It is time for the ‘5 Best Upcoming Horror Films 2024’ and you should get excited if you’re a horror fan. Although we cannot exactly say we will have a year filled with nightmares and sleepless nights if you are expecting those from horror movies and not real life. But there are still a few to look forward to. As the horror genre continues to evolve and terrify audiences worldwide, we see a continuation of popular movies in the form of sequels or prequels from not only today’s time but also from the 1980s.
You have already been treated to the ‘5 Best’ lists of upcoming Anime, K-Dramas, Games, Webtoons, and a few more. Now, I’m bringing you the list of ‘5 Best Upcoming Horror Films 2024’. Some of these titles are bone-chilling thrillers and some are cult classics. So, in the grand scheme of the horror genre even if there are not many names that are coming out in 2024, you will surely not be disappointed with the ones that are slated for release.
5 Best Upcoming Horror Films 2024
Beetlejuice 2: Who doesn’t like Tim Burton’s movies? They all have their unique takes, whether it be animated or real life he surely knows how to capture that eerie mysterious aura for you to seek and discover more. Similarly, Beetlejuice was his classic creation back in 1988 which again came to the surface in last year’s Halloween as a TikTok trend as people from all around jumped in to dress up and rhyme to Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, beetle…soda. The coming film is the sequel to the Beetlejuice movie from 1988 and it will be acted out with the film’s old stars Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara.
Additionally, this movie also cast three new stars, Monica Bellucci as Betelgeuse’s wife, Willem Dafoe as the detective and one who we all adore Jenna Ortega as Astrid Deetz and with all the craze “Wednesday” had created, Jenna is sure to rock this role as well. Fun fact, this project almost would’ve been impossible due to Tim not having rights to the script because “The Beetlejuice Goes Hawaii” script was still owned by The Geffen. Even after countless obstacles, Tim finally made it after 27 long years and the title is deservedly in the list of ‘5 Best Upcoming Horror Films 2024’.
Three: Renowned as the UAE’s first independent female filmmaker, Nayla Al-Khaja is said to be heading to Jeddah’s Red Sea International Film Festival on a mission to deliver some thrill to the audiences with her upcoming psychological horror movie ‘Three,’ which is also her debut feature-length film hence dearer to her. I saw fit to put it in my ‘5 Best Upcoming Horror Films 2024’ list.
Three follows the story of a young boy who is believed to be possessed. He is also bullied at school and starts behaving strangely, leading his mother to believe he must be cursed. As she takes him to a traditional healer, his condition seems to have worsened. A British doctor is initially called in but he too is skeptical. Soon he immerses himself in the boy’s culture to save the child’s life.
Thread – An Insidious Tale: Thread is a movie that promises to weave a narrative from the insidious franchise offering us a fresh take on the psychological horror fun we seem to miss. Despite being a spinoff, it is sure to come with an intriguing plot, a stellar cast, and a visionary director at the helm. Thread aims to captivate viewers with a tapestry of terror that slowly unravels before our eyes. And, just being a spinoff of the Insidious series makes it a candidate for the ‘5 Best Upcoming Horror Films 2024’ list.
Mickey’s Mouse Trap: From a terrifying creepypasta story that is said to occur on November 24th 2005 in the first original Disneyland now comes a film that reveals just how horrible that incident might be. On that day, kids kept disappearing in the park and were later revealed to be lured by Mickey Mouse into the abandoned part of the park and a maintenance chamber. It is said that someone in the Mickey Mouse suite had been kidnapping these kids to satisfy his/her hunger for serial killing.
Now, this gruesome story is coming back to life by the name “Mickey’s Mouse Trap”. An upcoming Canadian independent slasher film directed by Jamie Bailey from a screenplay written by Simon Phillips. It is a horror reimagining of Walt Disney’s 1928 animated short film Steamboat Willie starring Simon Phillip as the most popular character Mickey Mouse. I was compelled to include the title in my ‘5 Best Upcoming Horror Films 2024’ list.
The Elite of Devils: When you feel like you cannot wait any longer apparently this movie got you covered, set to be released on the 18th of January 2024. “The Elite of Devils” is a Thai film that showcases the story of five university students. These five students were assigned by a professor to explore a place. As they crept into an old mansion belonging to ML. Salukjit.
An old elite who invited and welcomed them there. They noticed her weird attitude. And before they can decide whether to leave or stay, ML. Salukjit terrifies them and reveals her demonic power. The thrilling plot is definitely worthy of making it to the list of ‘5 Best Upcoming Horror Films 2024’.
5 Best Upcoming Horror Films 2024 Selection Reasons
Burton stated, “It’s something that I really would like to do in the right circumstances, but it’s one of those films where it has to be right. It’s not the kind of a movie that cries out [for a sequel], it’s not the Beetlejuice trilogy. So, it’s something that if the elements are right—because I do love the character and Michael’s amazing as that character, so yeah, we’ll see. But there’s nothing concrete yet.” Only this statement by Tim Burton is enough to include Beetlejuice 2 in the ‘5 Best Upcoming Horror Films 2024’ list.
‘Three’ was supposed to be scrapped as the first issue that Nayla faced was a financial one. So, to cut costs she shot the film in Bangkok and with new actors. She also managed to bring up the topic of exorcism in the Islamic setting. This film is anticipated to arrive this year with a chilling story and it is surely one that should be part of the ‘5 Best Upcoming Horror Films 2024’ list.
In the paranormal world the term “Thread” is known as the “silver cord” referring to the link that keeps the spiritual soul attached to the physical body during astral projection. In ancient mythology “Thread” also refers to the Three Fates who thread/weave your destiny. Similarly, this story is about a husband and wife who use a spell to travel back in time to prevent their daughter’s death, which has worse consequences than imagined.
Mickey’s Mouse Trap follows a group of friends trapped inside an amusement arcade after it closes as they are terrorized by a masked killer in a deformed Mickey Mouse costume who decides to play a game with them in which they must survive. This makes for one of the best slasher narratives out there and is deserving of its spot in the ‘5 Best Upcoming Horror Films 2024’ list.
‘The Elite of Devils’ might be more of an adventure than pure horror because the journey can portray a lost in labyrinth or maze situation. However, the horror elements are sure to pull a jump scare stunt and that is the reason why it secures its spot in the ‘5 Best Upcoming Horror Films 2024’ list. This film has another shorter name in Siamese called “Mom” and it is directed by Theerakhaha Theerakhahathep Arriyawongsa.
Finale
All in all, this year there are a lot more of the gimmicky horror films but we yet can hope for sudden surprise releases. It can also be a year for Bollywood to shine in such a genre who knows but for now, I’m waiting to experience these five horror films to check if they live up to their hype. You should also get your popcorn ready for the ‘5 Best Upcoming Horror Films 2024’!
