing back Isabelle Fuhrman as the iconic character Esther and also includes Julia Stiles. William Brent Bell, director of The Boy, will be directing this look at the origins of the beloved woman-turned-girl.

Bones & All (TBA)

Luca Guadagnino returns once again to the horror genre after Suspiria (2018) with an adaptation of the Camille DeAngelis book of the same name. It will star Timothée Chalamet, Taylor Russell, Mark Rylance, André Holland, Jessica Harper (OG Suspiria queen) and Chloë Sevigny, a promising and exciting combination. Bones & All will be a horror romance film centering around cannibalism. 

Hellraiser (TBA)

Another one in the line of reboots, this new take on Hellraiser will be directed by David Bruckner, famed director of The Ritual and The Night House and will be written by Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski, who also wrote Super Dark Times and The Night House. It will be going to the original source material, The Hellbound Heart written by Clive Barker, to presumably redux the 1987 film. It is also notable that this film will go straight to Hulu, and that Jamie Clayton (Sense8) will play Pinhead. 

Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon (TBA)

The latest film from A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night director Ana Lily Amirpour premiered at the Venice Film Festival around the end of last year, so hopefully we will be seeing it released sometime this year. It stars Kate Hudson, Craig Robinson and Jeon Jong-seo (Burning). It also sounds like its a wild ride, on brand for Amirpour. 

Men (TBA)

Men is the next film coming from sci-fi horror genius Alex Garland, who previously directed Ex Machina and Annihilation. The film will be produced by A24 and star Jessie Buckley (I’m Thinking of Ending Things). It seems she will be a large part of this film as well, as so far what is known is that it will be about a woman going on a solo vacation following the death of her husband. 

Dark Glasses (TBA)

What’s exciting about Dark Glasses is that it will be Dario Argento’s return to directing in quite some time. In addition to that, it will be scored by Daft Punk. While there is no official release date yet, it will be premiering at the 2022 Berlin International Film Festival in February so it will most likely be released sometime this year. Dark Glasses is a French-Italian giallo about a serial killer stalking a call girl. 

Crimes of the Future (TBA)

Horror master David Cronenberg returns finally to the director’s chair with a new sci-fi feature. This film from the renowned Canadian director will star Kristen Stewart, Léa Seydoux and Viggo Mortensen. Need we say more? It will most likely be hitting film festivals this year, and hopefully in the hands of the public by the end of it!

 

And those are some of the most notable 2022 horror movies coming out this year, or at the very least hopefully coming out this year (who can say anything for sure in a post-Covid world?) What are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments below.