One Horrible Summer
It’s going to be one hell of a summer.
If there is one thing we can count on this summer season, it’s that we’re in for a scorcher – and not just on our weather apps but also in our local, barely air-conditioned cinemas. This year we have a bloody good line-up of fresh horror/thriller releases, and I’m here to lay out the ones you should set aside some time for. Or else.
So far this year we’ve had a bit of a mixed bag of horror releases (with instant classics like Sinners and total duds like Death of a Unicorn) but as usual, it seems the best have been saved for the hottest months of the year. Most of the time, studios save horror/thriller releases for this season to capitalise on the bout between festival season and the prestige releases hoping for awards season buzz, which means we get a whole lot of horror to choose from.
The season has already well and truly kicked off with films like Dangerous Animals (dir. Sean Byrne) and Final Destination: Bloodlines (dir. Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein), both of which you should hopefully still be able to go out and catch before they leave theatres. Without further ado, here’s everything else we have to look forward to:
28 Years Later (directed by Danny Boyle)
Release date: In cinemas now!
The wait is almost over for this highly-anticipated sequel to the 2000s cult classic ‘28 Days Later’, following various characters during the aftermath of a deadly viral outbreak. Not only does this new instalment boast one seriously stacked British cast (Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Jodie Comer, and more), but if the trailers are anything to go off of, it’s going to shake us to our core.
M3GAN 2.0 (directed by Gerard Johnstone)
Release date: In cinemas now!
Another sequel! M3GAN (2022) was a hilarious and fun time at the theatre, giving us meme after meme with our girl’s threatening dance break and kooky dialogue. This upcoming follow-up that sees M3GAN going up against… herself(?) is sure to satisfy our comedy-horror needs.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson)
Release date: 18th July
A reboot of a killer 90s classic, with familiar cameos and fresh blood packed into what can only be a nostalgic romp of a time at the movies. Will we cringe? Probably. But will it be worth it? Here’s hoping!
Bring Her Back (directed by Danny and Michael Philippou)
Release date: 1st August
The Philippou Bros are already causing a massive stir in the horror community with their sophomore feature-length film, and while most of the world has already seen this highly anticipated release, we Brits have to wait just a bit longer for it to successfully ruin our lives. I’m almost certain it’ll be worth the wait.
Weapons (directed by Zach Cregger)
Release date: 8th August
More creepy kids! This time by the same director who gave us the deliciously disturbing ‘Barbarian’ back in 2022, and going off of the trailers alone, we seem to have another hit on our hands.
The Conjuring: Last Rites (directed by Michael Chaves)
Release date: 5th September
What appears to be our very last exorcism with the Warrens, Last Rites could go one of two ways: it could be a disappointing flop or the most bone-chilling entry into the Conjuring universe. At the very least, the Farmiga sisters will give us guaranteed good performances.
The Long Walk (directed by Francis Lawrence)
(Hopeful) release date: 12th September
A new Stephen King adaptation when we needed one most! Francis Lawrence, of The Hunger Games franchise fame, is back with another deadly dystopian survival game, this time with fewer games and more guns. We’re ready for the sympathetic leg cramps.
Him (directed by Justin Tipping)
(Hopeful) release date: 19th September
American football already scares the crap out of me, so why not make it into a horror movie? That’s exactly what Him is promising. Some have likened the trailer to The Substance for boys and I say, let’s have at it.
Not included in this list is Ari Aster’s Western dark-comedy, Eddington, which hits theatres on 22nd August, but I felt remiss not to at least mention it as Aster is much beloved by the horror community, and I’m sure we’re all curious about where he’ll be going with this anticipated follow-up to Beau is Afraid.
If there’s one piece of advice I could give readers before seeing any of these titles, it’s to make sure you bring some water and an extra t-shirt – it’s going to be one hell of a summer.
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