I feel like every year I find myself saying, “This is a great year for new horror movies,” but the 2026 movie schedule may take the cake. There are so many wonderful horror flicks already in theaters, and it’s only June. However, none of those titles have been quite as headline-making as Blumhouse’s Backrooms and Obsession. After both movies went 1 and 2 in ticket sales at the box office last weekend, the film company had a perfect one-word response for horror fans.

Blumhouse shared the milestone on its official Instagram account, posting a graphic celebrating Backrooms as the No. 1 movie in the world and the biggest (and latest) A24 movie opening ever. At the same time, Obsession was listed as the No. 2 movie in America and the biggest Focus Features movie in history. The caption below says it all:

The word "Unprecedented" pretty much covers it. Horror fans turned the weekend into a full-on genre takeover, with Backrooms leading the global box office and Obsession continuing to hang around like the cursed little nightmare machine it is. Blumhouse also thanked horror fans for showing up in theaters “this weekend and every weekend” and, honestly, after these numbers, a little victory-lap gratitude feels more than earned.

Backrooms opened with $118 million worldwide, including $81.4 million domestically, giving A24 its biggest opening weekend ever. The film also made 20-year-old Kane Parsons the youngest director to have a No. 1 movie at the box office. Parsons, who wasn’t even alive in the ’90s, somehow nailed the decade’s look. The furniture store setting, faux wood textures, CD stands, costumes and production design all helped make the movie feel weirdly authentic to the era.

Obsession, meanwhile, has become the horror movie people can’t stop debating. A major discussion that's circulated revolves around whether Bear ever had a real shot with Nikki before the One Wish Willow wrecked everything. The cast weighed in, and Michael Johnston suggested Bear might have had a chance if he had found the confidence, while Inde Navarrette said she and Curry Barker played some takes as if Nikki were interested and others as if she wasn’t, preserving the ambiguity in the edit.

That ambiguity is arguably a big reason Obsession has legs. People are not just watching it and moving on. They’re arguing about Bear, Nikki and free will, which is all good horror glue and conversation starters.

So, yes, “unprecedented” works. But I’d add another word: deserved. Backrooms and Obsession are very different beasts but, together, they show how hungry audiences are for authentic new stories told by fresh voices. As a major horror fan, it would be easy to say the genre itself is fueling the box office right now, but I don’t think that’s the whole story. I think audiences are craving specific, well-told movies worth leaving the house for, and right now, horror is delivering.

Backrooms and Obsession are playing in theaters. Be sure to check your local listings for show times.

Spoilers ahead for Obsession. Go see it in theaters and come back!

The horror genre has been experiencing a renaissance for years now, to the delight of fans like me. Many of the best horror movies in recent memory came from Blumhouse, and they once again stuck the landing with Curry Barker's Obsession, which is crushing at the box office. I totally love this new scary movie, although there's one scene in particular that's been haunting me in the days since I saw it on the big screen.

Shortly after it arrived in theaters, moviegoers started debating Obsession's twist ending. In the final moments of the movie, Inde Navarrette's Nikki finally regains control of her body... while surrounded by money and three of her friends' dead bodies. While Barker is creating a shared universe with his next movie, I can't stop thinking about the gnarly way that Sarah was killed in Obsession. Seriously, it's the thing of nightmares.

Sarah's Death Was INSANE

The violence in Obsession is shocking and random, between the real Nikki trying to control her own body, and the other Nikki lashing out as a result of her affection for Bear. Things reach a boiling point at Ian's party, where Navarrette's character starts getting very jealous of Megan Lawless' Sarah. Things go from bad to worse when Sarah and Bear meet in her car, and Nikki suddenly appears, breaks through the car window, and smashes her head on a brick repeatedly until she's both dead and horrifyingly mutilated. It's arguably the goriest sequence in the entire movie, a death that I truly can't stop thinking about.

I am a hardcore horror fan, and usually if there's one scene that I can't stop thinking about, it's a good sign for the movie. For Nope, it was everyone being digested by Jean Jacket, while for Scream VI, it was Anika's chase and ladder fall. Then there's Weapons' bloody ending. And seeing the way Sarah's face was repeatedly smashed against a brick in Obsession is going to stick with me for the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately, Sarah's misery doesn't end after she's killed. In the movie's final sequence, we see that the wish that's occupying Nikki has kept the body and mangled it further in Bear's home. That was another unsettling moment for Obsession, but I still think that watching Sarah's death was the most disturbing part in the movie's entire 109-minute runtime.

The cast of Obsession might be making us question what we think about how Bear's wish influenced Nikki, but one thing not up for debate is just how grisly Sarah's fate in the new Blumhouse horror movie was. And I personally can't wait to re-watch it once it's available to watch from home.

Obsession is in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list. And I have to assume I'm not the only one who was totally freaked out by the way Sarah was killed off.

There have been several films to hit the 2026 movie calendar that revolve around relationships gone wrong. From The Drama to Over Your Dead Body to Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. This weekend we’ll add one more with Obsession. The horror movie premiered at last year’s Toronto International Film Fest to rave reviews, so as it hits theaters on May 15, what exactly are those reviews saying?

Obsession stars Michael Johnston as Bear, who makes a wish to have his childhood friend and longtime crush Nikki (Inde Navarrette) fall in love with him. Wishes just never turn out the way you hope they will, do they? In the case of the critics, it’s actually Navarrette who they have become obsessed with. Frank Scheck of THR says in his review that Obsession’s fresh spin on the wish fulfillment formula makes it “so fun and so disturbing,” writing:

Timothy Lee of Geeks of Color rates the movie 9 out of 10, calling it one of the best horror movies he’s seen in the past five years. Inde Navarrette’s performance “genuinely left me terrified,” the critic says. More from his review:

So smiling while urinating is not OK? Noted, and moving on.

Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting gives Obsession 4 out of 5 skulls, calling it “one freaky movie” that combines a variety of scare tactics and dark humor that keep audiences on their toes. It’s bound to become this year’s horror obsession, Navarro writes, in large part due to Inde Navarrette’s “potently nightmarish” performance. The critic writes:

Nick Schager of Daily Beast calls the horror flick “a curdled stew of nastiness,” with its grim laughs hitting almost as hard as the shocking horror. Of the lead actress, Schager’s Obsession review says:

Chris Bumbray of JoBlo gives it a “Great” 8 out of 10, agreeing with his fellow critics that this movie should put Inde Navarrette on the map. However, he thinks Michael Johnston might actually have the trickier role. Bear is who moviegoers will likely grow to hate, but Johnston portrays the awfulness without losing the character’s humanity. Either way, they both deserve their flowers for what Bumbray calls “a slam-bang indie horror gem.” He writes:

It’s not just these critics who enjoyed the movie, either. Obsession stands with a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score, so if wish-fulfillment horror is your thing, definitely don’t miss this one. It hits the big screen on Friday, May 15.

The opportunity to do a mummy movie that was a truly terrifying experience was what Lee Cronin says attracted him to the project, and now, hitting the 2026 movie release calendar, we’ve got the finished product in Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. This iteration centers around a girl, Katie, who has been found alive(?) eight years after being abducted. First reactions had moviegoers dropping a lot of F-bombs, so let’s see if critics can expound on those a little now that they’ve had time to process.

Natalie Grace portrays the so-called monster in this iteration, but in addition to wondering if this even counts as a mummy movie, most critics seem to agree that at over two hours, the movie’s just simply too long. In his review of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, Guy Lodge of Variety says there’s “no earthly (or unearthly) reason” for the upcoming horror movie to have a 133-minute runtime. Lodge writes:

Siddhant Adlakha of IGN rates it a “Good” 7 out of 10, writing that Lee Cronin’s The Mummy will be “one of the saddest, funniest, messiest, and above all, meanest horror flicks” you see this year. It’s so ugly that movie fans’ mileage for such horrors may vary, but genre fans are likely in for a decent ride. Adlakha says:

Dan Jolin of Empire gives it 3 stars out of 5, saying the “domestic chills, body horror, paranormal scares and gore-drenched action” should keep horror hounds happy, even as sticklers will likely agree this isn’t really a mummy movie. Jolin continues:

David Ehrlich of IndieWire grades the film a C-, writing that anyone who wants to see “a possessed child peel semi-congealed strips of rotten flesh off their leg” will have a blast at Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. But that may be it, Ehrlich says:

Johnny Oleksinski of the NY Post rates it 1.5 out of 4 stars, agreeing with other critics that it feels more like The Exorcist than a mummy movie and is both “diabolically long and determinedly uninteresting.” Lee Cronin’s effort made this critic yearn for the days of Dwayne Johnson’s rocky acting in The Scorpion King, and he found himself wishing Brendan Fraser would heroically swing in to save the day. Oleksinski writes:

While the critics seem to agree the mummy movie — if you can even call it that — doesn’t need to be over two hours, not all of the reviews are bad. Lee Cronin’s The Mummy has a 53% Rotten Tomatoes score as of this writing, so if you decide this sounds like an experience you need to see for yourself, you can catch the movie in theaters starting Friday, April 17.

Jamie Lee Curtis has been synonymous with the Halloween movies for decades, but it turns out her return to Laurie Strode in the recent Blumhouse Halloween trilogy almost didn’t happen the way fans might think. When she first agreed to star in the 2018 requel, reboot, directed by David Gordon Green, she believed she was signing on for just one movie. Only later did she discover the project was actually planned as a full trilogy, which she was not pumped about. Still, she managed to turn that unexpected development into a big silver lining.

Taking some time off her busy 2026 movie schedule to speak at a SXSW panel (via Variety), Curtis reflected on how the new Halloween films came together and how producer Jason Blum helped revive the franchise. The actor made it clear she credits Blum with bringing the series back to life decades after the original. She explained:

The 2018 Halloween revival was a perfect example, costing around $10 million while eventually grossing more than $250 million worldwide. At the time the True Lies star signed on, however, she believed she was only committing to that single installment. While the film was still in post-production, she learned that the creative team had bigger plans for Laurie Strode’s return. Curtis continued:

The move secured the Everything Everywhere All at Once star a development deal with Blumhouse, allowing her to bring future projects to the studio through her company, Comet Pictures. One of the early projects tied to that deal involved filmmaker Russell Goldman, who had been working with Curtis on her first directing gig, the film Mother Nature. Goldman now works in development for Comet Pictures and recently premiered his feature directorial debut, Sender, at SXSW. According to her, seeing the Comet Pictures logo on the big screen during that premiere was a milestone moment for her as a producer.

Curtis also joked during the panel that Blum may have initially viewed the arrangement as more of a “vanity deal.” Instead, she quickly began bringing him a steady stream of project ideas. One of those came after she heard an NPR story about a school bus driver and teacher who saved 22 children during a devastating wildfire. She was immediately drawn to the story and ultimately helped bring it to the screen as the intense film The Lost Bus, streaming with an Apple TV subscription and starring Matthew McConaughey. While the movie flew somewhat under the radar with audiences, it still earned recognition, landing a Best Visual Effects nomination at the 2026 Oscars.

While Jamie Lee Curtis was not pumped to be signing on to three Halloween movies, what started as a surprise franchise commitment ended up helping her expand her producing career. Considering how successful Blumhouse’s Halloween trilogy ultimately became, despite its less-than-stellar critical response, it seems the arrangement worked out pretty well for everyone involved.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn't yet watched Five Nights at Freddy's 2, so be warned!

To get this viewpoint out of the way right up top: I would love if a live-action Five Nights at Freddy’s could exist that focused entirely on the boffo animatronic characters crafted by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, without having to spend much time with any of the human characters. We’ve not yet reached that point, however, and despite my tempered hopes, Blumhouse and Universal’s Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 somehow bombed even harder with critics than the first one — here’s our review — thanks in large part to its sloppy storytelling.

Of course, this is a franchise bolstered by obsessive fans, and I can’t help but love the fact that so many of them showed up in droves that FNAF 2 managed to surpass the first film’s opening weekend. So it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that the third film in this planned trilogy will get formally announced soon. However, two of the sequel’s most glaring (to me) issues are stopping me from feeling overwhelmingly optimistic about FNAF 3 being a quality closer, and these are the kinds of things game creator and film screenwriter Scott Cawthon should definitely avoid.

Skeet Ulrich's Appearance Is Wildly Confusing At Best, Completely Mishandled At Worst

When the rumors surfaced that Skeet Ulrich joined the Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 cast, horror fans like me had Scream-flavored visions of the two actors sharing the screen in one way or another, and fans immediately predicted that the Jericho vet would be taking on the role of Freddy Fazbear’s co-creator, Henry Emily. The actor himself didn’t feed too much into the fan comments when he finally addressed his casting, but the idea that he’d possibly still be involved with the third film only strengthened the belief that he was playing Henry.

Like so many details from this movie, however, Ulrich’s long scene with Josh Hutcherson’s Mike barely amounts to more than one big shrug for audience members who aren’t already intimately aware of the character’s importance from the games. In fact, that sequence almost comes across as if it’s purposefully being opaque about things, given that Henry only talks to Mike about his murdered daughter without dropping the major connective tissue between him and Vanessa’s dear old dead dad.

Sure, there are dots that can be connected. His dead daughter’s name being Charlotte is certainly the big one, but there’s also the fact that he gave Mike a music box to use on the ghostly Charlotte. Not a lot of people out here designing music boxes, so that tapped into the character’s crafty nature. Except wait… Again, if you aren’t familiar with the herky-jerk canon of the video games and tie-in books and graphic novels, these details probably had little impact, and one wonders why Cawthon didn’t just make it immediately clear who Henry is.

Instead, that exposition comes out in the most awkward way possible: via voice message to Mike that plays over the end credits. Sure, that’s a direct nod to Henry’s voice memos in the game, but it made a hell of a lot more sense in that medium than it does in live-action. So for anyone who wasn’t able to, or chose not to, stick around to watch the credits, Skeet Ulrich’s appearance must have felt like the weirdest left-field casting.

Oh yeah, and zero scenes between Ulrich and Matthew Lillard. I don't even know what to do with that.

The Fact That Multiple Pizzeria Locations Exist (And Without Mike Being Aware) Is Ridiculous

In adapting the janky timeline he'd set up with the video games, Scott Cawthon had the chance to right any and all wrongs by establishing a more believable and easier-to-understand history for Freddy Fazbear's restaurants. Instead, FIve Nights at Freddy's 2 goes down the exact same path and gives the live-action universe the exact same inconsistencies.

I realize that in 1982, there was no Internet or social media to hold people and businesses instantly accountable, but how likely is it that a family-friendly upstart like this would continue to exist after one of the founders' daughters was murdered while attempting to reverse another child's abduction? Did they just never question William Afton about it, because I don't think Lillard's character could deal with high-pressure questioning for very long without lapsing into cartoonish villainy.

Even if I allow myself to be comfortable with the concept of more than one Freddy Fazbear pizzeria being legally allowed to open following child-related crimes going down, I would still take issue with the way these other entertainment centers are introduced within the narrative. Which is to say, Mike's mind is blown to learn that there was another Freddy's location, even though this is something he 100% would have learned even if he'd only accidentally stumbled into five seconds of research. There's nothing accidental about it, though, since Mike's family is entirely enmeshed in Afton's crimes.

Let's see. One of Mike's siblings was murdered by William Afton, and his other sibling has spent the past three years obsessing over the robotics the dude helped popularize. Then there was their duplicitous and greed-driven Aunt Jane, who was straight-up murdered by an animatronic. But you're telling me despite all that, along with whatever police interviews and court cases that followed, Mike still managed to remain entirely clueless about there being an original Freddy's? Maybe he deserves to get his noggin gnawed on a little by some steel teeth.

Considering both of the above issues would have been easy to fix for a big-screen adaptation, I can't help but feel all the more wary about Blumhouse and Universal ordering up and dumping even more money into a third entry joining the legion of upcoming horror movies. And I didn't even attempt to talk about the giant whiff of Freddy Carter's Michael Afton, who arrived out of nowhere as Vanessa's brother and William's son. Maybe, just maybe, in a movie with less than 10 characters whose names matter: DON'T USE THE NAME MICHAEL IF THERE'S ALREADY A MIKE INVOLED. But I digress.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 is currently in theaters, and will be available to rent and purchise on VOD and digital before the end of the year.

When the Five Nights at Freddy’s video game was adapted into a movie in 2023, it was pretty clear by the way the ending set up a sequel that the filmmakers were confident fans would buy in. Sure enough, it was a box office hit, and two years later, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is hitting the 2025 movie calendar for more animatronic frights. Critics have seen the upcoming horror movie, and they've got some pretty harsh opinions.

FNAF 2 takes place a year after the events of the original, with Abby Schmidt (Piper Rubio) reconnecting with Freddie Fazbear and her other friends from the pizza place. Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail and Matthew Lillard also reprise their roles, with Skeet Ulrich joining the universe as Henry Emily, who — at least in video game lore — co-founded Fazbear Entertainment with Lillard’s William Afton. In CinemaBlend’s review of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, Eric Eisenberg says the sequel has stooped to new lows. He rates it 1.5 stars out of 5, writing:

Josh Oller of AV Club agrees this sequel is crushed by heavy-duty incompetence, with director Emma Tammi still unable to stage a horror set piece or an effective shock. Oller gives the movie an F and says:

Matt Donato of IGN wonders if even diehard Scott Cawthorn fans will be able to defend this bare-minimum video game adaptation. It lacks enthusiasm in everything it attempts, Donato writes, saying it’s time to “pull the plug, reboot the system.” The critic gives the movie an “Awful” 3 out of 10, writing:

BJ Colangelo of SlashFilm rates the movie 4 out of 10, saying the Jim Henson's Creature Shop creations are fantastic and that the film “absolutely soars” when we finally get Mike in the security office. However, it ultimately fails to deliver anything worth celebrating due to a disastrous script, and Colangelo says Blumhouse would be smart to replace Scott Cawthorn as screenwriter for the inevitable threequel. The critic continues:

Aiden Kelley of Collider, meanwhile, sees plenty of positives, giving FNAF 2 a 6-out-of-10 rating and saying it’s scarier and more entertaining than the original in almost every way. The critic says steps were taken to correct two big drawbacks of the first movie — no real scares and a plot that takes itself too seriously. Kelley continues:

As noted by many of the critics, the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise has such a passionate fanbase that there’s likely nothing that will keep them away from theaters. (My own teenage FNAF fanatic is actually at a showing as I write this.) But just to make the critics’ collective opinion official, the sequel is opening to a pretty dismal 12% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 hits the big screen on Friday, December 5.

