Without a doubt, 2023 has already proven itself as a polarizing calendar period in cinema history — especially with the summer blockbuster witnessing the cinematic battle between Barbie and Oppenheimer. That being said, it’s about time for the tide to shift and the wheels to finally begin turning on this year’s hotly-anticipated spooky season. So far, massive mind-melting horror hits such as Scream VI, M3GAN, Evil Dead Rise, and Talk to Me have kept us on our toes and kept our skin crawling with their terrorizing brilliance.
But as great as the first half of the year has been in regards to bone-chilling horror projects, it’s certainly worth noting that a vast multitude of horror movies are set to perfectly depict the spooky season in a huge way. In doing so, several ever-popular franchises and universes are introducing fresh-faced installments which will keep the horror community on their toes and discussing these films for years to come.
So, let’s pull back the spooky curtain and explore the 10 most exciting horror movies set to release in the fall of 2023.
The Nun II (Sept. 8)
The ever-popular Conjuring universe is set to expand itself once more with the arrival of The Nun II. While the feartastic film is officially set to release in theaters tomorrow, early showings are happening tonight, with horror fanatics and Conjuring supporters flocking to the megaplexes to experience the demon known as Valak for another spine-tingling outing. With promotion happening surrounding the next Conjuring universe installment happening since the summer months, it certainly comes as no surprise that the film is being massively hyped up.
A Haunting in Venice (Sept. 15)
Piggybacking on what is sure to be a knockout performance from star Kenneth Branagh, one movie possibly not being talked about as much as others on this list would be A Haunting in Venice. But despite the movie possibly not being as hyped, there’s absolutely no denying that the horror flick is resulting in plenty of excitement as the days draw closer to its release. Serving as a sequel to last year’s Death on the Nile, the project’s star-studded cast and spooky premise undoubtedly has horror fans ready to go.
It Lives Inside (Sept. 22)
With a simple title as intimidating and unsettling as this, it would feel like an absolute travesty if we didn’t include It Lives Inside on this list. In a familiar feel to Australian feature Talk to Me, the upcoming horror extravaganza centers around a young girl named Samidha who encounters a demonic spirit connected to her Indian culture and heritage. Not much else is known about the spine-tingling project, but it’s hard to deny that the horror movie deserves a rightful place on this list.
Saw X (Sept. 29)
Easily one of the most hyped and anticipated horror movies on this list belongs to the tenth installment in the ever-iconic Saw franchise, Saw X. One of the smartest moves the franchise could have executed is the return of Tobin Bell as John Kramer — which is exactly what filmmakers behind the Saw team decided. This time around, the upcoming horror flick serves as a sequel to Saw (2004) and a prequel to Saw II (2005) and will follow Kramer on a trip to Mexico to try and cure his terminal cancer. When all else fails, thrill-seeking viewers are rewarded with a deeper dive into Kramer’s warped trap inspiration.
The Exorcist: Believer (Oct. 6)
Much like Saw X, The Exorcist: Believer is quickly climbing up the ranks and becoming one of the most anticipated horror movies of the entire year. Serving as a sequel to Willliam Friedkin’s The Exorcist, the 2023 follow-up centers around a pair of demonically possessed teenage girls whose lives are threatened by the mere existence of evil. In an attempt to reverse the curse so to speak, the parents of the girls enlist the help of Chris MacNeil — the mother of 12-year-old Regan MacNeil who was possessed by the demon Pazuzu in the OG flick. With a premise and trailer as horrifying as this, there’s no discounting we’re all absolutely excited.
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines (Oct. 6)
While it’s true that unnecessary prequels typically feel like a tarnish on a franchise, it’s hard to deny just how influential and unsettling the narrative surrounding Pet Sematary truly is. As a result, it seems fairly obvious that the upcoming prequel to 2019’s Pet Sematary would end up on this list — especially with spooky season just firmly around the corner. Much like the familiar narrative as showcased in Stephen King’s iconic novel, Bloodlines is set to follow controversial character Jud and the sinister secrets and devious instances which occur due to a local pet cemetery. It might not seem that intimidating, but we’re definitely excited.
V/H/S/85 (Oct. 6)
As if Oct. 6 wasn’t already proving to be a major day in terms of movie releases, it’s become apparent that the spooky season calendar has added another horror movie. This time, horror die-hards can patiently await the sixth installment in the ever-popular V/H/S anthology series. With a variety of prior installments in the found footage series leaving us all with our jaws to the floor, another face-numbing feature is expected to grace the horror platform Shudder during the first week of October. Seeing as there’s only a few weeks left until its arrival, revealing our excitement would be an understatement.
Five Nights at Freddy’s (Oct. 27)
At this point, it almost feels like anything Blumhouse touches turns into cinematic gold. Fresh on the heels of M3GAN’s success earlier this year, the supernatural live-action Five Nights at Freddy’s movie is almost here. Based on the ever-popular horror video game, the upcoming adaptation is set to terrify us all with its classic animatronic killers and eerie goodness. Of course, it certainly helps when you enlist a star-studded team featuring Matthew Lillard and Josh Hutcherson. With only a little over a month left until the spooky project releases in theaters, it’s clear that folks are anticipating seeing this story brought to life on the big screen.
Thanksgiving (Nov. 17)
Is there anything better for the fall/spooky season than a blood-stained horror movie about Thanksgiving? Typically regarded as one of the most popular holidays of the entire year, it feels necessary to include the upcoming horror movie from Eli Roth on this list. Centered around a sinister serial killer with a knack for carving folks up like turkeys, it’s not difficult to understand why Thanksgiving is shooting up the ranks and easily becoming a much-anticipated feature. So be sure to clear up your schedule just a few days before the actual Thanksgiving holiday to witness this insane slasher.
The Strangers: Part One (TBD)
For months now, The Strangers 3 has remained untitled and had its information kept secretive by creatives behind the project. But according to the movie’s official IMDb page, the third film in the Strangers universe has been slapped with The Strangers: Part One as its title. According to various interviews — especially from the film’s lead stars — the upcoming horror film is going to serve as an “expansion” for the Strangers realm. As a result, interest has unsurprisingly increased for the movie, with the horror community itching to know when the project will officially release.