It’s that time again; our Summer Horror Preview 2026 is here! The 2026 slate of summer horror releases brings some of the year’s most anticipated releases and beyond, ensuring another packed season for the genre from now through August, making way for an even busier fall.
This guide covers the highlights ofwhat’s already been announced, but as always, expect surprise streaming, Digital, and VOD releases to pop up in the coming months as horror continues to thrive and dominate.
Here are the horror movies you don’t want to miss in Summer 2026!
Affection – May 8 (Theaters)
Happy Death Day star Jessica Rothe gets caught in another cyclical nightmare as a mother afflicted with a faulty memory in this mind-bending sci-fi thriller. Affectionmarks the feature debut by writer/directorBT Meza. Joseph Cross(“Big Little Lies”) and Julianna Layne (“Chicago P.D.”) also star in the sci-fi horror thriller. Read our review here.
Buffet Infinity – May 8 (VOD)
Simon Glassman writes and directs this horror comedy that spins its sinister tale through a series of faux TV commercials, echoing Canadian comedy classic “SCTV”. As for plot, it follows two restaurants battling it out in the fictional town of Westridge County. Ahmed Ahmed, Kevin Singh, Donovan Workun, Allison Bench,andClaire Theobaldstar.
Obsession – May 15 (Theaters)
Beat the summer heat early with one of this year’s most chilling horror movies. A hopeless romantic gets his wish granted in the form of a novelty item, but he quickly discovers it comes at a steep, horrifying price. Writer/Director Curry Barker brings the scares in this violent, R-rated horror feature anchored by a tremendous performance by Inde Navarrette (“Superman & Lois”). Michael Johnston (“Teen Wolf”), Cooper Tomlinson(Milk & Serial),Megan Lawless(“The Girl from Plainville”), andAndy Richter (“Conan”) also star. Our review.
Monkey’s Magic Merry Go Round – May 19 (Screambox)
A beloved kids’ television show host struggles to regain his memory, only to find his puppet costars have become much more sinister. Reality and nightmares blur in this psychological thriller. Michael Gilio, the screenwriter behindDark HarvestandDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, stars in the movie from writer/directorAidan Leary, making his feature debut. Leary co-wrote the screenplay withC.R. Thompson.
Corporate Retreat – May 22 (Theaters)
Young executives turn to violence thanks to a vengeful leader on a team-building trip in this horror comedy. Odeya Rush(Goosebumps),Alan Ruck(Freaky) andRosanna Arquette(Pulp Fiction) star. Aaron Fisher(Inside the Rain) directs from a script he co-wrote withKerri Lee Romeo.
Passenger – May 22 (Theaters)
A mysterious entity latches onto a road-tripping couple inPassenger, the new horror movie that directorAndré Øvredal(The Autopsy of Jane Doe, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, The Last Voyage of the Demeter) calls hisscariest yet. Jacob Scipio, Lou Llobell, and Melissa Leostar in the original horror film written by Zachary Donohue(The Den) andT.W. Burgess(Mister Howl).
Saccharine – May 22 (Theaters)
The latest from Relic filmmaker Natalie Erika James takes aim at diet culture with body horror. Saccharine sees a lovelorn medical student Hana contend with a malevolent presence when she opts to partake in the newest diet fad: consuming human ashes. Midori Francis(“Grey’s Anatomy”),Danielle Macdonald(Patti Cake$), andMadeleine Madden (“The Wheel of Time”) star. Read our review here.
Backrooms – May 29 (Theaters)
YouTube prodigyKane Parsonsmakes his feature directorial debut based on his creepypasta-inspiredvideo series. Academy Award nomineesChiwetel Ejiofor(Venom: The Last Dance) andRenate Reinsve(A Different Man) explore a mysterious, liminal space when a strange doorway appears in the basement of a furniture showroom. Mark Duplass(Creep),Finn Bennett(“True Detective: Night Country”),Lukita Maxwell(“Shrinking”), andAvan Jogia(Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City) round out the cast.
Nesting – May 29 (VOD)
Sleep deprivation sends a new mother struggling with postpartum depression and trauma on a dangerous spiral in this psychological thriller. from writer/director Chloé Cinq-Mars. Simon Landry-Desy, Saladin Dellers,and Marie Bélanger star.
Pitfall – May 29 (Theaters)
A young man becomes separated from his friends in the woods and plunges into a ten-foot pit lined with spikes, impaling his leg and leaving him helpless. As reality sinks in and his situation grows dire, he realizes the fall wasn’t an accident in this gory survival horror movie. Based on a story by directorJames Kondelik(Behind The Walls) and a screenplay by Canadian writerVictor Rose,Pitfall stars Richard Harmon(Final Destination: Bloodlines),Alexandra Essoe(The Pope’s Exorcist), and UFC championRandy Couture(The Expendables) as the ruthless killer who stalks his prey in the woods.
sMOTHERed – May 29 (Shudder)
A painter recovering from an accident that left his memory fractured contends with an elderly woman claiming to be his mother, and his search for truth leads to the haunting legend of Malin Kundang. Kevin Rahardjo&Rafki Hidayatmake their feature directorial debut on the folk horror thriller from a script by Hidayat, Anwar, andAline Djayasukmana. Indonesian master of horrorJoko Anwar(Satan’s Slaves,Impetigore) produces.
