2026 is full of scary times. But if you like your horror confined to the screen, we've got you covered with a selection of the best that this year has had to offer so far.

Mashable's entertainment team has an insatiable thirst for all things horror. As such, we've not only seen the big flashy releases like Lee Cronin's The Mummy, Kevin Williamson's Scream 7, Nia Dacosta's 28 Year Later: Bone Temple, Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride!, and Sam Raimi's Send Help, but also indie offerings like Backrooms, Obsession, Iron Lung, and Hokum.

Whether you like to shiver for zombies, cackle for horror comedy, gleefully gag over gross-out scares, get goosebumps over serial-killer thrillers, or dream of surreal twists that'll ensure nightmares, we've got you covered.

Here are the best horror movies of 2026 so far.

15. Iron Lung

Horror has a rich tradition of trapping characters in claustrophobic spaces and making them suffer, and Iron Lung cranks that premise up to 11. The film follows Simon (Mark Fischbach, aka YouTuber Markiplier), a convict in a post-apocalyptic future forced to trade prison for an exploratory mission down to the bottom of a blood ocean on an alien moon. The stuff of nightmares? Yes! And Markiplier (who also directs) amps up the tension with juddering submarine noises and occasional creepy X-ray photos taken by the submarine of its unpleasant surroundings.

This movie isn't perfect — at over two hours, it feels longer than it needs to be, and the characters aren't particularly fleshed out — but it's worth watching for one sequence near the end alone, which is cosmic horror at its most terrifying and blood-spattered. — Sam Haysom, General Assignment Editor, UK

Starring: Mark Fischbach, Caroline Kaplan, Troy Baker, Elsie Lovelock, Elle LaMont, Mick Lauer, Seán McLoughlin, and Isaac McKee

How to watch: Iron Lung is available to rent or buy on YouTube.

14. Cold Storage

Fungal horror gets the chills in Cold Storage, an infectious film that knows its lineage. Directed by Jonny Campbell (Am I Being Unreasonable?), and written by Jurassic Park co-scribe David Koepp based on his 2019 novel, Cold Storage takes a real event (NASA's Skylab falling out of orbit in 1979) and makes it the catalyst for gruesome events within a U.S. storage facility. Stranger Things' Joe Keery and Barbarian's Georgina Campbell as chatty employees investigating strange noises are a delight. And thanks to the genius of special makeup effects designers Lou and Dave Elsey (the team who brought you the corpiscle of True Detective: Night Country), Cold Storage is full of grisly, festering gore. As I wrote in my review, "Unlike its hazardous fungus (or Koepp's original book), Cold Storage isn't that deep. Instead, the film is a fun body horror comedy that grows on you — or might result in projectile vomiting?" — S.C.

Starring: Georgina Campbell, Joe Keery, Sosie Bacon, Vanessa Redgrave, Lesley Manville, and Liam Neeson

How to watch: Cold Storage is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

13. Primate

From Johannes Roberts, helmer of the uniquely scary shark thriller 47 Meters Down, comes a creature feature that should have you thinking twice about treating a wild animal as a pet.

Set in a remote mansion in Hawaii, Primate begins with college student Lucy Pinborough (Johnny Sequoyah) coming home to her younger sister (Gia Hunter), her hard-of-hearing dad (Troy Kotsur), and their pet chimpanzee, Ben. For added fun (and a higher body count), Roberts and co-writer Ernest Riera loop in some college friends and a couple of hot guys looking to party. What could have been a night of booze and sex becomes one of blood and death because Ben has contracted rabies, and so goes from pet to predator.

It's not deep or remotely sophisticated. But if you seeking something gnarly, Primate has got bite. — K.P.

Starring: Johnny Sequoyah, Jessica Alexander, Gia Hunter, and Troy Kotsur

How to watch: Primate is now streaming on Paramount+.

12. Obsession

Audiences went feral for writer/director Curry Barker's ultra-creepy Obsession. The film turns rom-com expectations on its head by presenting a lovelorn protagonist named Bear (Michael Johnston), who might seem like a nice guy but is actually the movie's villain.

