YOUR 2025 HORROR SCOPE

Well, 2024 was a mixed bag of horror, but at least it was an interesting bag with some decent goodies in there. The intended release schedule for theatrical releases in general was chewed up and spit out by delaying issues from assorted reasons ranging from the aftermath of the SAG strike and covid reshoots, as well as some studios having absolutely no faith in some of their products, preferring streaming or tax losses to a roll of the dice at the cinema. Salem’s Lot was finally released years later than its intended date, Terrifier 3 proved that the right kind of gory exploitation can still do gangbusters, and The Substance showed that decent acting and ludicrous blood-sprays can share the screen at the same time. As ever, it all goes to prove that horror films can continue to surprise, entertain, and “Ker-ching” to the max. And that it’s the unexpected ones that will make the biggest impacts. Whether it’s in terms of financial, critical, or public acclaim.

So, here comes 2025, and like last year we’ve tried to harness the powers of the cosmos and read the future. Actually, we’ve just researched the current film listings for the UK and US and highlighted the ones we’re most looking forward to. But you get the picture…  

As always, the normal Ts and Cs apply. In other words, all details are subject to changes. Many of these quoted dates will inevitably become subject to delays, and some may even be brought forward. Some don’t have confirmed release dates in the UK, some will simply disappear, and some will premiere quietly on a streaming channel or VOD without most people even noticing. Such is entertainment media these days (for example, why has Companion suddenly vanished from UK screening dates at the time of writing? When and where will Werewolves turn up in Blighty?). Wherever possible we’ve provided UK dates for release (‘cos we’re biased like that), and separated US-only confirmed releases. We’ve also retained the might/might-not releases that have a good shot of appearing in the next 12 months. Remember, these dates are only the ones indicated at the time of writing and should be taken with a barrelful of salt.  

We hope you enjoy this preview peeking and are looking forward to supporting our favourite genre for the next 12 months. Again.

Be nice to us 2025! Let’s go …

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Confirmed UK Releases (at the time of writing)

Nosferatu

Directed by Robert Eggers

25th December 2024 USA / 1st January 2025 UK

Starting the New Year with a fang!! Alright, the USA and Spain are getting this on Christmas Day, but the rest of the world gets it on the first day of 2025. And one of the first films of 2025 is also one of our most anticipated. Eggers hasn’t disappointed with any of his projects yet (“The Witch”, etc.) and this looks to be his best yet. Originally, this was a passion project that was going to feature Anya Taylor-Joy, before scheduling shenanigans kiboshed all that. However, Lily Rose-Depp has apparently brushed aside the bad feelings of “The Icon” and provided a storming performance which is already the subject of award-winning gossip. Expect more sublime turns from Willem Dafoe and Nicholas Hoult also. Rather refreshingly (at least while this article was being penned), the appearance of the undead Count Orlok (played by Bill Skarsgard) has been kept under wraps, so whether he greatly resembles the rat-faced original from the peerless   1922 version is currently a point of conjecture. Judging by the trailers and advanced reviews though, we’re expecting excellence and an immediate hit. Hopefully.

The Damned

Directed by Thordur Palsson

10th January (USA/UK)

A (literally) chilling period-horror which takes place in an isolated Icelandic fishing village during the 19th century. A desolate bleakness surrounds the area during an especially cruel winter, where a widow has to make some difficult choices as a foreign ship sinks to its doom nearby. Well reviewed at the Tribeca Film Festival, this is said to be best experienced “cold” (hah!) with some disturbing elements and some impressive cinematography grounding the narrative with natural darkness and nihilism. The trailer alone looks wonderfully creepy. Hopefully being released on both shores at the same time, this stars Odessa Young (Assassination Nation, The Stand) and Joe Cole (Black Mirror).

Wolf Man

Directed by Leigh Whannel

17th January (USA/UK)

Note the lack of a “The”. When Universal’s doomed so-called Dark Universe bit the big one after the failure of the Tom Cruise-driven The Mummy, nobody expected a resurrection or reboot of the connected characters. However, Whannel’s excellent The Invisible Man has sort of made this possible to some extent. So here we have a new spin on the beloved Lon Chaney Jr version of the werewolf myth. It’s had a bit of a troubled production. Christopher Abbott replaced Ryan Gosling in the late development stages of the film, which created some bad press, although Gosling (and Jason Blum) remain as producers. Set in modern times, the plot sees Blake (Abbott) moving from the city to Oregon with his wife and daughter. During a full moon, the family is attacked by “something” that claws Blake's arm and the change begins… In interviews, Whannel has stated that the transformation is more gradual. Think of The Fly, rather than The Howling. So, it should be an interesting effort if nothing else.