For those who like to turn up the scares this time of year, there are plenty of upcoming horror movies set to hit the 2025 movie calendar this month and beyond. Among those is Black Phone 2, the sequel to the 2022 book-to-screen adaptation of a Joe Hill short story. Scott Derrickson has returned as director and co-screenwriter, with Ethan Hawke back as The Grabber. Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw and Jeremy Davies also reprise their roles. So what are critics saying?

The first movie got positive feedback from critics — including 4.5 out of 5 stars from our own Corey Chichizola — so how does the sequel measure up? Well, it’s “better,” if you ask Stephen King, and in CinemaBlend’s review of Black Phone 2, Nick Venable would agree, saying the follow-up is “haunting, hypnotic, and surpasses all my expectations.” He gives it 4 out of 5 stars, writing:

Jordan Bassett of NME also rates it 4 out of 5 stars, saying Scott Derrickson goes even bigger with the sequel, dialing up the menace for a flick that’s bloodier than its predecessor. The critic says:

Matt Donato of IGN gives it a “Good” 7 out of 10 and says Black Phone 2 is proof that horror sequels don’t have to be retreads of the original and can instead go further to push for standalone appeal. Donato continues:

Peter Debruge of Variety is one of many critics to find parallels between the upcoming Blumhouse horror and A Nightmare on Elm Street, due to how dreams are involved in both movies. The critic notes that while The Black Phone is about the threat of violence and abuse, its sequel deals with the trauma of surviving these things, not just for the victims but for their families. Debruge writes:

Not all of the critiques are so positive, though. Matt Singer of ScreenCrush says he was not grabbed by this horror flick and its outdated technology. He rates the movie 4 out of 10 and says:

Overall, critics seem to have enjoyed Black Phone 2, as it stands at 78% on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer. If you enjoyed the first movie and want to catch up with Finney, Gwen and The Grabber, the sequel will be in theaters starting Friday, October 17. If you haven’t seen The Black Phone (or want a refresher), the movie is available to stream with a Peacock subscription.

Jason Blum gets it right a lot of the time. The Blumhouse CEO is responsible for producing some of the most iconic horror franchises, like The Purge, Halloween, and Paranormal Activity among others. While the studio has become synonymous with horror films, the producer has his hands in other ventures as well, like Whiplash, Blackkklansman, and Kicking and Screaming. While the master-producer may seem to have a finger on the pulse of mass entertainment, he’s had some misses as well, and is now opening up about some failures that still haunt him.

In an interview with Variety, the studio head honcho talked about what has made Blumhouse so profitable and made people so excited for upcoming Blumhouse flicks. While theatrical releases have been unpredictable for many studios, Blumhouse’s low-budget horror flicks continue to attract an audience. Even with successes, Jason Blum continues to think about some the misses, including two glaring ones. He said:

That's a harsh reality of this business, tha's for sure. And while addressing that, Blum went into detail about what exactly happened with these two movies, explaining:

Jem and the Holograms had a lot going for it. It was the inspiring story about a talented shy teenager who forms a girl group with some of her friends that slowly rises to success. It was written and directed by Jon M. Chu, who was coming off the success of a handful of music-based films, and was also produced by music business titans like Scooter Braun.

However, Jem and the Holograms ended up being a financial failure and was panned by critics. It performed so terribly that the movie started being pulled from theaters. Even with the talent behind it, it never seemed to rise above a mediocre storyline, and the lack of star power involved likely prevented the film from being a commercial success. While it felt like it'd work on paper, it didn't work in theaters, which still haunts Blum.

The Hunt, however, felt like a more circumstantial failure. The film followed a group of wealthy elites who kidnap lower-class individuals to hunt them for sport. It was deliberately a political film, and meant to be a satire.

The movie was originally set for a 2019 release, but the studio decided to delay The Hunt to March 2020 as the release date corresponded with mass shootings in America and the timing would’ve been in poor taste. When it was eventually released, it was during the height of the pandemic, when movie theaters were struggling and political tensions were high. As a result, the film flew under the radar and failed at the box office.

In the sea of so many successes for Blum, these two films seem to still be a sore spot for the producer. They clearly are outliers, and not representative at all of Blum’s talent for selecting great projects that are commercially successful and producing prowess.

This goes to show that even the most accomplished individuals can still get it wrong sometimes, and it’s most understandably frustrating when these losses are out of creative control of the team involved. Even if these misses personally haunt Blum, they haven’t hurt his reputation, as he continues to be one of the most in-demand and successful movie producers of the modern era.

You can revisit The Hunt for yourself now, as the film is currently streaming with a Peacock subscription. You can also check out Jem and the Holograms, which is available to rent on Amazon. Additionally, horror fans can look forward to Jason Blum’s upcoming horror movie producing feat, The Black Phone 2, which hits theaters on October 17th, 2025.

Jason Blum has seen more horror cycles than most people have seen horror movies. As the founder of Blumhouse Productions, the Fear Factory boss has built an empire on low-budget scares that pay off big. But after a rough year of box office misses and increased competition from high-priced auteur horror films like the 2025 movie releases, Weapons and Sinners, the veteran producer is once again confronting an old question: Are there too many upcoming horror movies? His answer, like most things Blum says, was blunt, but still, I didn’t expect this response.

In a new Variety profile celebrating Blumhouse’s 15th anniversary, the producer admitted that, yes, horror may have reached a boiling point this year, but insisted that the industry’s ups and downs are just part of the cycle. On people saying horror is oversaturated, the producer said:

Now that quote is pure Jason Blum. Little chaotic, but true. He’s describing a Hollywood that can’t help but binge on whatever’s hot until it crashes, but ultimately, much like the actor recently did, it shows back up ready to do it all over again. Horror, more than any other genre, lives and dies by excess.

That excess may have finally caught up with the genre’s reigning king. Blumhouse has weathered a string of critical and box office disappointments, starting in 2024 with Night Swim and Imaginary, and continuing through 2025 with The Wolfman, The Woman in the Yard, Drop, and the underwhelming M3GAN 2.0. Meanwhile, some of the most acclaimed genre releases this year, like Ryan Coogler's Sinners and Zach Cregger's Weapons have scored massive wins with higher budgets and arguably riskier creative swings.

To make matters worse, Blum also lost a high-profile bidding war to A24 for the rights to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, admittedly, a painful setback for a producer whose legacy was built on resurrecting fading franchises. Still, the man who redefined modern horror doesn’t seem particularly shaken.

Blum told the outlet that these market swings are inevitable and survivable. He’s seen the genre crash and rebound too many times to panic now. And while this year’s results may look grim, not everything is doom and gloom. His sister company, Atomic Monster, continues to thrive. As the genre’s reigning mogul explained, the formula that continues to work is simple:

History backs up the scary movie powerhouse here. The post-Paranormal Activity boom led to the Conjuring era, which in turn influenced Get Out and the prestige-horror wave, paving the way for M3GAN and now Sinners. Each cycle burns hot, crashes hard, and rises again. The genre doesn’t die, but regenerates.

Jason Blum isn’t digging a grave for his company just yet. As the horror hitmaker himself put it, the horror genre “is like Charlie Sheen,” and if I were a betting man, my money would be on the horror mogul making one hell of a comeback. That comeback could arrive much sooner rather than later, with The Black Phone 2 and the highly anticipated Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 both on Blumhouse’s upcoming slate.

One of the most anticipated upcoming horror movies will arguably be the only genre release this year to feature possessed animatronic animal musicians, and I’m of course talking about Peter Pan's Neverland Nightmare. Wait, no, I’m definitely referring to Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, which will show off more of Fazbear Entertainment core characters and locations when the sequel hits the 2025 release schedule. But while some things will be very different from the polarizing first film, one thing will remain the same: the MPA rating.

Five NIghts at Freddy’s 2 has officially been granted a PG-13 rating, which was definitely one of the more criticized elements of its predecessor. Take a look below at the elements that required that rating compared to the OG film’s PG-13 rating, which director Emma Tammi justified at the time

• Five Nights at Freddy's 2 - Rated PG-13 for for violent content, terror and some language. 
• Five Nights at Freddy's - Rated PG-13 for strong violent content, bloody images and language. 

Interestingly enough, the sequel's genre-specific elements sound like they could technically be even less intense this time around, even though it's impossible to tell just from those limited descriptions. Losing the "strong" before "violent content" makes it seem slightly more tame, though I suppose "terror" could make for more intense scenes than "bloody images."

I can imagine that some fans will once again take offense with the new horror movie landing a non-R rating. But for the most part, I can definitely understand why Universal and Blumhouse went this route.

Why FNAF 2's PG-13 Rating Totally Makes Sense

Put most plainly and simply: lower age restrictions means higher ticket sales, because younger audiences are able to attend screenings without the need for parents or guardians who might not have quite the same amount of innate adoration for Scott Cawthon's creations. I mean, the key demographic for this movie is squarely in the pre-R age range, so it would be shooting themselves in their furry, robotic feet to limit access to such a huge part of the fandom just for the sake of being slightly more extreme.

Speaking to that, it also wouldn't make much sense for Five Nights at Freddy's 2 to get an R rating, because this franchise is inherently built on dread, suspense, and sudden jumpscares as opposed to wildly violent sequences, gory deaths, or any forms of sex and nudity. The first movie, which mostly avoided the jumpscare side of it, delivered some fun deaths that might have been more viscerally effective with more fake blood utilized, but I don't think those minor additions would have added that much value to the overall project. And again, it would have hindered the movie's massive theatrical success alongside the same-day streaming on Peacock.

One of the biggest mistakes, so to speak, made with the first movie was making it available to watch at home at the same time it was in theaters. Blumhouse and Universal execs made a point to avoid that same move. by opting for the big screen only when it debuts in December. So making that change would have been relatively pointless had the final cut of the film earned an R rating. Mo' money, mo' money, mo' Bonnie.

I absolutely would play an NC-17 game within this universe just to see what it would include, don't get me wrong. I'd go apeshit to see Chicka bludgeon someone's face inside out with a cupcake. But that game and any potential adaptations would necessarily be different from everything else in the franchise. When that happens, it might as well just be a totally different project.

Check out the trailer for Five Nights at Freddy's 2 and try to pick which moment you think would be made better with an R rating.

I'm not sure how someone would be able to measure how much money a movie would have made with a different MPA rating, and it would probably require a time machine or a Sliding Doors-esque situation. So in the absence of such elements, I'll just assume I'm 100% right on this one, and let a Withered Foxy take me down if I'm wrong.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 will hit theaters on Friday, December 5, 2025.

Such is the power of FNAF’s animatronics that not even M3GAN 2.0 could avoid references to the upcoming video game adaptation sequel in its own marketing. Now we finally know what the second coming of Freddy Fazbear will look like thanks to Blumhouse unleashing the first Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 trailer on an unsuspecting society. More than two years will have passed since Emma Tammi’s first film released, and I say with hopeful confidence that the wait will be worth it.

Because by and large, the FNAF 2 trailer makes it seem like game creator and screenwriter Scott Cawthon & Co. heard all of the nitpicks and gripes that non-gamers had about the first film, and that they tried to address at least some of them. It looks like we’ll be getting more characters, more lore, and most importantly, more scares and animatronic-related massacres. Check out the upcoming horror movie's first trailer below.

Now let's talk highlights! Or is it EYE-lights in this case? You know, because their eyes light up. [Taps microphone.] Can someone see if this thing is on?

Mangle! Mangle! Mangle!

For all that I'm excited to see the core quartet of colorful FNAF mascots that were core to the original film, I'm definitely excited to see what Blumhouse and the Jim Henson crew cooked up for all the game's freaky-looking threats that were being saved for follow-ups. Such as, oh I dunno, MANGLE, BABY!

The deconstructed version of Foxy shows up a few times in the trailer, and is in the process of bringing someone's life to a violent end in each scenario. In one moment, it's atop a vehicle with all of its nightmarish limbs spread, and in another, we get more of a close-up from a first-person perspective. It's squee-worthy to say the least.

It's not like Mangle can just pop into a scene without causing mayhem, since it's not exactly the most casual of FNAF creations. Nobody's hanging out and trying to sing karaoke with Mangle. But if there's a scene where someone tries that in the new movie, I'll take it.

That FNAF Post-Credit Teaser Finally Gets Explained, Sort Of

As fans will no doubt remember, the first movie's credits end in quite the bizarre way, with an electronic voice spelling out the message "Come Find Us" as a music box plays. We'll get to the music box reveal a bit lower, but that digitized voice itself remained something of a mystery during the wait for the sequel, and not even the director could fully tell us what it meant at the time, for good reason.

Well now we know where that voice came from, even if I'm still not 100% sure what it even is.

Amidst all of her other mascot-related ephemera, Abby has a Freddy-emblazoned toy that was clearly inspired by the Speak-n-Spell, even though there aren't any educational-looking details anywhere on it. I guess it's just a toy with (best-case scenario) a selection of prerecorded non-evil responses for kids to go back and forth. But of course we're in a worst-case scenario here, so it's possessed.

Speaking of possessing things, Blumhouse and Universal better release some of these things as practical toys/collectibles timed to the movie.

New Cast Members Confirmed!

Even beyond the video game frightfests that will be in the mix, Five Nights at Freddy's 2 trailer gives fans our first look at a batch of new characters, with new-era Ghostbusters star McKenna Grace leading things. Of course, given that she's the one that finds the music box, I don't necessarily think she'll be around from start to finish.

Though we don't see any obvious shots of him during the trailer itself, the press release that went out with the video serves as full confirmation that Scream franchise vet Skeet Ulrich is involved, making it all the more possible that we'll get to see him reunite with his fellow Ghostface killer Matthew Lillard, who is returning as a presumably undead William Afton.

Audiences will also get to see another familiar face in Seinfeld and Jurassic Park vet Wayne Knight, while Shadow and Bone's Freddy Carter is the other noteworthy new addition joining returning stars Josh Hutchinson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio and Theodus Crane.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 is set to wreak music-box havoc on theaters starting on December 5, 2025.

It seems like so long ago that horror icon Matthew Lillard teased a Five Nights at Freddy's sequel with CinemaBlend, and we still have many months to go before the highly anticipated sequel hits the back end of the 2025 movie schedule. But a new rumor about a Scream reunion for Matthew Lillard has surfaced that is so exciting, I would wait a whole other year to watch the movie in order to make sure the rumor was legitimate. Or maybe like six months? Three months, minimum.

We have to take this with a big animatronic grain of salt for the moment, if only to avoid bursting from enthusiasm, but notorious Hollywood insider/scooper DanielRPK shared the potential bombshell (via ComicBook.com) that Scream co-villain and Scream VI mental apparition Skeet Ulrich has joined Five Nights at Freddy's 2, and while we probably shouldn't expect to see him once again sharing a murderous persona with Lillard in this franchise, Ulrich's alleged role is massive within the lore. THE LORE!

Skeet Ulrich Will Reportedly Play The Co-Creator Of Fazbear Entertainment

The fact that Five Nights at Freddy's landed Matthew Lillard as its key antagonist William Afton was arguably the best move the first film made, beyond the exquisite animatronics from Jim Henson's Creature Shop. So it definitely makes twisted cinematic logic for the upcoming Blumhouse movie to also utilize some hyper-specific casting for another one of the game franchise's most important lore anchors.

Skeet Ulrich will reportedly be portraying animatronics engineer and Fazbear Entertainment co-founder Henry Emily, a.k.a. The Cassette Man, a character whose existence was largely give to fans in a piecemealed fashion through the novel trilogy, audio recordings and other game ephemera. He's the yang to Afton's yin, and did not aim for his animatronic creations to be used for evil, resulting in the death of his daughter Charlotte, which is the lynchpin in Henry's story.

Not to go too deep into the lore, since it's impossible to know what might be adapted for the live-action film, and what details will remain exclusive to the source material. It's not even known exactly how Henry will factor into the movie's timeline, though the go-to assumption is that the film will incorporate flashbacks that depict the pizzeria's origins, with both Henry and William sharing the screen. That's the Scream dream, of course, and also makes sense in terms of Lillard's character being stabbed and left for dead in the back office in the first film.

Matthew Lillard has shared that the sequel's creative team put in the work to make sure it was a better movie than its critically dumped-on predecessor, and I can't think of a sweeter fix than bringing another Scream alum into this narrative. And I mean, if the producers also happened to cast Neve Campbell as Henry's wife Mrs. Emily, they should just come to my house and take my money already.

Watch The First Five Nights At Freddy's 2 Teaser

After a longer than expected development period for the sequel, Jason Blum unveiled the first teaser for FNAF 2 in April, which featured Lillard and no Ulrich. But hopefully the next batch of footage will give fans more to gnaw on. Watch the teaser below!

Arguably the most rockin' and sockin' upcoming horror movie in the pipeline, at least where possessed cupcake bots are concerned, Five Nights at Freddy's 2 is set to jumpscare fans into oblivion on December 5, 2025.

To adapt an old saying into modern times, victory has many parents, while failure is an orphan. Operating under that analogy, one could say that Blumhouse producer Jason Blum has become a father to four 2025 movie schedule flops. That’s because rather than shying away from M3GAN 2.0's box office stumble, he went into painstaking detail about what he thinks went wrong, as only he could.

Jason Blum Got Honest About Why He Had To Talk About The Blumhouse Slump

Surprisingly, Blum called the host of The Town with Matthew Belloni to set up the interview that allowed him to do just that. Welcomed by the veteran journalist and founding partner of Puck, the producer of Paranormal Activity and Sinister made his case for doing so, with these blunt remarks:

Going on to talk about how many Hollywood movers and shakers only share their lessons from failure when the next success comes around, Jason Blum opted to own up “right in the middle of the pain.” Which, to be fair, he admits he’s allowed to do thanks to Blumhouse not being a publicly traded company.

Now, the explanation for why this conversation took place is just as refreshing as the extensive post-mortem Blum engaged in.

