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This year’s shaping up to be an exciting one for horror movie lovers. In fact, there’s, at least, one release listed for every month except for November so far, so you can expect to spend a lot of time at the movie theater! Notable selections include a mixture of sequels, novel adaptations, and original screenplays, making 2016 an exciting year from a horror perspective.
To help you get ready for all the horror goodness coming your way, here are the thirteen films that made our 2016 horror movies countdown:
1. The Boy (January 22)
Lauren Cohan of “The Walking Dead” fame stars in the latest entry in the possessed dolls subgenre. After being hired as a nanny, Cohan’s character discovers she’s actually supposed to care for a doll instead of a human child. As if this wasn’t odd enough, things soon begin to happen that make it clear that the doll may be much more than just a toy.
2. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (February 5)
Jane Austin fans who also happen to like zombies have been chomping at the bit to see this popular book reimagining brought to life on the big screen. The language and costumes of this period piece remain largely an Austin envisioned them, but there are a few notable alterations made to incorporate the zombie theme.
3. The Witch (February 19)
This period piece appears well poised to make full usage of its 1630s New Hampshire puritanical setting. A devout family begins to experience one hardship after another, leaving them ripe for the picking by forces well beyond their control, including black magic and possession.
4. 10 Cloverfield Lane (March 16)
The sequel to “Cloverfield” was only recently announced, and the trailer depicts gruesome aftermath featuring John Goodman as either a savior or a kidnapper. He’s taken two people into his basement level hideaway and told them that a chemical accident has made it impossible to live topside. But is this true or simply a way to isolate himself with two unwilling hostages?
5. Rings (April 1)
Little is known about the third entry in “The Ring” series, but anticipation is still high, and hopefully we’ll have a trailer soon. The basic synopsis indicates that Samaria and the videotape will both make a return, joined by actor Johnny Galecki, best known as Leonard from “The Big Bang Theory.”
6. Green Room (April 15)
Cinematic legend Patrick Stewart lends his unmistakable voice and stature to this horror film about a punk band finding themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. The band members witness an unbelievably horrible act of violence, becoming targets for some dangerous men.
7. The Conjuring 2 (June 10)
“The Conjuring” was a big moneymaker earning better than average user reviews for a ghost movie. No wonder the creative team’s returned to Ed and Lorraine Warren’s real life case files in the hopes of securing another impressive theatrical run. This time, the Warrens take on a 1977 case in London with the intention of helping a single mother and her four children fight back against malicious spirits.
8. The Purge 3 (July 1)
No plot details or trailer have been released yet for this year’s Purge romp, but it’s easy to assume we’ll see yet another night filled with people releasing the beast. The first two movies in this series took drastically different viewpoints. Fans are very curious to know what direction “The Purge 3” will take.
9. Ghostbusters (July 15)
Will audiences accept a new generation of Ghostbusters sporting an all-female team? The nostalgia factor for this movie is very high, but so are the expectations. On the plus side, Dan Aykroyd was part of the writing team. The 2016 “Ghostbusters” also reunites several original cast members, including Bill Murray and Sigourney Weaver. With any luck, “Ghostbusters” will pull off this new launch as well as Lucasfilm did with “The Force Awakens.”
10. A Man in the Dark (August 26)
Ghost House Pictures is behind this entry in the serial killer genre. While we’re still waiting for the trailer to be released, we do have a basic synopsis. A group of criminal teenagers suddenly find themselves in danger after burglarizing the wrong home.
11. Patient Zero (September 2)
“Game of Thrones” star Natalie Dormer gets top billing in the story of a global pandemic infecting almost every human being on earth. Much like the rage virus from the “28 Days” series, infected individuals are violent and unreasonable. An interesting twist, though, one non-infected human learns how to speak the infected language, which may help humanity survive.
12. Underworld 5: Next Generation (October 21)
Billed as the last of the “Underworld” series, this entry will showcase vampires and lycans coming together to create a new half-breed species. Can this new creation live in peace with humans or will they bring about the downfall of society?
13. The Strangers 2 (December 2)
The long-awaited sequel to the popular and gritty home invasion movie “The Strangers” is finally slated for release this December. It’s believed Liv Tyler and the original masked villains will all make a return in this chapter, but to what extent their characters will impact the new storyline is unknown. We do know “The Strangers 2” will focus on a family evicted after the economic crash.
These thirteen horror films include many subgenres such as comedy, ghosts and home invasion, so there should definitely be something for everyone’s tastes this year! Which horror movie are you the most excited about seeing on the big screen in 2016?