Presence

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

24th  January (USA/UK)

Another haunted house movie, but with at least two killer “hooks” to it. One being that it’s directed by (usually) reliable Soderbergh, The other is that it’s filmed entirely from the POV of the supernatural entity (the “Presence” of the title). Plotwise, it sounds like nothing to get especially excited about. “A family discover they are not alone when they move into a new house.” Yadda, Yadda, etc. But being as it’s directed by Soderbergh and written by the prolific David Koepp (Jurassic Park, etc.), it should at least be solid in execution. Starring Lucy Liu, apparently it had some viewers at the Sundance Film Festival saying that it was almost “too intense” to watch in one sitting. We’ll be the judge of that, thanks very much.

The Monkey

Directed by Osgood Perkins

21st February (USA/UK)

Perkins is riding high off the critical and commercial success of Longlegs, so the prospect of him adapting a Stephen King story (albeit a short one) is a very tasty prospect indeed. In fact, the news immediately led to minimalist teasers being released in cinemas to whet the appetite at a very early stage. Based on a popular tale from the author’s “Skeleton Crew” collection, the plot sees two brothers witness a string of horrifying deaths unfolding around them after finding the titular toy in their attic, the consequences of which follow them throughout their lives. Perkins is a perfect match for the darker elements of the original source, with black and screwed-up humour being immediately apparent in early footage. Witness the severed fingers, prams on fire, and over-the-top blood spatter. Looking very promising indeed.  

Sinners

Directed by Ryan Coogler

7th March (UK/USA)

The first horror foray from the director of the Black Panther movies and Creed. The teasers so far seem to be coy about the genre elements, but it’s expected to be a vampire/undead siege narrative of some sort. Synopses highlight the core of the story which sees troubled twin brothers returning to their hometown to start their lives anew, only to find a “great evil” waiting to welcome them back. Michael B. Jordan is pulling double duties as the twins (Elijah and Elias) and Hailee Steinfeld looks to be playing a femme fatale role as “Mary”. Almost all images so far show a barn dance being interrupted by a mass of intimidating figures on the outskirts, giving it a Night of the Living Dead or From Dusk Til Dawn vibe. Whatever is going on, it’s not going to be pretty.

The Woman in the Yard

Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra

28th March (UK/USA)

A horror/thriller from Blumhouse that comes from the same filmmaker that gave us Orphan and The Shallows (we’ll gloss over Black Adam and Jungle Cruise). Very much an unknown quantity at the moment, with no trailers and minimal details at the time of writing. However, the story is said to revolve around a mysterious woman appearing on a family’s front lawn and delivering a chilling warning. It’s been in development at Universal Pictures and Blumhouse for a while and sounds intriguing if nothing else.

28 Years Later

Directed by Danny Boyle

20th June (UK/USA)

This is almost inevitably one of the most anticipated horror movies of the year. 28 Days Later (and its very solid “Months” follow-up) were stone-cold classics and influenced a new era of “zombie” films that has been sustained to this very day. To demonstrate the interest, when the first trailer (excellent by the way) was first distributed, social media went immediately wacko over a supposed sighting of Cillian Murphy (“Jim” from the first film) as an emaciated zombie. Turns out this wasn’t the case, but Boyle must have been chuckling into his sleeve about the free publicity. Otherwise, this is going to be one to keep an eye on. With the likes of Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (and Murphy) in the cast, and the progressive elements of the story (England is quarantined pockets of society survive, and the rage virus has evolved), this looks to be something worth waiting for.

M3gan 2.0

Directed by Gerard Johnstone

27th June (USA/UK)

Of course, she’s back! You can’t keep a good doll down… especially when they’re psychotic and can survive as a sentient AI consciousness. Apparently. Allison Williams and Violet McGraw reprise their roles as Gemma and Cady, respectively. The overprotective doll from the first film was apparently destroyed despite its Terminator-esque qualities and natty dance moves. But the stinger suggested that the essence of M3gan was able to “jump ship” to some extent. So will we have a Chucky-type scenario with a new (enhanced?) doll? Have there been legal repercussions for Gemma and Cady after the carnage of the last film? Who knows? No details or trailers have surfaced yet. However, both Jason Blum and James Wan have apparently contributed to the sequel’s themes, which will attest to parenting in modern times and what drives the algorithms of the title character. Whatever. As long as there’s more ear-violence and sarcastic robot sass.