Obsessed with his friend Nikki (a riveting Inde Navarrette), he makes a wish that she'll not only notice him, but will love him more than anyone else. In the way of the mythic monkey's paw, this wish goes horribly wrong, transforming Bear's dream girl into a nightmare. Obsession is thoroughly chilling, especially thanks to Navarrette's harrowing performance. But Barker's exploration of sexual politics ultimately feels juvenile because of a flubbed final act. As I explained more in-depth in my review, "This makes the finale of Obsession unnerving — not so much for what it shows, but for the empathy it ultimately lacks." — K.P.

Starring: Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, and Andy Richter

How to watch: Obsession is now in theaters.

11. Undertone

This slow-burn horror story is about the things that go bump in the night. Written and directed by Ian Tuason, Undertone centers on an isolated podcaster named Evy (Nina Kiri), who becomes fixated on a series of mysterious audio clips. As she goes down the metaphorical rabbit's hole on what they could mean, the world around her seems to shift, forcing her to face a horrid reality.*

Trapping audiences in a deteriorating house where Evy is caring for her dying mother, Undertone offers a claustrophobic atmosphere that is enhanced by a spooky soundscape of strange noises and stranger children's songs. It's a terrific concept, and Tuason puts a lot of care into each detail. However, as spooky as this one gets, it never had me full-on scared. — K.P.

Starring: Nina Kiri and Adam DiMarco

How to watch: Undertone is now available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

10. Thrash

I don't want to hear it. Nope. Not a bad word will be said here about Thrash, one of the most rudely welcomed movies on Netflix. Writer/director Tommy Wirkola (Violent Night, Dead Snow) delivers a proper nail-biter of a shark survival movie here, the 24-hour tale of a hurricane that becomes a tsunami that becomes a bona fide shark invasion of a South Carolina small town. It's glorious! We've got nightmarish cinematography; increasingly flooded sets; strong performances from Djimon Hounsou, Whitney Peak, and Phoebe Dynevor; and one wildly foreshadowed shark-infested water birth. The simple task of getting from A to B in this film? Good luck.

The Thrash production team, led by production designer David Ingram, built an entire town and utterly destroyed it with flash flooding, savage marine predators, and director of photography Matthew Weston's unrelentingly stressful camera work, and that's not enough for you? Did you see that bull shark kitchen scene? Well, you have your right to an opinion. This is mine: "If you like shark movies, Thrash is a solid survival thriller with a talented cast and visuals that had me locked in. Wirkola's ability to balance horror, action, and comedy remains a praise-worthy feat. Dive into it." — S.C.

Starring: Phoebe Dynevor, Whitney Peak, and Djimon Hounsou

How to watch: Thrash is now streaming on Netflix.

9. The Bride!

As writer and director, Maggie Gyllenhaal took a big swing with The Bride!, a dizzying reimagining of the Universal monster from Bride of Frankenstein. Critics were mixed on it, and despite starring Academy Award winners Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale as the Bride and her monster mate, this epic horror offering tanked at the box office.

But the world is wrong. Set in 1936 Chicago, The Bride! offers up a gangster's moll (Buckley) who is fatefully possessed by Frankenstein author Mary Shelley, who's long dead but still has things to say. So begins a Bonnie-and-Clyde-style crime spree with a besotted creature who loves movie musicals. The result is fitful, deranged, and uniquely beautiful.

Apparently, The Bride! is not for everyone. But to me, it was sensational. As I wrote in my review, "Gyllenhaal and her cast don't just dust off a classic tale for a safe money grab. (Looking at you, Disney live-action remakes!) They tear various Frankenstein iterations to bits, then create an exquisite corpse of the pieces, festooning it with elements from other films about violence, revolt, and violation. The result is a film that is utterly electrifying, sure to spark something in hearts young and old." — K.P.

Starring: Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Penélope Cruz

How to watch: The Bride! is now streaming on HBO Max.

