The Best Horror Movies to Watch This Summer 2026

Horror movies are enjoyable all year round, though summer has a special charm. People are more relaxed and more open to experiencing spine-chilling stories.

Here are the best horror movies to watch during the summer of 2026.

May 2026: A Landmark Month for Original Horror

May 2026 is being hailed as an all-time great month for horror, driven by a remarkable slate of original, non-franchise films. The month kicks off on May 1 with two releases. Hokum, from Oddity director Damian McCarthy, follows a novelist (Adam Scott) investigating a disappearance in a potentially haunted Irish hotel. Also on May 1 is Deep Water, though details on this title are less prominent.

On May 15, Obsession arrives from YouTube filmmaker Curry Barker. This Focus Features release is described as a brutal Monkey's Paw riff, where a young man named Bear makes a wish to win the affection of his crush, with horrifying consequences. May 22 brings Passenger, directed by André Øvredal (The Autopsy of Jane Doe). The film follows a young couple on a road trip who, after witnessing a fatal accident, find themselves pursued by an impossible entity. Also releasing on May 22 is Corporate Retreat.

The final week of May is exceptionally crowded. May 29 sees the release of The Backrooms, a feature film adaptation of the viral found-footage internet phenomenon. The plot follows a therapist whose patient goes missing into a dimension beyond reality, forcing her to enter the unknown to save him. Also on May 29 is Pitfall. Closing the month on May 31 is Speed Demon, a supernatural action-horror film about a demon possessing passengers on a runaway train from Montreal to New York City, starring Katie Cassidy and William H. Macy.

June 2026: Franchise Returns and Blockbuster Ambitions

June 5 is a major date, with the release of Scary Movie (also referred to as Scary Movie 6). The Wayans brothers return to the franchise they originated, marking the first time stars from the original films have been involved since 2006. The film was originally scheduled for June 12 but was moved up by a week. Also on June 5 is Chum.

On June 12, Steven Spielberg's long-mysterious UFO film, now titled Disclosure Day, arrives. Based on a story by Spielberg with a screenplay by David Koepp, the film features an ensemble cast including Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, and Colman Domingo. June 19 sees the release of Leviticus, the feature directorial debut of Adrian Chiarella. The film blends conversion therapy themes with an It Follows-style curse, set in rural Australia.

July 2026: The Return of a Franchise Icon

The major summer horror release for July is Evil Dead Burn on July 24. Directed by French filmmaker Sébastien Vaniček (Infested), this is the sixth film in the Evil Dead franchise. Produced by Sam Raimi, it is described as a standalone nightmare involving the Necronomicon, starring Souheila Yacoub and Hunter Doohan. Some sources initially listed a July 10 date, but July 24 appears to be the confirmed wide release.

August 2026: A Trio of High-Profile Releases

August opens with Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma on August 7. Directed by Jane Schoenbrun (I Saw The TV Glow) and starring Gillian Anderson, it is described as a wonderfully weird and trippy new kind of horror remake set at a summer camp.

On August 14, The End of Oak Street (formerly titled Flowervale Street) hits theaters. Directed by David Robert Mitchell (It Follows), this 80s-set horror/sci-fi film brings dinosaurs to the suburbs and stars Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor.

The summer concludes with Insidious: Out of The Further on August 21. The sixth film in the Insidious franchise, it sees Lin Shaye returning as a direct sequel to The Red Door.