Sommerleigh Pollonais, Horror Head Writer
A New Year and a whole new host of horror coming our way!
More than any other movie genre horror tends to be the most unpredictable which means you could either end up with an instant classic or a forgettable dud. But that’s half the fun!
So, with a promise not to spoil anything (not that I could considering these are all upcoming releases) here are the Five Upcoming Horror Movies I’m Most looking Forward to Watching:
#5 Imaginary
Producer of Bates Motel and director of Kick-Ass 2, Jeff Wadlow gets behind the horror lens once more to bring us Imaginary. It is a movie about a woman who returns to her childhood home only to realise the imaginary friend she left behind is very real and very upset about being abandoned.
Imaginary friends and toys that seemingly move on their own? This story ticks a few of my horror-loving boxes. My only worry is Wadlow was also the director of Truth or Dare, a horror movie that made my personal “worst of” list the year it was released. Here’s hoping Imaginary has more to offer than just a fun premise.
Further reading: Supernatural Horror ‘Truth or Dare’ is Not Worth Playing
#4 The First Omen
I know I’ve mentioned this before but for those of you who may not know 1976’s The Omen is by and far the movie that freaked me out the most as a young horror fan. The music, the unending sense of dread and the chilling conclusion of that little bastard looking directly into the camera all left me shaken to my core, and it took literal decades before I would watch it again. So why would I be excited for another visit to the world Damien built? Because it’s fun to be scared stiff, that’s why!
The First Omen as the name suggests is a prequel that takes us deeper into the conspiracy of darkness that leads up to the birth of you-know-who. And with a trailer that’s all levels of creepy, I have high hopes this could be a solid return to The Omen franchise.
Further reading: Supernatural Horror Classic ‘The Omen’ Gets Under Your Skin
#3 Alien: Romulus
Depending on how you rank the Alien series of films one could argue the last great Alien movie was the second one. While the crossovers were varying degrees of fun, and the more recent Prometheus and Covenant were at the very least visually engaging (of the two I prefer Prometheus) none of these movies have managed to “wow” the fan base.
But the Alien franchise just might be on the rise again with the upcoming Alien: Romulus directed by none other than modern day horror auteur Fede Alvarez. Alvarez is skilled at bring both the right atmosphere and the right look to his movies and has already proven he knows how to pay respects to the classics while making a story that feels refreshingly original with films like Evil Dead, Don’t Breathe and The Girl in the Spider’s Web. Alien is a franchise with so much potential beyond the obvious man versus alien angle and I think if anyone can make these monsters and the world they inhabit interesting again, it’s Fede Alvarez. Here’s hoping he proves me right.
Further reading: Alien: Covenant Review in 3 Bites
#2 Salem’s Lot
What can I say? I’m a sucker for a Stephen King story, even moreso when vampires are involved. It’s been quite some time since I’ve seen bloodsuckers on the big screen, or to be more precise, it’s been quite some time since I’ve seen a truly entertaining bloodsucker movie on the big screen. The Last Voyage of the Demeter had potential, but it didn’t’ quite get there. And like DC’s The Joker I’m a bit burnt out on Dracula being the focus and would much rather see a different iteration of these classic monsters.
Salem’s Lot was made into a mini-series in 1979 and even rebooted in 2004, which brings to mind the question of whether they’ll be able to do such a massive story justice with just one movie. Time will tell but for the sake of King fans everywhere, I hope this one’s a winner.
Further reading: First Time Watching Salem’s Lot (1979)
Honourable Mention – The Conjuring: Last Rites
Call me a sucker for punishment as this franchise has been delivering diminishing returns for a while now, but I still enjoy battling evil with The Warrens. With Valak set to make a return and younger sister Taissa Farmiga (Sister Irene from The Nun I & II) finally getting to team up on screen with Vera (Lorraine Warren) I have my fingers crossed The Conjuring movies will get to go out on the same high it originally came in on.
Further reading: The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is Messy and Uneven
#1 A Quiet Place: Day One
While the second movie wasn’t as effective as the first, John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place is still one of the best modern day horror outings to grace the big screen. Viewers were dropped into a world that demanded complete silence from survivors, but what exactly happened when these invaders first got to Earth? Considering the title, I’m guessing there’ll be a lot more noise which means there’s the possibility of larger action set pieces and loads of suspense. I can’t wait to check this out in cinema as I once again try to eat my popcorn without making a sound and watch everyone around me angrily shush the guy who forgot to silence his phone.
Can we have this movie show before every other movie from now on? If just to get rid of annoying movie-goers. Yeah, for that alone this movie deserves to be number one!
Further reading: ‘A Quiet Place II’ is a Horror Sequel Worth Shouting About
So that’s my list. What horror movies are you excited for this year? And you can check more horror movie lists below:
Sommerleigh of the House Pollonais. First of Her Name. Sushi Lover, Queen of Horror Movies, Comic Books and Binge-Watching Netflix. Mother of two beautiful black cats named Vader and Kylo. I think eating Popcorn at the movies should be mandatory, PS4 makes the best games ever, and I’ll be talking about movies until the zombie apocalypse comes. Double Tap Baby! Read More