Sunday Scaries: 2022 Horror Efforts to Anticipate

The Sunday Scaries are upon us once again! Yes, as the weekend concludes, most of us feel an oncoming sense of anticipatory dread about the week ahead. Anxiety about work manifests itself into a feeling that’s known as the Sunday Scaries. However, we at Awards Radar are here to combat that, by taking back the name. Now, we want you think about a horror-centric piece on the site when you hear the term. So, let us continue on with another installment of the Awards Radar Sunday Scaries! Today, we look forward to some of the 2022 fright flicks that are on our minds…

If you were to peruse my list of the 2022 releases to look forward to (here), you’ll notice that some horror movies are littered throughout. So, I thought it made sense this weekend, with Scream a few days away from kicking off fright flicks for this year, to look at what else is on the horizon. Below, I’ve collected six films (plus an Honorable Mention, as well as a Special Citation) that I think may move the horror needle. Of course, some will underwhelm, while others will surprise that we’re not even thinking of. That’s kind of the fun here, right?

Here now a half dozen options for horror movies this year that could thrill genre fans…

(Special Citation: Scream, which our review for will be up in a few days. Who knows, maybe that will be the subject of next week’s Sunday Scaries?)

Honorable Mention: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (it would technically be cheating, but Sam Raimi may be infusing some horror into the Marvel Cinematic Universe)

6. Hellraiser – If not for David Bruckner being in the director’s chair, this wouldn’t have cracked the list. However, The Night House was one of last year’s best horror films (as mentioned here), so he’s got my attention. This franchise has long since devolved into trash from its unsettling roots, so if Bruckner can bring Hellraiser back to some form of glory, he’ll only increase his genre bonafides.

5. Texas Chainsaw Massacre – This new incarnation of the series for Netflix could go any number of ways. We haven’t seen Leatherface truly terrify in a while, but this take does have potential. Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one to watch out for, even if it’s unlikely to leave a huge cultural fingerprint or anything of the sort.

4. The Black Phone – Seeing Ethan Hawke as a villain in a Scott Derrickson fright flick has me pretty intrigued. Early reviews for this one, which has been delayed until deeper in 2022, have been solid, so that’s a plus. The pair have something going, so The Black Phone is one to keep a close eye on.

3. Disappointment Blvd. – Anything Ari Aster makes in the genre is worthy of consideration. Apparently, this is a horror comedy, which only makes me more curious. Throw in Joaquin Phoenix and really anything is possible here. Hereditary may have underwhelmed me (and possibly me alone), but I did love Midsommar. A lot depends on how much Aster leans into either the comedy or the horror, but count me in for Disappointment Blvd.

2. Halloween Ends – Maybe I’m alone now, but I have to see how this section of the franchise wraps up. David Gordon Green has made Michael Myers as brutal as we’ve ever seen him, which I can appreciate. While Halloween Kills didn’t measure up to Halloween, I’m invested in this particular story. So, count me in for the final chapter that is Halloween Ends.

1. Nope – I mean, this is obvious, right? Jordan Peele‘s latest is a complete unknown, but after winning an Oscar for Get Out and following it up with Us, he’s earned our trust. He trusts himself, too, since you don’t title something Nope without it. This is the horror title that has the most Academy Award buzz, too, which makes it a must see on several levels.

Stay tuned for all of these horror titles throughout the year!