Horror cinema recently got a shot in the arm as, according to Variety, Martin Scorsese offered a rave review for the new A24 slasher Pearl. Even as the effects of the pandemic can still be felt in the film industry, horror movies continue to be a reliable box office draw. 2023 is shaping up to be an even more exciting year for the horror genre than this one.
From a new Exorcist movie to a new Scream movie to a new Evil Dead movie to two separate Dracula movies, there are a bunch of exciting horror movies coming in 2023.
M3GAN (January 13)
Drawn from a story by renowned horror filmmaker James Wan, M3GAN is a sci-fi thriller set to be released on January 13. Allison Williams stars as a roboticist who designs a life-like doll intended to be every child’s best friend and every parent’s closest ally.
When her niece is suddenly orphaned and relinquished into her custody, this roboticist decides to put the M3GAN prototype to good use – with terrifying unexpected consequences.
Knock At The Cabin (February 3)
M. Night Shyamalan is bringing his twisty brand of storytelling to the big screen once again, this time adapting Paul G. Tremblay’s book The Cabin at the End of the World under the title Knock at the Cabin. Dave Bautista and Rupert Grint are headlining the cast.
As a home invasion thriller set in the midst of the apocalypse, Shyamalan’s latest project – scheduled for a February 3 release – promises to combine two fan-favorite horror subgenres.
Scream 6 (March 31)
Following the success of their Scream requel earlier this year, simply titled Scream, directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are reuniting for the as-yet-untitled Scream 6, set to be released on March 31 next year. Neve Campbell won’t be appearing as Sidney Prescott, but Courteney Cox is back as Gale Weathers, Hayden Panettiere is back as Kirby Reed, and franchise creator Kevin Williamson is returning as an executive producer.
The upcoming sixth movie will leave behind the sleepy suburb of Woodsboro for the first time and take the Ghostface killings to the sprawling urban metropolis of New York City.
Renfield (April 14)
Based on a pitch by comic book legend Robert Kirkman, Renfield is an upcoming horror comedy about the titular henchman of Count Dracula leaving his spooky line of work after falling in love. Nicholas Hoult will play Renfield, Awkwafina will play his love interest, and Nicolas Cage will play Dracula.
Filmmaker Chris McKay promises to wring laughs out of Dracula lore in the same way that he wrung laughs out of Batman lore in the cinematic Lego spin-off he directed.
Evil Dead Rise (April 21)
The Deadites will be back on April 21 when writer-director Lee Cronin’s Evil Dead Rise hits theaters. Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell are onboard as executive producers. Originally set for a streaming-only release on HBO Max, Evil Dead Rise will instead play on the big screen, courtesy of a theatrical release by Warner Bros. Pictures.
The new movie will see a single mother in a cramped L.A. apartment finding the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis in her building and unleashing the demonic forces that once plagued Ash Williams.
Haunted Mansion (August 11)
Disney is working on another Haunted Mansion movie based on its theme park attraction of the same name. The star-studded cast includes such actors as Rosario Dawson, Lakeith Stanfield, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Winona Ryder, Dan Levy, and iconic scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis.
Directed by Justin Simien and scripted by Katie Dippold, the new Haunted Mansion reboot promises to blend family-friendly supernatural horror with family-friendly character comedy when it arrives in theaters on August 11 next year.
The Last Voyage Of The Demeter (August 11)
On August 11, the Haunted Mansion reboot will face some competition at the box office, and Renfield will face competition for the title of best Dracula-adjacent movie of 2023. The Last Voyage of the Demeter will specifically adapt a chapter from the original Bram Stoker novel entitled “The Captain’s Log.”
The movie will take place on the merchant ship that Dracula stows aboard to travel from the Carpathian Mountains to England. The crew goes missing, one by one, until only the captain remains. Liam Cunningham will play the captain, David Dastmalchian will play the first mate, and Corey Hawkins will play a doctor onboard the ship.
David Gordon Green’s Exorcist Sequel (October 13)
After rebooting the Halloween franchise with a sequel to the original movie that retconned the rest of the series, David Gordon Green will now work his magic on The Exorcist. Green’s untitled Exorcist sequel, set to arrive on October 13 next year, will bring back Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil.
Leslie Odom, Jr. stars as the father of a child who’s been possessed by Pazuzu who calls on Chris for help, given her experience in that field.
Cuckoo (TBD)
Scheduled to be released by NEON on an unannounced date in 2023, Cuckoo stars Hunter Schafer – better known to Euphoria fans as Jules Vaughn – as a teenager being pursued by a mysterious woman connected to a shocking conspiracy.
Sofia Boutella, Dan Stevens, and Jessica Henwick co-star in the movie, which is being written and directed by Tilman Singer.
The Boogeyman (TBD)
Set to be released on Hulu sometime in 2023, The Boogeyman is based on the 1978 short story of the same name by Stephen King. The script includes writing credits for A Quiet Place creators Scott Beck and Bryan Woods.
Adapted from the work of the master of high-concept horror, The Boogeyman revolves around two sisters who are still reeling from the tragic death of their mother when they realize a sinister supernatural presence has invaded their house.