Speed Demon – May 31 (Limited Theaters, VOD)
Katie Cassidy(“Arrow,A Nightmare on Elm Street 2010) andWilliam H. Macy (The Running Man, Train Dreams) star as Sister Lu and Father Novak, who purge demons on a speeding train after it’s taken over, rendering its passengers in dire need of an exorcism. Jon Keeyes (Cult Killer) directs from a script byDomenico Salvaggio (Die).
Scary Movie – June 5 (Theaters)
This comedy franchise is back and ready to offend with its sixth installment. Marlon Wayans(“Shorty”),Shawn Wayans(“Ray”),Anna Faris(“Cindy”), andRegina Hall(“Brenda”) reunite alongside returning favorites and fresh faces to slash through reboots, remakes, requels, prequels, sequels, spin-offs, elevated horror, origin stories, anything with the word legacy in it, and every“final chapter”that absolutelyisn’tfinal.
Disclosure Day – June 12 (Theaters)
Summer Blockbuster originator Steven Spielberg is back with a sci-fi epic that asks the question, what would happen if you discovered we’re not alone in the universe? Would that frighten you? Expect big summer thrills over chills. David Koepp(Jurassic Park, Spider-Man) penned the script, based on a story by Spielberg. Emily Blunt(A Quiet Place),Josh O’Connor(Wake Up Dead Man),Colin Firth(Kingsman: The Secret Service),Eve Hewson(Bridge of Spies),Colman Domingo(The Running Man), andWyatt Russell(“Monarch: Legacy of Monsters”) star.
Find Your Friends – June 12 (Shudder)
An all-girls trip to Joshua Tree devolves into a bid for survival in writer/director Izabel Pakzad‘s feature debut. Bella Thorne‘s (The Babysitter),Chloe Cherry(“Euphoria”),Helena Howard(I Saw the TV Glow),Sophia Ali(Uncharted),Zion Moreno(“Gossip Girl”), andChris Bauer(“True Blood”) star.
Leviticus – June 19 (Theaters)
First love turns deadly in the feature debut by writer/director Adrian Chiarella. Joe Bird(Talk to Me) andStacy Clausenstar as star-crossed teenage boys who must contend with a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most — each other. Mia Wasikowska(Crimson Peak),Jeremy Blewitt,Ewen Leslie(The Nightingale), andDavida McKenzie(Silent Night) also star. Read our review.
Rose of Nevada – June 19 (Limited Theaters)
Enys MenfilmmakerMark Jenkinis back with a new shot-on-film folk horror nightmare. George MacKayand Callum Turner star as new crew members of a mysterious ship, one with a history of vanishing without a trace. Rose of Nevada was written, directed, edited, and scored by Jenkin, who shot the film on a 16mm Bolex camera and is described as a “hallucinatory time-travel mystery.”
Hungry – June 23 (VOD)
James Nunn(Shark Bait, One Shot) writes and directs a new killer animal flick that dares to answer what would happen if you transformed the board game Hungry Hungry Hippo into a horror movie. A ravenous hippopotamus terrorizes tourists in Louisiana swamplands. Madison Davenport(It’s What’s Inside),Tracey Bonner(Greenland),Michel Curiel(“She-Hulk: Attorney at Law”),Jim Meskimen(“Parks and Recreation”),Samantha Coughlan(Arcadian),Olivia Bernstone(Fighting with My Family),River Codack(“Happy Face”), andJoaquim de Almeida(Desperado) star.
Strung – June 26 (Peacock)
A gifted violinist whose prestigious new role as a music tutor for an enigmatic, elite family spirals into a psychological battle for her safety and sanity in Jason BlumandTyler Perry‘s first co-production. Chloe Bailey(“Swarm“) stars in the film directed byMalcolm D. Lee(Scary Movie 5, Space Jam: A New Legacy) and written byAlan B. McElroy(Wrong Turn, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers).
Evil Dead Burn – July 10 (Theaters)
Pesky Deadites begin picking family members apart at a family reunion in the newest entry in the Evil Dead franchise.Sébastien Vaniček(Infested) directs from a script he co-wrote with Florent Bernard(Infested). Souheila Yacoub(Dune: Part Two),Tandi Wright(Pearl),Hunter Doohan(“Wednesday”),Luciane Buchanan(“The Night Agent”),Errol Shand(Deathgasm),Maude Davey(“The Leftovers”),George Pullar, andGreta Van Den Brink(“Territory”) star.
