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Halloween might be over for another year, but horror movies can be watched at any time of the year, so if you're looking for a new favourite, we're here to help.
You can always rewatch the best horror movies of all time or the best horror movies on Netflix, but what about a new horror movie?
Last year, the likes of Talk to Me, Evil Dead Rise and No One Will Save You became instant classics for horror fans. This year has already seen the likes of Longlegs and Late Night with the Devil become instant favourites, and they aren't the only new horror films you have to watch.
Related: The best and most anticipated movies of 2024
So what are the best new horror movies that have been released this year? Here's the best horror films of 2024.
Best horror movies of 2024
We're near the end of 2024, and we've had some excellent horror movies to savour.
From the bloody vampire antics of Abigail via the found-footage chills of Late Night with the Devil to the stunning ending of Immaculate and the truly unsettling Longlegs, there's been something for every horror fan.
Here are the best horror movies of 2024 you need to watch.
(Note: there's no order other than the earliest to the latest release date in the UK.)
Out of Darkness
Director: Andrew Cumming
Cast: Kit Young, Safia Oakley-Green, Chuku Modu, Iola Evans, Arno Luening
45,000 years in the past, a group of people arrive on the shores of a desolate landscape aiming to find a new home. But as night falls, it becomes clear that they aren't alone.
Out of Darkness is a stripped-back and lean survival horror, told in a fictional stone-age language. It's a movie that requires you to buy in through a first act that establishes the interpersonal dynamics of the group and their situation.
But come through that, and you're rewarded with an oppressive atmosphere, effective gory beats and a final reveal that'll give you something to chew over in a post-movie debrief.
Watch now: Prime Video | iTunes | Microsoft Store | Sky Cinema
Immaculate
Director: Michael Mohan
Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Álvaro Morte, Benedetta Porcaroli, Dora Romano, Giorgio Colangeli
Sydney Sweeney being the lead in any movie should excite you and Immaculate absolutely delivered on that.
She plays a nun who is trying to start a new life for herself in a remote Italian convent, only to discover that her new home is hiding a dark secret and unspeakable horrors.
Sweeney is captivating in this bold religious horror that goes to places that you'd never expect, leaving you stunned with an unforgettable finale.
Watch now: Prime Video | iTunes | Microsoft Store
Late Night with the Devil
Directors: Cameron and Colin Cairnes
Cast: David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon, Ian Bliss, Fayssal Bazzi, Ingrid Torelli
Late Night with the Devil is the new movie from Cameron and Colin Cairnes, the twisted geniuses behind 100 Bloody Acres.
It sees David Dastmalchian play late-night talk show host Jack Delroy, who decides that Halloween is the perfect time to interview a young teenager who is the sole survivor of a Satanic church's mass suicide. What could go wrong? Spoiler alert: a lot.
The movie brings a fresh spin to the found footage genre and delivers a compelling and terrifying experience as Jack Delroy experiences the show from hell.
Watch now: Prime Video | iTunes | Microsoft Store
The First Omen
Director: Arkasha Stevenson
Cast: Nell Tiger Free, Bill Nighy, Ralph Ineson, Sonia Braga, Charles Dance
Yes, we know there's not really been an Omen movie to come even close to the iconic 1976 original, but The First Omen showed that it is entirely possible.
Rather than being a remake, it's a prequel to the original movie that centres on a young American woman sent to Rome who discovers a dark and terrifying conspiracy.
We know where the story is going, but propelled by a terrific performance from Nell Tiger Free, The First Omen shocks in other ways to be that rare thing: a worthy horror prequel.
Watch now: Prime Video | iTunes | Microsoft Store | Disney+
Abigail
Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett
Cast: Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Angus Cloud, Alisha Weir
Until the excellent first trailer was unleashed in early January 2024, we knew nothing about Abigail – and we kind of wish it had stayed that way.
The new movie from Radio Silence has a brilliant concept that would have absolutely killed if we didn't know it was coming. It sees a group of criminals discover that they've kidnapped a 12-year-old ballerina who just happens to be a vampire.
But even though the big reveal was spoiled, Abigail is still a gory must-see for horror fans. It's both a hilarious self-aware vampire movie and a blood-soaked horror crowd-pleaser.
Watch now: Prime Video | iTunes | Microsoft Store
Infested
Directors: Sébastien Vaniček
Cast: Théo Christine, Sofia Lesaffre, Jérôme Niel, Finnegan Oldfield, Lisa Nyarko
In one of those classic Deep Impact/Armageddon situations, 2024 has given us two spider horrors in quick succession.
Sting is out now in UK cinemas, but it'll be hard to top French horror Infested which sees a group of people fight to survive when a venomous spider turns an apartment building into its own web trap. (This is basically what happens in Sting too.)
Arachnophobes need not apply as Infested might even make spider lovers squirm with its intense creepy-crawly scares.
Watch now: Shudder
A Quiet Place: Day One
Director: Michael Sarnoski
Cast: Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou
A Quiet Place: Day One was embargoed until day of release which had us worried. But when we finally got to see it, the horror prequel blew us away.
With the movie's surprise reveal that Samira (Lupita Nyong'o) was living with a terminal illness, it not only distinguished it from the other two A Quiet Place movies, but also led to an emotional and intense outing that's as good as what's come before.
