The Best Horror Movies of 2024 (So Far) (2024)

2024 has been a great year for horror so far with the rise of new franchises and the return of other well-established ones. This year's spooky season is set to deliver long-anticipated titles such as Terrifier 3 and Smile 2, but it won't be easy for them to top the greatest horror movies of 2024 so far.

Modern horror has been quite a divisive topic. Fans have seen old-school properties retold and flop, especially in the last couple of years. The Exorcist: Believer and the finale of the new Halloween trilogy come to mind. But there have also been walks down memory lane that hit, such as Evil Dead Rise. 2024, however, is all about looking forward. The horror market is pivoting to fresh stories to make fans frightened in their seats. And make no mistake, so far, there have been some eclectic, engaging properties across the globe.

Updated by Arthur Goyaz, October 07, 2024: October is the best month of the year to check out new horror movies, and 2024 has delivered plenty of exciting gems. This list was updated to include more horror recommendations and to reflect CBR's current formatting standards.

15 The Speak No Evil Remake Does Justice to the Original Movie

It's an Authentic Movie Despite Being a Remake

Many horror fans turned up their noses at the announcement of Speak No Evil's American remake, unaware that director James Watkins was interested in a new take on the story. Based on a Danish movie that came out only two years ago, the film follows an American family traveling to the English countryside to spend the weekend with a British couple they met on vacation. Once they get there, the couple struggles to stay polite in the face of aggressive behavior and dark secrets.

Although the movie dismisses most of the bleak choices that made the original Speak No Evil so controversial, the reformulation of the third act hits all the right notes as tension goes through the roof and the psychological violence is taken to extremes. Most importantly, the new ensemble cast is terrific, especially James McAvoy in a role as eerily complex as Split's Kevin Wendell Crumb.

8

10

Speak No Evil (2024)

R

A family is invited to spend a whole weekend in a lonely home in the countryside, but as the weekend progresses, they realize that a dark side lies within the family who invited them.

Director

James Watkins

Release Date

September 13, 2024

Cast

James McAvoy , Mackenzie Davis , Scoot McNairy , Alix West Lefler , Aisling Franciosi

Runtime

110 Minutes

Main Genre

Horror

14 Tarot Has Diverse Monsters On the Prowl

It's a Great Vacation-Gone-Wrong Horror Film

Tarot focuses on a group of teenagers who use a cursed deck at a vacation home. They think they're reading their horoscopes, but they're actually condemning themselves to death. The ghoul in Tarot, the Astrologer, cursed the pack of cards after an injustice was doled out to her, so she returns to haunt and claim the users' souls.

What stands out is how Tarot's Astrologer takes various forms. She shape-shifts into all the entities from the cards and marks her prey. The creature is designed to even the Conjuring series. It produces something akin to Talk to Me and Final Destination, smartly creating a cat-and-mouse game and a house of horror wherever the humans are. What's more impressive is it's PG-13, so there is no blood and gore, yet the movie remains an inventive, spine-tingling rush.

Tarot

A group of college friends decide to have their fortunes read for fun, but little do they know, the tarot cards will reveal deadly truths. Soon, they start dying in gruesome ways, each death eerily mirroring the predictions from their reading. As the body count rises, the surviving friends must race against time to decipher the cards' symbols and break the curse before it claims them all.

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Director

Spenser Cohen , Anna Halberg

Release Date

May 10, 2024

Cast

Avantika , Olwen Fouéré , Harriet Slater

Writers

Nicholas Adams , Spenser Cohen , Anna Halberg

Main Genre

Horror

13 Arcadian Unleashes Creatures at Night

It's a Chilling Post-Apocalyptic Movie

Arcadian has Nicolas Cage as Paul, a father hiding out in a rural cottage with his two sons, Thomas and Joseph. It's like Signs meets A Quiet Place because they're living in a dystopian world where creatures come out at night to feed. The key is to stay hidden and quiet.

It's a very emotional tale of sons trying to please their father, and a father making sacrifices in a Biblical sense. It also has that energy from The Walking Dead and The Last of Us, where pockets of humanity selfishly neglect each other and horde goods. To top it off, the creature aesthetic is fit for those who love the monsters from Cloverfield and Stranger Things. As a bonus, fans get Cage overacting, which is an enjoyable staple that is a niche by itself.

