2026 has been a whirlwind of genre films hitting the streets. While I have been lucky to put my eyes on many of the releases from this year, there are still movies I am looking forward to. These are five movies that I want to shove into my retinas as soon as they are available. I am ecstatic that most of these are not remakes of an extended franchise!
5. Leviticus
Release Date: June 19th, 2026
I may have cheated for my first selection, because I got a chance to see Leviticus at the Overlook Film Festival. Nonetheless, I am still excited to catch it again in theaters. Yes, you read that right, I am willing to pay money to see it again once it releases. It has well-timed scares, incredible tension, engaging performances, and an interesting entity to fight against. The romantic scenes can get very steamy, but you’ll need to gird your loins for all the hate crimes you’ll witness on the way to the resolution. Still, it’s worth a watch, especially if you liked It Follows. The film is about two boys who fight to escape an evil entity that appears as the person they desire most.
4. Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
Release Date: August 7th, 2026
I have avoided most of this trailer like the plague, but I am certain that I want to see Teenage Sea and Death at Camp Miasma. I have only seen small glimpses of the trailer: cryptic dialogue here, a mystery tape there, and a fountain of blood that reminds me of Japanese splatter films. That’s all I needed to sign myself up for whatever this experience is going to be. It also helps that Jane Schoebrun (I Saw The TV Glow) is directing this film. I know the visuals will be out of this world! This movie follows a queer filmmaker hired to direct a new installment of a long-running slasher franchise. While there’s more to the premise, I think we should all go in knowing less.
3. Buddy
Release Date: September 4th, 2026
I missed the opportunity to see Buddy at the Overlook Film Festival, and I am still experiencing FOMO. This film follows a group of amnesiac children who live in an episodic world of It’s Buddy. The dynamics begin to change after a child disappears. Director Casper Kelly is responsible for Too Many Cooks, Adult Swim Yule Log, and the Fun Size segment of V/H/S Halloween, which are movies I rewatch. He brings a certain vibe of humor and terror that works well together. I also love the idea of a Barneyesque villain as a child who grew up in the 90’s with Barney slippers and VHS tapes that lined the wall. I will be in the front row!
2. Resident Evil
Release Date: September 18th, 2026
I haven’t seen any of the trailers for Zack Cregger’s Resident Evil, but I don’t need to. It’s Resident Evil, so I will be present for research at the minimum, for entertainment at best. I am still excited to see what Cregger does with the franchise. I know that some people may have forced closed the app/blog once they got to this title, but I assure you, this won’t be the worst movie in the franchise (Trust me, I have seen them all!). I think that his other films, Barbarian and Weapons, take unexpected turns, and that’s what I am most excited for. Resident Evil has so much lore that the story can go anywhere and still be effective. The film follows a medical courier in a desperate fight against bloodthirsty, mutated creatures.
1. Never After Dark
Released Date: September 25th, 2026
Never After Dark follows a traveling psychic who encounters a powerful entity that leads her to unexpected dark secrets and deadly threats. Before I read the synopsis, the blend of genres caught my eye. The phrase “Japanese supernatural horror” is usually enough for me to at least add a movie to a list. Never After Dark is also listed under crime, which makes me think that the human plot points will be extra juicy. I love going into a horror movie for scares and also leaving with the drama. I can’t wait to see how the humans are the villains!
I can’t wait to see which films end up on my top 10 list by the end of the year. I’m banking on Buddy!