8. Backrooms

The concept of the Backrooms began with a 4chan post, which then-teenager Kane Parsons masterfully expanded into a series of extremely viral short horror films. Backrooms is his full-length feature adaptation, and it's about a bitter furniture shop owner (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who discovers the doorway to another world in the basement of his store. So, does Parsons manage to land the jump to feature? For the most part, yes. Backrooms uses uncanny spaces and an ominous soundscape to chilling effect, dragging us into a world that's as unsettling as it is endless. The movie's only real issue is its third act, which loses some tension after we see the face of the thing that's been chasing the characters through this hellish labyrinth.

"Despite this, Backrooms is still well worth a watch. The ending isn't enough to spoil what came before," I wrote in my Mashable review. "If anything, Parsons has managed to prove himself as an incredibly talented emerging filmmaker while also establishing the first chapter in what will surely end up becoming a brand-new horror franchise." — S.H.

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell

How to watch: Backrooms is now in theaters.

7. Exit 8

Months after escaping from Exit 8, I remain ensnared in it. Genki Kawamura's haunting adaptation is more than an ode to Kotake Create's acclaimed 2023 game; it's an impeccable thriller that will have you actively participating in its labyrinthine puzzle. You'll genuinely root for Kazunari Ninomiya as a frantic man trapped in a nightmarish looping subway hallway beneath Tokyo, his only chance of escape being his ability to identify "anomalies" within this wretched corridor. A rare triumph among video game adaptations, Exit 8 is a masterpiece of production, from the meticulous sets to the dynamic cinematography and nerve-racking sound design.

As I wrote in my review, "While video game adaptations come in a range of sublime to mediocre, Exit 8 is a triumphant realisation and expansion of the original concept. Kawamura's punctilious direction and his incredibly talented cast and crew amplify this contained hallway in satisfying, chilling ways. You'll remain in this hallway long after you've left the cinema — we're all still staring blankly at that Exit 0 sign." — S.C.

Starring: Kazunari Ninomiya, Yamato Kochi, Naru Asanuma, Kotone Hanase, and Nana Komatsu

How to watch: Exit 8 is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

6. Scream 7

Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Matthew Lillard, and Scream screenwriter Kevin Williamson reunited for Scream 7, marking the highest-grossing sequel this franchise has seen.

With Williamson at the helm and co-writing with Guy Busick (Scream V & VI), this sequel dove into nostalgia. Ghostface is back in action, killing at Stu Macher's house and chasing Sidney around a charming suburb. For good measure, he's also threatening to kill Sidney's eldest kid, who was named after her high school best friend, Tatum!

Critics largely panned this one. But we found it fun. In my review, I cheered, "As someone who has long counted Scream as the best of the batch, I yearned for a sequel that recaptured that feeling of discovery but also shared in my affection for the first film. Scream 7 does that, paying homage without being beholden to audience expectation or constrictive lore. Incredibly, Williams gives us a hearty dose of nostalgia and Easter eggs while providing new ideas, weird reveals, and fresh chills." — K.P.

Starring: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Matthew Lillard, Isabel May, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Anna Camp, Joel McHale, Mckenna Grace, Michelle Randolph, Asa Germann, Celeste O'Connor, Sam Rechner, Ethan Embry, Timothy Simons, and Mark Consuelos

How to watch: Scream 7 is now streaming on Paramount+.

5. Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

Samara Weaving reteams with Ready or Not filmmakers Radio Silence for a star-studded sequel to their 2019 hit.

Recently widowed by some devilish intervention, newlywed Grace (Weaving) wants nothing more than to light a cigarette and walk away from the bloody mess of the late Le Domas family. But it's time to level up her hide-and-seek skills, as a cabal of the evil and affluent join forces to hunt her down for round two. This time, however, she'll have her estranged sister (Kathryn Newton) at her side, for better or worse.

Ready or Not 2 had a tough act to follow, but Radio Silence satisfies by offering comically quirky caricatures of privilege, eye-popping slaughter scenes, and a pair of vicious twins played by '90s icons Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy. As I wrote in my review, "Not all of these gambles pay off. Yet Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is a winner when it comes to being a totally batshit good time." — K.P.

Starring: Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Néstor Carbonell, Kevin Durand, Olivia Cheng, David Cronenberg, and Elijah Wood

How to watch: Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is available for purchase at Prime Video.