Arcadian

Horror

Action

Thriller

A father and his twin teenage sons fight to survive in a remote farmhouse at the end of the end of the world.

Director

Benjamin Brewer

Release Date

April 12, 2024

Cast

Nicolas Cage , Sadie Soverall , Jaeden Martell , Maxwell Jenkins , Joe Dixon , Samantha Coughlan , Daire McMahon , Joel Gillman

Writers

Michael Nilon

Runtime

92 Minutes

Tagline

Beware Of The Dark

Main Genre

Horror

Producer

Michael Nilon, David Wulf, Arianne Fraser, Delphine Perrier, Braxton Pope, Nicolas Cage

Production Company

Saturn Films, Redline Entertainment, Highland Film Group

12 I Saw the TV Glow Blurs Fiction & Reality

A Coming-of-Age Story with Bleak Undertones

I Saw the TV Glow is another gem of a horror from A24. This one is more psychological and existential than the likes of Hereditary. It hinges on Justice Smith's Owen, as he battles depression over his terminally-ill mother. When his favorite TV show gets canceled and his best friend, Maddy, goes missing, Owen embarks on a harrowing journey.

There is body horror, the blurring of what's fact and fiction, and Owen being plunged into different realities like a warped take on Alice in Wonderland. It's the kind of trippy story fans of The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror would latch onto, as it plays on how fragile minds concoct ethereal coping mechanisms to deflect in the most desperate times.

I Saw the TV Glow

Drama

Horror

Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.

Director

Jane Schoenbrun

Release Date

May 3, 2024

Cast

Amber Benson , Justice Smith , Brigette Lundy-Paine , Danielle Deadwyler

Writers

Jane Schoenbrun

Runtime

100 minutes

Main Genre

Drama

11 Sting Has a Simple, Scary Premise

It Needles Arachnophobia in a Peculiar Way

Sting is a great 2024 horror movie that deals with young Charlotte inside an apartment complex. Depressed and desolate, she raises a spider, not realizing it's growing at an alarming rate. As the spider hides, it grows into a giant monster and begins devouring tenants. This results in the survivors ganging up to kill it.

Sting is a story made for fans of 1980s horror. It combines practical effects and CGI, creating a mood that's fit for a popcorn film at Halloween time. As far as creature features go, this is a very simple one that proves how not being too complex or convoluted works in the horror field.

10 Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 Is Terrifyingly Nuanced

A Major Improvement From the First Film

While Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey's first effort felt a bit slapstick and cheesy, the 2024 sequel has layers that cut deep. It focuses on Pooh and his friends going on a bloody rampage to get to Christopher Robin once more. The movie contains signature brutal kills that slasher movie fans would love.

However, there are key twists that emerge that reveal sympathetic backstories for the monsters. This reworking of the children's classic from A.A. Milne becomes a cautionary tale about bad parenting, missing children, and why society needs to do more to protect them. Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 creates a promising premise for the evolving Poohniverse with Peter Pan and Bambi.

Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2

Not Rated

Horror

Thriller

Not wanting to live in the shadows any longer, Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Owl and Tigger take their fight to the town of Ashdown, leaving a bloody trail of death and mayhem in their wake.

Director

Rhys Frake-Waterfield

Release Date

March 26, 2024

Cast

Scott Chambers , Ryan Oliva , Tallulah Evans , Simon Callow , Eddy MacKenzie

Writers

Rhys Frake-Waterfield , Matt Leslie , A.A. Milne

Runtime

100 Minutes

Main Genre

Horror

Studio(s)

Jagged Edge Productions

Distributor(s)

ITN Distribution

9 Immaculate Brings Biblical Dread & Terror

Sydney Sweeney Takes the Reins of the Narrative

For the most part, Sydney Sweeney's Immaculate feels more like a drama. But the final act ramps things up when Sweeney's character, Sister Cecilia, is impregnated with the DNA of Jesus Christ against her will. What ensues is a thought-provoking narrative about religious gaslighting, bodily autonomy, sexual assault, and abortion.

