The 2026 horror movie slate from Robert Eggers' Werwulf to Julia Ducournau’s ALPHA. See the indie breakouts and auteur films poised to dominate.

Given the data-driven nature of contemporary Hollywood, it should not be a surprise that multiple late-franchise horror sequels hit theaters in 2025. And indeed, they were safe bets, as two of them—one celebrated,

Welcome to Horror Explorer, a curated column showcasing the month’s best movies, series, books and everything else spooky worth checking out. I’m William Earl, the executive digital director of Variety and the publication’s resident horror enthusiast.

It may be hard to believe, but the best horror movie of 2025, according to Rotten Tomatoes, has slid over the finish line in the last week of the year.

By most considerable metrics, it's easy to look at a year like 2025 and consider it one of the greatest single years in horror that the film industry has had in a long time. From multiple massive blockbuster successes and award-nominated films like Sinners and Weapons to indie hits like Good Boy and The Ugly Stepsister,

2026 has no shortage of horror movies releasing throughout the year, with some big-name directors and major franchises contributing to the lineup.

War of the Worlds is one of Steven Spielberg's darkest films, and it was heavily influenced by a sci-fi horror classic that the director loves.

This isn't limited to one particular country or one particular era, either, as countless horror films from all over the world have gone on to influence horror in its entirety, with legacies spreading to all the corners of the globe.

Singer Charli XCX recently dubbed this squirmy body horror film one of her favorites from David Cronenberg. Stream it on Prime Video.

From the depravity of "Don't Open Till Christmas" to the haunting "Krampus," the best holiday horror movies have something for every genre fan. List.