26 most-anticipated horror movies coming out in 2022

With 2021 winding down, we’re looking ahead to 2022 and the horror movies we’re most excited to watch coming out next year. From a new Scream movie and the Halloween trilogy finale, there are lots of great new films releasing in classic horror franchises and exciting original content from a range of talented filmmakers like Jordan Peele and Robert Eggers.

Apart from Scream and Halloween, other popular horror movie franchises getting new films include Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Evil Dead and Hellraiser. All in all, 2022 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for the genre and one that horror fans should look forward to watching. Which horror movies are you most excited about?

26 most-anticipated horror movies coming out in 2022

Scream

2022 horror movies are starting out strong with the highly-anticipated release of the fifth Scream movie. It’s technically just titled Scream, but it’s Scream 5. Franchise originals Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Neve Campbell are returning as Gale Weathers, Dewey Riley and Sidney Prescott alongside several new characters. This time around, Ghostface is hunting down victims who have some kind of connection to previous Ghostface killers.

Scream releases in theaters on January 14, 2022.

Halloween Ends

The final chapter in the reboot trilogy, Halloween Ends is currently scheduled to release next October. Given how things went down at the end of Halloween Kills, it’ll be interesting to see where Halloween Ends next takes the franchise. Will it be the true ending of Michael Myers once and for all?

Halloween Ends releases in theaters on October 14, 2022.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre

UPDATE: Netflix has announced that Texas Chainsaw Massacre will release in February.

We don’t have an official release date yet, but Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of several new horror movies coming to Netflix in 2022. The upcoming slasher is based on an original story co-written by Fede Álvarez and Rodolfo Sayagues. Reports indicate that the film will be released in the first part of the year.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre releases February 18, 2022 on Netflix.

Morbius

Morbius is an upcoming superhero movie based on the comic book character Morbius, the living vampire played by Jared Leto. The story begins with biochemist Michael Morbius trying to cure himself of a rare blood disease resulting in a dangerous cure that afflicts him with vampirism.

Morbius releases in theaters on April 1, 2022.

Hocus Pocus 2

Almost 30 years after the cult classic premiered, the sequel is finally arriving on Disney+ next fall. Currently filming in Rhode Island, Disney recently released the first-look image of Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker dressed in their signature Sanderson sisters outfits.

Hocus Pocus 2 will stream exclusively on Disney+ next fall.

Nope

Little is known about Nope, an upcoming horror movie written and directed by Jordan Peele under his Monkeypaw Productions banner, but given the success of his other horror projects like Us and Get Out (and Candyman, which he produced), it’s understandable that people are extremely excited for this movie. All that has been released so far is a poster and cast list which includes Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer and Steven Yeun.

Nope will release in theaters on July 22, 2022.

Violent Night

It’s not even Christmas this year yet but studios are already looking ahead to December 2022. It was recently announced that David Harbour would star in a new thriller titled Violent Night from Norwegian filmmaker director Tommy Wirkola produced by 87North’s Kelly McCormick and David Leitch.

Violent Night will release in December 2022.

The Black Phone

Based on the short story of the same name, horror fans are very eager to see The Black Phone brought to life on the big screen. Starring Ethan Hawk, the new movie focuses on the kidnapping of a 13-year-old boy who is trapped in a basement by a sadistic killer. He then starts receiving phone calls on a disconnected phone from the killer’s other victims.

The Black Phone will release in theaters on February 4, 2022.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

We don’t yet have a lot of plot details about the upcoming Doctor Strange film, but Sam Raimi-directed movie has already been touted as the darkest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe yet, with genuine horror elements.

The film will also feature Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff and it seems like she might even be the movie’s antagonist after taking on the mantle of the Scarlet Witch and embracing her ability to use chaos magic at the end of WandaVision.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will release in theaters on May 6, 2022.

Firestarter

Blumhouse is rebooting the 1984 film of the same name based on Stephen King’s novel. Zac Efron stars as Andrew “Andy” McGee. Andy must do whatever it takes to protect his daughter after she develops pyrokinesis and becomes targeted by a secret government agency. While Firestarter hasn’t officially been set for a 2022 date yet, it seems likely.

The Northman

Robert Eggers, the director behind The Witch and The Lighthouse, returns with an epic historical thriller that focuses on just how far a Viking prince will go to seek vengeance for his murdered father. It’s impossible to ignore the True Blood parallels here given that Alexander Skarsgard has been cast in the lead role…and the movie is named The Northman!

Don’t Worry Darling

After her huge breakout role in Midsommar followed by an Oscar-nominated turn in Little Women, fans are incredibly excited to see Florence Pugh in another thriller, this time in the Olivia Wilde-directed movie Don’t Worry Darling. A 1950s housewife becomes concerned that her husband’s seemingly glamorous company is hiding disturbing secrets. Harry Styles, Gemma Chan and Chris Pine also star.

Don’t Worry Darling releases in theaters on September 23, 2022. 

Orphan: First Kill

Originally titled Esther after it was first announced in 2020, Orphan: First Kill is a prequel film to the surprise 2009 hit horror film starring Isabelle Fuhrman. Fuhrman will return to play Esther in First Kill alongside Julia Stiles. Leena Klammer, the woman we know as “Esther,” suffers from hypopituitarism, making her appear like a young girl despite being a grown woman.

This movie will show us how Leena became the killer we know her as in Orphan. Filming wrapped at the end of 2020 and we still don’t have an official release date but it is expected in 2022.

More horror movies coming out in 2022 (also some sci-fi and thrillers):

• Deep Water, erotic psychological thriller releasing on January 14, 2022
• Stoker Hills, mystery horror releasing in January 2022
• Moonfall, science fiction action disaster releasing on February 4, 2022
• The Banquet, British horror releasing on February 18, 2022
• Fear, horror releasing March 11, 2022
• Prey, Predator prequel releasing summer 2022 on Hulu
• Jeepers Creepers Reborn, first of a planned trilogy that doesn’t involve Victor Salva
• They Hear It, release date TBA
• Dark Harvest, fantasy-horror based on the novel releasing September 23, 2022
• Hellraiser, coming to Hulu in 2022
• Evil Dead Rises, coming to HBO Max in 2022
• Terrifier 2, release date TBA, expected 2022
• The Devil’s Light, supernatural horror releasing February 25, 2022

What upcoming horror movies are you most looking forward to watching?