The Best Horror Movies of 2023
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We’ll be the first to let you in on this exclusive hot trend. It’s called watching horror movies. All the coolest sexiest people you know are doing it. If you haven't noticed yet, all the movies people can't stop talking about these days are very scary! Maybe it's because the world around us can be very scary these days (climate change, war, ongoing worldwide pandemic...) But it seems like a lot of movie goers want to escape into an imaginary world of horrors away from the real life ones. And who can blame you, when new horror film releases are this good?
The horror film genre has made a comeback in a big way. Revived from the 80s and 90s curse of bland and forgettable franchise sequels, horror movies are finally fresh and exciting again. Whether it was indie film lovers favorite production company,A24, releasing X and Bodies Bodies Bodies, or big film studios like Paramount bringing us Scream, or crowd-sourced small budget features like Terrifier 2, some of the biggest movies of the past year were horror films. Bad news for all the scaredy cats out there. All the must-watch movies of this year are the spooky, chills up your spine kind. We can't wait to see what the world of horror brings us in this new year.
M3GAN
We can’t wait to see this dancing, running on all fours, robot doll in action. M3GAN came onto the scene hot last year, when the trailer dropped and immediately launched a million memes. M3GAN feels like a girlboss Chucky, who is so full of her own distinct personality that we can already smell the Halloween costumes of her from months away.
Knock At the Cabin
M. Night Shyamalan is a horror auteur, bringing us unforgettable stories like The Sixth Sense, Signs, and Split. But he's not one to rest on his laurels. He's kicking 2023 off with another scary story. This time we follow a family who get taken hostage at their cabin. An already terrifying premise that we're sure will get the Shyamalan twist.
SCREAM VI
If 2022’s Scream sequel showed us anything, it was that this franchise can be reimagined over and over again and still find new ways to thrill us! Some familiar faces are promised to return, like Courteney Cox and Hayden Panettiere, combined with buckets of blood and new killers on the loose, it will definitely be a must watch.
Insidious: Fear the Dark
James Wan's Insidious kicked off a brand new franchise with its story about a family who moves into a new home and consequently become haunted by demons who attempt to possess their son. Now Patrick Wilson, star of the films, has taken his hand at directing for the first time for this sequel. We can't wait to see his take on the story that cemented him as a Scream King.
Saw X
Yes, you read that right. We are getting a tenth addition to the already huge and terrifying Saw franchise. Another James Wan original, Saw has been scaring audiences for decades now. Tobin Bell, who played Jigsaw is to return for the role. Although it may seem like Saw has created and recreated every possible gory way to die, we might be in for more bloody surprises with this epic tenth sequel.
Haunted Mansion
Remember the first The Haunted Mansion movie? 2003 was a long time ago, but the cultural impact this family horror-comedy had on us was long lasting. This time a brand new cast takes on the wacky haunted house. Rosario Dawson, LaKeith Stanfield, and Owen Wilson are just a few of the stars who poised to show off their horror movie chops in this remake.
The Nun 2
This new and ninth addition to The Conjuring cinematic universe is geared to greet us in 2023. After audiences were scared out of their wits by the first Nun movie, a sequel was quickly announced. Taissa Farmiga will return as Sister Irene and head up this brand new spin off to the rich stories of The Conjuring world.
Renfield
Nicolas Cage as Count Dracula and Nicholas Hoult as his bumbling henchman, Renfield, sounds like a campy horror fan's dream come true. But it's going to be a reality very soon. With a cast full of veteran comedians, Awkafina and Ben Schwartz, this 2023 adaptation of legendary Dracula characters is set to deliver scares and knee slapping humor.
It’s been another home run year for horror. Hit after hit of terrifying new monsters, nightmares, and haunted houses appeared on our big screens this year. The genre continued to redefine itself, re-examining old tropes, telling new stories and still finding ways to make decades old franchises fresh.
