The shit storm that is 2016 is almost over; and it’s never too early to look ahead to see what’s coming… especially if you’re a horror fan! Besides, that gives us plenty of time to either grow expectations that will be destroyed or badmouth movies so much that their failure becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Whether you’re a blood bag half-full or blood bag half-empty kind of person, here are 21 horror movies slashing your way in 2017:
Abruptio
When Les Hackel (James Marsters) wakes up to find an explosive device has been implanted into his neck, he must complete a series of increasingly unpleasant tasks or risk the device destroying him.
This sounds like Saw meets Suicide Squad, but has the distinction of featuring horror legend Robert Englund.
Annabelle 2
Is this sequel really needed? I’d prefer spinoff movies from The Conjuring franchise itself, but not ongoing sequels for the spinoffs.
Plus, Annabelle was disappointing. This seems to have more promise.
The Chair
An innocent man on death row is forced to commit increasingly brutal acts to protect himself from a sadistic prison warden in this adaptation of the Alterna Comics graphic novel. I
‘m not familiar with the actors playing the leads; however, the supporting cast is full of retro favorites: Roddy Piper, Noah Hathaway, Zach Galligan and Kim Shriner.
The Dark Tower
If done right, this is one Stephen King adaptation worth waiting for. It’s been 34 years since the author began his Dark Tower novels and Hollywood has toyed with producing a film version before.
I think casting Idris Elba was brilliant and look forward to seeing the epic unfold on the big screen.
Death House
During production, this movie has been called “The Expendables of Horror” because it features an impressive cast of horror movie greats: Tony Todd, Kane Hodder, Barbara Crampton, Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Dee Wallace, Michael Berryman and others.
Whether the characters support the personalities remains to be seen.
Flatliners
If you’ve been clamoring for a remake of 1990s Flatliners, you can stop now. Nina Dobrev and Ellen Page lead a new cast. Back then, the movie claimed, “Some lines shouldn’t be crossed.”
Maybe 27 years later, we’ll see if we should now cross them.
Friday the 13th
First, the second reboot in eight years for the beloved horror franchise was going to be a found footage movie, then it was going to be a CW television show.
We don’t know yet what it’s going to be, but you can’t help but cheer for it to be something we’ll all love.
Hellraiser: Judgment
The most recent Hellraiser movies have been pretty bad, but there’s promise in the images that have surfaced for the first new movie in five years.
The bad news may be that Paul T. Taylor replaces Doug Bradley as Pinhead.
However, the good news may be that Heather Langenkamp joins the cast.
Insidious 4
One of the stronger franchises in the last few years has been Insidious. So far, Blumhouse has given us more of the same in horrifically original ways.
As long as it features Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye), the new one is going to be OK with me.
It
The second Stephen King adaptation in 2017 has a troubled production history, with its director and Pennywise leaving the movie.
It seems to be back on track now, though, and we’ll see if [fill in the blank] are successful in adapting the 1990 TV miniseries into a big screen event.
Meg
No, not a biopic about Meg Ryan, this is instead the adaptation of Steve Alten’s best-selling novel, Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror. Will this be Jaws for a new generation or Sharknado for the current one?
Eli Roth was possibly going to direct at one point, so I’ll lean toward the former.
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
Ah, how many horror franchise chapters have included the words, “The Final Chapter?” Will this really be the end for Milla Jovovich and the 15-year old franchise?
They say that you can’t make a good movie out of a video game. In my opinion, they’ve made five, and I’m hoping this will be the sixth.
Saw Legacy
How about this for the legacy of Saw: we go back and watch the first couple of movies and appreciate them for what they’re worth? Is it really time for a revival?
I guess if you’ve been tossing and turning at night due to the loose ends from Saw 8, a good night’s sleep may be in your future.
Sky Sharks
Unlike Meg, there’s no doubt which approach this movie is going to take, and it’s not necessarily because there are flying sharks… it’s because there are also Nazis!
The artwork is fantastic; this is a movie I’d definitely watch.
Suspiria
Why, oh why must we mess with perfection? How can you possibly top Dario Argento’s 1977 masterpiece?
Wait a minute… by casting Tilda Swinton?!?
Mind, you have been opened.
The Basement
The Basement is the first featured film from director Laszlo Illes. It appears one of the dark secrets that lurks in the basement featured in the trailer are mannequins – but some of them are not what they seem. In fact some of them look to contain real human remains. Drawing some inspiration perhaps from the horror classics, House of Wax and Maniac?
A Cure For Wellness
It’s about an ambitious young executive is sent to retrieve his company’s CEO from an idyllic but mysterious “wellness center” at a remote location in the Swiss Alps. He soon suspects that the spa’s miraculous treatments are not what they seem. When he begins to unravel its terrifying secrets, his sanity is tested, as he finds himself diagnosed with the same curious illness that keeps all the guests here longing for the cure. You probably know Gore Verbinski best as the visionary director of THE RING – but this could be his best film yet.
The Monster
Everyone’s worst fears about the evil that hides in the dark come to life in the nightmare-inducing horror film The Monster, arriving on Blu-ray (plus Digital HD) and DVD January 24 from Lionsgate. Somewhere deep in the dark woods lurks a bloodthirsty creature that targets an unsuspecting mother and daughter on a late-night road trip. Starring Zoe Kazan (TV’s “Olivia Kitteridge”) and Scott Speedman (Underworld franchise), the shocking and terrifying modern monster movie will have you peeking through your fingers as the blood goes splat.
Safe Neighborhood
Director Chris Peckover, whose twisted found footage debut shocked Fantastic Fest audiences in 2010, returns with a film seemingly tailor-made for our crowd, and one that immediately earns a spot amongst the best yuletide thrillers. Working from a playful yet increasingly dark script from MAD TV writer Zack Kahn, Peckover nails a particularly difficult tone and the result is a lean, clever and fast-moving crowd-pleaser.
XX
XX is a new all-female helmed horror anthology featuring four dark tales written and directed by fiercely talented women: Annie Clark (St. Vincent) rocks her directorial debut with THE BIRTHDAY PARTY; Karyn Kusama (THE INVITATION, GIRLFIGHT) exorcises HER ONLY LIVING SON; Roxanne Benjamin (V/H/S trilogy, SOUTHBOUND) screams DON’T FALL; and Jovanka Vuckovic (THE CAPTURED BIRD, former editor of Rue Morgue Magazine) dares to open THE BOX. Award-winning animator Sofia Carrillo (LA CASA TRISTE) wraps together stories of terror, blood and mayhem featuring a cast including Natalie Brown, Melanie Lynskey, Breeda Wool, Angela Trimbur, Sheila Vand and Christina Kirk.
World War Z 2
Many of these films are reboots and sequels but I feel like there has been a rise in quality well well produced original ideas in the horror community lately. Often times these films slip under the radar on VOD or Streaming – but in more cases than not they are some of the best horror films of the year.
Did we miss a film you are excited for in 2017? Let us know in the comment section below.
