MONTH IN REVIEW: OCTOBER 2024

It's not always easy to keep track of the world of horror day-to-day. So here's a round up of what's happened last month and a glimpse of what we can expect in the coming weeks...

October holds a special place in the hearts of horror enthusiasts. Crisp autumn nights, trees ablaze with amber hues—it's like a countdown to Halloween, complete with jack-o'-lanterns, trick-or-treaters, and festive thrills. It’s also the month when horror fans are typically treated to an abundance of scary movies. This October was especially bountiful, particularly on the big screen.

Damien Leone’s Terrifier 3 was perhaps the most talked-about release. Despite the first two films not seeing a theatrical debut, this third installment ignited conversations about the value of violent horror, with some religious groups even protesting its proximity to the Christmas season. Yet, the numbers speak for themselves; with a global box office of $60 million on a modest budget, the film’s success is undeniable. Whether you're a fan or not (we think it's decent, for the record), it's refreshing to see a horror film make such an impact, especially one that isn't a PG-13 Blumhouse feature. Leone has confirmed a fourth film, so we can likely expect more next year.

Smile 2 has also done very well and for good reason; it’s one of those rare sequels that matches up to the quality of its predecessor and it’s got a mean streak a mile wide. Despite a bigger budget and possibly lower returns, it’s still set to cross the $100 million mark and has received strong critical acclaim. A third installment seems likely.

The Substance, directed by Coralie Fargeat, has made waves with its extreme body horror, bolstered by strong performances from Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. Though it may not be as financially successful as Terrifier 3, it boasts a 90% Rotten Tomatoes rating, a testament to its appeal beyond mere shock value.

There have been a handful of other cinema releases for us to feast on too and none of them have been terrible. Salem’s Lot wasn’t as good as we all hoped but it was still sort of fun. The Front Room was bonkers but again, it’s always good to see a film trying to do something a bit different. Hellboy: The Crooked Man was perfectly watchable if unremarkable and although we’re in the minority, we thought Never Let Go was a stylish and grim modern fairy tale. Think The Watchers (or the Watched), just better. Heretic – starring Hugh Grant, was also released in October and although our review won’t be published until tomorrow, spoiler alert, it is another hit from A24.

There were also a whole host of releases on streaming platforms/VOD, most of which we haven’t reviewed but are there to revisit if you missed them. We did see It’s What’s Inside and if you liked Bodies, Bodies, Bodies, this body swapping mystery thriller will be right up your street. The Platform 2 and Time Cut were supposedly quite underwhelming whilst Azrael (starring Samara Weaving) and Netflix’s Don’t Move received mixed reviews. Red Rooms and V/H/S Beyond are two definitely worth checking out though.

November's lineup, however, is a stark contrast; it’s as if Halloween flipped a switch. Spooky season has ended, and the focus is shifting to Christmas. Theatrical releases are scarce this month, but Shudder is keeping the horror spirit alive. Black Cab, debuting on November 5th, tells the story of a couple led astray by a mysterious cab driver. A Creep spin-off series (the guy in the wolf mask one, not the London underground one). is set to premiere on November 15th, and Out Come the Wolves, an animal attack thriller, is coming at the end of the month. Additionally, Abigail (on Prime) and Cuckoo (DVD) are now available for anyone who missed them.

October wasn’t only busy with releases; it brought exciting updates on upcoming horror projects. Samara Weaving and Radio Silence confirmed their involvement in a sequel to 2019 smash hit Ready or Not, which is great news. It’s hard to find someone that didn’t enjoy that movie!

We’re also getting not one but TWO Predator movies next year. After the surprise success of Prey (2022), it makes perfect sense to get director Dan Trachtenberg to do another one, but 20th Century Studios have revealed that not only will we see Predator: Badlands late next year, there is another Predator movie that will also be released in 2025 too. Although details on the title, plot and method of release are being kept under wrap for now. They also revealed that a sequel to Fede Alvarez’s Alien: Romulus is being worked on too and it’s expected that Alvarez will return for that as well. So if you are an Alien/Predator fan, rejoice!

If liminal horror is more your thing, then news that A24 have hired Skinamarink director Kyle Edward Ball to write and direct a new horror film called The Land of Nod will be worth noting. Although an incredibly divisive film amongst the horror community, Skinamarink is still an intriguing proposition and this will be a chance for the director to show how he can handle a bigger budget and bigger expectations.

Although we weren’t blown away by Leigh Janiak’s Fear Street trilogy, they proved to be a big hit for Netflix and were popular amongst younger genre viewers. The news that 2025 will see the release of the fourth instalment, titled Fear Street: Prom Queen, is positive nevertheless and a change of director (Matt Palmer) might mean we get served up something a little different in terms of tone/quality. Fingers crossed.

Filming is also currently underway on the final instalments of two popular horror franchises. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson will be back one last time for The Conjuring: Last Rites in September next year and they are currently in the middle of production on that. The last film in Stephen Cognetti’s popular found-footage franchise Hell House LLC also began filming less than a week ago too. If you haven’t seen any of those films, track them down. The first and fourth films in particular are pretty damn effective.

In news that’s going to possibly make you feel quite old, The Wayans brothers are resurrecting the Scary Movie franchise. The first film, released in 2000 after the wave of post Scream slashers was wildly popular and took over $250m at the box office. This time round expect fun to be poked at elevated horror and legacy sequels. A 2025 release is in the pipeline too.

Although Halloween already feels like old news, Jamie Lee Curtis has done her best to keep hopes alive of a new Halloween movie by refusing to rule out a return to Haddonfield in the future. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly she said that she had hung up her bell-bottoms and pale blue button-down shirt, and relinquished Laurie to the ages with a warm, ‘aloha,’ and a thanks for all the years and memories. But she finished by saying ‘And yet, if I’ve learned anything in my 65 years on the planet, it’s never say never. Goodbye.’ Come on Jamie, give us one more film. You know it makes sense…

In other good news, it was also confirmed that a sequel to Godzilla: Minus One (what a film!) has been greenlit, with director Takashi Yamazaki returning to direct. There have been no announcements regarding story or casting or release date but at this point, who cares? We’re just delighted we’re getting another one.

And finally, we couldn’t go a month without SOME Stephen King related news. This time, it’s that King collaborator extraordinaire Mike Flanagan is going to helm a brand new small-screen adaptation of Carrie. The eight-episode miniseries will be released on Prime sometime next year.

Trailer wise, there were a handful released last month worth mentioning. Now, if the idea of watching a ripped Frank Grillo facing off against man-eating werewolves floats your boat, then you’ll want to watch the trailer for Werewolves. Fans of true crime will dig the creepy vibes of The Man in the White Van, whilst Drive Back – a film about a couple returning from an engagement party who must escape a seemingly endless road also looks interesting.

So, that was October - a hectic month for horror with some big cinema successes, plenty of quality releases and some positive developments with new features we can hope to see next year. Once again, mainstream studio horror continues to be matched by inventive and unusual offerings. Evidence that we're all looking for something to shock us and keep us on our toes. The attention now quickly turns to Christmas and by the time we next do one of these things, we’ll be lining up our Christmas horror viewing schedule. Black Christmas, Krampus, Gremlins and Silent Night Deadly Night are all favourites in this household. And who knows, we might get an unexpected festive release or two in December to look forward to.