Are you wondering which 25 horror movies to see in 2019? If you thought 2018 was a killer year for horror cinema, 2019 is shaping up to be just as gruesomely exciting.
From the much anticipated sequel to Stephen King’s It, to the remakes of two 80s classics, Pet Sematary and Child’s Play, horror has plenty to offer this year.
25. Pet Sematary
Pet Sematary. Release Date: April 5, 2019 -Official Trailer-Paramount Pictures
Stephen King’s immortal classic, last brought to the screen in 1989, is getting a 2019 refresh this year. Pet Sematary follows Dr. Louis Creed and his family who relocate from busy Boston to the rural landscape of Maine. While surveying their new surroundings, a mysterious burial ground is discovered in the woods near the family’s new home...which has the ability to raise the dead after burial. After tragedy strikes, Dr. Creed is thrown into an unfathomable form of evil that no parent could ever imagine facing.
Shocker Fact: Director Dennis Widmyer has changed the novel’s selection from three-year old Gage, to nine-year old Ellie as the resurrected Crandall kid. In order to avoid using a doll or animation, changing the plot to Ellie is the most plausible choice.
24. Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Release Date: May 31, 2019-Official Trailer-Warner Brothers-Legendary
Long live the king. It doesn’t matter if you like horror or sci-fi, it is easy to speculate that all of us are looking forward to the return of the baddest fire-breathing, 300-foot tall lizard in moviedom. Joining Godzilla will be Mothra, Rodan as well as the ultimate kaiju badass-King Ghidorah.
With all of these icons on board, we likely won’t have to deal with the human drama that covered practically all of the first film. Although, Ken Watanabe’s philosophical monster speeches were pretty cool.
Shocker Fact: Director Michael Dougherty studied the movement and behavior of king cobra snakes to accurately portray King Ghidorah’s head movements.
23. It-Chapter 2
It: Chapter 2. Release Date: September 6, 2019-Warner Brothers.
Set in 2016, twenty-seven years after the events of the first film, the second chapter of Stephen King’s It, follows a middle-aged and wiser Loser’s Club as they battle Pennywise once again. In the first movie, the group nearly destroyed It, but Pennywise was able to escape into the sewers of Derry, Maine. Older, wiser, and stronger, will the Loser’s Club be able to finally destroy the terror that thrives on terror?
Shocker Fact: Although the movie is set in Maine, it was filmed entirely in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
22. Child's Play
Child’s Play. Release Date: June 21, 2019-Official Trailer-Orion Pictures.
Every horror fans favorite slasher-demonic toy is back in 2019. The story is simple: a mother gives her young son a doll named Chucky who actually has a mind of his own...and a taste for violence. If you didn’t grow up in the 1980s, this reboot is sure to introduce you to the immortal line: “I’m Chucky and I’m your friend to the end.”
Shocker Fact: Instead of opting to use CGI, the filmmakers chose to honor the spirit of the 1989 original film and construct animatronic Chucky dolls.
21. 47 Meters Down: Uncaged
47 Meters Down: Uncaged. Release Date: June 28, 2019-Official Teaser-Entertainment Studios.
Two summers ago, 47 Meters Down became the ultimate experiment in realistic shark attacks on film. This summer, the frenzied panic and suspense will repeat all over again when a group of teens discover a ruined underwater city...that just so happens to be home to one of the world’s deadliest species of shark. 47 Meters Down was a masterclass in subliminal horror and this summer is shaping up to be equally as swimless.
Shocker Fact: The movie was originally titled “48 Meters Down”, which was later changed to “47 Meters Down: The Next Chapter”, before finally being called 47 Meters Down: Uncaged.
20. Hellboy
Hellboy. Release Date: April 12, 2019-Official Trailer-Lionsgate Films.
Fans of the Guillermo del Toro original series can rejoice in what is promised to be a horror-sci-fi-fantasy reboot of everybody’s favorite horned, wickedly funny, demon. David Harbour who is best known as Hawkins Police Chief Jim Hopper on Netflix’s Stranger Things, plays the title role, where he will match wits and superpowers against an ancient sorceress. This reboot promises to blend comedy, fantasy, gore, and horror.
Shocker Fact: This version of Hellboy will be the first movie in the series to be Rated R.
19. Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Are You Afraid of the Dark? Release Date: October 11, 2019-Paramount Players.
Everybody’s favorite 90s Nickelodeon horror anthology series is getting a big screen treatment just in time for Halloween 2019. If you prefer your horror more mysterious and less gory, this will definitely aim to please. Many of the shows classic episodes will get the big screen treatment and expect some of them to be scarier that what appeared on TV.
Shocker Fact: The filmmakers have promised a more mature and violent reimagining of the classic stories that featured on the show.
18. Us
Us. Release Date: March 22, 2019-Official Trailer-Universal Pictures.
