New Horror Movies

There are new horror movies coming out all the time, and it can be hard to know which ones are worth your time. There’s something for everyone under the umbrella that is the horror genre, which is really a sweeping categorisation that includes anything that can be called ‘scary movies’.

That’s where this article comes in! Below, we’ve listed some of the new horror movies you must see this 2024 if you’re a fan of the genre – from psychological thrillers to straight-up slasher horror flicks, we’ve got you covered with some great horror movies! We’ve split this list in half, listing seven new released horror movies, and seven upcoming horror movies this year that have caught our attention – making for fourteen current horror movies that should be on your radar!

1. Abigail

2. Sting

3. Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2

4. The First Omen

5. Lisa Frankenstein

6. Imaginary

7. Tarot

8. 2024’s Most Anticipated Horror Movies

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The Best New Scary Movies Out Right Now

Abigail

Image by Universal Pictures

We kick off our list with some vampire horror comedy goodness. Abigail features a star-studded cast, including Alisha Weir in the titular role, alongside Scream franchise alumni Melissa Barrera, and the always enjoyable Giancarlo Esposito. The film follows six criminals who kidnap a young ballet dancer and bring her to an isolated mansion – let’s just say they get more than they bargained for, as they are tasked with watching over her for 24 hours.

This is one of the best new horror movies you must watch this year – unapologetic vampire movies are on the comeback, and Abigail leans right into the subgenre, all while treating viewers to copious amounts of jump scares and graphic violence, with some fun possession horror mixed in. Possession films can be a dime a dozen, but this one leaves a mark. And to lighten the mood, this movie is pretty funny, with Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, and Kathryn Newton’s performances in particular bringing some levity to an, otherwise, horrifying vampire flick. Of all the new horror movies in theaters now, we definitely recommend you check this one out.

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Sting

Image by Well Go USA Entertainment

Arachnophobes beware! This skin-crawling creature feature is definitely one of the more creepy movies on this list – if you need convincing, just try to watch the trailer without wincing! As is the case with many creature horror films, the premise here is fairly simple – girl keeps spider as a pet, spider grows in size, spider grows in size even more, and now it wants to eat people. Horrifying. 

Sure, this movie is a little campy, and it’s not one of the most terrifying movies you’re ever going to see (unless you’re particularly scared of spiders), the film manages to pull off just what it intends to, with the claustrophobic apartment environment giving this giant eight-legged freak (reference intended) the perfect setting to be as hair-raising as possible. You can catch this new-age creature feature now in cinemas.

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Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2

Image by ITN Distribution

It must be said – I’m not sure whether it would be fair to call this one of the best 2024 horror movies. Blood and Honey 2 is certainly an improvement over the first installment in this franchise, but that wasn’t a tall order. That being said, we still recommend you add this slasher flick to your watchlist – it’s one of the most effective horror comedies out there, whether that’s intentional or not.

The first of the horror sequels on our list, this movie sees Christopher Robin flee to his hometown after witnessing the events of the “Hundred Acre Massacre” (yes, really) from the first movie. Pooh and friends eventually follow him to his town, and brutal kills ensue. This is one of those horror movies everyone should see at least once, just to experience the pure, unfiltered insanity of it. You can catch Blood and Honey 2 in theaters now, and the original iteration of these slasher movies is available to buy on Prime Video.

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The First Omen

Image by 20th Century Studios

From horror sequels to horror prequels! The First Omen is directed by Arkasha Stevenson and acts as a prequel to 1976’s supernatural horror classic, The Omen. Horror prequels can be risky, and rarely leave fans satisfied, but The First Omen stands out from the crowd in this way, proving itself to be one of the best new scary movies of the year, and is definitely the best entry in The Omen franchise since the 1976 original.

Notable here is the movie’s lack of reliance on jump scares – The First Omen manages to terrify throughout its runtime through a consistent building of tension and dread, all culminating in an incredibly intense climax. Featuring a stellar performance by Nell Tiger Free in the leading role, this Antichrist resurrection horror, with some elements of folk horror throughout, is a definite recommendation amongst the new scary movies in theatres now – check this one out!

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Lisa Frankenstein

Image by Universal Pictures

Lisa Frankenstein is one of the more unique entries on our list – a dark comedy about a lonely teenage girl who falls in love with a resurrected zombie man, the movie achieves the exact balance of old-school gothic horror tropes mixed with horror comedy quirkiness that it’s going for. Kathryn Newton makes her second appearance in a horror comedy role on our list, and again, she gives an excellent performance here.

