Year in, year out, horror fans are always graced with many varied and diverse productions that explore different archetypes and fears for the audience. And 2022 will be no different, with many releases on the way. The year will be marked by the return of great directors – such as Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse) and Jordan Peele (Get Out, Up).
But more than that, we will have the rescue of many classic horror franchises, as well as their iconic villains. If you’re a fan of Ghostface, Pinhead, Leatherface, or even Michael Myers, this is going to be your lucky year – and here we’ve rounded up some horror releases that debut in 2022 that you’ll want to watch. OLBG.com have also put together a list of similar movies.
Scream – In cinemas now
Anyone who is a horror fan already knows the Scream franchise from top to bottom. Conceived by Wes Craven, the saga presents a fearsome masked figure who pursues several helpless victims. And this year, Ghostface will be back to torment Sidney Prescott, Dewey Riley, and Gale Weathers in a new chapter.
Titled only as Scream, the fifth film in the saga will be directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and promises to be the perfect encounter between a new generation of protagonists with the heroes we already know and love. And to head up this excellent cast, we have the return of Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courteney Cox.
Nightmare Alley – In cinemas now
Released in the United States late last year, Nightmare Alley brings with it an aura of mystery, suspense, crime, and fear. The film is directed by Guillermo Del Toro, who won an Oscar for his latest release, The Shape of Water.
Highly praised by international critics, the film stars a strong cast, with Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Willem Dafoe, Toni Collette, and Rooney Mara. In the plot, we follow a man with a talent for manipulating the people around him who ends up teaming up with a psychiatrist, even more, dangerous than he is.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre – February 18
If the 2000s were marked by a massive wave of reboots of the great horror classics, now we’re jumping on the bandwagon of legacy sequels – which is a continuation of the original films of each franchise, which completely ignore the sequels that came before. That’s what Texas Chainsaw Massacre will be.
The film promises to be a direct continuation of the absolute classic from 1974, giving rise to a prolific franchise full of sequels, reboots, and prequels. The new film discards all that and goes straight to the source, showing a new group of young people stalked and murdered by the maniacal Leatherface and his family of cannibals.
The Northman – April 15
Robert Eggers is a director who has intensely devoted himself to horror, with highly regarded films such as The Witch and The Lighthouse. He returns with an even bolder proposal this year, as his newest film will mix a historical drama with several horror elements. The Northman is about the tragic journey of a Viking warrior seeking revenge.
The film already had its first trailer released, and it came to the attention of fans of Eggers’ work – in addition to having a sensational cast, headed by Alexander Skarsgård, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Nicole Kidman, Willem Dafoe and, amazingly, look like the singer Björk. With the mix of historical elements and fantastic creations, the film promises!
The Black Phone – June 24
Speaking of Ethan Hawke, the actor returns in a sinister and sickening role in The Black Phone. In the plot, a serial killer kidnaps a boy and intends to make him his next victim – but the boy proves that he is able to communicate with his jailer’s previous victims, and he will use this to his advantage as he fights for his life.
The film also marks Scott Derrickson’s (Doctor Strange) return to the genre that made him known. Although it is scheduled for June this year, the feature has already been shown at some festivals and praised. As a curiosity, the story is based on a short story written by Joe Hill, the son of Stephen King.
Nope – July 22
This year another director coming in full force is Jordan Peele, the genius who provided us with outstanding works like Get Out! and Us. Only this time, we know little about the story of his next film, except that it will be called Nope and will have Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Daniel Kaluuya, and Barbie Ferreira in its cast.
Filming began in June of last year, but there is no synopsis or further details on the plot, except for the poster that was released by Peele – which also only raises questions rather than solves them. However, if we consider the director’s previous work, we can expect an acid film full of social commentary and a lot of controversies.