From the writer-director of 2017’s Get Out, Jordan Peele follows up that mega successful horror phenomenon with another bizarre, Twilight Zone-esque tale. This new outing stars Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke as a husband and wife who take their kids to a beach house, only the beachhouse happens to be surrounded by an eerily familiar looking group called ‘The Tethered’. Blending the best of Hitchcock with the brazen and bizarre weirdness of The Twilight Zone, this movie will force all of us to lock our doors at night.
Shocker Fact: Writer-Director Jordan Peele got the inspiration for this story from binge-watching The Twilight Zone for twenty-four hours straight.
17. In the Tall Grass
In the Tall Grass. Release Date: Fall 2019-Netflix.
Stephen King is to horror what Da Vinci was to painting, and streaming giant Netflix seems to agree with their upcoming third Stephen King adaptation. Based on the novella that King wrote with his son, Joe, the tall grass fields of rural Kansas seem to have a problem with reality...they also like to trap anybody who ventures into their domain...forever. Leave it to Stephen King and his son to turn grass into a horror kaleidoscope of inescapable terror.
Shocker Fact: The art director for the movie is Shintaro Kago, a legend in Manga design and graphics.
16. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Release Date: August 9, 2019-Lionsgate Films.
Based on the bestselling children’s books of the same name, the iconic stories of Alvin Schwartz are finally coming to movie screens. A group of teens began exploring the recent string of grisly deaths that have thrown their town into chaos. The books featured numerous stories that were inspired by folklore and urban legends, so it is safe to say that fiction will meet reality, in some pretty terrifying ways.
Shocker Fact: Guillermo del Toro was attached to direct the film after he finished The Shape of Water. He decided to write and produce instead.
15. 3 From Hell
3 from Hell. Release Date: Fall 2019.
Rob Zombie’s immortal horror classics House of 1,000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects solidified Zombie’s gritty and one-of-a-kind approach to horror cinema. Finally, after a 14-year wait, we will get the long-awaited follow-up to The Devil’s Rejects. Rob Zombie has kept details of the plot under wraps, but with Otis, Baby, and Captain Spaulding reuniting to sadistically destroy our senses all over again, we are guaranteed one hell of a wild ride.
Shocker fact: The film has spent over a year in post-production. Much of that time can be attributed to Rob Zombie’s tour with Marilyn Manson.
14. Zombieland: Double Tap
Zombieland: Double Tap. Release Date: October 11, 2019-Columbia Pictures.
Ten years after the city-named heroes and heroines of Zombieland butchered their way through the undead, a sequel is finally arriving right before Halloween. This time around, the foursome will have to battle evolved zombies that will make the action even more splatter-tastic than the first movie. This long-awaited sequel to one of this century’s best zombie movies is a must see for anybody who likes humor with their zombie gore.
Shocker fact: The sequel will feature new and improved zombies or, “super zombies.”
13. New Mutants
New Mutants. Release Date: August 2, 2019-Official Trailer-20th Century Fox.
Horror and the superhero genre are not created equal. But, when it comes to Marvel, blending the two genres is sure to please fans of both. The story is about five young mutants who are held against their will in a secret facility, who began to discover their new found superpowers. Blending the best of X-Men with a creepy story and visuals are sure to make this long-awaited mutant fest worth seeing.
Shocker fact: Jon Hamm was cast and played the role of Mister Sinister in the film, before having his role cut entirely due to a new creative route.
12. Crawl
Crawl. Release Date: Fall 2019.
Disaster horror films always have a way of tapping into our real world fears. Crawl tells the story of a woman who must rescue her father during the midst of a category 5 hurricane. Category 5 hurricanes are scary enough, but she soon must battle giant alligators who have been awakened by the powerful storm. If you like hurricanes and gigantic reptiles, this is a must see.
Shocker fact: Director Alexandre Aja set the film in Florida, however the entire movie was filmed in Serbia.
11. The Perfection
The Perfection. Release Date: May 24, 2019-Netflix.
Netflix is incredibly secretive of its original films, but with what is known of its newest horror outing “The Perfection” is enough to make anybody with a squeamish stomach pause for reflection. Allison Williams of Get Out and Logan Browning of Dear White People star in a tale that promises to be dark comedy, searing drama, and grindhouse sleaze all in one. Although not much is known about the movie’s plot, never trust two cello competitors to get along...ever.
Shocker fact: Early reviews of the film were only permitted if critics would not reveal any of the movies plot points.
10. Happy Death Day 2U
Happy Death Day 2U. Release Date: February 13, 2019-Official Trailer-Universal Pictures.
The Slasher genre has reinvented itself many, many times, but this concept brings it back into the forefront. A time-shifting murder mystery that blends sci-fi and slasher elements with a twist ending that would make M. Night Shyamalan envious. Happy Death Day 2U is one of the finer entries in the horror-comedy genre.
Shocker fact: Back to the Future II inspired the making of Happy Death Day 2U.
9. Wounds
Wounds. Release Date: March 29, 2019-United Artists.