M3GAN 2.0’s Failure Came Down To Three Things, According To Jason Blum

While the conversation that followed applies to the recent flameout of M3GAN 2.0, it can be applied to Wolf Man, The Woman in the Yard, and Drop as well. So far, this year’s Blumhouse releases have left the production house without a #1 hit, forming the “slump” that seems to be in play.

In the process of owning M3GAN 2.0’s underwhelming $10.2 million domestic opening, Jason Blum isolated the blame game with these caveats:

The three key failures of this Blumhouse horror movie were, in Mr. Blum’s opinion, genre swapping, acting like a summer tentpole, and execution. That last part comes with the caveat that while series director Gerard Johnstone can “solve almost anything you can throw at him,” he needs the time to do it.

To the director's credit, Johnstone's genre-hopping explanation in his interview with CinemaBlend's Sarah El-Mahmoud may have helped offset that factor. Alas, the lack of time, plus an ineffective push for the same social media glory M3GAN won in 2022, only contributed to this perfect storm of imperfection.

Jason Blum Thinks Horror Needs To Go Bigger To Survive

This year is one of the most ambitious frames on the books for Blumhouse, with eight pictures in total on the docket. The good news going forward is that Jason Blum still has a lot of confidence for the upcoming Blumhouse movies heading our way, which includes The Black Phone 2 and the hotly hyped Five Nights at Freddy's 2.

Such optimism comes from his observation that while Blumhouse may not be having a good year, horror has seen glorious hits like Sinners, Final Destination Bloodlines, and 28 Years Later. Taking that inspiration, the Insidious franchise producer offered this important piece of strategy:

For Jason Blum, the pre-COVID days of numerous horror movies being able to compete are gone, with an uncertainty toward whether or not they’ll return. Which, in turn, may be setting off alarm bells for how the upcoming M3GAN spin-off SOULM8TE should be handled. Not everyone will agree with what he’s had to say, as is the law of the land for any sort of business analysis.

Keeping that in mind, it shouldn’t be a stretch for people to agree that calling out his own mistake is a bold move that shows growth. Here’s hoping that growth somehow finds its way to M3GAN 2.0’s box office fortunes, as the film enters its second weekend in theaters.

This year is a big one for horror franchises, with several established universes getting new chapters on the big screen. One of those is Blumhouse’s M3GAN 2.0, a sequel to one of 2023’s best horror movies, which picks up two years after the events of the killer doll’s first murder spree. Critics were able to catch a screening of the flick before it hits the 2025 movie calendar on June 27, and some big changes have left them a bit conflicted.

Allison Williams and Violet McGraw lead the M3GAN 2.0 cast, and we’ll also be meeting a new robot villain named AMELIA. The Terminator 2-inspired plot sees Gemma and Cady calling on their former foe to help protect them against this greater threat. In CinemaBlend’s review of M3GAN 2.0, Sarah El-Mahmoud notes that the sequel is different — and maybe even better? — than the original, offering a new flavor of slasher goodness. She gives it 3.5 out of 5 stars, writing:

Mark Kennedy of the AP, however, wonders if writer/director Gerard Johnstone goes a little too big by straight-up changing the genre with its “horribly convoluted plot.” Whereas the first movie took place primarily at Gemma and Cady’s Seattle home, M3GAN 2.0 opens at the Turkish-Iranian border. Kennedy gives it 2 out of 4 stars and says:

EW’s Jordan Hoffman, meanwhile, gives it a B, calling the upcoming horror movie an upgrade in creativity (despite its “confusing and idiotic plot”). Hoffman likes that Gerard Johnstone didn’t take the easy route and do a simple retread of the killer original. In the critic’s words:

David Fear of Rolling Stone agrees with the critic above, but only with the part where the plot doesn’t make any sense. While the critic credits the director for avoiding the “rinse-and-repeat cycle,” a sequel should at least deliver some of what got fans excited in the first place. M3GAN 2.0 is devoid of scares, witty comebacks and anything resembling fun. Fear continues:

Brian Truitt of USA TODAY rates the upcoming Blumhouse horror 2 out of 4 stars, saying the singing, dancing robot we fell in love with two years ago has been “defanged and watered down” in this follow-up. In Truitt’s words:

This seems to be an interesting new chapter in the M3GAN-verse, which is also getting a pretty cool-sounding M3GAN spinoff as well as possibly a third killer doll movie. Critics seem to appreciate the director’s ambitions to do something different with the sequel, but they don’t agree on whether that was successful or pays homage to what we liked from the first movie.

You can decide for yourself soon enough! M3GAN 2.0 is rated PG-13 and hits theaters Friday, June 27.

If plans had held up, we’d likely be talking about a new Saw film heading to the 2025 movie schedule, maybe even with a trailer released at this point. Unfortunately, with the removal of its sequel from Lionsgate's slate, Saw XI’s rumored cancellation wove itself into beliefs that the revitalized series was in serious jeopardy.

With the recent announcement that Blumhouse is in talks to acquire the long running franchise, one can see why committing to Saw X's follow up has been somewhat of an issue. While this business move would be pretty awesome, it does cause some concern over whether or not that tenth sequel will ever see the light of day.

Blumhouse Is ‘In Talks’ To Buy The Saw Franchise, Which Is Good News

Let’s start off with the good news first, shall we? According to THR, the recurring negotiations between Blumhouse and Lionsgate that sparked up last year might “actually be far enough to close.” It probably won’t surprise anyone that the cause of the back and forth, according to this very report, has been a price tag on the legacy franchise.

Should that matter be close to a resolution, Saw heading to Blumhouse feels like a step in the right direction. Similar to how horror loyalists wish that Jason Blum’s company would take over A Nightmare on Elm Street, bringing Jigsaw back home to series co-creator James Wan could feel nice and cozy for the fans at home.

As the 2022 merger between Wan’s Atomic Monster and Blumhouse has been buzzed about since M3GAN’s trailer released in that same year, that particular investment would also seem to have paid off. But before we cue Charlie Clouser’s iconic theme tune in celebration, there’s something that needs to be discussed sooner than later.

If Blumhouse Buys Saw, Will It Reboot The Series?

So this feels like good news all around, yeah? It does when you take it at face value. But after Saw X’s sequel friendly success at the movies, one has to wonder what’s going to happen to the franchise? If the acquisition goes through, it would be assumed that the Blumhouse brass would want to reboot it in some fashion; potentially a la Halloween 2018’s selective retconning that could disregard some (if not all) the sequels to the 2004 original.

Which poses the question, is Saw XI truly dead and buried? The answer to that scenario is kind of important, as writer Patrick Melton’s Saw XI story tease made the next chapter sound rather intriguing. And with the mojo regained through the returns of Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, and Costas Mandalor, Saw X’s ending looked to be sending the franchise in a specific direction.

All any Saw fan really wants is for the series to keep going with the sort of energy and excitement that earlier entries brought to the table. That halcyon era before the timeline got too convoluted, the traps were still fresh, and apprentices weren’t hiding in every corner.

If Blumhouse closes this deal, then no matter how that concern above is addressed, the foundation laid out above will be key to the road ahead. But to borrow from John Kramer himself, whether this franchise lives or dies will be determined by this very choice.

Universal Destinations & Experiences has a pretty big year on the books already, thanks to the opening of Epic Universe in Orlando. Now, as the 2025 movie schedule has put enough distance between audiences and The Exorcist: Believer’s reception in 2023, there’s room to get excited about its new house set to debut at Universal Horror Unleashed.

I was already pumped for some Exorcist-related chills and thrills, but now it's been revealed the Las Vegas attraction will also include a delicious addition that could quite possibly make for some satisfying memories. Get ready for this: there’s going to be a tapas bar on site at this Las Vegas destination, slated to open this August. Now, while that’s not the Resident Evil-based haunted house of my dreams, this Spanish mode of food and drink is something I’m quite fond of.

To that point, here’s how the official press release for Universal Horror Unleashed describes this setting:

I swear, if I can have a drink next to SISY, aka the device behind how Happy Death Day 2U’s time loop works, I might be inclined to fall into a loop of my own. And if M3GAN ever shows up, I hope the bartender is sure to card her very carefully. I might even be inclined to revisit The Exorcist: Believer with my Peacock subscription, in hopes of spotting a prop or two in Premiere House’s treasure trove. I can't guarantee that's not just the tapas talking, but it's worth a shot, right?

You’re probably still thinking this is a crazy thing to get amped up. I mean, there are also houses based on properties such as the Universal Monsters and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to look forward to. That being said, I’ve come to appreciate the atmosphere and dining more in an attraction such as this, thanks to my last Universal Studios adventure.

When I was on hand for Universal Studios Florida’s Mardi Gras experience last year, the food present was just as fun to take in as the costumed characters and shows. I still think back on my Orlando Back to the Future experience fondly, and now that the door is open to walk into The Exorcist: Believer’s chilling events, even skeptics like me might need to snack a bit after experiencing it firsthand.

We’re not too far off from doing just that, either, as Universal Horror Unleashed opens its doors on August 14th, 2025. You can currently purchase tickets to enter its world of fright, as well as take part in all of the delicious delights Premiere House has to offer. Just be careful that you don’t bring back any unwanted souvenirs from beyond our world…

If you’re one of those people who complains that Hollywood makes too many remakes and sequels, I implore you to look at what movies you are spending money on movie tickets for. Some of the biggest upcoming 2025 movies, like Superman, How To Train Your Dragon and Jurassic World: Rebirth, will likely be among the moneymakers of the year because audiences put their money into them. If you’re interested in showing the industry you value original movies, look no further than the work of Drop’s Christopher Landon.

From the Happy Death Day movies to Freaky to We Have A Ghost, the writer, director and producer has been behind what feels like a record number of movies these days without an IP behind it. When I spoke to Landon about accomplishing this throughout his career, here’s what he had to say:

As Landon put it, he feels grateful for his longtime collaboration with Blumhouse and Universal, which have not only been behind a number of his projects, but created all sorts of original movies and IPs in recent years. When Blumhouse started in the early '00s, they delivered the Paranormal Activity movies before also making films like Insidious, Sinister, The Purge, Oculus, Get Out and Us.

And as Landon commented on, one huge draw to these is how inexpensive they generally are for the studios. As Landon continued:

The studio’s latest is Drop, which follows a single mother going on her first 'first date' in a while when she gets a series of drops to her phone from an unknown person threatening to kill her family if she doesn’t follow their requests. Here’s how the movie, which critics have deemed a good time, came to Landon’s desk in this instance, per the director:

If you’ve been to a very public event, you might have experienced this yourself, A feature created to have one phone give a picture to another has been used in the wrong ways for people to be given Shrek memes and so forth. In the instance of Drop, there’s a fun whodunnit element as you watch the movie and feel like you are experiencing it with Meghann Fahy’s Violet as she goes on a date with Brandon Sklenar’s Henry. Landon also said this:

When Landon signed on to be part of Drop, he had recently gone through a “dark and tumultuous” time that led him to quit his work as Scream 7’s director following Melissa Barrera being fired and Jenna Ortega exiting the project after her. Landon shared that he decided to quit contributing to the major horror franchise because death threats were being sent to him and his family, to the point that “the FBI was getting involved.” He called the whole thing “highly aggressive and really scary.”

When it comes to a landscape of upcoming horror movies that are remakes or sequels, it’s refreshing to see Landon continue to bring fresh ideas into movie theaters with Drop. Plus, he’ll be continuing his own franchise of Happy Death Day back with the in-the-works threequel. Check out Drop in theaters on Friday, April 11.

Meghann Fahy has been turning heads lately with her roles on comedically dark shows like The White Lotus and The Perfect Couple, and her latest project on the 2025 movie calendar isn’t too far away from that mark. The upcoming thriller Drop centers around a widowed mother who is being tormented by an unknown person in the restaurant where she’s on a first date. Critics have seen the movie ahead of its April 11 release, and they pretty much agree it’s a fun time if you don’t take it too seriously.

First reactions from Drop’s SXSW premiere were overwhelmingly positive, and Jeannette Catsoulis of the New York Times agrees with the movie’s success, despite the “utterly bonkers” finale and only minimal suspense. The critic calls it “pleasantly silly,” saying:

Iana Murray of Empire also notes that its premise stretches to “absurd” heights, but it is still “ridiculously fun,” thanks to a grounded performance from Meghann Fahy. Murray gives it 4 out of 5 stars and encourages moviegoers to check their phone’s security settings. The critic writes:

Jake Coyle of the AP says Drop doesn’t really reinvent the wheel as far as thrillers go, but it’s still silly and suspenseful. Coyle rates the film 2.5 out of 4 stars, saying:

Not every critic thinks the fun outweighs the flaws, as Matt Schimkowitz of AV Club gives the movie a C+. Like an overpopulated group chat, the critic says, Drop can get pretty overwhelming, but still shows flashes of promise. Schimkowitz continues:

Robbie Collin of The Telegraph gives Drop 2 out of 5 stars, writing that it feels like “an off-brand Black Mirror episode masterminded by ChatGPT.” It botches its plot, according to Collin, and looks “nastily composited,” but even this critic admits it’s “not un-fun.” From the review:

The critics mostly agree that Drop isn’t a perfect film, but there seem to be too many adjectives like “fun” and “silly” to think this won’t be 90 minutes well-spent in the movie theater. In fact, the Christopher Landon film holds an 89% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. If this sounds like something that’s a must-see on the big screen, check it out in theaters starting Friday, April 11.

Already this year, the 2025 movie calendar has treated us to some great offerings in the horror genre, and Jaume Collet-Serra is hoping his new project will be the next crowd-pleaser. Collet-Serra directed 2024’s Carry-On (available to stream with a Netflix subscription), and now he’s back with a different kind of stressful experience. The Woman in the Yard is a psychological horror that hit theaters March 28, so let’s see what critics have to say.

The film stars Danielle Deadwyler as Ramona, who was badly injured in a car wreck that killed her husband David (Russell Hornsby). Now she’s raising their two children alone in a rural farmhouse, when a woman shrouded in all black (Okwui Okpokwasili) appears in her yard with an ominous message. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman says the movie fails to impress, as it is a haunted-house movie with no tricks up its sleeve. He writes:

Siddhant Adlakha of Mashable calls the upcoming scary movie “a baffling mix of horror ideas,” as The Woman in the Yard begins as a streamlined concept but soon bloats into a half-dozen different movies that build to a “distasteful finale.” Adlakha continues:

Tim Robey of the Telegraph rates the movie 2 stars out of 5, saying Danielle Deadwyler is a great actress and deserving of better material. The Woman in the Yard ultimately isn’t worth leaving the house for, Robey says, writing:

Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting gives the movie 1.5 out of 5 skulls, saying despite Jaume Collet-Serra’s resume of suspenseful films, The Woman in the Yard lacks tension and scares. The plot is content to retread the overly tired grief horror blueprint, Navarro says:

Helen O’Hara of Empire, meanwhile, rates the movie a more generous 3 out of 5 stars, noting the strong performances in The Woman in the Yard — one of Blumhouse’s 2025 horror offerings — and acknowledging it as the rare horror movie to manage scares in broad daylight. Ultimately, though, O’Hara says the same idea has been done better by other movies. The critic says:

It doesn’t seem like this one stacks up to some of the other best horror movies out there, but there was plenty of praise for the performances. If you’re intrigued by the concept or a fan of the director’s past work, you can catch The Woman in the Yard in theaters now.

There are plenty of upcoming horror movies that will be splashing across the big screen in the coming months on the 2025 movie calendar, but one in particular from Blumhouse Productions is garnering quite a bit of attention as a must-see movie of the year. Drop starring Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar premiered at the SXSW film festival this weekend ahead of its April release, and first reactions are overwhelmingly positive.

Meghann Fahy stars as Violet, a single mother who starts getting terrifying drops to her phone while she’s on a first date with Henry (Brandon Sklenar). So what are the film festival attendees saying? Mae Abdulbaki of ScreenRant gives Drop an 8 out of 10, saying this is an especially fun movie to see with an audience, and you’ll want to immediately watch it again. Of the South by Southwest experience, the critic writes:

Ryan Scott of SlashFilm also gives it an 8 out of 10, calling this “killer thriller” one of the most entertaining rides in a long time. Meghann Fahy carries the weight of this movie comfortably on her shoulders, while Brandon Sklenar proves he’s got that Hollywood “it” factor. Scott continues:

Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting rates Drop 3.5 skulls out of 5, noting that every detail matters in this “crowd-pleasing stunner.” The movie has a simple setup, focusing its energy on the claustrophobia and paranoia that build in Violet throughout her ordeal. Navarro writes:

Siddhant Adlakha of Variety says while the film’s plot sounds ludicrous and repetitive, Christopher Landon keeps things moving at a brisk but smooth pace in this disorienting thriller. Adlakha says:

Chris Bumbray of JoBlo gives it a “Great” 8 out of 10 and says it’s one of Blumhouse’s best movies in a long time. Bumbray had a blast (as did the rest of the SXSW audience, he says), and he’d love to see more of this brand of tightly paced, 90-minute thriller. Bombay continues:

Fans of the horror/thriller genre should be excited by the reactions coming out of South by Southwest, since it sounds like Meghann Fahy nails it as Drop’s leading lady. Brandon Sklenar continues to prove himself as well, according to the critics. I’m certainly looking forward to checking this one out in theaters when it releases on Friday, April 11.

January is frequently a month when studios release movies that they’re less confident in from a box office perspective. That being said, the lack of stiff competition can often mean that a movie or two can become significant box office hits in January. Unfortunately, the 2025 movie schedule has been off to a slow start, as movies like Blumhouse’s Wolf Man failed to make a strong showing. Jason Blum is apparently a bit frustrated about that, though he’s trying not to let it show.

A few days ago Jason Blum apparently tweeted about Wolf Man’s box office returns which have totaled less than $30 million globally. The post included an image of an angry face, indicating he was annoyed by the totals. He quickly deleted the tweet, but as the internet is forever, others got screenshots and retweeted the post.

It could be considered is a little weird that Jason Blum reportedly posted that. We don’t normally see studio heads even talk about their films that aren’t performing well at the box office. Movies that hit big are celebrated, those that don’t are simply ignored. It’s the nature of the industry; not every movie is a winner. And only time will tell if Wolf Man ends up being one of the best horror movies of the year.

Responses to the original post are varied. Some consider Blum’s honesty a little refreshing. It’s not exactly a shock to hear that Jason Blum is unhappy with the response to Wolf Man and posting about the things that annoy us is one of the primary uses of social media.