4. Send Help

Some movies are just so weird that it feels like a miracle they exist at all. Send Help is such a wonder, as it pairs A-list actress Rachel McAdams with much, much, much, much glop.

Directed by Sam Raimi, Send Help is a genre mash-up that combines tropes from adventure and romance, horror comedies, and survival thrillers with an eat-the-rich edge. McAdams stars as a mousy office worker whose hotshot boss (Dylan O'Brien) treats like a pimple that needs to be popped. But when they end up stranded on a desert island, the power dynamics are dramatically flipped. There will be blood. And vomit, and muck, and more blood. And it will be hilarious.

As I declared in my review, "It's also a rip-roaring, no-fucks-to-give good time." — K.P.

Starring: Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien

How to watch: Send Help is now on Hulu.

3. Apex

Kayaking solo in the Australian outback already sounds scary enough, but when you throw a sociopathic serial killer into the mix, it reaches a different level entirely. This is the situation that rock climber Sasha (Charlize Theron) finds herself in in Baltasar Kormákur's Apex when she encounters an initially quite charming ranger named Ben (Taron Egerton). The result is a cat-and-mouse survival thriller that's equal parts violent and tense.

"Apex is a relentless, exciting, and nerve-rattlingly scary thriller, wherein Theron and Egerton bring their very best to a brutal face-off," wrote Mashable's Kristy Puchko in her review. "It'll be a fun watch at home, hooking audiences on its gnarly twists and gore. But I pity those who won't get to see the vistas and violence Kormákur has captured on a big screen, where their wonders and horrors can truly overwhelm you." — S.H.

Starring: Charlize Theron, Taron Egerton, and Eric Bana

How to watch: Apex is now streaming on Netflix.

2. Hokum

To date, the scariest movie of the year is Hokum. The latest from Irish filmmaker Damian McCarthy (Caveat and Oddity) stars Adam Scott as a misanthropic American novelist who falls down a rabbit hole of folklore and horror.

You see, Ohm Bauman (Scott) has traveled to a remote hotel in Ireland for some grim business, including scattering the ashes of his deceased parents. But when a bartender who was kind to him goes missing, Ohm can't resist the urge to find her, even if he thinks the talk of a witch plaguing the hotel's honeymoon suite is "hokum."

In my review, I called Hokum "a seriously scary masterpiece," explaining, "It's a nerve-shredding, bone-rattling, scream-pulling good time, and an absolute blast to see in a theater." And in case you're on the fence, know this: This movie made me scream myself hoarse while watching it. — K.P.

Starring: Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Michael Patric, Will O'Connell, Brendan Conroy, and Austin Amelio

How to watch: Hokum is now playing in theaters.

1. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

One of the great crimes against cinema of 2026 is that 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple flopped at the box office.

Critics went wild for Hedda director Nia DaCosta's bold and brilliant sequel to Danny Boyle's resurrected zombie thriller. But audiences didn't turn out in the droves this heady blend of horror, heart, and heavy metal deserved.

Picking up the story of runaway Spike (Alfie Williams), The Bone Temple plunged us deep into the cult of Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell), whose bizarre introduction at the end of the last film had fans freaking out with theories. A self-styled Satanist with a fixation on torture, Jimmy Savile, and the Teletubbies, Jimmy was an instant icon in horror. But even he was awed by the uncanny stage presence of Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes). The gentle doctor spent most of the movie getting stoned with the Alpha undead Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry), in sequences that were tender and funny. But the climax of this movie had theaters cheering, as Kelson embraced his inner demons with a fiery performance of Iron Maiden's "The Number of the Beast." And it was one of the most riveting and surprising things I've seen in a movie, ever. It was magical, chaotic, and unforgettable.

As I cheered in my review, "This horror offering — like its prequel and also like 2025's other smash horror hit, Sinners — transcends the grimier aspects of the genre to unearth something gnarly and sublime." — K.P.

Starring: Alfie Williams, Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman, and Chi Lewis-Parry

How to watch: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is now streaming on Netflix.