Most importantly, Frodo the scene-stealing cat survived to nonchalantly walk into an alien nest another day.
Watch now: Prime Video | iTunes | Microsoft Store
Longlegs
Director: Osgood Perkins
Cast: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Blair Underwood, Alicia Witt, Kiernan Shipka
To say Longlegs was anticipated is an understatement. After an excellent marketing campaign and an early 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating, there was surely no chance it could live up to the hype.
But it absolutely does. A more twisted spin on The Silence of the Lambs, Longlegs is an unsettling and unforgettable horror movie that sees Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) attempt to track down a serial killer known as Longlegs.
You won't have ever seen Nicolas Cage quite like he is as Longlegs – and you might never be able to shake it.
Watch now: Prime Video | iTunes | Microsoft Store
In a Violent Nature
Director: Chris Nash
Cast: Ry Barrett, Andrea Pavlovic, Lauren-Marie Taylor
We've had horror movies from a killer's perspective before with the likes of Maniac, but In a Violent Nature pushes it one step further with multiple long takes that make you implicit in the carnage.
The movie follows mute killer Johnny who's accidentally resurrected by a group of teenagers. They soon come to regret it when Johnny relentlessly tracks them down to kill them in the most brutal way.
In a Violent Nature certainly could test the patience of the viewer with sections where not a lot happens. But then it delivers the goriest deaths of the year that, even for a hardened horror fan, are hard to watch.
Watch now: Shudder
Alien: Romulus
Director: Fede Álvarez
Cast: Cailee Spaeny, Isabela Merced, David Jonsson
We had our issues with certain fan service elements of Alien: Romulus, but there's no denying it delivers on the blockbuster chills.
Set between Alien and Aliens, the new movie was directed by Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead, Don't Breathe) and centres on a group of young space colonisers who face off with the Xenomorph.
Elevated by an excellent performance from David Jonsson as synthetic Andy, Alien: Romulus is expertly crafted to remind you just why we were so scared of the Xenomorph in the first place.
Watch now: Prime Video | iTunes | Microsoft Store
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Michael Keaton, Jenna Ortega, Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara, Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe
OK, so Beetlejuice Beetlejuice certainly isn't the scariest movie on this list, but neither was the first movie and like that one, the sequel will become a spooky favourite for Halloween.
After a family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home. When Lydia's daughter Astrid discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic, the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened.
There's absolutely too much going on, but Michael Keaton feels like he's never been away as Betelgeuse, and Tim Burton lets his imagination run riot in the best way.
Watch now: Prime Video | iTunes | Microsoft Store
The Substance
Director: Coralie Fargeat
Cast: Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid
The Substance is not only the most-talked about horror movie of the year, it's also the year's most disgusting horror movie to boot.
Coralie Fargeat's follow-up to 2017's Revenge follows fading celebrity Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), who uses an illegal new drug to create a much younger version of herself (Margaret Qualley). The only catch is each version can only be awake for seven days. What can go wrong?
With Moore and Qualley on excellent form, The Substance packs a gruesome, provocative punch as it skewers Hollywood's obsession with youthful beauty.
Watch now: Prime Video | MUBI
Oddity
Director: Damian McCarthy
Cast: Gwilym Lee, Carolyn Bracken, Tadhg Murphy, Caroline Menton, Jonathan French
Before its release, Oddity was being praised as the scariest horror movie of the year – and it turns out that wasn't overblown hype for once.
Damian McCarthy's movie follows blind medium Darcy (Carolyn Bracken) who, a year after the death of her twin sister Dani, visits Dani's husband (Gwilym Lee) with one of her possessed objects to uncover the truth about her sister's murder.
The real skill of Oddity is that even if you know the scare is coming, it'll still make you jump as McCarthy has an expert handle on building tension. It's relentlessly terrifying, right through to its memorable final shot.
Watch now: Shudder
Terrifier 3
Director: Damien Leone
Cast: David Howard Thornton, Lauren LaVera, Chris Jericho, Samantha Scaffidi
What's more festive than a mute, evil clown on another bloody killing spree? Probably a lot of things, but our reunion with Art the Clown in Terrifier 3 didn't disappoint.
Picking up five years after the events of Terrifier 2, Art is back to bring more terror into the life of Sienna (Lauren LaVera) just as she's trying to piece herself back together. Art's even got a new helper in the form of Terrifier victim Vicky (Samantha Scaffidi).
Writer/director Damien Leone promised even more gore and boundary-pushing kills and he wasn't kidding. It's absolutely soaked in blood and the most offensive Terrifier outing yet. Merry Christmas.
Watch now: Cinemas
Smile 2
Director: Parker Finn
Cast: Naomi Scott, Lukas Gage, Kyle Gallner, Rosemarie DeWitt
Smile was an unexpected horror hit in 2022, and Smile 2 smartly decides to repeat the formula on a much larger scale to deliciously enjoyable effect.
The sequel sees Naomi Scott play popstar Skye Riley, who becomes the latest target for the terrifying curse after her dealer violently kills himself in front of her. Kyle Gallner also reprises his role as Joel, but don't expect to see much of him.
With a career-best performance from Naomi Scott, Smile 2 puts Skye through the wringer for the audience's twisted pleasure, culminating in an outrageous finale.
Watch now: Cinemas
Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.
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