The film is written by Diablo Cody, who you may know from her work on Jennifer’s Body, and in many ways, we can see this film following a similar trajectory. It’s hard to not imagine a future where Lisa Frankenstein finds its footing as a cult horror classic, and becomes a staple for many a Halloween horror movie marathon down the line. So if you want to get ahead of the trend on this ‘coming of rage’ love story, we recommend you check out Lisa Frankenstein on Prime Video as soon as possible.

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Imaginary

Image by Lionsgate

What if your imaginary friends were more than imaginary? And what if they were also evil? That’s the premise of one of Blumhouse’s latest horror movies, Imaginary. For horror fans familiar with the studio’s work, you’ll know the formula by now. Though this isn’t one of Blumhouse’s standout moments in the genre, it’s still a worthwhile watch for anyone looking to catch up on some recent scary movies to hit the scene.

Directed, written, and produced by Jeff Wadlow, this 2024 horror flick features some effective jump scares, and a pretty exciting finale – but it must be said, the journey to get to this finale can feel like a bit of a drag. Still, while it’s not one of the most scary films on this list, you should check it out if you’re typically a fan of Blumhouse’s work. It can be rented, or bought, on Prime Video now.

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Tarot

Image by Sony Pictures

Another must-watch this year for fans of the supernatural horror genre, first-looks at Tarot confirm that, if nothing else, this one brings the jump scares. The premise here is simple, but effective – a group of teenagers have their fortunes read, and begin to die one by one in ways related to their fortunes.

Sure, while it may not redefine the genre, this one is the perfect popcorn movie to add to your future Halloween horror lineup. If you’re in search of some good new scary movies that’ll have you jumping out of your seat, and look to even promise some freaky body horror, it’s worth checking this one out in theaters now. It’s possibly one of the most jumpy horror films 2024 has to offer.

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2024’s Most Anticipated Horror Movies

The Strangers

Image by Lionsgate

Why settle for one horror prequel, when you can have three horror prequels? Acting as a prequel film to one of the more memorable cinematic horror outings from the 2000s, 2008’s The Strangers, this first release in a newly announced trilogy is appropriately titled, The Strangers: Chapter 1, and follows the early misdeeds of the trio of masked psychopaths from the 2008 film. Advertising indicates that this movie will follow a similar premise to the original Strangers film, which is good news for fans of the original, and bad news for anyone who is easily unnerved by home-invasion horror movies.

Luckily for horror fans, it’s not just The Strangers: Chapter 1 that we have to look forward to this year. The two follow-up chapters are also scheduled for 2024 releases following this chapter’s release in May. With their creepy masks reminiscent of killer clowns and a terrifying ‘random-target’ premise, this trio’s return will be one to watch this year – and if you’re unfamiliar with the 2008 original, it’s worth catching up. Very few lines in horror movies have been able to instill as much dread in viewers as the infamous, “Because you were home”.

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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Image by Warner Bros. Pictures

Beetlejuice fans rejoice! For the first time since 1988, Michael Keaton returns to reprise his titular role in a new sequel to the horror comedy classic. While we don’t know much yet about the plot of this upcoming sequel, we do know that Winona Ryder will be reprising her role as Lydia Deetz, with a quickly-rising horror mainstay in Jenna Ortega, joining the cast as Astrid, Lydia’s daughter. Catherine O’Hara is also set to return to reprise her original role.

From what we can gather, Betelgeuse is back to cause chaos, and once again, Lydia must deal with him head-on, this time with the help of her daughter. Fans of the original can expect more Beetlejuice craziness here, while those out of the loop should make it their business to catch up on the original film as soon as possible – particularly for fans of haunted houses and zany resurrection horror comedies. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is set to release in September 2024, and is definitely one of the top new scary movies to watch out for this year – even if it isn’t too scary.

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A Quiet Place: Day One

Image by Paramount Pictures

Since the release of the first installment of the A Quiet Place film series in 2018, the franchise has taken the horror world by storm – and for good reason. Its premise is simple, but its execution is flawless, and the movies have been able to capture a sense of tension like no other. A Quiet Place: Day One serves as another of the horror prequels on our list, focusing on how the creatures from the first film arrived on our planet.

