Best Horror Movies of 2024, So Far

2024 is already one-third over — ridiculous, right? — and it’s been a pretty good year at the movies. We’re four months in, so it’s time to take a look at where we stand when it comes to new horror movies. The films below are presented alphabetically meaning they’re not ranked, but they’re all good to great. More will be released as the year goes on, and there are still some I need to catch up on, but for now at least, these are the best horror movies that 2024 has to offer.

Now keep reading for a look at the best horror movies of 2024, so far.

Abigail

A group of criminals are brought together with a simple but lucrative goal — kidnap a girl, hold her for twenty-four hours, and then collect their hefty ransom. What could possibly go wrong? A lot, as it turns out, because neither the situation nor the girl are quite what they seem. Radio Silence moved from anthology segments to feature films with 2014’s Devil’s Due, chased it with 2019’s Ready or Not (still their best film), and then revived the Scream franchise with Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023). Their latest once again blends horror thrills with comedy, and it brings together a killer ensemble to up the ante with great turns by Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Kevin Durand, and Melissa Barrera. Little Alisha Weir holds her own against the veterans with a devilishly fun performance, and the increasingly bloody antics come in the form of fun set-pieces and entertaining twists.

In theaters.

The Coffee Table (Spain)

A young couple welcomes their first child, but their biggest challenge comes over a decision to buy a coffee table. He wants this gaudy, glass-topped monstrosity, and she hates it, but his pride wins out and they bring it home. And then… an unspeakable tragedy. Some might argue that Caye Casas‘ 2022 feature (just released in the U.S. this year) isn’t exactly horror, but thinking that after actually watching it is utter nonsense. This thing is pure dread, distilled onto the screen and into our hearts in the form of anxiety, terror, and the slightest whiff of black comedy. It’s impossible to hold your breath for ninety minutes, but it feels like you’re doing exactly that while watching as the raw pain and tension creep throughout your body. This is amazing stuff, grim, shocking, stressful, and horrifying.

On DVD and VOD.

Exhuma (South Korea)

A Korean-American family falls victim to a supernatural danger, so they hire a pair of shamans to resolve the issue. So far so good, but giving rest to an unruly ghost is just the beginning of the monstrous threats they’ll face. Exhuma is a big, thrilling, richly detailed piece of folk horror with atmosphere, scares, and personality to spare. Writer/director Jang Jae-hyun chases his two previous religious horror films with a meaty genre tale weaving historical atrocities and supernatural beliefs into fantastical entertainment. We get detailed rituals and a richly layered belief system alongside ghostly chills and monstrous decapitations, and the resulting concoction is a fun genre treat that keeps on giving right through its numerous endings. Horror fans in general should seek it out, but those of you who count yourself as fans of the likes of The Wailing (2017) and It Comes (2018), run don’t walk to Exhuma immediately. I think you’re really gonna dig what it’s throwin’ down. [My full review.]

In theaters.

The First Omen

A young woman on the verge of becoming a nun arrives at a small convent in Italy ready to commit to God and the church, but she soon discovers a secret that threatens all she holds true. A prequel to a nearly half a century old horror classic doesn’t arrive with high hopes attached, but Arkasha Stevenson‘s film squashes any doubts and delivers a big, thrilling piece of horror entertainment. It works its way through plenty of beats you’re expecting given the original film’s story, but the familiar is never dull thanks to sharp, attractive filmmaking and Nell Tiger Free‘s performance. Fun scares, gory sequences, and a pretty great ending — it both leads into 1976’s The Omen and opens the door to some thrilling new story threads — make for a film that’s far more entertaining, engrossing, and successful than you’d expect.

In theaters.

