The 25 best new horror movies of 2024 (so far)

This occult horror movie from South Korea follows a shaman tasked with uncovering the cause of an apparent curse on the newborn child of a wealthy family.

Where to watch: Shudder, AMC+

It’s rare to encounter a horror movie with a fresh premise, but “Late Night with the Devil” delivers.

The IFC/Shudder film centers on a grieving talk show host (David Dastmalchian) so desperate to boost his show’s ratings that he has a (purportedly) demonically possessed girl on the show as a guest for his Halloween night broadcast in 1977.

Things go sideways, as expected.

Where to watch: Hulu, Shudder, AMC+

This gory and hilarious horror-comedy comes from the same team that delivered the equally scary-fun “Ready or Not” back in 2019.

“Abigail” centers on a group of criminals (including horror-comedy stalwart Kathryn Newton, “Scream” alum Melissa Barrera, and Dan Stevens playing a crooked ex-cop with a killer Queens accent) who inadvertently kidnap a vampire ballerina child.

Even though I wish the trailer hadn’t spoiled the twist, it’s still a wild ride with some epic action sequences and bloody deaths.

Where to watch: Peacock

This Norwegian film, starring “The Worst Person in the World” breakout Renate Reinsve, is an atypical entry to the zombie genre.

Its horrors are largely the emotional kind, as three families must grapple with the unexplained resurrections of their dead loved ones. Reinsve plays Anna, a grieving mother whose young son returns from the grave.

The movie is based on the book of the same name by John Ajvide Lindqvist, who also wrote the modern vampire classic “Let the Right One In.”

Where to watch: Hulu

This little French horror film follows an 18th-century nobleman who has a nightmarish encounter when he seeks shelter in a strange family’s eerie manner. Once there, he quickly finds the returning patriarch, Gorcha, is not quite human.

Gorcha is a vourdalak — a kind of vampire in Slavic mythology that returns from the dead to prey upon the blood of its loved ones.

Most notably, Gorcha is a marionette, which works surprisingly well here and helps give the movie a throwback classic vibe. This one’s a must-watch, particularly for lovers of practical effects.

Where to watch: Rent or buy on Prime Video or Apple TV

“MaXXXine” is not as good as “Pearl” or “X,” but it’s still eons above most other slasher-thrillers out today.

Ti West’s trilogy wraps up with a largely satisfying conclusion and another impressive performance from Mia Goth.

Kevin Bacon is another standout in the stacked ensemble, playing sleazy investigator John Labat as a great secondary antagonist.

Where to watch: Max

“Oddity” has an extremely simple plot that plays out so effectively.

It follows a blind, clairvoyant woman named Darcy (Carolyn Bracken) who uses the tools at her disposal in the Cabinet of Curiosities shop she owns to exact revenge on behalf of her murdered twin sister.

The creature design of that wooden man is easily the most haunting and memorable image from any horror movie this year.

Where to watch: Shudder, AMC+

Hunter Schaefer and Dan Stevens face off in this mind-bending horror movie about a teenager named Gretchen (Schaefer) who’s forced to move with her father, stepmother, and half-sister to a resort town in the Alps after her mother’s death.

Once there, she realizes something strange is plaguing the town, and that it’s all apparently connected to the flute-playing weirdo resort owner Herr König (Dan Stevens again, this time with an extremely fun German accent).

Schaefer goes all in for her horror debut, and it’s quite a surreal ride.

Where to watch: Rent or buy on Prime Video or Apple TV

JT Mollner’s “Strange Darling” initially presents as a standard cat-and-mouse thriller: a woman fleeing a man, who’s doggedly pursuing her with a gun. But Mollner employs a non-linear narrative to turn the expected story completely on its head.

The writing, directing, and performances are all stellar, but the visuals are particularly noteworthy (crafted by actor Giovanni Ribisi in his debut as a cinematographer).

Where to watch: Rent or buy on Prime Video or Apple TV

There’s a reason everyone can’t stop talking about “The Substance.”

The film, from French director Coralie Fargeat, stars Demi Moore as an aging fitness star named Elisabeth Sparkle who finds herself ousted from her show after turning 50.

Desperate to hang onto the only thing that gives her any sense of worth, she uses a mysterious Substance that promises to produce a younger, more beautiful, more perfect version of herself.

Unfortunately, Elisabeth and her new counterpart, Sue (Margaret Qualley), don’t exactly see eye-to-eye on how their shared life will go. It’s a giddy body-horror ride of epic proportions, culminating in one of the most memorable endings ever.

Where to watch: In theaters now; streaming on Mubi on October 31; preorder on Prime Video

Parker Finn’s 2022 directorial debut “Smile” exploded at the box office. Finn returns as writer-director for the sequel and manages to outdo the original in almost every way.

The jump scares are jumpier. The gore is next-level. Naomi Scott gives an instantly classic horror heroine performance as Skye Riley, a troubled pop star attempting to prepare for a comeback tour while being besieged by the ominous Smile Entity.

The ending is one for the ages and manages to blow open the franchise’s potential future.

Where to watch: In theaters now

This one is a doozy.

“Heretic” gives Hugh Grant, best known earlier in his career for his rom-com charms, his most shocking role yet. He plays Mr. Reed, a verbose, seemingly friendly older man who invites two young Mormon missionaries into his home. It quickly devolves into a psychological game of cat-and-mouse centered on religious belief.

Incredibly, much of the film is propelled by tense conversation, but it works here thanks to the tight script and trio of strong lead performances.

Where to watch: In theaters on November 8