At the same time, it’s suggested by some that Blum bringing attention to Wolf Man’s disappointing box office is disrespectful to all those people who made the movie. Certainly, a lot of people worked hard to try and make Wolf Man a success and they’re likely already frustrated enough that the movie hasn’t found an audience. Blum must have thought better of the post after putting it up, perhaps for this exact reason, as he deleted it shortly after.

Expectations for Wolf Man were likely significantly higher, at least at the outset. The movie was the second time that writer/director Leigh Whannell had been handed a classic Universal Monster to reimagine. 2020’s The Invisible Man movie was a huge hit, grossing nearly $150 million on a $7 million budget.

By comparison, Wolf Man reportedly cost about $25 million to produce. This means, that after marketing and distribution costs are factored in, the film likely hasn’t made back its initial investment and it will be lucky if it breaks even.

There’s still an opportunity for Wolf Man to find its audience. It will see Digital and Blu-ray releases and it certainly wouldn’t be the first movie to flop in theaters to become a hit on streaming platforms. Still, maybe it’s best if we don’t draw too much attention to the box office right now.

We’re still pretty early in the run of 2025 movies, and there’s always room for surprises. But I have to admit that when it comes to the upcoming Blumhouse movie Drop, I’ve been harboring some excitement for this one since the back half of last year. With the trailer for Happy Death Day director Christopher Landon’s latest now hitting the internet, I need to talk about how this new thriller is rapidly becoming a must-see movie on my dance card.

Why Drop Is A 2025 Must-See In My Eyes

As you can see by the lightning fast, and Sabrina Carpenter-enhanced trailer, Drop is set to play out in a unique but tested genre. Unfortunately, this real-time thriller unfolds at the expense of Violet (Meghann Fahy), a widow who’s putting herself back out there in the dating world. What was supposed to be a night out with Henry (Brandon Sklenar) turns into a game of cat and mouse, as an unseen threat gives Drop’s heroine a choice: kill her date, or lose her family.

Watching this trailer back at New York Comic Con in 2024, and then again during my recent screening of Wolf Man, has hammered home how much I can’t wait to see this flick. The concept alone has given me flashbacks to personal favorites like the Johnny Depp/Christopher Walken movie Nick of Time, as well as the Fox series 24.

As such spirited influences have Drop already promising an intense experience of white knuckle tension, I'm pretty much on the line for this movie. And if that trailer wasn't enough inspiration, you should see what director Christopher Landon had to say about why he actually took the gig.

Christopher Landon’s Excitement For Drop Is Infectious

Mr. Landon himself got me even more hyped about this new project during the press line for Blumfest 2024, back at NYCC. After debuting the footage to a room packed with Blumhouse devotees, the helmer behind one of the potentially best horror movies of all time took a moment to chat with a bunch of us on the event's press line.

The mere mention of Nick of Time made his face light up, as he and Meghann Fahy were on hand for some early chatter about their suspenseful thrill ride. So when I asked Christopher Landon what attracted him to Drop’s script, written by Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach, what he shared with CinemaBlend sold me even more:

I don’t think we get enough real-time thrillers, and even if I did I wouldn’t push away Drop. This upcoming horror movie feels like a breath of fresh air, mostly because the terror isn't something mystical or omnipresent. Violet's plight appears to be a more grounded picture for both Christopher Landon and Blumhouse Productions; even if the thrills are on the same level as a would-be blockbuster.

Then again, if you boil the trailer you watched above down to a movie in which time is the enemy and death is on the line, this is also kind of a homecoming for all involved. Seriously, the only way I think I’d be happier with Blumhouse and Landon at this point is if there were another sick Happy Death Day 3 update putting that project into production.

However, I’m glad to make the climb to experience Drop in the near future, as this is right up there with Tron: Ares and 28 Years Later as a project that I’m ready to fall for. We’ll have to be patient though, asis set to debut with its April 11th release, only in theaters. Meanwhile Blumhouse fans who may have missed the remake of Speak No Evil can stream that dark delight through access to a Peacock subscription.

The 2025 movie calendar is off to a slow start, with many late 2024 releases still dominating the box office. Leigh Whannell’s horror film Wolf Man hopes to join Den of Thieves 2: Pantera at the top of the weekend’s box office when it opens on January 17th, but judging by the mixed reviews from critics, it’s unclear how likely that’ll be.

The upcoming Blumhouse film is the latest installment from the production company vying for a spot on the best horror movies of all time lists. Golden Globe nominee Christopher Abbott portrays Blake, a family patriarch who is tasked with keeping his family alive when their farmhouse finds itself underact by mysterious creatures one night. When Blake begins to display strange symptoms, his wife (portrayed by Emmy-award-winning actress Julia Garner) grapples with having to protect herself and their daughter from Blake’s new form.

On paper, it's the perfect recipe for a creature-feature-style horror film, but for many, it left much to be desired. CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg explained in his own Wolf Man review that the film does an excellent job at laying the framework of who these characters are but loses steam once that groundwork is laid:

This isn’t Blumhouse and Whannell’s first foray into rebooting classic Universal horror films, as the pair previously teamed up for the Elisabeth Moss-led iteration of The Invisible Man, which critics loved. Unfortunately, the general consensus seems to be that Whannell did not have as strong a grasp on what a Wolf Man reboot should look like in the same way he did with his previous Universal Monster films. While IGN’s Katie Ripe makes it clear that the film is “impeccably made,” it doesn’t hold up to Whannell’s other film, writing:

One key point of contention for early audiences of the Wolf Man is the werewolf lore Whannell created for the flick. As anyone who is a fan of monster projects, particularly movies and TV shows about werewolves, the transformation and effects behind said creatures are almost more important than the story. While Whannell’s version deviates from traditional werewolf lore of transformations during full moons, it sets out to create a realistic-looking monster by using practical effects. Unfortunately, that didn’t work for everyone. A point that Variety’s Peter Debruge asserts in his review:

Not everyone is as cynical about the reboot, though. THR’s David Rooney offers praise for certain aspects of it. While the official review claims the film “satisfies, but never soars,” Rooney found interest in the “claustrophobic” nature of the film taking place over one night in largely one setting. He argues that this allows the filmmakers to…

Still, IndieWire critic David Ehrlich lays into the Whannell and Tuck film hard, discussing all the ways Wolf Man failed to live up to the legacy it could have had.

Based on these reviews, it’s hard to imagine what the future of Blumhouse’s desire to reboot the classic Universal Monsters film is going to look like. Hopefully, Lee Cronin’s 2026 iteration of The Mummy will fare better than Whannell’s Wolf Man. Of course, critics are always harsher on films than most audiences, so there’s always a chance the film will fare much better with audiences. Those wanting to check out the horror flick can head to theaters on January 17th.

One of the biggest movies of 2024 wasn’t found in theaters, but on Netflix, with Jaume Collet-Sera scoring potentially the biggest success of his career with the high-stakes airport thriller Carry-On. The Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman flick exploded onto Netflix’s all-time Top 10 list, immediately sparking calls for a sequel, though it likely won’t happen. Next best scenario: we now have the trailer for Collet-Sera’s next effort hitting the 2025 movie schedule, and it’s a completely different kind of stressball.

Reuniting the director with Carry-On co-star Danielle Deadwyler, The Woman in the Yard is one of several upcoming horror movies from Blumhouse Productions and Universal Pictures, and it looks about as harrowing as a movie with such a direct title can be. Check out the first trailer below!

The Woman in the Yard stars Deadwyler as Ramona, a widow who is still grieving the death of her husband, who was killed in a car accident that also injured Ramona herself. Now suddenly a single mother, Ramona has to cope with both her injuries and taking care of both their 14-year old daughter (Peyton Jackson) and their 6-year-old daughter (Estella Kahiha). And just when it seems like the pressure couldn’t build any further…the titular woman makes her first appearance.

At first, Ramona isn’t too taken aback, and believes the woman who appeared in her yard is sick or lost, but it doesn’t take too long for the matriarch to realize that she’s dealing with something outside of her scope of understanding. It’s unclear if she talks beyond uttering the seeming threat from the trailer — “Today’s the day,” — but it wouldn’t take much more than that to make me want to move to the other side of the planet.

The titular woman is portrayed by Okwui Okpokwasili, whose recent genre efforts also include The Exorcist: Believer, in which she portrayed Doctor Beehibe, as well as Agatha All Along, where the actress also covered her face in veils as one of the mysterious Salem Seven in pursuit of Kathryn Hahn’s witch. Though she doesn’t get all that much to do, Okpokwasili is indeed creepy as all hell while smiling beneath her covering and holding out her bloody hands. Where’d that blood come from? Are her hands ever dry, or do they just stay bloody while she’s sitting out there?

The film also stars the always enjoyable Russell Hornsby as Ramona's late husband, whose only moment in the trailer teases his vehicular death. Sucks to not have a solid actor like that in more of the film, but hopefully Deadwyler's performance is intense enough to make Hornsby's absense less noteworthy.

The Woman in the Yard is the latest horror effort from the popular director, whose first film was 2005's House of Wax remake. He also helmed 2009's Orphan and 2016's The Shallows, among more straightforward action films like Unknown, Non-Stop and Run All Night. I don't expect to see Liam Neeson show up as "The Vengeful Irish Man in the Yard," but won't be too surprised.

While Jaume Collet-Sera may not have anything hitting Netflix’s 2025 movie premieres with quite the same brute force as Carry-On did, we can indeed look forward to freaky ass yard people making life tense when it hits theaters on Friday, March 28.

Audiences will likely only see one film popping up on the 2025 movie schedule that combines animatronics, video game lore, and childhood traumas, and it’s not a M3GAN / Minecraft crossover, as semi-intriguing as that sounds. I’m of course talking about Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, the sequel to 2023’s box office smash from Blumhouse. The highly anticipated upcoming horror flick isn’t hitting theaters for a while yet, but fans can now savor a set of leaked production photos and possibly our first big live-action FNAF 3 rumor.

Five NIghts At Freddy's 2 Set Photos Reveal A New (Old) Location And More

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 has been in production in South Louisiana and filming since Fall 2024, with Josh Hutcherson teasing a bigger and scarier movie this time around. (Co-star and William Afton portrayer Matthew Lillard said as much to CinemaBlend, also.) It's unclear how long we'll be waiting to see an official trailer, but thanks to some happy-go-lucky photographers, we now have an idea of what a future trailer will be teasing.

Though the set photos popped up in various places online, franchise fanatic @katsterlingfan has curated the majority of them, and is also the source of the rumor we'll get to lower down. Before that, though, let's run through a handful of the most exciting reveals seen in the new photos.

• The Freddy Fazbear Pizza location seen in the first film will return, but in far worse shape than it was even when Mike was hired.
• A different FFP location will appear in the sequel with a marquee sign that features not just Freddy, but all four of the main animatronics modeled as the characters' more cutesy Toy iterations. (Toy Freddy was confirmed via the first poster released online.) This pizzeria also looks pretty rundown and abandoned, but not completely.
• Fazfest is almost definitely an official part of the movie! Not only were pics captured of lamp posts with Fazfest signs attached, but fliers were also seen advertising a big costume contest. Stylized booths were also seen selling in-universe merch for Freddy Fazbear and the other characters, and I can only assume the booths were part of Fazfest.

Other smaller details could be gleaned through the set photos as well, such as the first film's restaurant possibly having signs posted on the door directing visitors to the newer pizzeria. I also love the fact that the colors for the Fazfest lamppost signs are yellow and purple, which adds a bit of Mardi Gras flair to the faux event.

Rumor: FNAF 3 Is Set To Film Later This Year For A 2027 Release

One of the biggest surprises related to Five Nights at Freddy's box office success was that Blumhouse and Universal weren't already in active development on a sequel, though not even Jason Blum himself foresaw quite how big it would get. But could that timing change for a potential third film?

According to this X post, both filming and release plans have been tentatively agreed upon behind the scenes. Here's how they worded it:

All in all, the above FNAF 3 rumor is kind of meaningless, since it comes complete with a grain-of-salt warning as well as the notion that even if it was correct, one or more production changes could completely change up those expectations and cause a domino effect that leaves the third Five Nights movie coming out in 2045 or something. I'm not good at math if there aren't cupcakes involved.

If we do take this report as possessed animatronic gospel, though, then that could make for a situation where Blumhouse and Universal are able to mirror the rather rapid-paced production process that allowed for annual October releases for the first seven Saw films. I don't think we'll be gearing up for FNAF 7 in 2030 or anything, but I can easily see the studio churning out these horror flicks for as long as Jim Henson's Creature Shop puts their artistic touches on the non-human characters.

For now, we'll keep the bulk of our excitement tethered to Five Nights at Freddy's 2, which will indeed be hitting theaters on Friday, December 5, 2025.

Hopefully everyone got to partake in all of the feel-good movies the holidays had to offer, because now that we’ve started working our way down the 2025 movie calendar, there are some nasty-looking horror movies headed our way. One of the first offerings in the genre is Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man, a remake of Lon Chaney Jr.’s 1941 classic, and critics have had the chance to screen the film ahead of its January 17 release. They’re hitting social media with their first reactions, so keep reading to see if this is one you’ll want to sink your canines into.

Christopher Abbott stars as Blake, the husband and father who becomes a danger to his family after being clawed by a werewolf. Julia Garner plays his wife Charlotte, with Matilda Firth portraying their daughter Ginger. Critics’ initial takeaways indicate that writer/director Leigh Whannell is kicking off the year with a film that’s both scary and emotionally heart-wrenching. Peter Gray of The AU Review writes:

Tessa Smith of Mama’s Geeky agrees, praising Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner’s performances as well as those working behind the scenes. She says:

The film pays homage to the 1941 classic, Griffin Schiller of FilmSpeak says, in how it captures that melancholy. However, the director funnels that through his own anxieties about parenthood, modernizing the setting while still maintaining the timelessness of the movie monster. Schiller continues:

That isn’t the only critic comparing Wolf Man favorably to Leigh Whannell’s 2020 sci-fi/horror The Invisible Man. Benjamin Watts of IGN says if Elisabeth Moss’ story affected you, you’ll likely find this one just as compelling. Watts tweets:

Andrew J. Salazar of Discussing Film seems to address the backlash over the first look at Wolf Man’s monster, reassuring fans who might be concerned about the design. Overall he calls the remake “super fun,” writing:

Those at the X account Nerds Engage seem to like the movie overall but definitely make note of a few aspects that could have been tightened up. They rate the film 7.5 out of 10, saying:

The movie kept Rachel Leishman of The Mary Sue on the edge of her seat, she writes, or rather curled up in her seat to keep her feet safe. Leishman says:

X (Twitter) user lizziesjuuls agrees, praising everything from the acting to the makeup to the scares that kept forcing this moviegoer to keep covering their eyes. They write:

It sounds like fans might be in for quite a visceral experience, as several of the first reactions talk about the body horror and nasty transformation of Christopher Abbott’s character. If you want to catch this one in the theater, there’s only a couple of weeks left to wait, as Wolf Man premieres on Friday, January 17.

Few titles on the 2025 movie schedule have caught my attention, like the upcoming horror movie Wolf Man, and not always for the best reasons. The reboot stirred up a lot of conversation when early promotional material from a theme park tie-in surfaced. Like fans who took to social media to react, I was concerned that the design lacked the iconic elements that make the original cinematic lycanthrope so iconic. Now, the film's director is addressing the backlash and, honestly, I’m focused on his promise about the creature design.

Leigh Whannell, known for his work on The Invisible Man and Upgrade, didn’t shy away from addressing the backlash surrounding the forthcoming Wolf Man. During an interview with our sister site, SFX Magazine, the filmmaker clarified the misunderstanding while making a promise that’s sure to get fans of the best horror movies and cinema purists alike pumped about the flick. According to the moviemaker:

The Saw star-turned-director reassured fans that the theme park promotion didn’t reflect the vision he and his team have for the creature. Not only that, but the Insidious: Chapter 3 helmer emphasized a key detail that has piqued the interest of classic monster movie aficionados: the Wolf Man’s design will be “100% practical, all make-up—there are no CGI elements.”

In an era where many blockbuster films rely heavily on computer-generated effects, Leigh Whannell’s decision to go old-school with practical effects feels like a love letter to the golden age of Universal Monsters and the best werewolf movies and shows.

Practical effects honor the legacy of classic creature features and provide a tactile, visceral quality that CGI often struggles to replicate. While the 2010 reboot of The Wolfman has its defenders, it was criticized, among other things, partly for its less-than-appealing CGI transformations and visual effects. Still, Whannell admitted that his approach won’t please everyone. He continued:

For fans of the original Wolf Man (1941) and its iconic monster design, this new take promises to deliver something fresh while staying true to the art of creature creation. While the initial backlash may have put Whannell on the defensive, his transparency and dedication to a practical, makeup-based design suggest that this reboot might breathe new life into one of horror’s most enduring legends.

Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the Universal Monsters or simply curious about how this modern reboot will reimagine the classic creature, it’s clear that this new take is bold and respectful of the genre’s roots. All eyes will be on the Wolf Man when he finally steps out of the shadows and onto the big screen on January 17.

While fans anticipate Leigh Whannell’s latest Universal reimagining, they can stream his hit The Invisible Man, which now streaming with a Prime subscription. For those in the mood for a different kind of classic, the Saw franchise (which he helped launch) is also available to stream with a Max subscription.

When it comes to upcoming horror movies, we’re about to see a ton of classic movie monsters return to the fold. From Nosferatu hitting theaters on Christmas to Universal’s new Wolf Man movie, there’s a lot to look forward to. But now it’s also been announced that another Mummy movie is on the way in 2026, and I can’t stop thinking about the Brendan Fraser movies.

Blumhouse Is Making A New The Mummy Movie

Lee Cronin, who previously did 2023’s Evil Dead Rise, is behind the next Mummy movie, per an announcement from Atomic Monster and Blumhouse, which are producing it. It has an April 17, 2026 release date, and Cronin had this to say about the project:

Cronin is penning the script for the new Mummy movie, as well as directing. He’ll have James Wan of The Conjuring movies and Jason Blum on his side as producers, along with his Evil Dead Rise producer John Keville. Other than that, we just have this Instagram teaser:

I think it’s safe to say that the next The Mummy movie is going full horror. While the property has been around way longer than when Brendan Fraser gave off big movie star energy in the 1999 movie, that’s the next movie from the franchise I want instead.