Immaculate

A young woman on the verge of becoming a nun arrives at a small convent in Italy ready to commit to God and the church, but she soon discovers a secret that threatens all she holds true. I know what you’re thinking — did Rob have a stroke? Rest assured, I did not, but we did get two religious horror films released back to back that kick off in remarkably similar ways. While The First Omen plays things pretty serious, Michael Mohan‘s film is straight horror that leans into its B-movie, exploitation inspirations. Wet nuns, dark church secrets, and an ending designed to make you stand up and cheer (while probably offending more than a few viewers along the way) share the screen with bloody set pieces and a fairly novel take on the otherwise familiar narrative. Sydney Sweeney headlines — she also produced and rescued the script from oblivion — and is clearly having a good time being bad-ass and helping make this bloody ride one of the best horror movies of 2024.

In theaters and on VOD.

Infested (France)

Residents of a low-income apartment complex find something new to stress over when a horde of rapidly multiplying spiders makes the place their home. Sébastien Vanicek’s feature debut isn’t here to hold your hand and goose you along with laughs. Unlike this year’s other spider horror or the subgenre’s pinnacle, Frank Marshall’s Arachnophobia (1990), you won’t find the comfort of a “horror/comedy” label here. Instead, the film aims to hold you close as spiders of varying sizes — we’re talking spiders ranging in size from peas to watermelons, and they all move a hell of a lot faster than you — burst onto the screen, out of the shadows, and into your waking nightmares. Some genuinely terrifying set pieces are the building blocks here as a small band of survivors struggles to make it to the end credits, and don’t be surprised if you count yourself among them by the time it’s all over. [My full review.]

Streaming on Shudder.

Late Night with the Devil

It’s the late 70s, and Jack Delroy (a fantastic David Dastmalchian) is one of the nation’s top late-night talk show hosts. His efforts to become number one see him taking some risks, but his latest risk might just take his soul. The film mostly succeeds at recreating a period and a location, and it manages more than enough thrills to warrant a watch as some of its horror beats land beautifully. The horrors come slowly with brief punctuations before leading to a big, bloody finish, and while those earlier moments are fun enough it’s that third act culmination that truly delivers with the gory goods and some memorable images. It’s Dastmalchian who carries Late Night With the Devil on his very capable shoulders with the expected exuberance of a late-night talk show host and the comic delivery of silly jokes, but he also showcases one man’s growing realization that he’s messed things up in a big, big way. [My full review.]

In theaters and on VOD.

No Way Up

A passenger plane flying over the Pacific crashes into the ocean and sinks beneath the waves, and while most on board die fairly quickly, a group of survivors stay alive at the back of a the plane in an air pocket. Unfortunately for them, the water is rising, the plane is slipping off an underwater ledge, and sharks are now roaming the aisle looking for snacks. Of all the films on this list, No Way Up is the one least likely to make the cut for the best horror movies of 2024 at the end of the year, but it’s still a good time for genre fans and well worth celebrating. A serious thriller about sharks on a motherfucking plane won’t work for everyone, but jump in with the appropriate B-movie expectations, and you’re likely to be pleasantly surprised by its personality, thrills, and resourcefulness. The ensemble won’t have you wishing they’d die already, the claustrophobic confines look good and are effectively stress-inducing, and the sharks manage some minor scares and bloody beats. It’s a good time, friends. [My full review.]

On VOD.

Sting (Australia)

Residents of a low-income apartment complex find something new to stress over when a rapidly growing spider makes the place its home. I know what you’re thinking, again — did Rob have a stroke? Rest assured, I did not, but we did get two spider horror films released back to back that kick off in remarkably similar ways. While Infested (above) plays its horrors straight, though, Sting approaches its spider-centric terrors with a severed tongue in cheek. Some laughs land while others don’t, but the approach might make for a more palatable piece of arachnid-themed nightmare fuel for viewers who loathe the tiny creatures. The spider itself is brought to life with a combination of practical effects and CG, and while there’s arguably too much of the latter the film still finds its eight-legged footing and gets your skin crawling. [My full review.]

In theaters.

Also released in 2024, some of which I’ve seen and some of which I still need to catch: Baghead, Frogman, Here for Blood, I Saw the TV Glow, Imaginary, Lisa Frankenstein, Night Swim, Stopmotion, Sunrise