A new year is upon us, and the horror genre never sleeps! Stay tuned as we discuss the 10 most anticipated horror movies releasing in 2025.
Spooky season may have come to an end, but horror is here to stay! We have seen some exceptional genre releases since January, and it’s hard to believe yet another year has flown by. But don’t fret. 2025 is right around the corner and is bound to have many exciting and surprising stories full of gore, ghosts, and ghouls. So, grab a hot drink and settle in by the fire as we discuss 10 horror movies coming out next year, in order of release date.
1. Wolf Man
Director: Leigh Whannell
Writers: Leigh Whannell Corbett Tuck, Rebecca Angelo, Lauren Schuker Blum
Cast: Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Matilda Firth
Release Date: January 17, 2025
Leigh Whannell‘s two most recent directed films, Upgrade and The Invisible Man, received excellent reviews, with scores of 88 and 91 percent on the Tomatometer. After such praise, one can’t help but be excited whenever he is set to direct a horror movie. Not only is the Australian filmmaker a masterful screenwriter, but he has also proven his talent behind the camera. His latest horror feature, Wolf Man, is a reboot of the 1941 classic The Wolf Man. But worry not about this movie being a carbon copy of the original. Whannell is a man of great style and creative vision, and I am confident that he will do the source material justice and give the narrative a fresh twist. Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner star in the perfect monster movie to kick-start the year.
2. The Monkey
Director: Osgood Perkins
Writer: Osgood Perkins, based on the short story The Monkey by Stephen King
Cast: Theo James, Elijah Wood, Tatiana Maslany
Release Date: February 21, 2025
After the release of Longlegs earlier this year, Osgood Perkins can do no wrong in my eyes. Even if you’re not a fan of some of his earlier movies, he excels at atmospheric building, making him the perfect director for a screen adaptation of a Stephen King horror short. Plus, The Monkey is also produced by horror connoisseur James Wan. Need I say more? The film follows siblings Bill and Hal, who discover a toy monkey in their father’s attack. Though, after the brothers throw the object away, unexplained deaths start taking place. If the film’s teaser trailer is anything to go by, The Monkey has the potential to be one of the best fright fests of 2025. Horror hounds, get ready!
3. 28 Years Later
Director: Danny Boyle
Writers: Danny Boyle, Alex Garland
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you would have seen the sheer excitement of horror fans on social media when the release of 28 Years Later was announced. Not only is the first movie in the franchise, 28 Days Later, regarded as one of the best post-apocalyptic movies of all time, but Cillian Murphy, who will be reprising his role in this latest installment, also stars in it. If the Irish actor’s return doesn’t make you giddy enough, then knowing that Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson will also be part of the cast will be sure to throw your mind into a frenzy. 28 Years Later is directed by Danny Boyle and follows a group of individuals attempting to survive in a world where the ravaging Rage virus has returned.
4. M3GAN 2.0
Director: Gerard Johnstone
Writer: Akela Cooper
Cast: Allison Williams, Jemaine Clement, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Amie Donald, Jenna Davis, Violet McGraw
Release Date: June 27, 2025
AI is here to stay, and M3GAN is no exception to that rule. The whimsical robot will return to our screens in June 2025, and I can’t wait to see what chaos the dancing humanoid will create next. Jason Blumhouse and James Wan are producers of the project, alongside Allison Williams, who will also return as the film’s protagonist. Though we have yet to see much regarding the film’s plot and where the story will take us next, if the second installment keeps the same tone as its predecessor, there’s no doubt that the sequel will be humorous, unruly, and undeniably entertaining.
5. I Know What You Did Last Summer (name unconfirmed)
Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Writers: Sam Lansky, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Leah McKendrick
Cast: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Madelyn Cline, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Austin Nichols
Release Date: July 18, 2025
If, like me, you grew up in the ’90s, you’ll know just how iconic I Know What You Did Last Summer became when the film was released in 1997. It was one of the first features that made me fall in love with the horror genre and is a movie I constantly revisit. When it was announced that the franchise was returning and a new film was being released in 2025, feel-good nostalgia hit, and it quickly became one of my most anticipated movies of next year. Little about the film has been shared, but we do know that Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. will reprise their roles, and hopefully, after the cliffhanger fans were left on at the end of I Still Know What You Did Last Summer twenty-six years ago, we will finally get some answers!
