2023 Is Going to Be an Epic Year for Horror

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Horror fared well in 2022. The year started off strong with Scream, a "requel" of the famous meta-slasher, along with Fresh, a cannibal thriller, and X, which catapulted actress Mia Goth into horror fame. Although horror movies don't often get the recognition they deserve when it comes to awards season (Get Out is the only to be awarded at the Oscars in recent memory), in recent years the genre has arguably become one of the most reliable in the industry; movies like Barbarian were surprise hits on low budgets, and Get Out's director Jordan Peele is able to draw hits on his name alone, with Nope landing strongly for him last year as well.

Horror, at this point, is more stable than previously reliable genres like romance or comedy, which now find themselves in a struggle to find footing in an industry that's all but done away with the mid-budget movie. Horror thrives in indie studios and small budgets. Horror is the underdog of genres, and year after year it surprises us with new ways to both scare us and make us empathize with the terrifying and strange situations various characters experience.

2023 is set to be another great year for all kinds of horror thrills and chills. The year is starting off strong with the viral M3GAN, which follows a fashionable looking robot who bonds with a toy engineer's niece. Although it was up against James Cameron's epic and long-awaited sequel to Avatar, M3GAN managed to recoup its budget and then some, with over $30 million in ticket sales in the film's opening weekend, as The New York Times reports. Later in the year, we'll have a number of star-studded films, including Beau Is Afraid (starring Joaquin Phoenix), Cuckoo (with Hunter Schafer), and The Parenting (with Parker Posey, Edie Falco, and Brian Cox). Notably, The Parenting is one of the many horror-comedies coming out this year. It's too early to say if they'll deliver an equal amount of laughs and scares, but in case you're looking for a break from the suspenseful tone of most horror films, 2023 has more to offer than predictable jump scares.

Here are the horror movies we're most excited for this year.

M3GAN

The first major horror movie of the year may seem silly at first glance, but early reviews suggest M3GAN could be one of the best spooky flicks of the year. Starring Allison Williams, the film follows a woman who brings home a robot doll who becomes a little too protective.

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Infinity Pool

What's the secret to a good horror flick? Three things: Alexander Skarsgård, Mia Goth, and Brandon Cronenberg (who blew audiences' minds a couple years ago with his movie Possessor). That's the not-so-secret formula to Infinity Pool, about a rich couple who stay at an all-inclusive resort. Of course, that summary will pale in comparison to the grim, gory, and surprising plot the film will actually contain.

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Knock at the Cabin

Dave Bautista, Rupert Grint, Jonathan Groff, and more star in this M. Night Shyamalan film based on Paul G. Tremblay's book The Cabin at the End of the World. While on vacation at a remote cabin, a family is held hostage by four strangers who demand the family provide a sacrifice to stop the apocalypse. If you're an M. Night fan, well, it sounds like everything you'd expect from an M. Night production.

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Scream 6

Fresh off the success of her hit show Wednesday, Jenna Ortega returns in the newest installment of the Scream franchise, which will take a change of scenery to New York City. It'll also be the first film without the films' long-time final girl, Sidney Prescott (played by Neve Campbell). This time, there's no telling who's going to live, and who's going to get stabbed.

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Renfield

Nicholas Hoult and Nicolas Cage star in this horror-comedy about Dracula and his assistant. Based on the character Renfield from Bram Stoker's Dracula, the film also stars Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz, and others.

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Evil Dead Rise

The fifth installment in the Evil Dead franchise (created, originally, by horror god Sam Raimi), Evil Dead Rise originally was intended to premiere on HBO Max, but will now be released theatrically. Two sisters try to survive and save their family from creatures known as Deadites.

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Beau Is Afraid

Previously called Disappointment Blvd, Beau is Afraid stars Joaquin Phoenix and is written, directed, and produced by Hereditary and Midsommar's Ari Aster. Originally expected in 2022, this undoubtedly strange and spooky film will hit theaters this year.

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Insidious: The Red Door

Patrick Wilson will star in and direct (his directorial debut!) this next installment of the Insidious franchise, which will depict the formerly possessed Dalton Lambert, who now heads off to college.

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Talk to Me

This Australian horror film follows a group of teens who use an embalmed hand to contact spirits. But the game quickly turns dangerous when one teen unlocks a particularly malevolent spirit.

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Saw X

Although the previous Saw installment, 2021's Spiral, was a disappointment, it's possible Saw X, the tenth movie in the franchise, could entice audiences to care about Jigsaw and his gore-filled games again. Tobin Bell, who plays serial killer John Kramer (the controller of the creepy little doll), is set to return.

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The Exorcist

A sequel to the famous 1973 film, The Exorcist will star Leslie Odom Jr., Ellen Burstyn, and Ann Dowd. For now, that's all we know, but it's bound to be a major release around Halloween.

This film premieres on October 13, 2023.

Poor Things

Yorgos Lanthimos directs a stacked cast in Poor Things. Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe and many, many others make up this sci-fi romance about a woman who's brought back to life by a scientist.

This film premieres on December 8, 2023.

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Cuckoo

Hunter Schafer stars in this horror movie about a teenager who moves with her parents to a resort, only to find out her new home may not be what it seems.

This film is set to premiere sometime in 2023.

The Deliverance

Andra Day, Mo'Nique, Omar Epps, Caleb McLaughlin (of Stranger Things fame), and Glenn Close star in this upcoming Netflix film directed by Lee Daniels. Based on a real-life haunting account, the film follows a mother in Gary, Indiana whose children appear to become possessed.

This film is expected to premiere on Netflix in 2023.

The Parenting

Edie Falco, Brian Cox, Parker Posey, and others star in The Parenting, a horror-comedy about a gay couple who host a weekend getaway with their parents, which quickly turns dark when they all discover an ancient evil entity.

This film is expected to premiere in 2023.

Nightbitch

Amy Adams will star in Nightbitch, a film based on a best-selling novel of the same name. It follows a stay at home mom who discovers she can transform into a dog, hence the film's cheeky title.

This film is expected to premiere in 2023.

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