I Think The Next Great Mummy Movie Needs Brendan Fraser

The Mummy movies go way back, from the 1932 Boris Karloff version to the 1959 one with Christopher Lee. Aside from The Mummy trilogy, there’s also the awful 2017 reboot with Tom Cruise that was supposed to help set up the Dark Universe. While I totally get that Hollywood feels that it needs to give the property another try, I would much rather see Brendan Fraser back as Rick O’Connell having a blast in a tomb somewhere than see a generic horror movie about a buried corpse from Egypt coming to life... again.

Over the years, Brendan Fraser has shared his interest in doing another movie from the franchise, and as fans, we’ve been hoping to see a fourth movie in the franchise resurrected. Here are Fraser’s latest comments about being in another sequel for The Mummy from 2023:

Of course, Fraser at the time was speaking from the standpoint of someone who’s surely been asked this for many years and has yet to see a script to show for it. The 2017 reboot really showed what not to do with the franchise (as director of the 1999 Stephen Sommers said he was even insulted by the remake). Blumhouse's reputation with horror lately has been up and down, so while they could strike gold, I know what I'd prefer.

I think the sooner Hollywood realizes that The Mummy’s legend status currently comes from Brendan Fraser, the sooner they’ll have another hit from the franchise. But hey, maybe I’m totally wrong and Lee Cronin’s version will be amazing! We’ll keep you updated here on CinemaBlend.

If you thought you were hearing an odd amount of noise coming from New York City this weekend, you’re absolutely right. With New York Comic-Con now wrapped, there’s plenty of anticipation for what remains on the docket of entertainment for 2024, as well as the continued hype for the upcoming 2025 movies.

And it just so happens that writer/director Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man is one of the earliest entries that’s getting ready to roll in the near future. But if you’re like me, you remember that Universal initially announced a Ryan Gosling pitch that sounds way different from what we’re seeing in the marketing for the picture. So since I had a chance to speak with Mr. Whannell himself, I got him to explain how this switch had occurred, which led to a pretty interesting story.

How Ryan Gosling’s Wolf Man Turned Into Leigh Whannell’s Blumhouse Spin

One of the hot tickets for New York Comic-Con 2024 was Universal Pictures and Blumhouse’s BlumFest panel; which took to the Empire Stage this past Saturday. After unveiling a new trailer that added to what we know about Wolf Man, as well as other delights like a special M3GAN 2.0 tease, CinemaBlend was on hand during the press line to further promote the materials we’d just seen.

There’s a good reason Leigh Whannell was saved as the last participant, as the man is an easy conversationalist. So when I asked him about how the Gosling variant turned into this dark and tragic family drama, the Invisible Man director shared the following:

Leigh Whannell is certainly a fan of creatures himself, as the Australian genre talent stood in front of me with an awesome Predator t-shirt underneath a smart blazer. Then again, you can pretty much take away that much when seeing how much the man is into the filmmaking of the strange and unusual, through other hits like Upgrade, and of course his writing on the original entry of the Saw franchise.

Credentials such as those made Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man hiring, announced just months after Ryan Gosling boarded the project in 2020, a pretty hot item to follow. And one would think that this sort of meeting of the minds between the monster lovers would have made for a perfect pair.

While I still think that’d be absolutely true, the rest of this part of the story explains why the Barbie star wasn’t able to come along for the Wolf Man ride. Whannell continued with the following explanation, in his chat with CinemaBlend:

Leigh Whannell has clearly taken this “gestation period” in stride, and he even mentioned that he loves reading Wikipedia entries on films like Raiders of the Lost Ark, and remembering that Tom Selleck almost played the lead role. While this comment led to a small James Bond rabbit hole, thanks to the mention of how James Brolin almost played 007 in Octopussy, it also led us into a chat about why Wolf Man’s current leads were so perfect.

Why Leigh Whannell Thanks God For Christopher Abbott And Julia Garner

So clearly the “bad news” in this picture’s earlier development was that Ryan Gosling could no longer star in the movie. However, late 2023 saw Christopher Abbott’s Wolf Man casting helped energize the project before its early 2024 shoot.

Before anyone could howl into the darkness, we started to see and hear reactions to footage that was in the wild, thanks to Abbott and co-star Julia Garner absolutely crushing their roles. Continuing to love on the long and hairy road that led to the Wolf Man we see today, Leigh Whannell revealed the following:

That intensity has been slowly but surely revealed to the public over the course of 2024, as both trailers and Wolf Man’s CinemaCon presentation already promise a tale of chills and tears. Leigh Whannell alluded to as much during New York Comic-Con’s Blumfest panel, as he also dropped the fact that he’d periodically show some select horror movies to prep his cast and crew, while also giving them a break with a showing of the heartbreaking drama Amour.

It’s apparent that while Whannell wants to take the Universal Monsters back from Adam Sandler, he wants to do so in a way that’s as emotional as it is frightening. Which may also be a part of why Wolf Man’s original lead exited this project, thanks to Ryan Gosling’s rejection of dark projects for family reasons. Especially when the lycanthropic lark that resulted looks as terrifying as the latest footage shared below:

The story of Wolf Man’s transformation is probably far from over, as more details will probably start to make their way into the world as we get closer to its January 17th release date. Whatever other juicy stories lie in wait, as well as any potential further context given from Ryan Gosling's end of things, you can be sure they’ll make headlines, and Wikipedia, once they’re revealed.

With that in mind, be sure to keep yourself up to date on this and all other upcoming Blumhouse movies. There’s 10 films this production shingle will be unleashing on the world next year, along with its partner Atomic Monster, and much like our New York Comic-Con 2024 coverage, there's plenty of madness to come. And while you're at it, don't forget to head over to Blumhouse's new merch shop, which has some fun items you can purchase to support your local scare factory!

Universal Pictures and Blumhouse are gearing up for their highly anticipated Wolf Man reboot. In the lead-up, director Leigh Whannell is also opening up about his approach to the film. The project, starring Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner, promises to breathe new life into the classic monster, which first terrorized audiences in 1941 and is shaping to be one of the most exciting 2025 movie releases. For me, what stood out in Whannell's comments, though, was his unexpected mention of Adam Sandler, which he used to make a good point.

During a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Leigh Whannell, known for his work on the highly well-reviewed The Invisible Man remake and the Insidious series, shared his goal for this iteration of the Wolfman: creating a genuinely terrifying horror experience. Whannell expressed concern about how iconic movie monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolfman have lost their fear factor over the years, becoming more family-friendly. With that, Whannell specifically referenced Adam Sandler’s take on the animated Count Dracula:

It might not be a fair comparison, but he makes a good point. Adam Sandler’s portrayal of a goofy, lighthearted Count Dracula in the Hotel Transylvania franchise exemplifies the shift over the past decades of the famous Universal Monsters becoming slightly less scary. To be honest, it was actually astute of the Upgrade director to use that point to highlight the direction he wanted for his wolf-centric flick.

The upcoming horror movie will see Christopher Abbott playing the lead role of Blake, a man who begins to transform into the Wolfman after a mysterious animal attack. So far, it's been described by both its director and Blumhouse Productions head Jason Blum as a return to true scares inline with some of the best horror movies. Blum, known for spearheading hit horror films like Get Out and The Purge echoed Leigh Whannell’s commitment to making Wolf Man as intense as possible:

That is music to my horror hound ears! So don’t expect any Sandler-style quotable lines or laughs in this

Leigh Whannell further emphasized to EW how he wants his film to instill fear in viewers. In his words, Wolf Man is meant to evoke the kind of visceral body horror that he admires, particularly like what's found in David Cronenberg’s The Fly. That practical, physical transformation process is central to the horror of the wolf. The makeup effects, designed by Oscar nominee Arjen Tuiten, are intended to create a realistic and deeply unsettling transformation from man to beast.

The flick also draws from the psychological horror that the filmmaker explored in The Invisible Man. Just as that film dealt with themes of abuse and control, this latest production will delve into ideas of disease and the fragility of the human body. The Dead Silence scribe revealed that the script was written during the pandemic, and much of the fear of sickness and isolation associated with that time bled into the storyline.

Set to be Blumhouse's first release of 2025, Wolf Man promises to be intense and unsettling. Based on the teases from Leigh Whannell and Jason Blum, this film won’t be one to watch with the kids, which makes sense. Though, for family-friendly scares, Adam Sandler’s Hotel Transylvania series is still available with a Peacock subscription.

Also, check out our 2024 movie release schedule to see what scary movies are still headed to cinemas this year.

Fear freaks and horror hounds rejoice because the 2025 movie schedule is shaping up to be another huge year for killer horror movies. One of the biggest releases next year is the upcoming Five Nights At Freddy’s 2, and thanks to its star, Josh Hutcherson, we've received some juicy new updates to sink our teeth into. According to the Hunger Games alum, the sequel is set to be even scarier and more expansive than the first. And let me tell you, fellow fright friends, I am beyond pumped to hear this!

Josh Hutcherson recently spoke with Esquire as part of a major cover story. It was during the chat that he teased what’s in store for FNAF 2, and his insights have left me shaking with excitement. Hutcherson, who plays Mike Schmidt, the beleaguered night security guard at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, teased that the sequel will go the route of some of the greatest sequel tropes: ramping up the tension in every way possible. He revealed:

Fans of the popular game franchise are likely familiar with its dense lore, and Hutcherson’s comments hint that this sequel might dive deeper into that sprawling universe. From the haunted halls of Freddy Fazbear’s to new, unexplored settings, it sounds like the sequel will deliver on some of the twisted mysteries that have made the series relevant for the past decade. And the mention of more animatronics? That’s enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine–my body is ready!

With the Freddy games’ sprawling lore and an enormous fanbase, it’s no surprise that fans are already speculating about the possibility of more films beyond the second installment. Josh Hutcherson, while staying focused on the sequel at hand, left the door open for future run-ins with Freddy Fazbear, saying:

Critics weren't kind to Five Nights at Freddy's, not pulling their punches all that much. Yet the dedicated fan base showed up in force, making it a major box office win for Blumhouse. With the sequel on the horizon, here’s hoping it steps things up with even bigger and better scares. If it can deliver a more well-rounded horror experience, it might just pull in not only die-hard fans of the series but also genre lovers who are looking for a new thrill. Fingers crossed, we can all keep diving into the creepy ball pit of this fun and creepy universe for years to come!

Josh Hutcherson’s promise of bigger scares, more animatronics, world-building and more for Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 should tide anxious fans over. In short, this is definitely one upcoming horror movie we’ll want to keep our eyes on. Until then, perhaps revisit the first movie by streaming it with a Prime Video subscription.

Spooky season is the best time of year to appreciate the best horror movies, but if you can make the trip to Hollywood or are already a local Californian like myself, why not live it at Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights? The event has all kinds of scary creatures roaming around the theme park, whether you're walking by the gift shops up front or braving the haunted houses after waiting in line. After my recent trip to HHN, I need to not only share my highlight experience on the Terror Tram, but share one element I wish the attraction had added to the scare fest.

First off, What is the Terror Tram? Well, usually at Universal Studios Hollywood, there’s a beloved Studio Tour attraction where visitors can be guided through real movie sets located on the theme park’s backlot. As a longtime visitor to Universal Studios, I have long been a fan of this attraction because you get to be driven around in shuttles with a fun guide that takes you to familiar locations like the Back to the Future clocktower and Whoville from How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

But for the Terror Tram, you go on the shuttle and instead of going on a full movie-centric tour, you’re actually dropped off on real movie sets where scare actors run wild. This year’s edition is Blumhouse-themed, which I loved... but I also felt it missed a great opportunity.

I’ve Braved A Lot Of Halloween Horror Nights Houses, But The Terror Tram Is Extra Scary

When CinemaBlend was invited to go to Halloween Horror Nights this year, of course I went to every house and ranked them all. (And if you’re more privy to Universal Orlando, we ranked those houses, too!) But, I placed the Terror Tram in the “bonus scare” category because it really feels like another level from the other houses. I was more freaked out by the Ghostbusters house than I expected and the A Quiet Place one was super creepy.

But there’s just something about being dropped off in the darkness of a movie lot right next to the exact place where they filmed the classic Psycho instead of staying seated the whole time as the attraction usually functions. Every year, they do a similar thing, so I knew what to expect in some ways, but man, do these types of scares never get old. Last time I went to the Terror Tram was for 2022’s The Purge edition, and going back only made me realize how effectively scary the whole thing was the first time.

What Happens At HHN’s Blumhouse Terror Tram

After you start your journey on one of the Studio Tour shuttles, a guide sets the scene to get you even more creeped out as you and the other guests ride in the quiet shuttle in the dead of night. Then, they just drop you off in the middle of the road where M3GAN is ready to greet you. At first, the A.I.-operated doll from the 2023 movie dances slowly by her lonesome with creepy instrumental music as guests leave the shuttle. But as soon as you have no ride to save you, a bunch of other Blumhouse characters pop out.

What really gets me about the Terror Tram is the look and sound of chainsaws that various characters have in their hands as they charge at you after M3GAN quips, “This is the part where you run” as she holds a long bloody knife in the air. I’ll be honest: most of the haunted houses at HHN generally don’t really phase me that much besides a few jump scares. But on the Terror Tram experience, I genuinely felt fear and adrenaline kicking in when that opening moment happened.

The scare actors cannot touch you, and most definitely will not harm you (it’s all entertainment around these parts), but with more room around the backlot, they bob and weave and get more confrontational, and it made me want to run and hide during the experience. From there, you move through the various Blumhouse movies featured like M3GAN, Happy Death Day and Freaky, which takes place at the actual Bates Motel (The Purge takes place at the plane wreckage from War of the Worlds). Yep, it really felt like I experienced something by the end of it, and was ready to hide at Super Nintendo World for a bit.

I’m Surprised Five Nights At Freddy’s Wasn’t Involved

All that being said, as I left, I found myself really surprised that a Blumhouse-themed Terror Tram had literally zero mention of Five Nights At Freddy’s. You know: the movie from the studio that is to date Blumhouse's highest grossing film globally? There’s already a second Five Nights At Freddy’s movie on the way, and yet no feature in a Blumhouse attraction?

Now, I’m not just surprised because of the popularity of the franchise with audiences (it’s been a big video game series for the past decade). The concept itself also perfectly lends itself for a theme park setting like Universal Studios – especially the Terror Tram. If you don’t know much about it, the game series revolves around night guards who try to survive homicidal animatronic characters from midnight to 6 a.m. from a fictional family pizza restaurant franchise a la Chuck E. Cheese.

It would have been so much fun to see the setup of the Terror Tram this year be night guards taking you through a backlot of these creepy figures who are suddenly murdering scare actors around us as the clock strikes twelve – especially one year after the movie hit such a massive box office milestone in theaters.

I have a feeling I know why this didn’t happen on the Terror Tram, as I predict it was sort of rights issue or major fee with the game developers that license out the video game. And considering Blumhouse already has a regular in with Universal Studios, it gave the studio a chance to boost the profile of M3GAN ahead of its own sequel, M3GAN 2.0 coming next year along with The Black Phone (which also has a followup on the way). The Purge is always super scary and it was nice to see Happy Death Day get some love after long standing hopes for a third movie.

But come on, Universal – it would be absolutely epic to see Five Nights At Freddy’s haunt the Terror Tram next! I'm ready.

In The Shining, one of Stephen King’s best books to read, The Overlook Hotel already seemed like a terrifying setting due to its real-life isolated inspiration, The Stanley Hotel. But there’s no need to imagine what it would be like staying in such a creepy hotel, as Blumhouse has created an Overnightmare hotel weekend stay event located in the famed Colorado resort. The only thing that creeps me out more than the idea of staying in rooms themed around the best Blumhouse horror movies is the insane price tag.

Blumhouse and Peacock have come together to bring horror fans’ dreams to reality by creating a must-visit destination for horror fans at The Stanley Hotel. According to the hotel’s official website, the Overnightmare event will have guests pick the option for a room themed around four Blumhouse movies (Insidious, The Purge, Freaky and Happy Death Day) with exciting scares, dark characters, interactive activities and more for a truly horrific weekend. Think of it like Halloween Horror Nights making its way into your hotel.

While all of this sounds like a lot of fun (especially if you’re a horror fan like myself), there’s one terrifying aspect of the whole weekend stay that’s making me shake. And no, it’s not what’s awaiting in those hotel rooms. It’s how much would be taken out of my bank account to pay for each freaky experience. Whether you want a Queen or a King bed, or your pick of any of the Blumhouse-themed rooms, the price is still $1,031. That high price does not include the protection fee of $87.64 if “unforeseen circumstances” were to happen to your reservation.

In order to pay a four-digit price like that, this would have to be a genuine horror fan’s dream to make it worth the money. Believe me, what’s included in that hefty price are benefits you wouldn’t get anywhere else. Other than staying in a double-occupancy room at The Lodge, there’s also the chance to have one scare experience, a complimentary welcome dinner, two drink tickets at The Blumhouse Bar, a $100 complimentary meal at Brunch & Co and more. All of these horror-themed adventures and benefits are incredibly tempting, but to call $1,031 for a two-day vacation a lot of money would be an understatement.

If you’re unable to visit The Stanley Hotel this year for the Blumhouse event, you can still enjoy the comfort of Blumhouse movies with your Peacock subscription, including Get Out, the Happy Death Day movies, Insidious, and more. You can also expect upcoming Blumhouse horror films to eventually hit the streaming service, like Speak No Evil, Megan 2.0 and Wolf Man. If you turn off the lights, turn up your TV’s stereo surround sound, and make sure the room is completely silent, watching Blumhouse movies in the comfort of your home can provide just as scary an experience.

The Overnightmare two-day horror weekend’s price tag may be scarier than anything you can expect during your stay, but it may be worth it for the chance of a lifetime for you and your loved one to stay in a room centered on your favorite Blumhouse movie. If you dare to make a reservation, the check-in days are October 18-20. If you’d prefer to stay at home and chill in front of your Peacock streaming service, look at our upcoming horror films so you’re in the loop of what can presumably hit the streamer.