Fall 2 – August 7 (Theaters)
Harriet Slater(Tarot),Arsema Thomas(“Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story”), andTom Brittney(Greyhound) star in the sequel that sends two new sisters up to dizzying heights, trapping them in a terrifying survival bid. Michael & Peter Spierig(Predestination,Jigsaw) direct from a script byFallwritersScott Mann(who also directed the original) andJonathan Frank.
Ice Cream Man – August 7 (Theaters)
Madness ensues when an ice cream man serves kids sweet treats that yield horrifying results, written by Eli Roth and longtime friendNoah Belson. Snoop Dogg is contributing music to the film, along with composerBrandon Roberts(Thanksgiving, “Andor”). Ari Millen(“Orphan Black”) stars in the titular role along withBenjamin Byron Davis(Red Dead Redemption),Karen Cliche(Thanksgiving).
The Last House – August 7 (Netflix)
Previously known as 11817, directorLouis Leterrier‘s sci-fi horror thriller follows a family of four as they’re trapped within their home by a mysterious threat as supples dwindle. Greta Lee(“Russian Doll”),Wagner Moura(“Narcos”),Riley Chung(Sunrise),Emma Ho(“The Expanse”),Noah Alexander Sosnowski(Section 8), andGabriel Barbosa(May December) star. Matthew Robinson(Love and Monsters, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die) penned the script.
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma – August 7 (Theaters)
Described as “Portrait of a Lady on Fireset in aFriday the 13thsequel,” this sapphic slasher goes meta as it centers around a fictional slasher franchise whose reboot causes its star and an upcoming director to descend into a blood-soaked world of delirium and desire. Hannah Einbinder(“Hacks”) andGillian Anderson(“The X-Files”) star withJack Haven(I Saw the TV Glow) as Little Death in the newest film from writer/director Jane Schoenbrun(I Saw the TV Glow).
The End of Oak Street – August 14 (Theaters)
The Platt family must band together when their suburban street gets transported to a strange new place by a bizarre cosmic anomaly. Previously known asFlowervale Street,It Follows writer/directorDavid Robert Mitchell‘s new film stars Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella(My Old Ass), Christian Convery (Frankenstein, “Sweet Tooth”), Chris Coy(“The Peripheral”),P.J. Byrne(The Wolf of Wall Street), andJordan Alexa Davis(“Defending Jacob”).
Train to Busan 10th Anniversary Remaster – August 14 (Theaters)
Yeon Sang-ho’s global phenomenon arrives back in theaters to celebrate its 10th Anniversary with a brand new 4K remaster. What begins as a simple birthday trip for a father and daughter turns into a high-octane fight for survival when a zombie outbreak ravages South Korea. Trapped on a speedingtrain, they must navigate a landscape of terror to reach safety. Experience the relentless action and heart-wrenching drama on the big screen like never before.
Insidious: Out of the Further – August 21 (Theaters)
The sixth installment brings the ghosts out of The Further and into the real world and a young mom discovers she can cross into the purgatorial realm. Franchise starLin Shayereprises her role as Elise Rainier alongsideAmelia Eve(“The Haunting of Bly Manor”) andBrandon Perea(Nope).Island Austin,Sam Spruell(“Fargo”), andMaisie Richardson-Sellers (“Legends of Tomorrow”) round out the cast.Jacob Chase(Come Play) writes and directs.
Colony – August 28 (Theaters)
A biotech conference becomes a harrowing quarantine zone when a mutating virus is unleashed in the latest fromSouth Korean filmmakerYeon Sang-ho(Train to Busan, “Parasyte: The Grey,”The Ugly). Gianna Jun (“My Sassy Girl”) and Koo Kyo-hwan(Peninsula, Escape from Mogadishu) star.
The Dog Stars – August 28 (Theaters)
Jacob Elordi(Frankenstein),Josh Brolin(Weapons), andMargaret Qualley(The Substance) seek hope and humanity at the end of the world in Ridley Scott‘s post-apocalyptic thriller. The film is based on Peter Heller’s bestselling novel and written byMark L. Smith(Overlord,The Revenant).
The Whisper Man – August 28 (Netflix)
Based onAlex North‘s 2019 novel of the same name, Netflix’s serial killer thriller sees a widowed crime writer team with his estranged father when his son is kidnapped that may be directly tied to a convicted serial killer known as The Whisper Man. James Ashcroft(The Rule of Jenny Pen) directs from a script byBen Jacoby(The First Omen) andChase Palmer(IT). Adam Scott, Michelle Monaghan,andRobert De Niro star alongside Michael Keaton, John Carroll Lynch, Hamish Linklater, Owen Teague, Will Brill,andAcston Luca Porto.