Jurassic World: Rebirth

Directed by Gareth Edwards

2nd July (UK/USA)

The idea of modern humans vs. displaced dinosaurs will never not be cool. It’s a concept that transcends the poor last entry in this franchise, which had somehow degenerated into a boring mutant insect disaster film, despite the fact that dinosaurs were spreading across the world and eating segway-riding tourists in capital cities. But the subtitle of Rebirth points to a potential reinvigoration of the concept at least. Apparently set five years after the events of Dominion, the planet's ecology is proving inhospitable to most dinosaurs and those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments. (Blimey. Didn’t take long for that high-concept to cancel itself out then.) Three of the biggest creatures are being hunted by covert operations expert Zora Bennett, in order to secure genetic material from them. But this is complicated by a civilian family being dragged into the hunt and a “shocking discovery that's been hidden from the world for decades”. Hyperbole aside, the disappearance of all previous characters (who were beginning to drag the franchise) and the placement of Scarlett Johansson as Bennett potentially bodes well. Edwards is an avowed “Jurassic” fan and has good monster-coping skills. On top of this, he has stated that the film will return to the more focused creature scares of the first film. Fingers (and claws) crossed.

I Know What You Did Last Summer

Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson & Elisha Christian

18th July (UK/USA)

Another victim of lazy franchise reset titling, like Halloween and The Thing, confusing the hell out of future film historians. Shouldn’t it be I’ll Never Forget What You Did Last Summer or Someone Else Knows What You Did Last Summer, or something? Pedantic gripes and potential title changes aside, this reboot has picked up a fair bit of attention and some amount of positivity that was missing from the second sequel (I’ll Always Know… in 1998) and the misguided Amazon Prime series that aired recently (resurrected honey-covered corpses?!). This is mostly due to the fact that both Freddie Prinze Jr. (as Ray Bronson) and Jennifer Love Hewitt (as Julie James) are said to reprise their legacy roles. Sarah Michelle Gellar (who won’t be back as her character bit the big one in the original) has also thrown her weight behind the production and supported it. The original film (way back in 1997, consider us feeling ancient), rode the revived horror wave that Scream started and was a fun slasher that spun off the urban legends of a hook-handed killer and the repercussions of a covered-up crime. Let’s hope some of the fun and frights of that experience can be brought up to date… whatever they end up calling it.

Vicious

Directed by Bryan Bertino

25th February (USA) / 8th August (UK)

Really? We’ll be pissed if there is genuinely a six-month delay between the US and UK release of this! This is the next anticipated horror project from Bryan Bertino, the man behind the original version of cult hit The Strangers. Written and directed by himself, there is remarkably little being given away about the story. Only that it concerns a woman having to fight for her very existence, as she slips down “a rabbit hole contained inside a gift from a late-night visitor”. Freaky-sounding. That woman in question is played by Dakota Fanning, who apparently gifted each of the crew members a custom engraved hourglass as a wrap gift for the film. Yeah, that’s a pretty dull fact, but that’s about as much as you can dig up on this project at the moment. Hopefully, the concept will grow into something worth getting excited about when we see the trailer or find further details.

Thread: An Insidious Tale

Directed by Jeremy Slater

29th August (UK/USA)

Thought the Insidious franchise was over with The Red Door? Well, you know what they say about one door closing… This is a spin-off from the popular franchise that moves on from the haunted Lambert family and focuses on new characters. Written and directed by Jeremy Slater (The Exorcist TV series) this is a new variation on the effects of the paranormal dimension that hosts spirits and demons. The minimalist synopsis concerns a couple who resort to conjuring a spell to travel back in time (presumably utilising “The Further”), hoping to prevent their daughter's tragic death. Bad things ensue… presumably. Starring Mandy Moore and Kumail Nanjiani, it will be interesting to see how this pans out and connects with the previous entries. There are also rumours that the parent franchise may see a sixth entry as well…

The Conjuring: Last Rites

Directed by Michael Chaves

5th September (UK/USA)