It's a powerful message about women's rights. It does get violent and graphic, and plays on the concept of the Second Coming and the Antichrist, too. In short, the film is a beautifully shot, cerebral story that fans of Rosemary's Baby and The Omen would take to. Minimal, artistic, but effective, like what the best A24 horror movies aim for.

Immaculate

Horror

Cecilia, a woman of devout faith, is warmly welcomed to the picture-perfect Italian countryside where she is offered a new role at an illustrious convent. But it becomes clear to Cecilia that her new home harbors dark and horrifying secrets.

Director

michael mohan

Release Date

March 22, 2024

Cast

Sydney Sweeney , Simona Tabasco , Álvaro Morte , Benedetta Porcaroli , Giorgio Colangeli , Dora Romano

Writers

Andrew Lobel

Runtime

89 minutes

Main Genre

Horror

Production Company

Black Bear, Fifty-Fifty Films, Lupin Film

8 The First Omen Raises Infant Hell

One of the Best Prequel Movies of the Century So Far

The First Omen is the prequel to The Omen. The 2024 horror movie deals with Sister Margaret leaving America to work at an Italian orphanage, only to discover a conspiracy involving Satan, the Catholic Church, and a vessel for the Devil's son. It's a twisty story that hides many secrets.

Passionate fans would appreciate the backstory in the jackal, how Damien's birth was plotted, and the precursor link to the Gregory Peck-led movie in the 1970s. This time, there is a more feminist slant about agency, invading women's bodies, and objectifying them on the whole — a pertinent, timely message for the world. All in all, The First Omen's jumpscares, action, and tension are worth the watch.

The First Omen

Horror

A young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, but encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.

Director

Arkasha Stevenson

Release Date

April 5, 2024

Cast

Ralph Ineson , Bill Nighy , Nell Tiger Free , sonia braga

Writers

Tim Smith , Arkasha Stevenson , Keith Thomas , Ben Jacoby , David Seltzer

Main Genre

Horror

7 Shaitaan Has a Deathly, Demonic Jester

It's a Folk Horror Movie with a Sociopolitical Pretext

Bollywood and most of South Asia have put out some provocative horror stories over the past few years. Many of them have sociopolitical themes and messages. Others just lean into fantasy, demons, and jump-scares. Shaitaan (which translates to "Devil") is one of them, evoking the influence of Stephen King stories. The movie deals with a stranger named Vanraj arriving at a farmhouse and tormenting a family.

Vanraj places a spell on the daughter, Janhvi, and has her obey his every wish. The family tries hard to break her out of this charm, but Vanraj reveals demonic ties and tortures everyone to attain that which he desires most. It's a very maniacal story that will keep fans on the edge of their seats. This is all due to the isolated setting and how the family can do nothing against this supernatural fiend who's not into material things.

6 Late Night with the Devil Is a Mind-Bending Trip

It Feels Like Watching a Cursed TV Program

Late Night with the Devil is more psychedelic than anything. It centers on a late-night talk show host, Jack, who brings "freaks" to his program to boost ratings. One Halloween show goes awry, after a botched session with a girl who has a demon in her. It has an authentic '70s look to it, especially in how it blends the TV format into film.

The plot explores cults, exploitation, and how far toxic men will go to sell their souls for fame, glory, and women. The practical effects help to dress the movie up with a campy nostalgic aura. However, the messaging, execution, and bombshell revelations keep sending shivers down one's body. This 2024 horror is another example of how simplicity works.

7

10

Late Night With the Devil

R

Horror

A live television broadcast in 1977 goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation's living rooms.

Director

Cameron Cairnes , Colin Cairnes

Release Date

March 22, 2024

Cast

David Dastmalchian , Laura Gordon , Ian Bliss , Fayssal Bazzi , Ingrid Torelli , Rhys Auteri , Josh Quong Tart , Georgina Haig

Writers

Colin Cairnes , Cameron Cairnes

Runtime

86 Minutes

Main Genre

Horror

5 Abigail Subverts the Vampire Genre For the Best

It's a Loose Adaptation of Dracula's Daughter

Abigail is one of the biggest breaths of fresh air in 2024. It initially seemed like it would be similar to The Last Voyage of the Demeter, with humans being trapped with a vampire — in this case, Dracula's daughter. Some of this does apply, as Abigail begins stalking her kidnappers in a mansion as part of a sadistic game.

