Summer movie season has begun and horror films dominate the release schedule.
It’s already been a good year for scary movies, with Night Swim grossing millions at the box office despite poor reviews, while Sydney Sweeney’s nunsploitation splatterfest Immaculate impressed genre fanatics.
There have also been a number of indie horror hits this year, including the low-budget slasher In A Violent Nature and the supernatural Late Night with the Devil.
DailyMail.com spoke to critics of JoBlo.com and filmmaker Robbie Banfitch to hear their picks for this year’s scariest summer movies.
Cuckoo (August 9)
Euphoria star Hunter Schafer plays a terrorized teen in the gruesome Cuckoo
Described by him as an ‘intense and original thriller’ Horror Critic of JoBlo.com Tyler Nichols, Cuckoo has become one of the most anticipated films of the season thanks to a great advertising campaign.
Cuckoo, starring Euphoria actress Hunter Schafer, follows 17-year-old Gretchen (played by Schafer) as she reluctantly moves in with her father in the idyllic German Alps.
She is soon plagued by strange sounds and visions, and it isn’t long before she discovers a shocking secret concerning her family.
“Going into this knowing as little as possible seems like the best way to go. All you need to know is that Hunter Shafer looks absolutely phenomenal as the lead,” Nichols said.
Alien: Romulus (August 16)
The legendary Alien franchise is back with the terrifying Alien: Romulus
The Alien franchise returns for the first time since 2017’s polarizing Alien: Covenant with the chilling Alien: Romulus.
The seventh installment in the franchise, directed by Fede Álvarez (Don’t Breathe), takes place between the first two films and follows a group of young space colonists who face a deadly xenomorph while searching an abandoned space station.
“Alvarez has promised a part Alien/part Aliens story with his new installment, and it looks like the franchise’s first real return to its roots in decades,” Nichols said.
‘Hopefully the Prometheus films can be wiped from memory and Alien: Romulus can help make space scary again.’
Scared (August 30)
Following the blockbuster success of M3GAN, Blumhouse Productions releases another AI thriller with Afraid
After the successful M3GAN, Blumhouse Productions releases another AI thriller with Afraid.
Afraid, starring John Cho and Katherine Waterston, is about a family terrorized by a smart device in the home that develops self-awareness.
“The idea of AI in the home is a scary prospect,” Nichols said.
“This will definitely give you pause for thought when it’s haunted. Let’s hope it cuts off less of the M3GAN route.”
MaXXXine (July 3)
MaXXXine starring It-girl Mia Goth has become the most popular film of the summer season
The most popular horror film of the season is undoubtedly MaXXXine, starring Mia Goth as 80s porn star Maxine Minx.
MaXXXine is the third installment in director Ti West’s X-film series, which began with the 1979 film X and was followed by the 1918 film Pearl.
According to JoBlo.com’s Horror News writer Cody Hamman, Pearl ‘should have earned Goth an Oscar nomination.’
“MaXXXine takes us back to the 80s; the Night Stalker terrorizes Los Angeles, Goth is surrounded by an incredible cast and the expectations of horror fans are high,” he said.
Crane Sparrows (July 12)
Nicholas Cage’s sensational performance in Longlegs has made it one of the most talked about films of the year
The only horror film this season that can match the hype surrounding MaXXXine is Longlegs. This film captured the zeitgeist thanks to a great marketing campaign and a sensational performance by Nicholas Cage.
“The marketing for this Osgood Perkins film is so intriguing, bizarre and cryptic that we’re now very curious to see if the film can match it,” Hamman said.
‘Longlegs looks promising, starring It Follows heroine Maika Monroe as an FBI agent hot on the trail of a serial killer played by Nicolas Cage – who has been described as a “possessed Geppetto”!’
Critics have already declared Longlegs the scariest film of 2024, and the film currently holds an impressive 100 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Fall (August 2)
Josh Hartnett is back on the big screen, this time playing a serial killer in M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap
Not to be outdone by the more dazzling MaXXXine and Longlegs, M. Night Shyamalan’s serial killer thriller Trap is being touted as a possible comeback for the erratic director.
“M. Night Shyamalan has good moments and bad moments, but this thriller has a great setup,” Hamman explained.
“Josh Hartnett plays a father who goes to a concert with his young daughter and discovers that the police have set a trap for a serial killer,” he continues.
“The problem is Hartnett is a serial killer!”
Now that Hartnett’s secret identity has been deliberately revealed in the trailer, fans are already wondering if Trap will feature another of Shyamalan’s signature twists toward the end of the film.
The Front Room (September 6)
R&B singer Brandy Norwood has landed a comeback role on A24’s The Front Room
One film that is expected to be a surprise hit this season is A24’s The Front Room.
Starring R&B singer Brandy, The Front Room follows newly pregnant Belinda as she battles a hellish mother-in-law who is not only racist, but may also be possessed by the Holy Ghost.
“Horror-loving gay men are thrilled to see Brandy return to the big screen, especially in such a big way,” said Robbie Banfitch, who helmed the 2022 indie horror sensation The Outwaters.
“We’ve been craving her since I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. For what it’s worth, if she’s not part of that reboot, we’re going to revolt,” he added.
Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch (TBA)
Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch is one of the less mainstream horror films coming out this season
One of the lesser-known horror films that received a lot of attention this summer is Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch.
Firewatch is the latest installment in director Dutch Marich’s found footage series about missing persons cases in the American desert.
Although the films are not yet known to the general public, they have acquired cult status among horror fans in recent years.
“Dutch Marich’s High Desert films are the rare found footage/mockumentaries that feel truly authentic,” Banfitch said.
‘Part three is my favorite so far, and the lead actor, Marco Antonio Parra, is heartbreaking. The film is emotional, creepy and suspenseful.’
Strange Darling (September 22)
Strange Darling has been wowing critics in recent months, earning an impressive 100 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes
Banfitch also selected the stylish cat-and-mouse thriller Strange Darling, which he called “wonderful and unique.”
Strange Darling has been wowing critics in recent months, earning an impressive 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
This unconventional film about a one-night stand that turns into a serial killer chase also features plenty of twists that defy genre conventions.
Banfitch is currently working on his next film, The Tinsman Road. His short story Summer Night is also available in Bury Your Gays: An Anthology of Tragic Queer Horror, available now in bookstores.