Psychological horror is the type of horror that hits closest to home. For New Orleans bartender Will, his foray into the horror of the mind begins when he picks up an abandoned phone one night after his shift. Like Joy Ride and The Hitcher, Wounds explores the horror that comes with a chance action, that you never knew could possibly lead to torturous insanity.
Shocker fact: The film is based on the novella The Visible Filth by Nathan Ballingrud, who was inspired to write the novella after watching The Ring.
8. The Curse of La Llorona
The Curse of La Llorona. Release Date: April 19, 2019-Official Trailer-Warner Brothers.
The Curse of La Llorona is one of the most iconic ghost stories of Latin America. This movie will give the legend of a lonely ghost who prowls the riverbanks seeking her long dead children (which she murdered), a 1970s setting. When Anna, played by Linda Cardellini, loses her children to La Llorona, she must seek the help of a mystic priest to get them back.
Shocker fact: This film is rumored to be a part of the canon of films in The Conjuring universe.
7. Brightburn
Brightburn. Release Date: May 24, 2019-Official Trailer-Sony Pictures Releasing.
Brightburn sounds an awful lot like a SuperMan origin story with a horror twist. A couple adopt a baby that has fallen from outer space and attempt to use his superpowers for good, although the horror twist to the story prevents the classic Clark Kent formula to play out. This kid is intent on using his powers for evil. Fans of the SuperMan storyline will surely enjoy the horror twist to this classic tale.
Shocker fact: The filmmakers wanted to reverse the typical superhero storylines and explore what would happen if a superhero turned evil.
6. The Grudge
The Grudge. Release Date: Fall 2019.
The Grudge is getting a reboot this year and with a stylish new director, macabre and creepy atmosphere are sure to saturate this crazed ghost story. Although little is known of the new movies plot, it is certain that the spirits who haunted the first set of movies are definitely going to be back. Revenge horror, where ghosts take out their frustrations on new occupants of a dwelling isn’t new, but The Grudge makes it incredibly eerie and personal.
Shocker fact: The new film will actually be a sequel to the American trilogy of films that preceded this film in the 2000s.
5. Climax
Climax. Release Date: March 1, 2019-Official Trailer-A24.
French filmmaker Gaspar Noe creates horror movies that attack our own sense of right and wrong, restraint and overstepping. His latest movie Climax promises to continue his trend of graphic violence, weird and depressing behavior, and kinky sex. The story follows a dancing troupe who go to a large warehouse to rehearse and party, which includes somebody spiking the alcohol with LSD. What ensues is a freakshow free-for-all of hedonistic and psychotic behavior.
Shocker fact: The movie is set in 1996 to take part in the rave dance craze of the era, although you would never know it due to the films frenetic pace and action.
4. Velvet Buzzsaw
Velvet Buzzsaw. Release Date: February 1, 2019-Official Trailer-Netflix.
Velvet Buzzsaw is about killer art...literally. Director Dan Gilroy’s funny, weird, and supernaturally unhinged new film is about art, art criticism, and hallucinogenic day dreams that may or may not be real. This movie is all about how we give ourselves over to passion so much that it can kill...only passion and beauty and art start to literally kill the patrons of a Miami Art Exhibit.
Shocker fact: Jake Gyllenhaal wanted to work with Nightcrawler director Dan Gilroy again so badly, that he did not even read the script for Velvet Buzzsaw before saying yes.
3. Piercing
Piercing. Release Date: February 1, 2019-Official Trailer-Universal Pictures. Piercing is about the thrill of committing horrific acts simply for the thrill of experiencing it. For Reed and Mona, a normal marriage was not to be as Reed harbors deep ambitions to murder another human being, nobody in particular, just somebody.
Mia Wasikowska plays the kinky, formidable foe who Reed meets his match in, as they play a game of competitive and strategic cat and mouse which finds Reed losing his domineering impulses.
Shocker fact: Director Nicolas Pesce was inspired to make the film from the Japanese body horror films of Takashi Miike.
2. One Cut of the Dead
One Cut of the Dead. Release Date: Fall 2019.
This Japanese version of a zombie film within a zombie film is earning raves in its native Japan and its mixture of horror and comedy give it an edge in what is shaping up to be an all out scary year. The movie takes place in an abandoned warehouse where a film crew is filming a zombie movie...only little to their knowledge, a real zombie outbreak is occuring outside. Horror comedy is an acquired taste, but this entry is shaping up to be one of the best in recent years.
Shocker fact: The first 37 minutes of the movie are shot in one continuous take.
1. The Prodigy
The Prodigy. Release Date: February 8, 2019-Official Trailer-Orion Pictures.
Possession horror movies are not created equal. When they work, they work well, such as The Exorcist. The Prodigy is about a purely evil child and his mother who is powerless to help or stop him. Although it plays like a modern version of The Omen, there are still many sinister scenes to frighten every parent and make future parents think twice before deciding on parenthood.
Shocker fact: The trailer for The Prodigy had to be re edited after test audiences found it to be too scary.
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