We got our share of sequels to beloved horror franchises this year including Scream VI, which introduced us to Ghostface in New York City, and Saw X, a prequel sequel that brought back to life fan favorite characters– Jigsaw and Amanda, and Evil Dead Rise a mighty followup that rivaled the original in terms of blood and gore!
But that's not to discount all the incredible brand new original horror films that swept us off our feet. Talk to Me and Skinamarink, both feature film debuts by their respective directors, have already gone down as some of the best horror movies we've seen in recent memory. There's still plenty of time to catch up if you've missed some other gems this year. We're so lucky to be living in a renaissance of horror. You can even find some of the best scary movies of the year on a streaming service near you like, Perpetrator on Shudder or No One Will Save You on Hulu. And don't forget about the horror heavyweight contenders like the instantly viral M3GAN, and Thanksgiving, a brand new vision from Eli Roth. Below, we’ve rounded up the best of the best, and it's not too late to catch up on all of them now.
Thanksgiving
Eli Roth returns to the horror genre, and we couldn't be more grateful. His newest entry, Thanksgiving, proves his prowess in serving up scares. Set on the titular holiday, Thanksgiving, may have the makings of a typical formulaic slasher— with its masked killer, small town slayings, and use of a wildly impractical murder weapon, in this case, an axe. Roth shows us that slashers can still be fresh and fun.
In Theaters
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When Evil Lurks
One of the goriest, grisliest films of the year comes from Demián Rugna, Argentinian filmmaker. When Evil Lurks tells the story of two brothers, Pedro and Jimmy, who come face to face with a demonic entity that is possessing their neighbors. This demons is a real bitch to exorcise, no amount of crucifixes or holy water can get rid of it. The demonic infection spreads rapidly and causes people to become violent and soulless. This movie takes no prisoners and is brutal in its violence.
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The Last Voyage of the Demeter
You ever think you could get enough of Dracula as a horror fan? Well, if you're a fan of vampire stories, as many of us are, there's a brand new feature for us, The Last Voyage of the Demeter. Based on the Bram Stoker novel, Demeter tells the story of Dracula's journey on the ship that takes him to England. And you know, some shenanigans go down that boat! Dracula's got to eat, and when you're trapped on a boat in the middle of the ocean with him, things are going to get ugly, but also surprisingly suspenseful and fun.
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Perpetrator
A mind-bending and reality defying new horror effort from Jennifer Reeder, Perpetrator, combines a killer on the loose with body horror and coming of age all together in one neat, scary package. It centers on a young teen, Jonny Baptiste, as she navigates a new school where girls are constantly getting picked off by a mysterious killer. And things get even more complicated, as Jonny turns 18 discovers she has inherited a family trait that causes her to shape-shift. If that doesn't intrigue you enough, Alicia Silverstone gives a top tier campy performance that's definitely worth a watch.
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Influencer
Sometimes there's nothing more terrifying than logging onto social media. Brand new nightmares are unleashed in the movie, Influencer, where a popular travel influencer, Madison, is touring Thailand, but having a lonely and boring time behind the camera. Madison meets a new friend, CW, who has seems like a warm addition to Madison's trip, but she's hiding cruel intentions. Turns out there's a lot more to fear on social media than trolls and targeted ads.
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No One Will Save You
More horror movies should invite aliens to the party! Enough with possessions and creepy dolls. Thankfully, one film heard my message: No One Will Save You, which dives into the age-old horrors of a monster from another world landing on our planet... and terrorizing us.
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Saw X
Taking place between Saw and Saw II, Saw X brings surprisingly tender context to the Saw timeline, giving us fan favorites, Jigsaw and Amanda back at their best. They're just a normal mentor-mentee pair, torturing a brand new set of victims under the guise of salvation, and somehow getting you to root for them in the process. The franchise's latest entry doesn't shy away from what Saw does best: traps. You better settle your stomach for this one.
