Some of January's most notable horror releases like The Wolf Man and Companion aren't releasing until much later in the month, but that doesn't mean there won't be plenty of options to enjoy in the early weeks!
To begin the year, we're getting a frigid horror-thriller in The Damned, and one of 's 2024 horror movies, The Front Room, will begin streaming on Max. Keep reading to find out all of the scary content releasing this first week of the new year!
The Damned (Theaters, Jan. 3)
One of my most anticipated of the early 2025 months, The Damned is a 19th-century-set horror film about a group of people living in a remote outpost during a harsh Icelandic winter. Odessa Young and Joe Cole star as two key members of this group, who must decide whether to assist when they watch a ship sink near their village, as doing so could mean they won't make it through the winter due to the scarcity of supplies.
The Monster Beneath Us (VOD, Jan. 3)
Set in 1898 Yorkshire, The Monster Beneath Us is a new independent horror film from director Sophie Osbourne. After the death of the family patriarch, a woman moves her family into an old country estate that her late husband wanted them to live in.
Her son, Charlie, soon discovers what he believes to be a "friend" dwelling in the basement and thinks that this mysterious friend is why his father wanted them to stay there. However, the more Charlie bonds with this being, the more his temperament changes, leaving his mother to question what is truly down in the basement. Also playing in select theaters.
The Front Room (Max, Jan. 3)
Max and Sam Eggers, brothers of Robert Eggers, made their feature film debut this year with this horror-comedy film starring Brandy and Kathryn Hunter. The Front Room wasn't one of my favorites of 2024, but I do think it's worth watching if only to appreciate the wonderfully campy and over-the-top performance from Hunter as eccentric and cruel Solange, mother-in-law to Brandy's character Belinda.
The film primarily revolves around the twisted dynamic and rivalry between these two characters, and it's a joy to watch even if the rest of the movie doesn't live up to its central performances. Streaming this Friday on Max.