Joey Magidson
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 2023 horror efforts that are on our minds…
Last year (here), I wrote that 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’m doing the same this year, based on my 2023 list (here). With M3GAN (reviewed here) kicking off fright flicks for this year, to look at what else is on the horizon. Below, I’ve collected six films that I think may move the horror needle over the next twelve months. 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 throughout 2023…
Honorable Mention: 65, The Exorcist, Haunted Mansion, Infinity Pool, Insidious 5, Knock at the Cabin, The Last Voyage of the Demeter, Meg 2: The Trench, Salem’s Lot, and Skinamarink
6. Beau is Afraid – Is it even horror? Ari Aster has made two fairly iconic elevated horror films with his prior features, so there’s likely to be at least something horrific going on here. A trailer is coming on Tuesday that could clue us in, but if Aster is playing in his genre sandbox with the help of Joaquin Phoenix, I’m intrigued…
5. Renfield – The trailer for this one, which revealed itself as a horror comedy, really put it on my radar, no pun intended. I also like filmmaker Chris McKay (who I’ve previously interviewed here), which helps. Plus, Nicolas Cage as Dracula? I’m in.
4. MaXXXine – Now, this is maybe a 2024 release, but I’m so pumped for it, I couldn’t avoid mentioning it, given how fast Ti West was able to release X and its prequel Pearl. I really enjoyed X (reviewed here) and found Pearl fascinating (reviewed here), so a sequel is very much something I’m pumped for. West and Mia Goth really have something with this now franchise.
3. Evil Dead Rise – Once again, the trailer makes all the difference. The Evil Dead remake was better than I expected, so this next installment has a higher than usual bar to clear. Especially the Red Band look at this one, however, showcased something gnarly and full of potential. Color me very much intrigued.
2. Scream VI – It’s no secret that I loved Scream last year (my rave is here), so the New York set sequel is not just a horror work I’m excited for, but one of the overall 2023 releases I’m most interested in. Ghostface in the Big Apple, under the care of the same creative team from the last one? Yes please. This could be a real hoot.
1. Saw X – Did you expect anything else? After podcasts (here and here), a rave review for Spiral: From the Book of Saw (here), and a prior Sunday Scaries piece (here), it’s common knowledge that I love the Saw franchise. So, the tenth installment may be aimed more at me than most, but all the same, I just can’t wait…
Stay tuned for all of these horror titles throughout the year!
I’m definitely going to keep my eye on The Last Voyage of the Demeter. André Øvredal doesn’t have a flawless record as a horror filmmaker, but it’s still mostly pretty solid, and focusing an adaptation on a single standalone chapter of a classic novel for a movie is a really good idea that I wish Hollywood would encourage more often.
If nothing else, I love the concept, as you mentioned
I was a bit underwhelmed with Spiral and Scream doesn’t really stand up to repeat viewings in my opinion although that first view was a blast! Nevertheless I’m stoked for the next chapters in these franchises and like Robert I’m really looking forward to The Last Voyage of the Demeter, Ive liked almost all of Ovredal’s previous work.
Fair enough, though both actually held up for me on second viewings during their theatrical run (my ex had wanted to see both so we went after they opened, since this was back before plus ones were allowed again for press screenings last year). Last Voyage definitely has potential…