Going Bump in the Night: Horror Films to Look Forward to in 2018

2017 was a smash hit for horror cinema, with box office successes (It, Annabelle: Creation, Happy Death Day, Split) and critical darlings (Raw, Get Out, Gerald’s Game) aplenty. After such a great year for the genre, I’m looking ahead to some of the most promising horror films that will terrify us in 2018.

The Meg (2 March)

We will probably regret starting with this one. Honestly, it probably won’t be very good, but it’s sure to be incredibly fun. It’s Jason Statham versus a giant prehistoric shark, in what is likely to be the naffest shark-based action horror since Deep Blue Sea – and I couldn’t be more excited! Statham plays Jonas Taylor, a deep-sea rescue diver who must save the crew of a submersible under attack by the shark. It looks set to be the perfect popcorn movie and as is often the case with awful shark movies, the worse it is, the better the watch!

The Strangers: Prey at Night (March 9)

The sequel to the 2008 home invasion horror The Strangers is one that horror fans have been desperate to see for years. The Man in the Iron Mask, Dollface and Pin Up Girl return, this time terrorising a family in a mobile home, with the scale and body count both promising to be far greater than ever before. The marketing looks great and, if it can channel the same terror that made the original such an impactful horror, we’re in for a terrifying treat.

A Quiet Place (April 6)

Here’s a silent horror film, much in the vain of Hush and Don’t Breathe. A family (headed by real-life husband and wife John Krasinski and Emily Blunt) lives on a farm, hiding from a supernatural threat that is attracted to sound. In order to survive, they must remain as quiet as possible. The trailer looks tense and nothing makes a good horror film quite like a good hook. If they commit to this set-up throughout the film, it will, without doubt, be a stressful and nerve-wracking watch.

The Nun (August 10)

Love it or hate it, the Conjuring franchise has proven to be one of horror’s biggest hitters over the past few years. This latest spin-off focuses on The Conjuring 2’s demonic nun: Valak. In 1952, a priest heads to a monastery in Romania and investigates the death of a nun with the help of one of the other nuns (Taissa Farmiga), and comes up against evil forces. Sure, people have attacked the franchise for being predictable and workmanlike (and in the case of the original Annabelle, not even that scary), but this promises to be a strong entry in the modern horror series.

Revenge (TBC)

I’ve always loved French horror (to the extent that I’m writing my dissertation on it), and Revenge looks to be another strong entry in the French horror canon. Richard’s friends turn up early to their annual hunting trip, and catch him with his mistress – the encounter escalates into a twisted tale of rape-revenge, with so much blood, the prop team often ran out. Despite the familiar premise, critics are reporting that it feels incredibly fresh and makes for a compelling watch.

Halloween (19 October)

He’s coming home again, and he’s brought some old friends. Yes, both John Carpenter and Jamie Leigh Curtis are returning to Haddonfield, in a film co-written by Danny McBride. Information is only trickling in at the moment, but it looks as though Laurie Strode will return for a final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has hunted her since his killing spree on Halloween 40 years ago. Expect fan buzz to build and build for what could be the Halloween sequel fans have hoped for.

Not a horror fan? Check out other movies to watch in 2018 here!