Horror fans are gearing up for one of the most exciting upcoming 2025 movie releases as director Leigh Whannell brings his highly anticipated upcoming Wolfman reboot to life under Blumhouse Productions. With Leigh having previously breathed new life into The Invisible Man, a character rooted in Universal’s classic monster legacy, many are eager to see how he will approach the iconic lycanthrope. His remake of The Invisible Man was well received and quickly became a standout among the best horror movies of the 2020s, praised for its modern twist on the psychological thriller. Now, fans are wondering if Wolfman will follow suit and reinvent another iconic character.

Whannell’s recent interview with Empire Magazine sheds light on his approach, signaling that the Wolfman reboot won’t simply be a rehash of past werewolf stories. Instead of relying on nostalgia like other modern remakes, the actor-turned-filmmaker is taking a fresh, innovative direction with this classic monster tale. He told the publication:

The director's comments about rejecting traditional tropes and breaking new ground got my purist senses tingling, and not in the best way at first. But honestly, given the Insidious star’s track record as a filmmaker, I think it’s worth giving the guy a shot. He’s already proven he knows how to breathe new life into classic horror, so why not let him work his magic on Wolfman?

Whannell’s modern, boundary-pushing vision for this legendary monster sets it apart from the typical horror reboots we’re used to. His work on The Invisible Man showed how he can twist an old-school story into something fresh, terrifying, and totally relevant. Now, it looks like he’s ready to work that same magic on the werewolf mythos. Instead of repeating the same old formula, he’s committed to delivering something unique, making the upcoming Blumhouse movie a strong contender to shake up the Universal Monsters lineup.

In the same interview, the Upgrade creator also touched on how his approach to filmmaking has evolved with each new project. He continued:

This shift in focus is exciting as it marks a return to the roots of fear and tension without the influence of other genres. The upcoming take on everyone’s favorite werewolf promises to explore deeper, more terrifying themes than the Saw actor’s previous work, pushing audiences into new territory and adding a fresh spin to a well-worn mythology. However, I have to admit, after seeing the trailer, I wish the original plan had panned out. The original Ryan Gosling attached Wolf Man pitch really excited me, but I’m ready to give this version a shot.

With The Insidious: Chapter 3 helmer’s proven track record in modernizing classic horror characters and his fresh take on werewolf lore, the excitement surrounding Wolfman continues to build. His approach to crafting a “pure horror” experience should make it a standout entry in what’s sure to be a banner year for the genre.

Wolfman will be released in theaters on January 17, 2025. Leigh Whannell's The Invisible Man is one of the best free movies online, available to stream on Freevee.

James McAvoy is set to make a highly anticipated return to the scary side in the upcoming Blumhouse horror Speak No Evil. The movie is a remake of the super unsettling 2022 Danish film of the same name, as it depicts a family’s dream vacation at a picturesque country home turning into a psychological nightmare. Critics have seen the movie ahead of its premiere on the 2024 movie calendar, and they’re not keeping quiet about McAvoy’s performance.

Mackenzie Davis stars as Louise Dalton, who is vacationing with her husband (Scoot McNairy) and daughter. The trio befriend James McAvoy’s Paddy and his family and decide to return with them to their home in the UK countryside. It doesn’t take long, though, for the Daltons to realize something isn’t right.

Jamie Graham of GamesRadar rates the movie 4 stars out of 5, noting that Speak No Evil honors the 2022 original while still serving up some brutal surprises. James McAvoy is a “beast,” Graham writes, with his physique proving perfect for the brand of alpha male he’s portraying. The critic continues:

BJ Colangelo of ScreenRant gives Speak No Evil 8.5 out of 10, praising James McAvoy’s performance as one of the best of the year. The critic writes about how the film exploits our willingness to rationalize alarming behavior out of politeness, at times leaving the audience in fits of uncomfortable laughter and others scaring them speechless. Colangelo says:

Caryn James of THR is also high on James McAvoy in villain mode, but not as much on the movie overall. Despite the cast — particularly McAvoy and Mackenzie Davis — giving it their all, the story is too predictable overall. Still, James says it’s worth checking out. In the critic’s words:

Ryan Lattanzio of IndieWire gives it a C, writing that while James McAvoy is “effectively creepy,” this American remake is nowhere near as powerful as the original. It’s not only predictable, Lattanzio says, it’s not scary. The critic continues:

If Speak No Evil sounds like one of the upcoming horror movies you can’t miss, you don’t have long to wait. James McAvoy will be taking his intimidating Paddy to theaters starting Friday, September 13.

Every year, Universal Halloween Horror Nights manages to craft some super scary and interactive haunted houses to make us feel like we’re in the middle of either the best horror movies of all time or the original concepts crafted uniquely for Universal Studios’ guests. This year, the festivities have promised the terrors of silence from A Quiet Place movies, Bride of Frankenstein and Dracula's daughter going head to head, and the marshmallowy nostalgia of Ghostbusters across the many haunted houses this year.

2024’s festivities was my fourth year in a row as CinemaBlend’s final girl for Halloween Horror Nights (though last year I ranked Universal Orlando’s houses rather than the Hollywood ones). After going to the event's opening night, courtesy of Universal, on Thursday and surviving all the houses, I can confidently say 2024 is a really solidly scary and yet another really fun year to enjoy the spooky season at Universal Studios Hollywood. Here’s my personal ranking of all the houses in terms of how worth it I think they are to check out – though honestly, all of them are a great time.

8. Monstruos 2: The Nightmares of Latin America

Monstruos 2 was the first house of the night I ventured to, and I have to say, I was rather disappointed with this one – especially after the same location had one of the most terrifying Latin-themed houses in my 2022 ranking of Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights with La Llorona: The Weeping Woman. This original house (which is not far from the park’s entrance/Minion Land) had some creepy characters for sure, as it features El Charro, the devil dog El Cadejo and the boogeyman El Cucuy, but I found the scares to be rather one-note... and sort of goofy. Of course, it’s possible my walkthrough was during some weird lull.

7. Insidious: The Further

This year, Insidious returns to Halloween Horror Nights, and while we ranked the version in Orlando as the scariest this year, the same can definitely not be said about the Hollywood version. Now don’t get me wrong, this house (which is just past the Wizarding World) is super unsettling and had my blood curdling as it took me and the other guests deep into The Further through the red door, encountering dolls, a child’s drawings and demonic creatures on the way, but most of the house itself is a lot of long dark hallways.

6. Dead Exposure: Death Valley 

Down on the Lower Lot of Universal Studios Hollywood, there are four haunted houses to check out. If I were to tell you to skip one of them, I’d suggest Dead Exposure: Death Valley (especially since I know lines can get intense as the season progresses). That being said, I enjoyed this one a lot more than I expected. This house takes place on a top-secret government facility where an experiment to create super soldiers has turned for the worst. This one is full of great imagery and a lot of cool use of neon lighting, but lacks the kind of real punch the remaining ones coming up do.

5. The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy 

When the first haunted house from The Weeknd came out in 2022, it surprised me when it became my favorite house of that year, particularly because I’m not an avid follower of his music. This sequel, Nightmare Trilogy (also on the Lower Lot), is another really impressive house from the wicked corners of The Weeknd’s mind, but like some sequels do, it just wasn’t as effective for me this time around. The story was more convoluted as well, from my POV. Even so, I really love how original the imagery feels, and how gory it is.

4. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire 

The only one of the 2024 movies to get its own haunted house this year is Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and it was definitely one of my favorites. From appearances from iconic Ghostbusters characters like the marshmallow men and Slimer, to numerous and quite terrifying appearances of Garraka, the Frozen Empire house does an awesome job of being really entertaining, making one feel like they are in the movie, and actually being quite scary too. The house (which is next to the Insidious house) even made me appreciate the movie itself more as well!

3. A Quiet Place

My most highly-anticipated house of this year was the first adaptation of A Quiet Place at Horror Nights. It’s one of my favorite horror franchises to come out of the past decade, and the house did not disappoint. As you go through the queue (located next to Monstruos 2), a woman on a screen encourages guests to remain quiet, and that’s just what my group did. It made me feel part of the eerie forest atmosphere as one early scare actor implemented sign language and another who screamed was instantly captured. I found myself abiding the urge to be quiet even though I was also internally gasping about all the amazing appearances of the aliens (or Death Angels) and references to the first two movies.

2. Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines 

I’m always a huge fan of Universal’s Monsters houses because of how much work they put into them year after year, including how they always pick a fun combination of characters to go head to head with. After our 2023 ranking of Hollywood’s Horror Nights had the Unmasked house at No. 4, Eternal Bloodlines stacked up even higher among houses this year. This house, which is the biggest one of the year and located on the Lower Lot, features Saskia Van Helsing teaming up with the Bride of Frankenstein against Dracula’s daughter, and the storytelling and the immersive nature of it was such a great time! I felt like I was in a movie I wanted to see, and the combination of worlds was really special to see in one house.

1. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Legacy of Leatherface

If you want to get really scared at Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights this year, the most gory and satisfyingly story heavy house of them all is this year’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre edition! The house (on the Lower Lot) comes as the first movie celebrates 50 years this spooky season, and wow, does it deliver. Rather than simply adapting one of the movies, as Horror Nights did in 2021, this one offers a super stressful and spine chilling origin story for Leatherface. Seriously, enter this one only if you can handle the terror!

Big Bonus Scare: Blumhouse's Terror Tram 

Last, but not least, I wasn’t sure where to rank this one, since it is technically not a haunted house, but a unique HHN experience. As the theme park has done in past seasons, during this event, Universal Studios Hollywood transforms its Studio Tour into a massive open air experience that takes guests through actual sets while they get scared. This year, it was all Blumhouse themed, with appearances from movies from the studio like M3GAN, The Purge, Freaky, Happy Death Day and one of Blumhouse’s upcoming horror movies, Wolf Man.

The fear factor is definitely rampant in Terror Tram this year, as the tram has guests walking through the backlot to a ton of scare actors running around with chainsaws and getting in your face. M3GAN gets to lead the pack with her viral dance and a lot of chaos, and that definitely made me want to turn back out of fear.

You can buy Halloween Horror Nights tickets for evenings up until November 3 on the Universal Studios Hollywood website now. I hope my final girl escapades help you have a blast at the best haunted houses of your choosing.

Blumhouse is continuing to explore the dark side of technology with the development of SOULM8TE. The upcoming horror movie (which also counts as an upcoming sci-fi movie) boasts a similar plot to M3GAN — the company’s 2022 hit about a kid’s robotic doll that turns deadly — but with a more, shall we say, risqué twist. We’ll provide you with even more data about the upcoming Blumhouse movie in our following guide to SOULM8TE.

What Is The SOULM8TE Release Date?

SOULM8TE is currently programmed to hit theaters on January 2, 2026. We wish we could tell you that it is coming out a little earlier and had a spot on our upcoming 2025 movie schedule. However, there is already another technophobic Blumhouse flick out in theaters with the new 2024 movie, AfrAId, in which a cutting-edge virtual assistant turns deadly.

What SOULM8TE Is About

You might have been able to guess by now that SOULM8TE is yet another Blumhouse production about a technological breakthrough that turns deadly. Yet, it is bound to stand out among the rest as it is taking a far more adult approach to the material that sounds like a combination of the Oscar-winning 2013 romance Her with a concept straight out of the best episodes of Black Mirror.

According to the official logline, the erotic thriller follows a man struggling to cope with the recent death of his wife. Hoping to cure his loneliness, he acquires a human-looking android equipped with artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, as he grows closer to this new companion, she proves to be something dangerous.

SOULM8TE Is Set In The M3GAN Universe

We established at the very top that the plot of SOULM8TE is similar to M3GAN. Well, not only is it similar to one of the best horror movies of 2022, it also exists in the same world.

Blumhouse first announced SOULM8TE as a spin-off to M3GAN which will “expand” on the universe established in the surprise hit. This could be the start of a whole anthological franchise of great horror movies made for the digital age.

The SOULM8TE Cast

Artificial intelligence has certainly become more advanced and more popular in recent years, but one thing it cannot replace is genuine acting talent. Luckily, the SOULM8TE cast consists of real human actors whose character roles have yet to be officially disclosed. Let’s take a look at who is set to star in the thriller and what else you might know them from.

David Rysdahl

David Rysdahl is already no stranger to horror, having starred in the Hulu horror movie No Exit and the 2023 horror-comedy movie, Booger, as well as the Black Mirror Season 6 episode, “Mazey Day,” alongside his real-life spouse, Zazie Beetz. The actor might be better known from Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer cast as chemist and explosives expert Donald Hornig and as Wayne Lyon in Fargo Season 5 from Noah Hawley, whom he is reuniting with for the upcoming sci-fi TV show, Alien: Earth, which is coming to FX in 2025.

Claudia Doumit

SOULM8TE will mark the feature-length horror debut for Claudia Doumit, who did appear in a spooky musical comedy TV show in 2016 called How to Be a Vampire. The Australian actor’s more famous roles, however, are Jiya from the short-lived time travel drama Timeless and Victoria Neumann, whom anyone who has seen The Boys Season 4 finale knows is not going to be part of The Boys Season 5, sadly.

Lily Sullivan

Already a qualified Scream Queen following her performances in the fifth installment of the Evil Dead movies, 2023’s Evil Dead Rise, and Monolith from the following year is fellow Australian actor Lily Sullivan. She made her acting debut in dark satire Mental from 2012 and went on to appear opposite Daniel Radcliffe in 2017’s Jungle, star in Amazon Prime’s mystery series Picnic at Hanging Rock, and National Geographic’s Barkskins.

Directed By Kate Dolan

SOULM8TE will be the second feature-length effort from director Kate Dolan, who broke through with her chilling Irish folklore thriller You Are Not My Mother in 2021. She also wrote the script for this new flick, based off an original draft from Rafael Jordan.

The original story for SOULM8TE, however, comes from the mind of acclaimed horror filmmaker James Wan (known for other great Blumhouse horror movies like Insidious) and his wife and collaborator Ingrid Bisu, who are both also producing the film on behalf of Atomic Monster. Blumhouse founder Jason Blum is also signed on as a producer.

A Direct M3GAN Sequel Is Also On The Way

There is even more from the world of M3GAN in addition to SOULM8TE. The killer AI doll will be back in the upcoming sequel, M3GAN 2.0, which is due for a theatrical release on June 27, 2025. Fingers crossed that we will see a subtle tease of the spin-off when it comes out.

How To Watch SOULM8TE’s Predecessor, M3GAN

As you wait for the release of both M3GAN 2.0 and SOULM8TE, you can revisit (or discover) the film that started it all. At the moment, M3GAN is available with a Starz subscription, to rent on Amazon, or to purchase on physical media.

Stream M3GAN on Starz.
Rent or buy M3GAN on Amazon.
Buy M3GAN on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Will you log on when SOULM8TE is uploaded?

The Halloween season begins either on July 5th or September 1st, depending on who you talk to of course. Though for some it’s a year round celebration of all things spooky, which is why I think Universal Studios Hollywood and Orlando tend to make their announcements for Halloween Horror Nights 2024 throughout the year.

We’re pretty much on the doorstep of 2024’s festival starting up, and just when I thought I was already pretty sold on the park’s latest frights, they had to go and throw the legacies of Blumhouse and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre into the mix. So of course I’m even more excited about what’s to come.

Blumhouse Will Be Hitting Both Universal Studios Parks For Halloween Horror Nights

Let’s kick things off with the news that will be hitting both of Universal Studios’ US parks, as both patrons of the Hollywood and Orlando campuses are being invited to “Enter the Blumhouse!” Of course, the differences between both parks are going to dictate how you enter, as seen in the different announcements that went out today.

Helping to celebrate Universal Studios Orlando’s earliest HHN start ever, the following social media announcement revealed the following:

So for Halloween Horror Nights 2024 in Florida, a full-on scare zone will be available for those looking to dance with M3GAN or answer The Black Phone. Though I’d be lying if I didn’t mention the part of this announcement art that excites me the most is none other than the presence of The Bayfield Babyface Killer potentially teasing the ability to enter Happy Death Day’s time loop.

Meanwhile, Universal Studios Hollywood will be entering the Blumhouse through one of its Terror Tram experiences. Announcing the news through a press release from Universal Studios Hollywood, all three of those horror flicks will be part of this ride through odyssey into fright; so don’t think you West Coast folks are missing out.

If anything, the additions of Freaky and The Purge are sweetening the deal on your end; which pairs well with the announcement of the return of last year’s The Purge: Dangerous Waters stunt show. I’m still very interested in seeing over at Universal’s California based thrill park, but I must admit Blumhouse isn’t the only draw that has me buzzing about Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights 2024.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’s 50th Anniversary Is Scaring Up Thrills At Universal Studios Hollywood

It's kind of hard to believe that director Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is turning 50 this year. With frequent attempts at reimagining the saga for new audiences populating the landscape over the decades, that droning buzz of dismemberment hasn't ever been too far.

And no matter which version you happen to favor, the announcement of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Legacy of Leatherface" is good news. I say that because of the following details reported in the announcement of Universal Studios Hollywood's latest frightful offering:

So just to recap: Halloween Horror Nights 2024 includes Leatherface getting his own multiverse of madness, Blumhouse hitting both coasts with its brand of horror, and a potential fight against The Mummy’s Anck-su-namun; among other adventures. While I know Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights changes have made this celebration less reliant on IP, it’s hard not to marvel at the brand names the attraction has honed in on to balance the scales.

With all of Universal Studios’ cards on the table now, I think I’m more than ready to attempt to head out into danger myself; and I’d like to think a lot of you are right there with me. Honestly the only thing missing might be a Jurassic Park flavored horror experience; which has totally happened in the past. However, I say that without complaining, because I’m just delighted that the deck is stacked so high with horror heaters in the months to come.

Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights are almost here again, with Orlando kicking things off on August 30th and Hollywood following suit on September 5th. Both festivals will end on the same November 3rd closing date, so be sure to get your tickets and plan accordingly. The only thing scarier than what’s waiting for you in these houses is missing out on them entirely.

When we look ahead to upcoming horror movies we’re most hyped about, the return of M3GAN is certainly up there! After the artificially intelligent doll wreaked havoc on her roboticist and her niece’s life (along with showing off her viral dancing skills and an unforgettable rendition of Sia’s “Titanium” under her collar bow), she’ll be back for 2025’s M3GAN 2.0.