In My Mother's Skin
In My Mother's Skin follows a young girl who is stranded in the Philippines during World War II. She tries to protect her dying mother while a flesh-eating fairy tricks them with the false offering of hope. (Think: Guillermo Del Toro meets The Conjuring.)
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Talk To Me
Talk To Me is A24's latest (and certainly one of its greatest) horror flick, starring Sophie Wilde, Zoe Terakes, Miranda Otto, and Jett Gazley. The film follows a group of friends that finds an embalmed hand–and uses it to connect with the dead. At first, of course, their findings are exhilarating—but they quickly learn that contacting the dead comes with grave consequences.
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Huesera: The Bone Woman
Huesera: The Bone Woman follows Valeria, a first-time mother. Life with her new baby quickly becomes a dangerous fight for survival when a malevolent spirit curses Valeria. In order to protect her child, she utilizes the power of dark magic. Don't miss it—Huesera even made Esquire's Best Movies of 2023 (So Far) lineup.
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The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster
This Frankenstein-like film follows Vicaria (Laya Delon Hayes), a teenage girl who's obsessed with death. When her brother is violently murdered, she sets out on a quest to bring him back to life. Her efforts, however, set off a terrifying chain of events that only she can stop.
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Skinamarink
Skinamarink follows two young children who wake up and discover their father is missing. But that's not all—their home's windows and front door are gone, too. As more aspects of their life begin to vanish, the siblings realize they are dealing with a sinister force that has trapped them inside.
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Clock
Dianna Agron stars in Clock as Ella Patel, a successful interior designer in her mid-thirties. When all of her friends begin having children, Ella and her husband, Aiden, feel pressured to keep up with societal norms. The only problem is that Ella doesn’t want to be a mother. Eventually, she’s introduced to Dr. Simmons, a physician working on an experimental therapy to “fix” childless women. Ella eventually agrees to participate, in hopes that it will change her mind about motherhood—but the treatment, of course, is not as safe as it seems.
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Infinity Pool
A couple's romantic vacation is upended when they venture off their resort with a mysterious woman. During their day trip, they get into a tragic accident—and learn the town they're visiting has a zero-tolerance crime policy. To atone for their mistake, they can choose to be executed, or pay to watch themselves die instead.
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Malum
Malum follows Jessica Loren, a rookie police officer with a dark past. When Jessica takes the last shift at her new station, she uses the time to investigate her father's mysterious death, which she believes is connected to a violent cult. As the night progresses, Jessica discovers her father's past is even more twisted than it seems.
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Evil Dead Rise
Evil Dead Rise follows two estranged sisters who try to reconnect. Their reunion takes a turn when a group of demons try to possess them. In order to survive the attack, they have to depend on each other and fight the battle of a lifetime.
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M3GAN
We already can’t wait to see this dancing robot doll in action when the sequel hits theaters. M3GAN destroyed Twitter this year when the film dropped and immediately launched a million memes. M3GAN feels like a girl boss Chucky, who has such a distinct personality that we can already smell the M3GAN Halloween costumes coming from months away.
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Knock At the Cabin
M. Night Shyamalan is a horror auteur, bringing us unforgettable stories such as The Sixth Sense, Signs, and Split. But he's not one to rest on his laurels. The director kicked 2023 off with another scary story. This time, he followed a family who is taken hostage at their cabin. It's a familiar, but terrifying premise that absolutely got a Shyamalan-esque twist.
See the original post on Youtube
Scream VI
If 2022’s Scream sequel showed us anything, it's that this franchise can be reimagined over and over again and still find new ways to thrill us. Some familiar faces returned for the sixth entry of the series, including Courteney Cox and Hayden Panettiere. With buckets of blood and new killers on the loose, Scream VI is certainly a must-watch.
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The Boogeyman
The Boogeyman follows two sisters, Sadie and Sawyer, who are processing the death of their mother. In the midst of their grief, their life changes yet again when one of their father's therapy clients shows up at their house unexpectedly—and brings along a haunting entity.
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