Let’s be honest, this time of year always sneaks up on us. One second, we’re sipping Halloween cocktails, and the next, we’re staring down a calendar that says December. Like, how?
Anyway, Meaghan and Arthur decided it was the perfect time to break out the horror watchlist and talk about what we’re most excited to see in 2026.
If you’re a horror nerd like us, you’ll want to grab a drink and take notes. We’ve got everything from vampire cops to resurrected brides, plus a whole lot of “Wait, that’s getting a sequel?” energy.
So here’s what we covered in our chat about the horror flicks haunting our calendars for next year.
The Early Birds and Familiar Faces: January and February Releases
We started by digging into the horror films kicking off the year, and wow, January and February are stacked.
Arthur brought up Alien Romulus 2, which caught both our eyes, especially with Fede Alvarez back writing and Kaylee Spaney starring. If you caught her in Wake Up Dead Man (yes, the latest Knives Out), you already know she’s got range. Add in David Johnson (who killed it in The Long Walk), and we’re in.
Meaghan’s pick? Night Patrol, which, okay, sounds kinda ridiculous but also weirdly fun. LAPD vampires? Sure, why not. Justin Long and Jermaine Fowler are in it, and even if the trailer looked a little cheesy, we’re still interested.
From there, we dove into Send Help, a black comedy survival flick featuring Rachel McAdams (finally in horror!) and Dylan O’Brien. The premise?
Office drama, plane crash, deserted island, injured boss, oh, and potential murder vibes. We’re sold. Add in a Bruce Campbell cameo? Take our money.
Evil Dead: Burn is also on the 2026 slate, and it’s high on our list. It’s being directed by Sebastian Vannicek, and while the plot is still under wraps, the cast (including Wednesday’s Hunter Doohan) looks promising. It’s Evil Dead. Give us the chainsaw. We’re in.
Cold Storage and Psycho Killer are also showing up early in the year, both featuring Georgina Campbell (she’s working overtime, apparently).
Cold Storage is about a parasitic fungus escaping from a government lab. Yes, zombies. Joe Keery’s in it, and yes, we are fans.
Meanwhile, Psycho Killer looks like a brutal cat-and-mouse game between a highway patrol officer and the sadistic man who murdered her husband. Super dark, but looks so good.
Sequels, Reboots, and “Wait, That’s a Franchise Now?”
Look, we know sequels can be a mixed bag, but there are a few we can’t ignore.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is coming whether we want it or not. Arthur, being the zombie aficionado, is cautiously optimistic. Meaghan? Less so.
The last film dragged, and we’re not over the weird cult twist. Still, Cillian Murphy is back. So, fine. We’ll watch it.
We also got news about The Exorcist reboot from Mike Flanagan, with Scarlett Johansson in the lead.
We’re intrigued but also kinda bracing ourselves. It’s hard to touch something as legendary (and cursed?) as The Exorcist, especially after that disaster Believer entry.
And yes, The Bride is coming. Not a remake, but a reimagining from Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Set in 1930s Chicago, it turns Frankenstein’s monster and his bride into crime thriller antiheroes. Christian Bale is the monster. Jesse Buckley is the bride. It’s basically Bonnie and Clyde meets Frankenstein. We’re obsessed with the trailer already.
Meanwhile, They Follow, the sequel to It Follows, has us feeling a little nervous. We loved the original, but can they really recreate that kind of quiet dread again? Still, Maika Monroe is returning, and we’re curious.
Oh, and how could we forget? A Blair Witch Project reboot is allegedly in the works. We don’t want it. We said it. We’re scared they’ll ruin the weird charm of the original. But if it’s decent, we’ll admit it.
Horror with a Side of Comedy, AI, or Just Plain Weird
This is where things got even more fun. Soulm8te is part of the M3GAN universe. Yes, really. It’s about a man trying to recreate his dead wife as an android and instead creating a deadly companion. How very Black Mirror. We’re cautiously excited.
Then there’s Dracula: A Love Tale, which might be the strangest entry on our list. Caleb Landry Jones plays Dracula.
Luc Besson is directing. It’s already made waves at European festivals, and it’s set for a wider release in 2026. We’re interested just because it sounds so weird.
Obsession, which debuted at TIFF, also caught our attention. It’s a love spell horror story that turns very dark, very fast. We love that slow-burn intensity, and with the buzz it got at TIFF, it’s on our must-watch list.
We also couldn’t skip the wild new take on Resident Evil from Zach Cregger (yep, the Barbarian guy). It stars Paul Walter Hauser and Austin Abrams and supposedly doesn’t follow the same old RE plotline. It’s a courier stuck in an outbreak. Sign us up.
The Heavy Hitters Still in the Shadows
Some 2026 projects are still hiding in the mist, but we’re watching closely. Ready or Not: Here I Come is the surprise sequel to the incredible Ready or Not.
Samara Weaving is back, and it picks up right where the first film ended. We have no idea how that’s going to work, but Radio Silence is behind it again, so we’re hopeful.
There’s also talk of Final Destination 7, Quiet Place Part III, Scream 7, and Smile 3. Honestly, we’re more curious about Smile 3, the second one really impressed us. If they keep digging into the lore and don’t just rehash the same story, it could be fantastic.
And yes, we’ve got a Weapons prequel coming, based on Aunt Gladys. That’s going to be interesting. And a new Insidious entry too, with Lin Shaye returning.
One last under-the-radar gem Meaghan brought up? A film adaptation of Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito.
It’s about a governess entering a very messed-up household (because, obviously), and the cast looks incredible: Margaret Qualley, Jason Isaacs, and more. Psychological horror meets gothic vibes. We’re all about it.
Wrapping It All Up… And Getting Ready to Scream
So yeah, 2026 is already shaping up to be another wild year for horror. Between all the sequels, new stories, nostalgic reboots, and unhinged genre mashups, there’s going to be something for everyone.
We’re pumped, overwhelmed, and probably going to have to make some kind of horror calendar just to keep up with it all. Not a bad problem to have.
We’ll be watching, we’ll be screaming, and we’ll be talking about all of it on the pod. If you’re not already following us on socials, go do that; we post horror news daily (well, Arthur does).
And hey, if you love a chaotic Christmas horror movie, don’t miss our upcoming Silent Night, Deadly Night rewatch and breakdown. It’s gonna be a bloody good time.
Until then, stay scared and stay tuned. You’re in good company.