We’ve already seen some pretty exciting new horror films released in 2016. The Forest kicked things off back in January, and despite relatively poor reviews it was a pretty engaging movie, starring Natalie Dormer of Game Of Thrones fame and revolving around Japan’s infamous “suicide forest.” Next came The Boy and The Witch, both serviceable projects, and some might even argue that 10 Cloverfield Lane—a surprise release by JJ Abrams that’s currently in theaters—is a horror film as well. Really, that’s quite a lot considering we’re only in mid-March and the best movies in this genre tend to come out in the fall.
So because 2016 is already looking like a pretty strong year at the cinema for horror fans, here’s a look at some other exciting films and shows to look forward to as the year progresses.
The Disappointments Room
Next up is The Disappointments Room, which one countdown of anticipated 2016 horror movies described as “like The Shining.” That’s a lot for any project to live up to, but this one seems to have some potential. Basically, Kate Beckinsale plays a mother who discovers a haunted room in the attic with her son. Opening the room unleashes horrors upon the house, and we can pretty much guess the kind of tone that ensues thereafter. It’s relatively generic, but Beckinsale is a veteran with horror and fantasy plots, so she should bring some legitimacy to the film.
Daredevil (Season 2)
If you didn’t watch Marvel’s Daredevil or Jessica Jones series on Netflix, this may not make much sense. Superhero films, traditionally, are more goofy than spooky. But with their Netflix shows, Marvel has chosen to embrace the darkness popularly associated with this hero. A popular online casino game starring Daredevil describes this particular Marvel hero as “the fearsome superhero in red, without his sight.” The game also depicts Daredevil as a devilish figure surrounded by a dark and creepy city. Indeed, these are the elements Marvel brought to life: a fearsome, sightless superhero surrounded by darkness in what actually closely approximated a horror tale. Jessica Jones was an even darker follow-up, and with vigilante characters like Punisher and Elektra now expected to join Daredevil, there’s a good bet that season two descends fully into horror.
Before I Wake
Don’t be shocked if this winds up becoming the movie of the year in the horror category. Before I Wake began as a little known project written and directed by Mike Flanagan, who’s best known for directing Oculus. But it’s since turned into a very intriguing movie. The premise, while not wholly unique, feels fresh: two parents who have lost their only son adopt a young boy whose dreams (and nightmares) become reality while he sleeps. But it’s the cast that will make this one. Kate Bosworth and Thomas Jane, both terrific and both almost naturally suited to the spooked and incredulous expressions necessary in horror acting, will play the parents. Jacob Tremblay, the boy who starred in the Oscar-nominated Room just last fall, will play the young adopted son.
Preacher (Season 1)
It’s very hard to know what to expect out of Preacher, because it’s sort of a horror concept that’s being produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. It’s set to debut this spring or summer on AMC (which means they won’t hold back with violence or general creepiness), and if it’s like the comic series on which it’s based, it’ll be pretty damn creepy. Basically, it’s the story of a Texas preacher possessed by a demon spirit named Genesis, who’s comprised of equal parts pure good and pure evil. The preacher begins to wander America in search of God, wreaking havoc along the way.
The Conjuring 2
We know how horror sequels go by now. They’re generally pretty formulaic, and rarely as good as their predecessors. But The Conjuring is still one of the bigger horror movies of the past decade, so this sequel will generate its fair share of attention. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson star.
The Purge: Election Year
This one’s getting a little too real given that we’ve recently seen actual election year political rallies breaking out in protest. We’ll hope The Purge: Election Year is too wild to mirror real-life politics even at their dirtiest, but whatever the case this is probably going to be another crowd pleaser in what’s become a firmly established series. This may actually be a rare case in which a sequel (The Purge: Anarchy) improved upon the original, so perhaps the third will be even better. This time, we’ll follow a U.S. senator on the streets of Washington, D.C. trying to survive the annual Purge.
Luke Cage (Season 1)
It’s anybody’s guess what kind of tone Luke Cage takes when it debuts on Netflix this September. It’s part of the same line of shows including Daredevil and Jessica Jones, though where those are dark characters, Luke Cage has been portrayed more as a generic muscle man. Even in gaming appearances preceding the character’s emergence in Jessica Jones, such as the leading mobile RPG for Marvel fans, Cage is a little bit tame. However, if this show builds on the atmosphere we saw in Jessica Jones, we should probably expect something genuinely creepy and unsettling.
Rings
It’s another sequel to The Ring, and that’s about all most fans need to know. No major cast members from the original are involved, and the first sequel was a little bit of a critical flop. But if this is even a decent film, it’s going to be a big deal.
Considering all these projects, it looks like it’s going to be a pretty good year for people who like some scares on TV or at the movies!
Categorised in: Horror Movies
This post was written by Nadia Vella