Today marks the first official day of summer and this year there are a lot of horror movies hitting theaters, so I thought I’d put together a little guide to highlight this year’s summer horror releases. Some you’ve probably heard of, others maybe not, but with this guide there’ll definitely be plenty of horror on your radar for the next few months.
Child’s Play – June 21
Opening today, Child’s Play is the polarizing remake of the 80’s horror classic of the same name. With Chucky getting an upgrade from posessed doll to smart device gone bad, Karen (Aubrey Plaza) and her son Andy (Gabriel Bateman) have to survive the horrors of modern living when their Buddi doll gets a taste for blood.
Nightmare Cinema – June 21
Nightmare Cinema is getting a limited release along with a VOD release. The film tells of five strangers who converge at a haunted movie theater owned by The Projectionist (Mickey Rourke). Once inside, the audience members witness a series of screenings that shows them their deepest fears and darkest secrets over five tales.
Annabelle Comes Home – June 26
The third installment in the Annabelle franchise takes us back to where it all started, the home of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. When a babysitter unknowingly awakens Annabelle, a possessed, the doll unleashes an army of evil spirits that have been contained in the Warren house creating a night of terror for the Warren’s 10-year-old daughter, her friends, and the young babysitter.
The 16th Episode – June 28
Coming to select theaters and VOD on June 28, The 16th Episdoe tells of three YouTubers who visit the mythical town of Casablanca. With their viewership down they decide to attend a satanic ritual and discover their audience may actually want to see them die.
Midsommar – July 3
Has anyone called this film “Cultchella” yet? If not, can I coin that phrase? Anyways, Midsommar is about a group of friends who travel to a Swedish midsummer festival where a seemingly pastoral paradise transforms into a sinister, dread-soaked nightmare as the locals reveal their terrifying agenda.
Crawl – July 12
For fans of creature horror, Crawl is one you’ll want to check out. Florida is known for big hurricanes and big gators and this film has both. When a massive hurricane hits her Florida hometown, Haley (Kaya Scodelario) ignores evacuation orders to search for her missing father (Barry Pepper). Finding him gravely injured in the crawl space of their family home, the two become trapped by quickly encroaching floodwaters. As time runs out to escape the strengthening storm, Haley and her father discover that the rising water level is the least of their fears.
Darlin‘ – July 12
Directed by The Walking Dead’s Pollyanna McIntosh, Darlin’ is a sequel to the 2011 film The Woman and picks up years later as one of the youngest members of a cannibalistic clan is taken in by the Catholic church in an effort to normalize her. Not soon after, The Woman, who raised her, is determined to get her back and return her to her feral life. Darlin’s will get a limited and VOD release.
Trespassers – July 12
Coming to select theaters and VOD on July 12, Trespassers in the home invasion horror film for the Airbnb generation. When two couples rent a gorgeous house in the desert for a sex- and drug-fueled escape from reality. Sarah (Angela Trimbur) and Estelle (Janel Parrish) are longtime best friends looking forward to reconnecting after a period apart; their boyfriends, Joseph (Zach Avery) and Victor (Jonathan Howard), however, are immediately wary of one another. As tensions escalate over the course of a debaucherous night, things take an unexpected turn when a woman (Fairuza Balk) claiming to be a neighbor with car trouble shows up at the door. She seems harmless enough…or so they think. As the twists and turns pile up so does the body count in this stylish, blood- and neon-soaked thriller which hits with the furious force of a machete to the skull.
Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark – August 9
The highly anticipated film inspired by the classic “Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark” book series hits theaters July 9 and brings to life monsters from the classic books as a group of teens tries to solve the mystery of their origins.
47 Meters Down: Uncaged – August 16
The sequel to 2017’s 47 Meters Down, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged takes place in the backpacking mecca of Brazil, against the backdrop of the country’s vibrant culture, party atmosphere and beautiful beaches. A group of five girls from different backgrounds and countries are united by their lust for life and adventure in the coastal metropolis of Recife. Looking to get off the well-worn tourist trail, they hear about a hidden underwater ruin from a local guide and seize the opportunity to discover their own Atlantis beneath the turquoise waves. Unbeknownst to them, the caves where the forgotten city lies are not completely uninhabited, and as they swim deeper into the submerged labyrinth of caves they enter the territory of the deadliest shark species in the ocean.
Freaks – August 23
Freaks is a sci-fi thriller that tells of a young girl (Lexy Kolker) who lives in fear and fascination of the outside world. Locked inside by her disturbed father (Emile Hirsch) she’s taught never to leave the house because of the dangers the outside world holds. But when tempted by the mysterious Mr. Snowcone (Bruce Dern) the girl learns that while the truth isn’t so simple, the danger is very real.
Ready Or Not – August 23
Ready Or Not is a horror-comedy that tells of a young bride (Samara Weaving) as she joins her new husband’s (Mark O’Brien) rich, eccentric family (Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell) in a game of hide and seek. Little does she know, this family’s version of the game has a sinister twist.
IT: Chapter Two – September 6
27 years after the events of 2017’s IT, the grown-up members of the Losers’ Club return to Derry and discover that the evil that terrorized them as children has returned.
