10 of the Most Disturbing 2024 Horror Movies You (Probably) Haven’t Heard Of
2024 horror has already been off to a remarkable start. We’ve had The First Omen, a prequel that defied expectations and is sure to be one of the year’s scariest releases. Love Lies Bleeding, A24’s first big genre-bending release, is destined to be a classic. Seriously, it’s so, so good. Out of Darkness came out of nowhere to wow audiences, and indie slasher Departing Seniors, while criminally underseen, remains criminally good. Oh, and Infested recently released on Shudder and I haven’t been okay since. I really, really hate spiders.
There’s been the entrancing Civil War, stylish Late Night With the Devil, gritty Arcadian, and poptastic Lisa Frankenstein. Luckily, the year isn’t over yet, and there are plenty more frightening, disturbing movies coming down the pipeline. Here, I’ll be highlighting ten of the most disturbing movies set to be released between now and the end of the year. These may not be the movies with the highest profiles, but these are the ones you’ll want to keep your eyes on.
Exhuma, dir. Jang Jae-hyun
This South Korean supernatural horror show has already been released in some territories, though it’s presently in the process of being rolled out in the West. Some regions are poised for May and June theatrical releases. In Exhuma, grave excavation unleashes unbridled terror. Anyone who has ever seen a South Korean occult horror movie knows the results won’t be pretty.
I Saw the TV Glow, dir. Jane Schoenbrun
While I Saw the TV Glow is poised to disturb, it’s just as likely to set your heart ablaze. It was my favorite watch out of this year’s Sundance Film Festival, and I cannot wait to see how everyone responds to Schoenbrun’s inimitable style and heart when I Saw the TV Glow releases wide on May 17.
In a Violent Nature, dir. Chris Nash
I remain bummed that I didn’t get a chance to catch In a Violent Nature at this year’s Sundance. Nash’s feature looks to subvert camp carnage expectations with a violent slasher told from the killer’s POV. I’ve heard the deaths here are relentless and I’ll definitely be there when this 2024 horror sensation hits theaters on May 31.
Longlegs, dir. Osgood Perkins
If you’re like me, you’ve probably been avoiding the pretty remarkable marketing push for Longlegs. I saw the teaser, though I’ve been hesitant to watch much more. I don’t want to know what’s going on, but from the little I’ve seen, I know I’m going to love it. Osgood Perkins’ serial killer tale arrives, with Nicolas Cage in tow, on July 12. Here’s hoping it’s this summer’s Cobweb.
Humane, dir. Caitlin Cronenberg
Caitlin Cronenberg—yes, of that Cronenberg lineage—is hitting the scene hard this year with their directorial debut, Humane. In the wake of an environmental disaster, the human race is tasked with volunteering for a forced euthanasia program. It looks moody, broody, and frightening all the same. Don’t miss this wild 2024 horror tale when it arrives on Shudder on July 26 (it’s also out on digital now).
Cuckoo, dir. Tilman Singer
I’m cuckoo for Tilman Singer’s Cuckoo. It’s impossible to describe without giving its best, most absurd secrets away, but suffice to say, Hunter Schaefer steals the show as a 17-year-old forced to contend with weird goings-on at a remote resort. It’s weird, it’s violent, it’s fantastic. Neon is set to release Cuckoo theatrically on August 9.
Speak No Evil, dir. James Watkins
Speak No Evil was one of 2022’s scariest movies. It was unrelenting in its cold, calculating approach to blasé violent and politeness wielded as weakness. While a remake announcement was made at the time, news has been scare until Blumhouse dropped the trailer just a few weeks ago. Whether it can match the original’s cruel effect remains to be seen, though there is promise in taking such a culturally distinct conceit and applying an Americanized lens. Check out Speak No Evil when it releases September 13.
Never Let Go, dir. Alexandre Aja
Alexandre Aja’s name is all I needed to hear. Adding Halle Berry to the mix is just the icing on top. The broad synopsis right now suggests a family, haunted for years by an evil presence, contending with the idea that the evil might not have been real at all. Little is known beyond that, but we’ll know for certain when Aja’s first directorial outing since Netflix original Oxygen hits theaters September 27.
Oddity, dir. Damien McCarthy
While Oddity doesn’t yet have a release date, odds are good that this creepy mannequin shocker will arrive some time before the end of the year. Plot details are limited beyond those who have seen it, but our own Mary Beth McAndrews called Oddity a “very scary movie that cuts you to the bone with every new twist and turn” in her review out of this year’s SXSW Film Festival Keep your eyes on Dread Central where we’ll be certain to share a release date once we have one.
Presence, dir. Steven Soderbergh
Presence is going to shock a lot of people. It’s going to annoy just as many others. You can check out my review here for a mostly spoiler-free read but know that Presence is unlike any haunted house movie you’ve ever seen. It remains plenty scary and disturbing, just not in the way you’d expect. Neon acquired the distribution rights after its premiere, so the odds are solid we’ll see it hitting theaters before the year comes to a close.
What about you? Which 2024 horror release are you most looking forward to? Let me know over on Twitter @Chadiscollins where I’m always down to chat about horror old and new (or perennially delayed… come on, Salem’s Lot).
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