Beginning in the year 2025, movie-goers can expect to see a batch of new horror movies from a variety of genres. Here are some horror films making their way to the big screen this year.
“Sinners” is a vampire horror movie scheduled to release on Apr. 18. The film is written by Ryan Coogler, who also directed, produced, and wrote for the film “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (2022). “Sinners” follows Smoke and his twin (both played by Michael B. Jordan), Mary (played by Hailee Steinfeld), and other characters who are seeking to escape their troubled pasts. The twin brothers return to their hometown for a fresh start, only to find an even darker force awaiting their arrival. Many movie enthusiasts estimate the film to take place in the 1930’s due to the plot, which features the involvement of the Ku Klux Klan. Warner Brothers won the rights to the film after a highly competitive bidding war earlier this year. “Sinners” is expected to be rated R because of its intense supernatural horror, violence, disturbing images, and psychological themes.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, “Heart Eyes,” a romantic comedy-slasher film, is set to be released on Feb. 7. The film is directed by Josh Ruben and written by Phillip Murphy, Christopher Landon (who also helped produce), and Michael Kennedy. In the movie, the Heart Eyes Killer has terrorized Valentine’s Day the past several years by stalking and murdering romantic couples. This year, Ally (played by Olivia Holt) and her co-worker (played by Lathem Gaines), who were working late on Valentine’s Day, become the killer’s latest targets when they’re mistakenly believed to be a couple, making no one safe from his deadly killing spree. This may not be a preferred watch for faint-hearted viewers, as it has scenes of violence, foul language, and sexual content and is rated R.
The “Death of a Unicorn” is a supernatural horror comedy, written and produced by Alex Scharfman and set to come out on Mar. 28. The film follows Elliot (played by Paul Rudd) and his daughter, Riley (played by Jenna Ortega), as they unintentionally collide with a unicorn while traveling to a crisis-management summit with Elliot’s boss, Dell Leopold, and his family. The Leopolds capture the unicorn, and scientists soon uncover its healing abilities, which they attempt to exploit. However, they uncover the disastrous repercussions of their actions when the unicorn’s mate arrives, seeking vengeance and hunting down those responsible for the death of its partner. The film will be rated R primarily due to its mature content, which includes strong language, sexual content, and themes that are intended for adult audiences.
“28 Years Later” is a post-apocalyptic horror film produced and directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland. It is the third film in the “28 Days Later” series, following “28 Days Later” (2002) and “28 Weeks Later” (2007). “28 Years Later” features Isla, a pregnant woman (played by Jodie Comer) living with her partner and son; Jamie, a scavenger and Isla’s partner (played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson); Dr. Kelson (played by Ralph Fiennes), a survivor on the island; and Sir Jimmy Crystal (played by Jack O’Connell), a leader of the cult who has had a questionable past. Nearly three decades after the Rage Virus escaped a medical research facility, a group of survivors have found a fragile existence on a small island, cut off from the mainland by a heavily-defended causeway. When one member of the group ventures into the mainland on a mission, he uncovers not only the secrets and horrors of the outside world, but also the terrifying ways the virus has affected the infected and remaining survivors. Although there’s not much information on the film, both “28 Days Later” and “28 Weeks Later” are known for their graphic violence, intense action sequences, and disturbing imagery. If “28 Years Later” follows its predecessor, the film will likely be rated R as well.
“Rabbit Trap” is a British psychological horror film written and directed by Bryn Chainey. The movie is set to premiere in the Midnight section at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on Friday. “Rabbit Trap” is set in 1973 and follows the married musicians Daphne Davenport (played by Rosy McEwen) and Darcy Davenport (played by Dev Patel), who move from London to a remote cabin in Wales to work on their new album. After they unknowingly capture a mystical sound never before heard by humans, a mysterious child enters their lives, slowly unraveling their grip on reality. As their connection to the outside world fades, the couple finds themselves drawn into a strange and haunting world, torn between ancient spirits of the natural realm and the life they once knew. There is not very much public information about the film or on its potential rating. The film could earn a PG-13 rating if the violence is toned down, the language is more restrained, and the content is not overly graphic or explicit. However, due to the nature of the film, it may an R rating.