The (maybe) last entry in the seminal Conjuring franchise. Whilst we’ve had the Annabelle and The Nun movies, it’s the sympathetic portrayal of Ed and Lorraine Warren, played winningly by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, that have been at the heart of the movie series. Sure, it’s a highly fictionalised and biased depiction of the controversial demonologists, with many of the real-life incidents given a very loose representation on the screen. But if you’re not expecting a documentary and a fun studio genre experience, they do the job. This is deemed to be the last outing for the Warrens (and the returning actors). Chaves is a franchise veteran now and helmed the last entry, so it should be in experienced hands. No real details have been yet given as to the case on which the film is based, only that the Warrens must “take on one last terrifying case involving mysterious entities”. Make of that what you will, but hopefully they will go out with a bang rather than a whimper.

Saw XI

Directed by Kevin Greutert

26th September (USA) / 27th September (UK)

After the unexpected critical and financial success of Saw X, you bet this was on its way. At one point it was scheduled to release in 2024, but it was delayed and to be fair if that reflects quality control then we’re all for it. Otherwise, you know what to expect here. More traps, more Jigsaw, and more gore. It’s expected that the story will continue on from the events of Saw X and take place before the climax of Saw III, meaning that both Tobin Bell and Shawnee Smith could be returning as master and apprentice, although Bell is the only cast member confirmed at this moment. It would be quite cool to have the outstanding threads tied up from Saw X, so maybe we could be expecting an appearance from Synnøve Macody Lund as Cecilia Pederson again after her ambiguous fate? We shall see how the game plays out nearer the time.

The Black Phone 2

Directed by Scott Derickson

17th October (UK/USA)

Something of an unexpected sequel, but the success of the first film (along with the performances of Ethan Hawke and the young leads) kind of made it obvious. There are no details about the plot itself, although Hawke is appearing as The Grabber once again, despite the events of the previous entry. As for the rest of the cast, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, and Jeremy Davies, also return. At one point it was thought to be a prequel but given the return of nearly all of the main characters, this seems unlikely and it’s probably a straightforward sequel. With the psychic talents and the presence of ghosts in the previous narrative, anybody “dead” could easily come back, and things shouldn’t be taken for granted. Looks like the Grabber will grab again.

Mortal Kombat 2

Directed by Simon McQuoid

24th October (UK/USA)

MK1 was okay, but a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, it embraced the gory aesthetics and convoluted mythology of the games. On the other, it had a slightly bland new lead created exclusively for the film and no frickin’ fight tournament! One plus point here is that the legend that is Karl Urban will be playing Johnny Cage (and hopefully channelling a teeny bit of Butcher from The Boys). Otherwise, a substantial collection of villains and heroes will be engaging in super-powered fisticuffs, including Shao Khan, Quan Chi, Baraka, and many more. Here’s hoping that it stays as R-rated as before and employs a few more one-on-one pummellings, as well as the occasional “fatality” and “flawless victory”. 

Predator: Badlands

Directed by Don Trachtenberg

7th September (USA/UK)

Prey managed to turn around the critical fortunes of the Predator franchise. By going back to basics once again, with a likeable underdog as the protagonist and a truly unhinged hunter alien in the mix, it felt reinvigorated. The Wild West setting and indigenous characters certainly helped as well. Not to mention the bear-blood shower! Pity it was a streaming-only exclusive on Disney Plus at the time. However, its popularity has ensured the continuation of the franchise and there is allegedly a companion piece to this movie at some stage. Back to Badlands though. In interviews, Trachtenberg has promised another new take on the concept. Elle Fanning (the Fanning sisters are getting their Ripley on in 2025 it seems) is the human lead, but the director has suggested that the Predator itself will also be a more “heroic” character in the narrative. The official synopsis for the film (which is not a direct sequel to Prey) deals with the “intricate bond of two very different sisters, their familial ties are put to the ultimate test as they pursue divergent paths and mission”. It is also suggested that this will be in a futuristic setting on a non-specified alien landscape. Needless to say, we are in.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2

Directed by Emma Tammi

5th December (USA/UK)

The original wasn’t to everybody’s taste, but you can’t argue with box office results (well, you can, but it would be a bit one-sided in verbal interactions). So the sequel has been given the Blumhouse seal of approval and it’s expected for a Christmas treat in 2025. No details regarding the storyline, but both Josh Hutcherson and Matthew Lillard are confirmed to be reprising their roles from the previous film. There’s a brain-boggling amount of backstory and spin-off material that can be mined for inspiration, so there are bound to be plenty of incidental details and new characters to please aficionados of the game franchise. If you’re into FNAF, then you’ll be delighted by this. Probably.

