We all need a little something to look forward to at the moment, so let it be these Horror films! This year looks to be a year of sequels, but honestly, I love a good (or so bad it’s good) horror sequel. Of course, it goes without saying that with everything going on at the moment, we can’t say for certain when, how, and if all of these films will be released this year – everything is subject to change. What horror film are you looking forward to the most?
Wrong Turn
Release Date: January 26th
Director: Mike P. Nelson
Starring: Emma Dumont, Charlotte Vega, Damian Maffei, Daisy Head
Yeah… Another Wrong Turn movie, but we’ll tell you why we’re excited. This seventh installment to the franchise is a reboot, and written by Alan B. McElroy, who wrote the original Wrong Turn (2003). A group of friends hiking the Appalachian Trail are hunted by a community of people who have lived in the mountains for hundreds of years – and have become extremely hostile to outsiders.
Willy’s Wonderland
Release Date: February 12th
Director: Kevin Lewis
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Caylee Cowan, Emily Tosta, Jiri Stanek
Five Nights At Freddy’s the movie? Just kidding, but the premise really is a little similar… Nicolas Cage stars as a man who agrees to clean an abandoned family fun centre in exchange for repairs after his car breaks down, but soon finds himself battling the possessed animatronics inside Willy’s Wonderland. This just looks really fun, and we all need a little fun right now.
Terrifier 2
Release Date: TBD
Director: Damien Leone
Starring: David Howard Thornton, Samantha Scaffidi, Lauren LaVera, Griffin Santopietro
Art the clown is back! David Howard Thornton and Samantha Scaffidi will be returning in this direct sequel to 2016’s Terrifier. When writing this sequel Damien Leone took on board what people did and didn’t like from the first one – mainly that there will be much more of a focus on plot, and somehow topping that scene. This film will also be delving into Art’s background. Leone has hopes and plans for a trilogy, so we’re really excited to see what this installment delivers.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Release Date: June 11th
Director: Jason Reid
Starring: Finn Wolfhard, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson
In this sequel to Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989), a single mother and her two children move to a new town, and find they have a connection to the original Ghostbusters. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potts will all be returning which is amazing. Although this sequel will be ignoring the 2016 reboot, it will build upon the idea that anyone can be a Ghostbuster.
Spiral: From The Book Of Saw
Release Date: May 21st
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Starring: Chris Rock, Max Minghella, Samuel L. Jackson, Marisol Nichols
Darren Lynn Bousman (who directed Saw 2 (2005) Saw 3 (2006) and Saw 4 (2007)) is returning to direct this flick, and has described it as furthering the Saw mythology but feeling very fresh. Chris Rock stars as Detective Zeke Banks who, along with his rookie partner, is in charge of a grisly series of murders reminiscent of Jigsaw’s. Rock decided to put his idea for this film forward to Lionsgate because he is a big Saw fan, which makes this really promising! This film is not a reboot, it will be working in the same cannon as the other 8 films, but is not a direct sequel to Jigsaw. We don’t know much more about it, but I’m excited and intrigued!
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
Release Date: June 4th
Director: Michael Chaves
Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Sterling James, Julian Hilliard
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are returning as Paranormal Investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. This film takes a slightly different turn from the Haunted House trope, and is based on the 1981 murder trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson. Development for this film started in 2016 so it’s been a long time coming! James Wan sadly won’t be directing this installment due to other commitments, but his replacement Michael Chaves previously directed another film within The Conjuring universe – The Curse Of La Llorona. The Conjuring films have been some of the best quality supernatural horror films we’ve seen in recent years, so I’m certainly intrigued.
Candyman
Release Date: TBD
Director: Nia DaCosta
Starring: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Tony Todd, Colman Domingo
Based on the short story ‘The Forbidden’ by Clive Barker. Jordan Peele, Nia DaCosta, and Win Rosenfield wrote the screenplay for this sequel to the 1992 film of the same name. Peele has done so much great stuff for Horror recently, so that’s honestly enough to get us excited. Tony Todd is returning to play his iconic role, which had to happen really, he can’t be replaced. Fun fact: the working title for this film was ‘Say My Name’ and I LOVE that!
Halloween Kills
Release Date: October 15th
Director: David Gordon Green
Cast: Kyle Richards, James Jude Courtney, Anthony Michael Hall, Judy Greer
Halloween (2018) really surprised us; being one of the best entries to the franchise, we’re intrigued as to where they’re going with it next – and hopeful that it could be a good sequel. Following on directly from Halloween (2018) this film will be following the idea that it’s not just Laurie Strode who’s been affected by this, she’s not the only victim of Michael Myers. So this film will be about a mob, and about people coming together through trauma; in fact we’ll be seeing a return of old characters from the first film!
Dead In The Web 