Best new horror movies released in 2022

The debut feature from Mariama Diallo takes place in a prestigious American college, following three black women who are forced to deal not only with racist threats but also supernatural hauntings. Loaded with atmosphere – in no small part thanks to Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe’s score – it’s not necessarily the scariest horror of the year, but it’s a fascinating look at America’s troubled racial history.

Alex Garland previously made one of the most ambitious new horror films of the last few years with 2018’s Annihilation, and he returned this year with this eerie folk horror starring Jessie Buckley and multiped Rory Kinnears (he plays just about every male character in the film). Although it perhaps doesn’t quite come together, and the final act may be confounding for some viewers, there is a lot to like – not least Buckley’s performance and the genuinely creepy atmosphere.

Ti West’s period horror was only released earlier this year but it has already spawned a franchise – with sequel Pearl set for release later in 2022 and a further entry in the saga having already been greenlit. Set in the 1970s, X follows a filmmaking crew making an adult movie at a reclusive place – only for thenm to soon find themselves hunted by elderly hosts.

Jordan Peele had already established himself as one of the most exciting filmmakers working in any genre with his first two films Get Out and Us, and this horror-tinged blockbuster only cemented that reputation – brilliantly focusing on the nature of spectacle. Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer and Steven Yeun all turn in terrific performances, while there is some striking imagery and truly blood-curling scenes – including one especially memorable sequence involving a rogue monkey.

Not released in the UK until 28th October, this film from director Zach Cregger has enjoyed some very strong reviews across the Atlantic, praised for its chilling atmosphere and unpredictable story. It follows a young woman who finds that the rental home she’s booked is already occupied by a stranger – before she realises that that is just the start of her worries.

The latest Stephen King novel to get adapted for the big screen, this film follows a young boy who befriends the titular elderly billionaire shortly before his death, only to realise that Mr Harrigan can still contact him from beyond the grave. It’s perhaps not the finest King adaptation ever put to film, but is still worth a watch for fans of the Master of Horror.

A prequel to 2009’s Orphan, the new film tells the story of Esther’s early years following her escape from an Estonian psychiatric facility. If you prefer your horror to be a little on the camp side, this is definitely one for you – it’s very much a film that is aware of its own silliness, deliberately leaning into melodrama.

Parker Finn’s debut feature follows a psychiatric doctor whose life becomes a waking nightmare after she witnesses a deeply traumatic incident involving a patient – one that soon leads to her own life also being put in grave danger. Although perhaps a little too reliant on jump scares and horror clichés, this is an often effective debut, and certainly delivers its fair share of creepy smiles.

The final instalment of David Gordon Green’s reboot trilogy – if not necessarily the last movie in the franchise – Halloween Ends finally pits Michael Myers and Laurie Strode against each other for one last battle. Before that, though, there is a new plotline concerning Corey Cunningham, a man accused of killing a child he was babysitting who soon finds a kindred spirit in Laurie’s granddaughter Allyson. While by no means the best film in the series, this is still enjoyable fare – with a couple of very memorable kills.

David Cronenberg’s first new film in years sees him return to his body horror roots, exploring a dystopian society where “surgery has become the new sex”. Viggo Mortensen stars as performance artists Saul Tanser, who grows new organs in his body and showcases their removal for his audience – eventually leading to interest from the authorities. There is also a brilliant Howard Shore score, some sublime production design and memorable performances from Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart.

The latest ‘legacy sequel’ of a major horror franchise, this film takes the series’s already meta-approach and turns it up to 11, even jokingly referring to itself as a ‘requel’ (reboot-slash-sequel). Set 25 years after the events of the first movie, it sees Ghostface return to terrorise a fresh set of Woodsboro teens – while Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courteney Cox also all return as their fan-favourite characters.