The movie adds humor akin to Renfield while playing on the idea of how Dracula's kin are actually puppets in the overlord's game. With ex-Scream star, Melissa Barrera, involved as one of the heroes, modern horror fans will dig. Abigail goes on to reveal some exhilarating fight sequences and an interesting plot that creates a new avenue for Dracula's princess to shine down the line.

7

10

Abigail (2024)

R

After a group of criminals kidnap the ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, they retreat to an isolated mansion, unaware that they're locked inside with no normal little girl.

Director

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin , Tyler Gillett

Release Date

April 19, 2024

Cast

Kathryn Newton , Dan Stevens , Giancarlo Esposito , Kevin Durand , Melissa Barrera , Alisha Weir , Angus Cloud , William Catlett

Writers

Guy Busick , Stephen Shields

Main Genre

Horror

4 Exhuma is the Best Korean Horror of the Past Years

Shamanism and Ancient Curses in the Spotlight

Following the steps of the terrifying The Wailing, Exhuma delivers a horror premise grounded in folklore and ancient traditions. In the film, a team of experts finds the link between supernatural occurrences and an ancient gravesite. As they excavate the grave in search of answers, they inadvertently unleash a dangerous curse.

Taking advantage of a psychologically-charged atmosphere, Exhuma unearths dark folk traditions to deliver a unique horror story. Despite the film's slow-burn pace, the progressive layers of mystery added to the narrative will keep viewers glued to the screen even in the calmest moments. To be fair, it's the moments of silence and tranquility that seem the scariest in Exhuma.

3 Oddity Relies on Original Horror Themes

Many Unique Supernatural Elements Are Explored

Oddity is possibly the creepiest horror movie of 2024, thanks to its commitment to original themes. Cursed collections, psychic insights, clairvoyance, and enchanted mannequins. These supernatural elements are all gathered in Oddity for a purpose grounded in reality: to find and punish those responsible for the brutal murder of Dany Odello. The supernatural investigation is led by her twin sister, Darcy, whose reliance on paranormal objects will lead to dark consequences.

Oddity has a lot in its favor, but its most authentic attribute is going against the current trends of modern horror. It has a Gothic charm to it, added to a quietly disturbing moodcaspe founded on grief and anger. It's, essentially, a straightforward ghost story, but the use of unconventional supernatural characteristics adds an original flavor to it.

2 The Substance Gets Increasingly Absurd

The Body Horror Movie of the Year

The Substance is the wildest body horror movie in a long time. It follows an aging actress who experiments with a black-market substance that temporarily creates a younger version of herself. The movie isn't subtle at all, crafting a functional reality that exaggerates every thought and every action surrounding the main character. She gives birth to an ideal caricature of herself — someone who perfectly absorbs the caricatured reality of modern entertainment.

The Subtance's trump card is elevating its mind-boggling premise to extremes so nauseating that one fears what will come next. The final 30 minutes are a prolonged fever dream that gets bloodier and bloodier, often forcing the viewer to look away from the screen. It's in the final moments that the movie finally embraces the full potential of its hyperbolical allegories, half punishing, half-mocking the audience for loving a good spectacle.

1 Longlegs is Pure Dread From Beginning to End

It's a Serial Killer Movie with Supernatural Appeal

Longlegs' clever marketing strategy brought many horror fans to the movie theater, teasing the bare minimum while encouraging the audience to decode the mystery. The movie takes a similar approach, crafting an immersive atmosphere of dread and giving few clues about the secrets surrounding Nicolas Cage's titular character. Longlegs is the kind of movie that makes the viewer feel like the detective, uncovering the truth alongside the main character, Agent Lee. She's a troubled woman with psychic powers, brought on board the investigation of a serial killer with ties to the occult.

Everything viewers heard about Longlegs being the scariest and most gloomy horror movie of 2024 turned out to be true — it does feel like the devil itself is lurking around in every frame of the movie. Often, it really is; its bizarre outline can be seen multiple times in blink-and-miss moments. In addition, the mixture of supernatural elements with traditional forensic investigation works most of the time, especially when Cage steals the scene with a bone-chilling performance.