Confirmed USA Releases Only (No UK release details at the time of writing)

Peter Pan's Neverland Nightmare

Directed by Scott Chambers

13th January (USA)

Get a load of this synopsis from IMDB “Wendy Darling strikes out in an attempt to rescue her brother Michael from the clutches of the evil Peter Pan. Along the way she meets Tinkerbell, who will be seen taking heroin, believing that it's pixie dust”!! True story. Yes, it’s the continuation of Disney-Mascots-Gone-Bad, the unlikely by-product of Winnie the Pooh: Blood & Honey. To be fair, Blood & Honey 2 was a LOT better than the first film, even if it was still no classic. Here though, courtesy of lapsed copyright laws, we have Peter Pan behaving like a prick. You have to admire the verve of these British Indies though… and they show no sign of stopping. Watch out for Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. No! Really!

Companion

Directed by Drew Hancock

31st January (USA)

This shouldn’t be in this section, because it was scheduled for the same release date as the USA, with plenty of trailers showing in UK cinemas. But now it’s not. Why? Who knows? Hopefully, this is a temporary situation, and it won’t go the farcical way of Last Voyage of the Demeter (the release for which got annihilated by studio copyright issues). Anyway, this is ostensibly a psychological thriller film written and directed by Drew Hancock and produced by Zach Cregger (Barbarian). Flanked by a brilliant teaser trailer (that goes from rom-com sweetness to disturbing torture), not much is known about the plot, apart from some random stuff about dating apps and bloody violence. Starring Sophie Thatcher (recently of “Heretic” fame) and Jack Quaid (The Boys) this looks painfully warped and decidedly good. Here’s hoping the UK release is confirmed soon.

Heart Eyes

Directed by Josh Ruben

7th February (USA)

In a narrative that sounds like an encouraging riff on My Bloody Valentine, this sees a slasher killer known as the "Heart Eyes Killer" wreaking havoc on Valentine's Day by stalking and murdering romantic couples. This could be written off as a low-budget exploitation flick, except for the fact that Ruben was previously responsible for Scare Me and Werewolves Within, it was co-written by Christopher Landon, and it stars some familiar faces such as Jordana Brewster and Devon Sawa. Could be one to keep an eye on… as long as it gets a UK release.

In the Lost Lands

Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson

28th February (USA)

This sounds like a lost 1980s sword-and-sorcery straight-to-video film. Check out the synopsis:” A sorceress travels to the Lost Lands in search of a magical power that allows a person to transform into a werewolf”. However, some points worth noting here. It’s based on a short story by George R. R. Martin (Game of Thrones), who has given it his blessing on social media (“Dark and twisted and atmospheric, and a lot of fun”). It’s directed by Anderson, using the same FX groups from the Resident Evil films and Monster Hunter. And it also stars (to no one’s surprise) Milla Jovovich as the witch called Gray Alys and ex-wrestler/ex-Guardian Dave Bautista as “mysterious hunter” Boyce. Sounds like a fantasy throwback that most people are going to love or loathe.

Night of the Zoopocalypse

Directed by Ricardo Curtis & Rodrigo Perez-Castro

7th March (USA)

We wouldn’t normally include a wacky family-friendly animated film in this list but get a load of the plot! A wolf and mountain lion team up when a meteor unleashes a virus turning zoo animals into zombies. They join forces with other survivors to rescue the zoo and stop the deranged mutant leader from spreading the virus. Even with David Harbour (Stranger Things) voicing the mountain lion (called Dan), it’s unlikely to appeal to hardcore horror fans or contain any graphic gut-munching. But it could be a fun genre gateway movie for youngsters and a goofy diversion for the more mature of us. Bizarrely, IMDB states that it was “inspired by a concept by Clive Barker”, but we’re not holding our breath for any Cenobite penguins.