Lupita Nyong’o is set to star, and though John Krasinski has stepped down from directing this installment, with Michael Sarnoski stepping in instead, Krasinski has been credited with writing the story. If the quality of the first two films is anything to go by, A Quiet Place: Day One is not to be missed when it hits theaters in June – and with A Quiet Place Part III announced for 2025, this one will be integral in bringing fans back into the universe in preparation for Part II’s true sequel.

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Terrifier 3

Image by Cineverse

Very few slasher horror franchises in recent memory have touched down with quite as much impact as the Terrifier series. Featuring some of the most over-the-top graphic violence and unforgettably brutal kills in the genre’s history, the face of the franchise, Art the Clown, has quickly risen to recognisable status amongst horror fans – and for good reason. Both of the first two Terrifier films each feature kills that have cemented Art’s legacy in the slasher iconography, and we suspect this one will be no different.

The premise here is fairly simple – Art the Clown prepares once again to unleash havoc on the residents of an unsuspecting town, except this time, it’s Christmas! This makes Terrifier 3 not only a Christmas horror film, but also, another Halloween horror flick, as it’s set to release theatrically on October 25 2024. So this Halloween, if you’re looking for some new scary movies in theaters, you’re likely to stumble across Terrifier 3 – be sure to prepare yourself! This franchise isn’t one to be taken lightly.

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Speak No Evil

Image by Universal Pictures

It’s about time some horror remakes hit the list! 2024’s Speak No Evil will act as an American remake of the 2022 Danish film of the same name – and based on the trailers (which we don’t recommend you actually watch), the plot will follow the same structure here as the original. The reason we don’t recommend you watch the trailer is because it gives away some pretty big plot elements – and this story is best experienced without preconceptions.

The premise here is that a family is invited to a country house getaway by a couple who they meet on holiday – and things soon take a turn. The details of that turn, we won’t disclose here. While many fans would say that the 2022 film didn’t need a remake, particularly so soon, one can hope that this 2024 adaptation will direct more horror fans to check out the Danish original. James McAvoy stars, and looks to be giving a solid performance – this one is worth checking out when it hits theatres in September 2024.

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Alien: Romulus

Image by 20th Century Studios

After 1986’s Aliens cemented the Alien franchise as a science-fiction action staple, the franchise’s horror movie origins can sometimes be forgotten – however, recent Alien installations have done their best to remind us of this, and if the trailer is anything to go by, Alien: Romulus will be no different. Set between the events of the original Alien and 1986’s Aliens, fans are hoping that Romulus will find the perfect balance between action and horror that those two movies delivered – and so far, it’s looking like it might.

Fede Álvarez is set to direct, and if his work on 2013’s Evil Dead is anything to go by, the seventh instalment in the Alien franchise will offer all sorts of jump scares, graphic violence, and thrilling horror fun. Ridley Scott is also set to return as a producer on Romulus, so long-time fans won’t feel completely alienated (pun not intended). Alien: Romulus is set to premiere in August 2024, and we recommend you be there, but be prepared – in space, no one can hear you scream… but they certainly can in theatres.

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MaXXXine

Image by A24

The final entry on our list is also my personal most anticipated horror film of 2024. The final entry in the X trilogy, following on from X and Pearl, MaXXXine follows our titular protagonist after surviving the events of X, as she heads to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming a film star. However, there’s a serial killer on the loose, making for the perfect premise to round out this slasher horror trilogy.

If the first two entries in Ti West and Mia Goth’s trilogy are anything to go by, MaXXXine is set to be one of the best new release horror movies of 2024. X and Pearl are both modern-horror classics that are definitely worthwhile catching up on if you haven’t yet – and if Mia Goth can continue her incredible streak of performances, then MaXXXine is definitely set to be one of the best new scary movies 2024 has to offer. It hits theatres on July 5 2024 – we highly recommend you be there.

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Conclusion

And that’s the list! Which of these 2024 horror films have you checked out, and which of the upcoming releases are you most excited for? With its diverse and plentiful subgenres, it can often be difficult for horror fans of all types to be satisfied within any given year, but 2024 is looking to have something for everyone to enjoy in its horror lineup. Be sure to check these flicks out now, or when they hit theatres throughout the year!

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