While 2024 may have been a terrific year for horror films, 2025 has plenty of more scary movies that may top what came before. The next 12 months won’t just bring audiences terrifying sequels like M3GAN 2.0 and 28 Years Later. Audiences will also witness new IPs being brought to life in films like The Monkey and Companion.
Next year should present a healthy balance of familiar and original stories to cinemas and streaming, and these seven movies currently stand out as the most highly-anticipated horror movies of 2025.
7. The Black Phone 2 — October 17, 2025
The Black Phone, the hit supernatural horror film from director Scott Derrickson, continues its chilling story with this long-awaited sequel. The Black Phone 2 will see the return of stars Mason Thames, Madeline Graw, and Ethan Hawke, the latter of whom played the terrifying serial killer, the Grabber.
Considering the Grabber’s death at the end of the first film and the ending its young protagonists had, it seemed like the franchise couldn’t go any further. However, since ghosts are an important part of the story, the sequel seems prime to bring the Grabber back to unleash another haunting on Finney and Gwen.
6. Companion — January 31, 2025
Produced by Zach Cregger, writer/director of the horror film Barbarian, Companion features a romance that goes straight to hell when a group of friends get together at a lavish lakeside estate. The film’s darkly humorous trailer shares very little about the plot but does suggest plenty of blood and scares.
It also hints at a tense and disturbing look into the toxic relationship shared by its two leads, igniting a powder keg of death and terror that must be seen to be believed. The film also features a lead performance from rising Scream Queen Sophie Thatcher, which should attract horror fans’ attention after her riveting performance in 2024’s Heretic.
5. The Monkey — February 21, 2025
Fresh off the viral success of his chilling horror film Longlegs, director Osgood Perkins will release his adaptation of author Stephen King’s short story The Monkey. This Neon and James Wan-produced film revolves around the titular cursed toy, which unleashes a series of bizarre and gruesome deaths, forcing two brothers to try and destroy it once and for all.
The trailers for this film tease a wild but terrifying blend of Annabelle and Final Destination, making for one of the most unique and over-the-top King adaptations in recent memory.
4. The Conjuring: Last Rites — September 5, 2025
As one of the most popular horror movie franchises in modern cinema, The Conjuring Universe will have all eyes on it as it closes the book on its fictionalized accounts of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. The story surrounding this frightening fourth film is still unknown — however, the Warren family’s several real-life cases exploring the supernatural allow for multiple creative possibilities.
In previous films, the Warrens have faced all sorts of possessions brought on by ghosts, demons, witches, and cursed dolls. It’s anyone’s guess what The Conjuring franchise will unleash next with Last Rites, but it will surely be a fright fest for the ages.
3. M3GAN 2.o — June 27, 2025
2025 will be another big year for killer dolls, particularly due to the upcoming release of M3GAN 2.0 and the return of its titular dancing, slashing robot. It’s unknown what this sci-fi horror sequel will present after the hit original film, which ended with Gemma and Cady destroying M3GAN’s body and the evil AI transferring her consciousness to another machine.
Nevertheless, M3GAN seems geared toward exacting bloody vengeance on her former caretakers, making for another gruesome and satirical horror blockbuster for fans to enjoy.
2. Frankenstein — 2025
Legendary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro returns to the director’s chair with his adaptation of one of the horror genre’s most popular stories ever. Considering del Toro’s reverence of both Mary Shelley’s source novel and the many films it spawned, 2025’s Frankenstein will likely breathe new life into this iconic tale, adding to the resurgence of classic horror movies brought on by The Invisible Man, Nosferatu, and The Wolf Man.
Also, with an all-star cast including Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, and Christoph Waltz, this Netflix-exclusive film will surely electrify the internet once it premieres on streaming.
1. 28 Years Later — June 20, 2025
After over 20 years of waiting, director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland have returned with their threequel to their iconic zombie movie 28 Days Later. Shot entirely on iPhones, 28 Years Later built up tremendous hype with its haunting teaser trailer, featuring glimpses of evolved zombies and a huge, post-apocalyptic war breaking out decades after the franchise’s film.
This third movie won’t just include new stars like Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes. It will also feature the return of actor Cillian Murphy, fresh off his Oscar-winning performance in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. 28 Years Later even sets up a fourth movie set to premiere in 2026, reinvigorating this groundbreaking zombie franchise for modern audiences as one of the most hotly-anticipated horror blockbusters of 2025.