Nuns, M3GAN, Jigsaw, and Ghostface are on their way.
Let us be the first to reveal a top-secret hot trend: watching horror films. Everyone you know who is cool and sexy is doing it. If you haven’t kept up with the latest and greatest in the genre, know that horror has made a big comeback. Scary movies have been resurrected from the curse of bland and forgettable franchise sequels that plagued the 1980s and 1990s.
With A24 bringing us X and Bodies Bodies Bodies and massive studios like Paramount bringing us Scream, some of the year’s biggest films were horror films. There’s bad news for all the scaredy cats out there, especially those who passed out during Terrifier 2.
Many of this year’s must-see films are of the spooky, spine-chilling variety. We can’t wait to see what the world of horror has in store for us in 2023, but what about now? Here are the scary movies we’re most excited to see—and be terrified by.
2023’s Most Anticipated Horror Films
M3GAN (January 06)
We are very excited to see this dancing robot doll in action. M3GAN annihilated Twitter this fall, when the trailer was released and instantly spawned a million memes. M3GAN has the personality of a girlboss Chucky, and we can already smell M3GAN Halloween costumes coming from months away.
Knock At the Cabin (February 03)
M. Night Shyamalan is a horror filmmaker whose works include The Sixth Sense, Signs, and Split. He, on the other hand, is not one to rest on his laurels. The director is kicking off 2023 with another terrifying story. This time, we’ll be following a family who has been kidnapped at their cabin. It’s a familiar but terrifying premise that will almost certainly be given a Shyamalani twist.
Scream VI (March 10)
If the 2022 Scream sequel taught us anything, it’s that this franchise can be reimagined and still find new ways to thrill us. Courteney Cox and Hayden Panettiere are among the returning cast members. Scream VI will undoubtedly be a must-see, with buckets of blood and new killers on the loose.
Renfield (April 14)
Count Dracula as played by Nicolas Cage? Renfield, his bumbling henchman, played by Nicholas Hoult? It’s a campy horror fan’s dream come true. The latest take on the legendary Dracula characters will hopefully be the best, with a cast full of veteran comedians (see: Awkafina and Ben Schwartz).
Insidious: Fear the Dark (July 07)
With a story about a family who moves into a new home—and is promptly haunted by demons who attempt to possess their son—James Wan’s Insidious launched a brand-new franchise. Patrick Wilson, the star of the Insidious films, will now direct for the first time. We can’t wait to see how he interprets the story that made him a Scream King.
Haunted Mansion (August 11)
Do you remember the first Haunted Mansion film? Although the film was released in 2003, its cultural impact—which is based on a Disney World ride—has lasted. This time, a completely new cast will take on the bizarre haunted house. In this Disneyfied romp, Rosario Dawson, LaKeith Stanfield, and Owen Wilson are just a few of the stars who will show off their horror movie chops.
The Nun 2 (September 08)
In 2023, the ninth instalment of The Conjuring cinematic universe will greet (and haunt!) us. After the first Nun film terrified audiences, a sequel was announced almost immediately. Taissa Farmiga will reprise her role as Sister Irene and lead this all-new spinoff of The Conjuring universe’s rich stories.
Saw X (October 27)
Yes, you read that correctly. The already massive and terrifying Saw franchise is getting a tenth instalment. Saw, another James Wan original, has been terrifying audiences for decades. Jigsaw’s actor, Tobin Bell, will reprise his role. Although it may appear that Saw has created (and recreated) every possible gory way to die, a hopefully epic tenth sequel may have more bloody surprises in store.