Considering M3GAN remains one of the best Blumhouse horror movies we’ve seen to date, for all its campiness, every new update about the second movie has us in greater anticipation for what’s to come for the murderous android and her upcoming victims. As producer Jason Blum updated on X (formerly known as Twitter) in mid-July, production has begun on the movie and it’s “time to put M3GAN back together." Check out the stacked cast for M3GAN 2.0:

Allison Williams

The roboticist behind M3GAN, Gemma, will in fact be back for the next movie. Allison Williams played the sneaky brainiac in the first M3GAN movie, and has been confirmed to return for the 2025 film. As you read through this list, you’ll notice there’s actually a lot of familiar faces, including writer Akela Cooper writing the script again and the M3GAN director Gerard Johnstone helming the sequel.

Williams has made quite the name for herself in horror in recent years, between being in one of the best horror movies of all time, Get Out, along with the underrated 2018 flick The Perfection. You also likely know Williams from HBO’s Girls and Showtime’s Fellow Travelers. We don’t know the plot of M3GAN 2.0 currently, but I'll be curious to see if Gemma is naive enough to create another version of her android, or if the first version somehow comes out of the woodwork to be rebuilt somehow.

Violet McGraw

Gemma’s niece, Cady, was played by Violet McGraw in the original 2022 movie, and she's set to play her character once again for 2.0. When we first met Cady, she had just gone through a tragedy when the eight-year-old’s parents were tragically killed in a car accident and she moved in with her aunt Gemma. She then gets paired with a prototype of M3GAN that turns rather violent and possessive of the child. Since it was announced that McGraw was cast, the young actress has said she is “literally dying to know what happens” and looking forward to working with the cast and crew. How will Cady’s next confrontation with the android play out?

Jenna Davis

Additionally, the voice behind M3GAN, Jenna Davis, has been cast in 2.0, too. The current 20-year-old provided the now iconic sound of the android’s voice whilst dancer Amie Donald portrayed the character on set. While we don’t know for sure if Donald is back as the physical M3GAN (she could have aged out), Davis’ haunting performance will definitely treat our ears.

Brian Jordan Alvarez 

Gemma’s main colleagues from the first movie will also return for the sequel. First up is Brian Jordan Alvarez’s Cole, who had a hand in the creation of the killer android. Alvarez is a comedic actor who had a recurring role in Will & Grace from 2018 to 2020 as the love interest of Sean Hayes’ Jack.

Jen Van Epps

Jen Van Epps is also back as Gemma’s other colleague, Tess. Her and Cole had a major hand in creating M3GAN, along with their decision to terminate her, so it makes perfect sense they would play a major part in the story for the sequel. The actress is just getting started when it comes to larger roles in movies and television, so coming back as Tess is exciting for the rising talent.

Ivanna Sakhno 

Our first newcomer to report for M3GAN 2.0 is Ukrainian-American actor Ivanna Sakhno in an unknown role. Star Wars fans might recognize Sakhno from her main role in the 2023 live-action series Ahsoka. Sakhno played Shin Hati, the apprentice to Ray Stevenson’s Baylan Skoll. Elsewhere, the actress was also in 2018’s Pacific Rim Uprising, 2020’s High Fidelity remake and Netflix rom-com Let It Snow.

Jemaine Clement 

Another exciting addition to the M3GAN 2.0 cast is Jemaine Clement. The New Zealand actor gets to shoot the horror movie in his home country (since that’s where production is taking place). The hilarious actor is best known for playing the vampire Vladislav the Poker in the What We Do In The Shadows movie and series, along with voicing the role of Tamatoa in Moana. We couldn’t be more curious about how he fits in the next chapter of M3GAN.

Timm Sharp

Another comedic actor can be found in the M3GAN 2.0 cast in the form of Timm Sharp. Sharp has had memorable roles in Undeclared, ‘Til Death, Blunt Talk, Apples Never Fall and even Disney+’s Percy Jackson series as Percy’s stepdad. This is another role we don’t know anything about, but Sharp is a welcome addition.

Aristotle Athari 

The last actor to be cast in M3GAN 2.0 that we know of, per Deadline’s mid-July report, is Aristotle Athari. (Yes, another comedian!) The Iranian-American actor is best known for joining the Saturday Night Live cast from 2021 to 2022 as a “featured player”. He went viral on multiple occasions for playing a character named Angelo with Rami Malek, Billie Eilish and Daniel Craig. We can’t wait to see what he brings to M3GAN 2.0!

M3GAN 2.0 is poised to be a great time with all this talent at the center. The movie has received a release date in the middle of next summer too: June 27, 2025. It will serve as fun counter programming for the Brad Pitt F1 movie set to come out in theaters on the same day.

The M3GAN sequel is also set to come out in the middle of a big year for the return of horror franchises as well. I Know What You Did Last Summer is coming out the same month (June 18), while The Black Phone 2 will come out on October 17 and the second Five Nights At Freddy’s movie has a release date for December 5. We’ll continue to update you about M3GAN 2.0 here on CinemaBlend!

One of the best horror movies of all time for various reasons, William Friedkin’s The Exorcist is still a powerful movie in and of itself, but it’d be silly to think that its impact is just as powerful today as it was when it hit theaters 53 years ago. Horror has come a long way since then, with diminishing returns for the franchise as a whole, but audiences are still fascinated by demonic possession stories, especially with genre masterminds like Mike Flanagan at the helm.

The writer and director behind The Haunting of Hill House, The Fall of the House of Usher (still my favorite horror show of the 21st century) and Doctor Sleep, Flanagan is bringing his storytelling skills to the Exorcist universe, but obviously not in the most traditional ways. His project is still untitled, and fans still have a lot to learn about it, but we thankfully know more about it now than we did when it was originally announced.

So pour yourself a glass of pea-soup soda, or whatever beverage you’d actually prefer to be drinking, and read on for everything we know so far about Mike Flanagan’s upcoming Exorcist movie for Universal Pictures.

When Is The Release Date For Mike Flanagan's Exorcist Movie?

At one point earlier in its development cycle, in June 2024 to be more exact, Universal announced the new Exorcist project was being set to release on March 13. 2026. Considering not a lick of footage has been released, and casting updates are only just surfacing regularly here in February 2026, that initial premiere goal would obviously be impossible to hit.

Despite previous production delays stemming from Flanagan’s work on his new Carrie series adaptation, the new horror feature is rolling on all of its spooky cylinders currently, and in January 2026, the studio unveiled a new release date of March 12, 2027, which will hopefully remain the case without any further changes.

Scarlett Johansson Is Heading Up An Already Impressive Cast

Though it’s technically the follow-up to David Gordon Green’s box office disappointment Exorcist: The Believer, Mike Flanagan’s feature is based on an original idea, and it’s not expected that any previously introduced franchise characters will be involved, though that could obviously change. But that’s hardly disappointing when so many other solid actors have already been announced for the new movie.

Scarlett Johansson (Character TBA)

To date, Scarlett Johansson’s only real dabbling in horror features has been for Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin, which was technically more of a dark sci-fi tale with existentially horrifying concepts. So it was quite the shock to hear the Jurassic World: Rebirth star signed on for her first collaboration with Mike Flanagan, but I’ve no doubt they’ll be a match made in horror heaven.

Diane Lane (Character TBA)

With a slew of award nominations under her belt, Diane Lane was the second cast member announced for Flanagan’s new movie. And like Johansson, Lane is not an actor who has ever been synonymous with genre stories — I’ll blame Judge Dredd for that — though she’s well-equipped for psychological thrillers such as 2025’s darkly comedic Anniversary. I can imagine she’ll put those skills to work in this disturbing universe, though it’s hard to tell exactly who she might be playing.

Jacobi Jupe (Character TBA)

Young actor Jacobi Jupe has been on a career rise, going from Peter Pan & Wendy to the Apple TV thriller Before to Chloé Zhao’s universally acclaimed drama Hamnet, where he portrays the titular child of William Shakespeare. As such, he’s a promising addition to Flanagan’s Exorcist project, as the director’s projects are known for featuring nuanced performances from preteen actors. While not quite confirmed yet, Jupe is reportedly playing the son of ScarJo’s character.

Chiwetel Ejiofor (Character TBA)

The first cast member announced for Mike Flanagan’s exorcism movie that has worked with the filmmaker in the past, Chiwetel Ejiofor has been tapped to play an unidentified character in the new horror movie. Ejiofor previously portrayed the character Marty Anderson in last year’s Stephen King adaptation The Life of Chuck, and I couldn’t be more excited for another A-tier actor to join the list of frequent collaborators. According to THR, the actor is allegedly playing an ex-con who becomes a priest.

Laurence Fishburne (Character TBA)

The most prolific of any previously revealed cast members, Laurence Fishburne is no stranger to both quality genre projects and franchises. The Pee-Wee’s Playhouse vet co-starred in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3, Event Horizon, The Matrix series, Predators, Hannibal, and more. I’d expect him to take on the role of an esteemed priest or other authority figure within the Catholic church, but that could be all wrong.

Mike Flanagan is known for populating his projects with a dozen or more actors culled from a growing list of frequent collaborators, from his wife Kate Siegel to Carla Gugino to Rahul Kohli to Samantha Sloyan (who is co-starring in his Carrie series). As such, fans can expect another major casting announcement that addresses the slew of co-stars filling out the world.

Flanagan was revealed to be in talks with Blumhouse in early May 2024 to be tackling some kind of an Exorcist project, but it was unclear at the time if it would be related to prior plans.

Mike Flanagan Is Writing And Directing An All-New Story Within The Exorcist Universe

Rarely one to helm projects scripted by other writers, Mike Flanagan will indeed be directing from his own screenplay for this new project. At the time of the initial announcement, he shared an excited reaction that explained how impetus for joining another project meant to reimagine a classic horror release. In his words:

The Exorcist is one of the reasons I became a filmmaker, and it is an honor to have the chance to try something fresh, bold, and terrifying within its universe. Reuniting with my friends at Blumhouse, with whom I’ve made some of my favorite pieces of work, only makes this more exciting.

Though he’s still keeping all story details bundled up and locked away until a later point, Flanagan has confirmed that this new narrative is definitely not tied into the Believer storyline, which was meant to spark a full trilogy until low box office returns caused the studio to shutter its efforts. It’s neither a remake nor a sequel to any previous entries, and is merely described as being “set in” this world.

The new Exorcist film will also be produced by Flanagan’s Red Room Productions, and will be the fourth project that Flanagan teamed up with Blumhouse Pictures on, following 2013’s Oculus and 2016’s double dose of Hush and Ouija: Origin of Evil. Jason Blum shared the statement below around the time the project was announced:

Hopefully Mike Flanagan's new ideas for this universe are indeed strong enough to keep the franchise afloat without suffering another box office blow like The Exorcist: Believer, which unfortunately suffered even more due to Universal and Peacock having paid upwards of $400 million for the rights to Exorcist projects, which made it nearly impossible for a single movie to recoup those costs.

A New Production Start Is Now Set In Stone

Blumhouse-Atomic Monster and Morgan Creek are set to go into production on Mike Flanagan’s Exorcist project in New York City, with a starting window reportedly set for March 2026. Which will give Flanagan & Co. almost exactly a year’s time to go from the first slate to the absolute final post-production duties. With some filmmakers, that kind of a truncated timeline might seem dangerous, but Flanagan is known for delivering projects on time and without any publicized budget issues. So I wouldn’t expect any further delays.

So from now until March 7, 2027, start making your predictions on where and when in the film we'll see Mike Flanagan's cursed Lasser Glass show up as an easter egg, the same way he uses it in all his other projects.

With tons of super dark horror movies in recent years, I had a blast with 2022’s M3GAN, a campy slasher about a killer A.I. doll from both Jason Blum and James Wan. At the beginning of the year, it was announced that a M3GAN sequel was officially on the way in 2025, but now we’ve learned a spinoff is also on the way from the same producers. While I was hyped already for what the future holds for M3GAN 2.0, this latest project might actually have me more amped! Let’s talk about it. 

What Is The M3GAN Spinoff? 

It was announced on Thursday that James Wan’s Atomic Monster and Jason Blum’s Blumhouse are teaming up once again to make a movie called SOULM8TE. Per a press release from Blumhouse, the movie will “expand” the M3GAN universe. Oh, and it already has a release date for January 2, 2026. 

SOULM8TE is being described as an “erotic thriller” about another A.I. android. However, this time, rather than it being in the form of a girl meant to be a companion to other children, this movie will take a much more adult approach. SOULM8TE will revolve around a grieving man who has recently lost his wife. In an effort to cope with the loss, he turns to an A.I. doll of his own, but takes things too far when he tries to fill the hole with the android. The movie will be directed by Kate Dolan, who shared that she views the movie as an “exploration of relationships and loneliness.”

Why SOULM8TE Might Actually Be More Exciting Than M3GAN 2.0 

When I watched M3GAN back when it was released, I remember finding it to be a fun genre movie to pass the time, but in terms of depth… it was lacking. Now, that’s totally fine. I don’t mind turning off my brain every once in a while for a horror flick, but SOULM8TE seems like it could have the elements I was missing about M3GAN. 

Not only does SOULM8TE’s plotline have more meat to it than M3GAN, reading to me as a new spin on the Chucky movies for the A.I. generation, but there’s also some added heart there baked into it. The spinoff sounds like Black Mirror meets Her, and I’m all for it! Also, I like the idea of it being a more adult horror movie. 

For one, I think it'd be interesting for the movie to explore how this widower could perhaps be using the seduction of an A.I. sex doll to mask the grief of his loss, but also to give us a grittier version of M3GAN! I think many would agree that the Blumhouse movie went rather softball with its thrills and kills. SOULM8TE offers the chance for the universe to take a more mature (and bloody) turn! It allows its filmmakers to keep M3GAN lighter and more campy, and then take the concept to a whole new level for the spinoff. 

As we anticipate the two M3GAN movies among upcoming horror movies, you can watch the original M3GAN (and the unrated cut) now with a Peacock subscription. 

Just about any rundown of upcoming horror movies is going to feature a few high-profile remakes in the bunch, such is the genre’s way. One of the more anticipated revamps (or re-wolfs, as it were) is Universal and Blumhouse’s The Wolf Man, with Invisible Man’s Leigh Whannel handling directing and co-writing duties. The latest remake debuted its first footage at CinemaCon 2024 to high praise, but without fully contextualizing the film’s place within the studio’s overall Dark Universe plans. Now, one producer has shed new light on how interconnected this franchise is meant to be.

Ken Kao, who is also serving as a producer on the 2024 horror Cuckoo and the upcoming novel adaptation of Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary, spoke with ScreenRant about whether or not Universal’s latest throwback to its Classic Monsters line-up fits under the overarching Dark Universe umbrella. And he brought up Marvel and DC movies to make his point more clear. Here’s how he put it when asked:

Understandably, even if Ken Kao is one of the key producers on Wolf Man, the powers that be at Universal Pictures are wholly responsible for the project and how interconnected it should be with other films. So any opinions he shares about the film could technically be debunked or confirmed at will by studio execs, which means the above explanation should be taken with a grain of salt, and only while dancing with the devil under the pale (full) moonlight.

But if it does turn out to be legit, I think taking the outside-the-box Joker approach is probably the smartest route for the Dark Universe films at this point. The most recent two attempts to jump-start this monster-filled line-up were Joe Johnston's less-than-beloved 2010 effort The Wolfman and Alex Kurtzman's equally maligned The Mummy with Tom Cruise. Both were imbued with the goal of building up cinema's spookiest universe, but both failed to win over audiences as franchise tentpoles.

Indeed, the most successful Universal monster movie of late was Whannell's The Invisible Man in 2020, which brought a refreshing spin to the world of H.G. Wells' novel and its past adaptations, and without any abundantly obvious attempts to create a hyper-connected synergy with any other horror movies. In Ken Kao's mind, this is the right approach to take with Wolf Man. He continued:

For all that the MCU now features roughly 4 billion projects within its multiversal boundaries, Jon Favreau's groundbreaking Iron Man didn't weigh down 2008 audiences with endless hints at the massive universe yet to come. First and foremost, its purpose was to give audiences a fun time at the movies, and only after it and other standalone movies like Thor were successful did The Avengers and other connection-heavy projects get manifested into existence.

As it should have been from the start, the plan with Blumhouse and Universal's Dark Universe should always be to establish a foundation of interest and success with several projects before looping them all together and trying to call it a cinematic universe. And if, like Joker, the projects continue to live on their own without morphing into anything interconnected, so be it.

The point here, in the end: just make a good damned Wolf Man movie, Blumhouse and Universal! And if you want to make Bruce Wayne and Batman the main protagonist, do it!

The Wolf Man, which replaced Ryan Gosling with Christopher Abbott and co-stars Julia Garner and Sam Jaeger, is set to arrive in theaters on January 17, 2025. Head to our 2024 movie schedule to see what'll be hitting theaters and streaming before then.

Horror fans, it’s time to get your 2025 calendar out early and circle four very important new dates! Not only is Blumhouse, the production company that has famously made great modern horror movies like Get Out, Paranormal Activity and The Invisible Man going all in on sequels next year, an exciting legacyquel has just found a place on next year’s movie slate as well. 

Per a new Variety report, Blumhouse has set up a trio of sequels to be among upcoming horror movies coming out in 2025. Additionally, Sony has finally dated the I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel as well! Let’s break down all the updates. 

Five Nights At Freddy’s Sequel Nabs A Release Date

First off, after Five Nights At Freddy’s became Blumhouse’s biggest hit yet when it made $297 million worldwide while also being available to stream with a Peacock subscription on the same day, the company is moving forward with an exciting sequel. The movie based on the video game of the same name will hit theaters on December 5, 2025! That will be a week after the second part of Wicked comes out and two weeks before James Cameron’s Avatar 3. For the time being, we don’t know much about the plot details.  

M3GAN 2.0 And I Know What You Did Last Summer Are Both Coming Next Summer

Additionally, M3GAN 2.0 has changed release dates. While the movie was originally going to come out on May 16 of next year, it will now come out on June 27, 2025. The production reportedly began shooting earlier this month. The sequel’s script is once again penned by Akela Cooper and directed by Gerard Johnstone and will star Allison Williams and Violet McGraw. 