Opus

Directed by Mark Anthony Green

14th March (USA)

An interesting-sounding horror written and directed by Green as a feature-length debut. It has a pretty impressive cast including Amber Midthunder, Juliette Lewis, and John Malkovich. The premise sees a young writer being invited to the remote compound of a legendary pop star who mysteriously disappeared 30 years ago. Surrounded by the star’s cult-like entourage, a twisted plan is soon revealed to them. Ayo Edebiri (The Bear) plays the unfortunate scriber and it all sounds like a musical version of Ralph Fiennes's movie The Menu, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

Until Dawn

Directed by David F. Sandberg

25th April (USA)

The original video game this was based on was famous for kick-starting a genre of creepy interactive experiences on current-gen consoles. The game itself also had a kickass cast mo-capping the characters and falling victim to (computer) graphic deaths. This included Peter Stormare, Hayden Panettiere, Rami Malek, and Larry Fessenden. The film… err… doesn’t have the same for the most part, but does have Stormare reprising his role as a live-action equivalent. In keeping with the source material, the movie follows a group of young adults in a prime “Cabin-in-the-Woods” scenario. Namely a weekend in a deserted ski lodge on the anniversary of their friend's disappearance, unaware that they are not alone. Prime slasher material that could be well-helmed by genre vet Sandberg. Although it will be interesting to see how a basically “choose-your-path” adventure is converted into a singular narrative.

Clown in a Cornfield

Directed by Eli Craig

9th May (USA)

Quite big in the states, “Clown in a Cornfield” was originally a YA horror novel by Adam Cesare, which was such a success in the literature field that led to industry awards and (as of now) two sequels…. And of course several film copyright bids. The story is set in a fading midwestern town in which Frendo the clown was once a symbol of bygone success but has now re-emerged as a terrifying slasher villain. Kevin Durand (Abigail, The Strain, etc) is the lead here, but expect Pennywise-type scares, and it’s apparently scored an R-rating for violence despite its teen-orientated source material.

Final Destination: Bloodlines

Directed by Zach Lipovsky & Adam B. Stein

16th May (USA)

This has been anticipated some quite some time! Ostensibly Final Destination 6 (even though Part 5 was a prequel), despite the rubbish subtitle. You’ll know what to expect here, but why mess with the perfect formula and the perfect villain (i.e. Death)? However, instead of YA victims and elaborate catastrophes, the plot is said to centre on "the world of first responders" and feature EMTs, firefighters, and police officers. This is an interesting way to adapt the theme of unavoidable fates and an asshole Grim Reaper. No other story details yet, but the cast listing still indicates a contribution from the late, great, and recently departed Tony Todd, whose “Bludworth” character linked most of the previous films. Let’s hope for a legacy link and a return to the dark side.

The Bride!

Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal

26th September (USA)

We’d normally be more excited about this kind of project. But two things have us a little concerned. That exclamation mark suggests campy satire. And the fact that it has now been revealed to be a musical. In fact, press releases describe it as a “sci-fi musical monster film”, which has been written, directed, and produced by Gyllenhaal. It does admittedly have an impressive cast listing, with the likes of Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale (playing the Monster), Penélope Cruz, Peter Sarsgaard, and Annette Bening. It’s set in Chicago in the 1930s (?!) and obviously draws inspiration from James Whale's 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein. Sounds… messy. But it would be remiss of us to make assumptions, and it could turn out to be the best thing ever. But still … musical (*shiver*).

Attack of the Unknowns! Films (potentially) expected in 2025

Flowervale Street

Directed by David Robert Mitchell  

Pretty much (another) version of an unknown quantity at the moment, variously described as being sci-fi, mystery, horror, or thriller. But we’ve got our horror eye on it because it’s coming from Mitchell, just before he gives us the sequel to his previous humdinger It Follows and there have been some eyebrow-raising rumours about the secretive story. Depending on who you believe (or trust), it’s about dinosaurs or time travel, with the only official synopsis being; “a family in the 80s start to notice bizarre happenings in their neighbourhood.” Dinosaur skulls do feature in the poster though. As J. J. Abrams is producing for Bad Robot, those old “It’s a Cloverfield sequel” rumours started again, but this is extremely unlikely. With Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor in the cast, and Mitchell writing/directing, you can count us in. Originally due for release in May 2025, it was pushed back to sometime in 2026 even though filming was completed in June 2024. Is that for SFX work? We’re hoping it might be changed again to late 2025…

Frankenstein

Directed by Guillermo del Toro  

A Netflix production that is expected to stream at some point in 2025. This is very much a dream project for del Toro and has some choice names in the cast, including Mia Goth, Oscar Issac, Charles Dance, and Christopher Waltz. The plot is said to include aspects of “The Bride of Frankenstein” (seemingly a popular choice for this year) and sees Dr Pretorius tracking down Victor Frankenstein's monster, who is believed to have died in a fire forty years before, in order to continue the experiments of the titular character. The director’s version of “Pinocchio” was actually pretty cool (and quite gothic) on the streaming channel, so this could be good.

