What a year for horror films. Whether it be silver screen screams like Hereditary, A Quiet Place, or Halloween, or small-screen miniseries such as The Haunting of Hill House, horror fans have been inundated with great content in 2018. What’s even better is that it looks like 2019 will be just as good for those of us who love scares and shivers as part of our moviegoing experience.
From Stephen King adaptations to an original thriller from one of the greatest horror minds of the past decade (yes, I’m talking about Jordan Peele here, and yes, I stand by this), next year is looking fantastic for fans of the genre.
Of course, we have to start by talking about Us, Peele’s second film following his Oscar-winning smash hit Get Out. Starring Lupita N’yongo, Winston Duke, and Elisabeth Moss, the film follows a family of four whose vacation takes a frightening turn when they’re attacked by what appear to be their own clones. Who these clones are and what their purpose is, we don’t know, but the trailer promises blood, screams, and a whole lot of mystery.
The trailer, which dropped Christmas Day and trended for at least a day afterwards, is already frightening as hell, so get ready for a brilliant cinematic experience when the full film is released in March.
Blumhouse’s entry into the franchise race is Happy Death Day 2U, the followup to the surprise hit Happy Death Day. This time, our intrepid heroine is stuck in a Groundhog Day loop again, but she’s here to save all her friends, not just her own life. Expanding the universe to include the entire ensemble, rather than just keeping it stuck on one Final Girl, is a great way to keep things fresh while still incorporating what drew people to the first one.
Who’s the killer this time, and what time-travel weirdness will be involved? Who’s to say? Be warned, though; the trailer spoils the killer from the first one in the first thirty seconds, so check that out first before watching.
Stephen King adaptations will undoubtably rule the box office this coming year. First up is Pet Sematary, which looks gut-wrenchingly terrifying. A family moves onto cursed land, and naturally, horror ensues. The writer of Suspiria, David Kajganich, is behind the adaptation, which already looks spine-chilling from the two-minute trailer released.
The tagline reads “sometimes dead is better,” and when it comes to this film, that definitely seems to be the case. Check out the trailer below, and hold your cats close. You might be sleeping with the lights on after you watch this one.
The other big King adaptation is IT: Chapter Two, which is one of my most anticipated films of the year. It’s the only film on this list that doesn’t have a trailer attached currently, but don’t let that stop you from getting hyped. The Losers Club will be back together again after 27 years, when Pennywise makes his demonic return to Derry.
This time, the cast is headed up by Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, and Bill Hader as Bev, Bill, and Richie, respectively. The first film was a surprise critical and box office success, so expect the hype machine to be real for the sequel, though how they’ll handle some of the cosmic weirdness will be interesting to see.
There will be plenty of smaller horror films released throughout the year too, from Escape Room to The Prodigy to Blumhouse’s ongoing Into the Dark anthology series on Hulu. Which horror films are you most excited for this year? Will you be skipping any major release? Let us know in the comments!
(image: Warner Bros)
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