6. The Conjuring: Last Rites
Director: Michael Chaves
Writer: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick
Cast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ben Hardy, Mia Tomlinson
Release Date: September 5, 2025
Four years after the release of The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, The Conjuring returns for its fourth film in the franchise, The Conjuring: Last Rites. A big part of what makes these movies great is the indisputable chemistry between Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson and the creepy, paranormal world that Ed and Lorraine inhabit. I, for one, cannot wait to see what paranormal investigation the couple will tackle in their next case. This is also a must-see horror flick as it is the last film in The Conjuring universe based around the supernatural duo. And with James Wan producing, I do not doubt that this final installment will conclude in a satisfying manner.
7. Saw XI
Director: Kevin Greutert
Writer: Marcus Dunstan
Cast: Tobin Bell, other cast members TBD
Release Date: September 26, 2025
If you’d told me back in 2004, when the first Saw film was released, that this franchise would still be going strong nineteen years later, I wouldn’t have believed it. Yet here we are! I’ll be the first to admit that many of the movies in this franchise have been absolute misses for me. That said, 2023’s Saw X completely changed the trajectory in the best way possible, choosing to focus the story on the mastermind behind the games, John Kramer.
Now, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous about the direction Saw XI will go in, especially as Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg didn’t write the eleventh installment in the franchise. However, I’m still excited to see what fresh ideas screenwriter Marcus Dunstan and returning Saw X director Kevin Greutert will bring to the table. Just imagine what sort of demented traps Saw XI could feature. Gore fans, buckle up and prepare for Tobin Bell’s iconic return once again!
8. The Black Phone 2
Director: Scott Derrickson
Writers: Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill, based on the short story by Joe Hill
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies
Release Date: October 17, 2025
Considering how 2021’s The Black Phone concluded, the announcement of a sequel was unexpected. Horror fans are curious to see what Scott Derrickson has planned for the second installment and where the next chapter will lead us. Plus, who doesn’t want more screen time of Ethan Hawke being an utter weirdo in the best way, in that creepy, disturbing mask? Though little has been shared regarding the storyline, we know that Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, and the Grabber himself, Ethan Hawke, will be returning to the franchise. Will the sequel feature flashbacks that delve deeper into The Grabber’s past? Sit tight, as all shall be revealed in October 2025!
9. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2
Director: Emma Tammi
Writers: Emma Tammi, Scott Cawthon
Cast: Josh Hutcherson, Matthew Lillard, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio
Release Date: December 5, 2025
Though Five Nights at Freddy’s was somewhat divisive among critics and moviegoers, the film has a huge fanbase. In fact, the game adaptation feature was one of the biggest opening weekends for a horror film in 2023. So, it was to be expected that this fantastical world would become a full-fledged franchise, with the next installment, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, set to release in December 2025. The sequel will see Emma Tammi return to the director’s chair, with Josh Hutcherson, Matthew Lillard, and Elizabeth Lail reprising their roles. One can’t help but wonder what those pesky animatronics will get up to next!
10. Frankenstein
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Writer: Guillermo del Toro, based on the novel by Mary Shelley
Cast: Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Oscar Issac, Jacob Elordi
Release Date: 2025, date TBD
I could barely contain my excitement when I heard that a new Frankenstein movie starring Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Oscar Isaac, and Jacob Elordi was set for release in 2025. But what made me even more elated was that Guillermo del Toro is directing this beast feast. His skillful ability to blend genres seamlessly, his distinctive visual style, and intricate stories rich in emotional depth are sure to make this creature feature a total hit! And the cast is the ultimate chef’s kiss. Though there’s no official release date for the movie yet, we’ll be waiting with bated breath for that moment to arrive!
And there you have it! A list of the most anticipated horror movies that will be released in 2025. Though we have limited information about some of the titles mentioned, many talented actors and directors are involved in various upcoming terror-filled films, and 2025 is already looking to be a year overflowing with exceptional horror movies. Which feature are you most looking forward to?