The Running Man

Directed by Edgar Wright

Hopefully, this should be in cinemas before the end of 2025 and is a formidable project for the director of Shaun of the Dead. Whilst it’s easy to jump to conclusions and assume this is a straight remake of the seminal Schwarzenegger film of the same name, it’s much more likely to be closer to the (surprisingly harrowing) Stephen King novel on which it was based. This time, Glen Powell is playing the screwed-over Ben Richards who is tricked into playing for his life in a futuristic version of Hunted. Josh Brolin and William H. Macy make welcome appearances in the shenanigans.

Bambi: The Reckoning / Pinocchio: Unstrung / Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble

As noted earlier, Winnie the Pooh: Blood & Honey started something that can’t be stopped by mortal men. Each of these projects is currently due for release at some point in 2025, although in the UK it’ll likely be VOD or streaming premieres. They all exist in the same cinematic universe… sorry, Poohniverse and If you’ve seen the end credits of Blood and Honey 2, you’ll have seen a sneak draft preview of the unstrung puppet and other characters. A teaser for Bambi also exists online (A huge rabid stag basically). And as for anything continuing beyond the “Monsters Assemble” finale, well, our minds are too boggled to even guess.

Fear Street: Prom Queen

Directed by Matt Palmer

The Fear Street trilogy of films, based on the R.L. Stine books, went down relatively well on Netflix in 2021. There was seemingly an interest to expand upon the project, but nothing happened…until now. Rather than a new trilogy, this is based as a one-off film based on Stine’s novel of the same name. It takes place in 1988, where the girls of Shadyside High compete for the title role and dance royalty. Things go askew though when an outsider joins the competition and people begin disappearing. Classic YA horror, but the cast does include the likes of Katherine Waterston, Ariana Greenblatt, Lili Taylor, and Chris Klein. One for fans of Goosebumps and original streaming horror.

Hell House LLC: Lineage

Directed by Stephen Cognetti

The low-key, but endearingly and consistently creepy, Hell House LLC films have developed quite a following over the years. Basically, these are found-footage movies that collectively explore the (fictitious)  haunted house attraction “Hell House” and the building’s previous incarnation as the “Abbadon Hotel.”. The previous four films have established an ongoing mythology, linked with some excruciatingly unnerving clown mannequins and some other nasty surprises. As with previous entries, this fifth film in the series has been written and directed by Cognetti, who has stated that this will likely be the last film in the franchise. No plot details, but it’s expected to air on Shudder sometime close to Halloween in 2025.

Skyline: Warpath

Directed by Liam O’Donnell

Yep. Still going. This is the fourth film in the sci-fi franchise that went from derided to enjoyed, by some people anyway. However, you have to love a movie series that alternates between planet-beating UFOs with zappy lasers, to bio-mechanical suits and close-combat martial-art duels. This will likely go straight to streaming sometime in 2025, possibly on Netflix. The plot follows the ongoing resistance against murderous aliens and a new faction of powerful extraterrestrials called the Radial Gauntlet. Apparently.

Screamboat

Directed by Steven LaMorte

We live in a world where, when the Walt Disney Company lost exclusive rights to the depiction of Mickey Mouse in the animated short “Steamboat Willie” and that version of the character entered the public domain, loads of people went “We’ll make a horror movie out of that!!”. Why?! In God’s name, why?! But it happened and here we are… We’ve already had “The Mouse Trap”. “Mouseboat Massacre” is on its way. But perhaps, the most “promising” (if that word can be used at all for the situation) is this one. And that’s probably only for the fact that David Howard Thornton (yes, Art the Clown, himself) is playing “Screamboat Willie”. The plot (such as it is) sees a late-night boat ride turn into a bloody fight for survival when a mischievous mouse mascot becomes a monstrous villain. Quite. It should be seen on VOD sometime at the start of the New Year. But, we’re still waiting for “The Spongebob Squarepants Chainsaw Massacre”.