And via a press release by Sony, I Know What You Did Last Summer is going to be coming to theaters on July 18, 2025. The movie will reportedly see the return of Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar to the franchise after starring in the original 1997 movie, though this hasn't been officially confirmed. Do Revenge’s Jennifer Kaytin Robinson is directing from a script by Leah McKendrick.  

The Black Phone 2 Shifts To Halloween Season 

The final big piece of horror news to take note of regards the release date of The Black Phone 2. The sequel was initially going to be coming out next June 27, but M3GAN 2.0 has snatched that date, and it will now come out on October 17, 2025. The shift allows for the creepy movie to be released at prime horror season when people are looking to get scared more than usual. 

The Black Phone 2 was announced this past October. The movie will be from the same team as the previous film, including Scott Derrickson writing and directing alongside co-writer C. Robert Cargill. 

Anyone have chills yet? There’s a lot of scary goodness in store for us in 2025! 

Mike Flanagan is slowly becoming the maestro of the macabre. He is behind some of the most chilling and best horror movies and TV series in recent years. That includes The Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor as well as incredible Stephen King adaptations like Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep. At present, he's also working on another King flick, the upcoming Life of Chuck. According to a recent report, the filmmaker could be in discussions to direct the confirmed Exorcist: Believer sequel. At first glance, this sounds like a match made in horror cinematic heaven. But, as a devoted fan of Flanagan and the original Exorcist (and Exorcist III) legacy, I find myself tangled in a web of excitement and concern.

Backed by Jason Blum, Believer hit theaters with a ton of anticipation on October 13, 2023. Despite the star power of Leslie Odom Jr., the legendary Ellen Burstyn and the return of Linda Blair's iconic character Regan MacNeil, the film fell short of the success expected by Blumhouse and Universal. Blum's recent remarks on a sequel alluded to a necessary overhaul of the series following the movie's less-than-stellar performance. With that, according to reporting from Deadline, a source close to Blum alleges that there is potentially a change in directorial reins from David Gordon Green to Mike Flanagan. So let's talk this out.

Why Flanagan’s Possible Involvement Concerns Me

David Gordon Green’s 2023 effort was supposed to be the first part of a new Exorcist trilogy, with Deceiver following and set for a 2025 release. However, following the poor box office receipts, disappointing critical reception of Believer and Green’s subsequent departure from the project, the entire trilogy's future was thrown into question. Enter Mike Flanagan, whose involvement suggests a likely shift in direction for the franchise.

As much as his directorial prowess excites me, I'm equally apprehensive. His storytelling is at its peak when he's given complete creative control, as seen in Flanagan's best TV and movies. However, stepping into a franchise with an already established new direction and following another director's groundwork could limit his ability to implement his vision fully.

The question is whether he'll be allowed to perform a comprehensive rewrite and truly make the next movie his own or if he will have to navigate within the confines of the precedents set by the ending of Believer. The integrity and impact of his directorial contribution to the Exorcist franchise hinges on this creative freedom.

Why Flanagan’s Possible Involvement Excites Me

Given the opportunity to fully exercise his creative talents, Mike Flanagan could significantly rejuvenate the somewhat tired possession genre. The Oculus helmer excels at exploring the depths of his characters' psyches, infusing his distinctive style into their narratives. His ability to seamlessly meld Stanley Kubrick's and Stephen King's visions in Doctor Sleep, a pseudo-sequel to both the movie and the book, demonstrates his capacity to unite complex themes and styles satisfyingly, which bodes well for his potential involvement in the sequel to The Exorcist: Believer, where he could undoubtedly introduce a fresh and exciting perspective.

We will just have to wait and see how this story shakes out but, for now, Mike Flanagan fans can get excited for his upcoming Stephen King adaptation, The Life of Chuck. The movie doesn't have a release date but, if you want to know what upcoming horror flicks are headed to a theater near you, check out our 2024 movie schedule.

Those who want to check out The Exorcist: Believer for themselves can do just that by streaming it with a Prime Video subscription.

If you weren't around in the late 1990s, you might not fully appreciate why The Blair Witch Project is considered one of the best films of the 90s and perhaps one of the greatest horror movies ever made. It achieved viral status before "viral" was a common term. Audiences were left in suspense, unsure whether the events on screen were real. Even decades later, the chilling image of Mike facing the wall in the film's final moments continues to haunt viewers. As Blumhouse prepares to reboot this iconic found footage movie, the original cast is openly advocating for better compensation and more.

Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams, the original stars of the cult horror classic, recently made a public appeal to Lionsgate. Following the studio's announcement of a reboot in collaboration with Blumhouse, the trio united to issue several requests. At present, they seek retroactive and future residual payments and have a few other demands regarding the future of projects related to The Blair Witch franchise.

The OG Cast Releases A List Of "Asks"

Besides retroactive and future residual payments, the OG cast has expressed a strong desire to be involved in future projects related to the franchise, including reboots, sequels, prequels, and even merchandise like toys, games, rides and escape rooms. They emphasize the importance of their involvement whenever their names or likenesses might be used for promotional purposes. The trio’s statement, which they shared on Joshua Leonard's Facebook account, highlights their frustration with past adaptations:

Following the worldwide success of the first movie, there was a fast-tracked follow-up, 2000’s Book of Shadows, which some consider to be a sequel that never should have been made. Then, in 2016, a reboot by the title of Blair Witch was also a box office disappointment, making only $45.2 million worldwide. Neither attempts to revitalize the franchise included consultation from Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard or Michael Williams, despite the fact that the three actors were heavily influential in the creation of the first movie. The performers notably improvised their roles over a week with a minimal budget while using their real names for their characters. Each actor earned $300,000 from selling their stakes in the film, which ultimately grossed $248 million worldwide.

The trio of actors have also proposed the creation of "The Blair Witch Grant," echoing the original film's budget with a $60,000 prize. This grant would support an unknown or aspiring genre filmmaker in producing their first feature film. Notably, this would be a proper grant, not a development fund, meaning Lionsgate would retain no rights to the resulting project.

The Original Blair Witch Production Team Share Their Perspective

Alongside the cast list of "asks" and statements, Eduardo Sánchez, Dan Myrick, Gregg Hale, Robin Cowie, and Michael Monello, directors and producers of The Blair Witch Project, also shared their perspectives. They expressed respect for Lionsgate's management of intellectual property but emphasized the need to acknowledge the foundational contributions of Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Michael Williams. It read, in part:

The Blair Witch Project first hit theaters in 1999, released by Artisan Entertainment. Lionsgate later acquired Artisan in December 2003. As of this writing, neither LG nor Blumhouse have formally commented on the statements. Details on the upcoming reboot, which was announced at CinemaCon this month, also remain scarce.

While you wait for updates on this situation, those interested in experiencing what made The Blair Witch Project awesome can stream the first film for free on The Roku Channel or with an Amazon Prime subscription. Also, remember to check out our 2024 movie schedule to discover other upcoming horror films coming soon to theaters near you.

Blumhouse's upcoming horror films have been remakes of films that have impacted the film industry like The Exorcist and Halloween. At CinemaCon, it was revealed that Blumhouse would revive The Blair Witch Project considering it’s one of the best found footage movies of all time. But as OG Blair Witch Project crew member Ben Rock said, the last sequels failed to “connect” with audiences which is why he took it upon himself to give Blumhouse some cautionary advice for reviving the franchise.

The 1999 supernatural horror film The Blair Witch Project was a massive success thanks to the creative geniuses of ​​Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez. It became a sleeper hit and one of the most profitable indie films with a gross of nearly $250 million worldwide. Unfortunately, the sequels that followed didn’t do so hot as 2000’s Book of Shadows was a followup that never should have been made, banking only $47.7 million. Blair Witch bombed at the box office too at $45.2 million. Production designer of the OG hit, Ben Rock, spoke to THR about his theory on why the sequels didn’t “connect” with audiences. 

What helps a sequel become a success truly is when the original people are invited to talks about what people love about the original. After The Blair Witch Project became a huge success, Artisan wanted to take advantage of the found footage film’s popularity and produce a sequel. But, Haxan Films who were responsible for the original wanted to wait until the buzz died down. So, Artisan bought the film rights and went on without Haxan to create Book of Shadows. 

Considering this sequel got mediocre reviews and bombed at the box office, Ben Rock hopes Blumhouse will speak to The Blair Witch Projects OG crew members before going forth with production.

While celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2009, creator Daniel Myrick did say he had hope for more films as long as sequels respect the mythology he and Eduardo Sánchez made. All the more reason why Artisan’s sequel failed in not involving the original filmmakers in the sequel project and having very little to do with the clever mythology they created.

Ben Rock wasn’t the only Blair Witch Project OG member hurt to be left out of the franchise’s future films. One of the film’s leads Joshua Leonard took to Facebook to express his frustration of not being told Blumhouse was remaking the franchise. He instead found out through a friend who sent him a media report of the announcement that had his picture in it. 

Using Joshua Leonard’s face without his permission to announce the upcoming horror film is similar to a legal battle the actor previously faced with Artisan Entertainment. He revealed he and his other co-stars had to file a lawsuit against Artisan for profiting off their names and likeness without their permission considering they were a huge reason for The Blair Witch Project’s profitability. They each only won a reported $300,000 compared to allegations they were paid $4 million. 

Based on Ben Rock and Joshua Leonard’s claims, the cautionary advice for the franchise's success going forward is to involve The Blair Witch Project's OG creators. Rock said he has no idea if a modern-day found footage film will connect with today’s audiences, but he sees hope as long as his film’s creative team is included in future conversations to know what made the sleeper hit awesome. Until then, you can watch the first film of the franchise that started it all for free on The Roku Channel and your Amazon Prime subscription.

For arguably too long, Blumhouse’s horror sequel Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 remained an unofficial hope, despite the film’s release boasting big box office stats and a huge uptick in Peacock subscriptions. Thankfully, the big news was finally confirmed during CinemaCon, with tentative filming and release dates set for the upcoming video game adaptation. Before that happened, though, Blumhouse was already hinting at the follow-up by revealing a fan-favorite antagonist being crafted behind the scenes.

I suppose a fan of the FNAF movie who's only vaguely famliiar with the game franchise could glance at the picture below and not realize that it was a tease for an assumed follow-up feature. But for everyone else, there are four clues that this was setting up Five Nights at Freddy's 2 being revealed to the non-animatronic world at large. Check it out:

To start off with, we have the Jim Henson Creature Shop being involved, which is a pretty clear sign, given those talented artists were responsible for bringing the first film's possessed characters to life in glorious fashion. Even people who didn't dig the movie still gave props to the character designs, so their involvement already makes things better.

Then we have the two more blatant nods to Five Nights at Freddy's. One would be the guy's Springtrap shirt, since that's not only a game character, but also the suited-up version of William Afton's that Matthew Lillard showed up as in the final act. There are also some actual movie-referencing promotional placards on the desk in the background.

Then of course there's the creature being built, and there's really only one animatronic that it could be, given the number and placement of the appendages shown. We're talking Mangle, baby! (No, I wasn't calling you, Circus Baby, so get back.)'

First appearing in the second game — coincidence? — Mangle was created as a freakier and less kid-friendly version of Foxy, though its original form soon gave way to the mashed-up nightmare that fans know and love. It's a fright to see in almost any digitized capacity, so I cannot wait to get a look at a practical version hanging down from a doorway. And I'll just presume they won't be going with the paddle-ball version from FNAF World.

Emma Tammi shared her thoughts about a sequel with CinemaBlend ahead of the first film's wide release, so we can presumably expect to see some of those same threads expanded on. Given Josh Hutcherson's previous comments about development, he'll likely be back, as well as Matthew Lillard, who told us the creative team had a "bible here to pay attention to and follow" by way of the games, and made it sound like there was a lot more live-action story to tell.

Blumhouse, which is also teaming with Lionsgate to revive the Blair Witch Project franchise, set a general release window of Fall 2025 for Five Nights at Freddy's 2, but stay tuned for more updates as they creep and crawl through the ventilation shafts. Check out all the other upcoming horror movies while waiting for Freddy's return.

It’d be an understatement to say that Blumhouse Productions has been making some serious noise in the movie business over the past decade or so. Producer Jason Blum and co. have truly carved out a space for themselves by delivering a vast array of horror offerings. They’ve delivered original offerings like The Purge, Get Out and M3GAN but have also rebooted some beloved IPs. Among those are the Halloween series as well as The Exorcist. Now, it seems the company is preparing to revive yet another famous piece of work, and it’s definitely a biggie. 

During Lionsgate’s presentation at CinemaCon, it was confirmed that Blumhouse is officially set to reboot The Blair Witch Project. This not only marks yet another major release for the entertainment brand, but it also signifies the beginning of a multi-picture deal between BH and Lionsgate. CinemaBlend was present at the panel, during which the film studio’s Motion Picture Group chair, Adam Fogelsen, discussed the production. As he put it, this will be a “new vision” for the franchise “that will reintroduce this horror classic for a new generation.” In a statement, he also said: 

Blumhouse CEO Jason Blum also shared some sentiments on this new venture, and he seems excited to be moving forward. While expressing his enthusiasm, he also spoke to the impact of the classic scary movie:

The Blair Witch Project, which hit theaters in 1999, still stands as one of the scariest and most influential horror flicks of all time. The found-footage production centers around three aspiring filmmakers, who trek across the Black Hills of Maryland to make a documentary about the movie’s titular myth. In time, the trio meet ambiguous ends and, as explained, their footage is what makes up the feature film itself. The Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez-directed independent movie grossed over $248 million worldwide against a production budget that reportedly didn’t exceed $750,000.

On paper, this production is a smart move on Blumhouse’s part for a few reasons. First off, it aligns with its business model, as this is yet another film that can be made on a shoe-string budget. Secondly (and most obviously), this IP is very popular and, if handled with care, it could indeed win over both longtime fans of the OG movie and newbies. That’s certainly a big “if,” though Jason Blum and co. have taken major swings before and been met with positive results. 

Unsurprisingly, story details were not revealed during Lionsgate’s CinemaCon spiel. That begs the question of whether this will serve as a full-blown remake or a legacy sequel of sorts. The latter route was taken with the most recent Halloween and Exorcist installments, and those were met with varied responses. At this point, there are also two sequels to The Blair Witch Project, including 2000's Book of Shadows and 2016's Blair Witch, which bombed at the box office.

There may still be a number of variables to consider here, but the prospect of a Blumhouse-produced third installment is intriguing, at the very least. We’ll have to see if Jason Blum and his cohorts manage to recapture the sheer terror that audiences experienced in theaters over two decades ago. Here’s hoping the right pieces come together to create a truly entertaining film. 

Right now, you can check out Blumhouse’s recently released 2024 movie schedule, Imaginary, as it’s playing in theaters now. The Blair Witch Project, which has a killer ending, is also available to stream with a Prime Video subscription. Also, anyone who loves scary fare should keep an eye on the schedule of upcoming horror movies.

In recent years, Universal Studios has ambitiously aimed to launch a connected Monster Universe, a vision that faced a significant setback with the cancellation of the franchise called the Dark Universe – which still has some upset for not taking off – following the underwhelming performance of Tom Cruise's The Mummy. Yet, the tide began to turn with the unexpected success of Leigh Whannell's The Invisible Man, a collaboration between Blumhouse and Universal that breathed new life into their aspirations. This success led to the enthusiastic approval of a Wolfman reboot led by Ryan Gosling. However, it's encountered many challenges, including Gosling stepping back from the project and subsequent delays in production. 

However, there's a silver lining. I'm here to share why this most recent delay might spell good news for the project.

The Film Has Been Delayed To 2025

The Hollywood Reporter has shed light on a significant update regarding Leigh Whannell's much-anticipated adaptation of the classic werewolf story. Initially set to join a packed Halloween on the 2024 movie schedule, the project's release has now been rescheduled to January 17, 2025. This development follows the recent announcement that filming had begun, marking a significant milestone for the project. 

The film, featuring Christopher Abbott from Poor Things in the leading role initially intended for Ryan Gosling and co-starring Julia Garner, might typically raise concerns with its delay. However, there's more to this postponement than meets the eye. Let's explore why this shift in timing could represent a win for both fans of horror movies and the flick's overall success.

Why The Move To January Is a Good Thing

Initially scheduled for release on October 25, 2024, Wolfman was poised to thrill audiences during the height of the spooky season. However, the October movie lineup is exceptionally crowded, featuring eagerly awaited horror and dark hits like Joker: Folie à Deux, Terrifier 3, and Smile 2. This competitive atmosphere and the need for intricate post-production work on a film that demands high-quality visuals likely prompted a careful reconsideration of the release date. 

While the production team may not have explicitly required more time, the opportunity to refine visual effects, particularly for the crucial werewolf transformation scenes that fans have come to anticipate regarding the typical subgenre, is a welcomed advantage.

January traditionally sees fewer major film releases, especially in the horror genre, offering Wolfman an excellent chance to capture the box office spotlight without facing off against other blockbusters. This move to a quieter release period has previously benefited scary flicks like Blumhouse’s past surprise hit M3gan, allowing them more space to connect with audiences and achieve broader success. Hopefully, this adjustment in the release schedule will afford Blumhouse's reboot a similar opportunity for a standout theatrical performance.

Given the film's production pedigree, expectations are high for Wolfman. The additional time afforded by the delay ensures that the team will have a better chance at fully realizing its vision without compromise, particularly in the realms of visual effects and narrative depth. This ability to focus on quality over meeting a specific release date should excite horror movie fans.

Whannell's successful history with Blumhouse, marked by hits such as The Invisible Man and Upgrade, underlines his capability. After some recent setbacks with Universal Monsters' projects like Renfield and the poorly received The Last Voyage of the Demeter, placing the Saw franchise veteran at the helm of this project signals a strong vote of confidence. The movie can potentially revive the Universal Monsters brand, aiming to build on the momentum from The Invisible Man.

Though Blumhouse's Wolfman reboot delay might have initially caused some dismay among fans, the possible strategic considerations behind this move could hint at a bright future for the film's release. With less competition, Wolfman is set up for success when it arrives in theaters in January 2025.

We will inform our readers if there are any further updates regarding the Wolfman reboot. Until then, be sure to check out our schedule of upcoming horror movies to see what is coming to a theater near you.