Top 30 Horror Films in 2012
Looking for the best visceral display, suspense and supernatural horror films to see in 2012? Mookychick has it covered, from foreign horror to Lovecraftian thrillers and witty, energetic slashers. Pass the popcorn. Fangs.
And now, in order of release date where possible…
1. Underworld Awakening
Film genre: Action / Fantasy / Horror
Upcoming film release 20 January 2012 (UK)
Swedish director Måns Mårlind masterminds Kate Beckinsale’s reprised role in the latest offering from the Underworld franchise. It has vampires and lycans (werewolves) in it, and Beckinsale looks ridiculously attractive in PVC, and everything is shot in blue. Underworld fans will be really happy. Please don’t worry. Not all the horror films in 2012 will be sequels…
2. The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes
Film genre: Horror
Upcoming film release 27 January 2012 (USA)
Darken 2012 before it’s even had a chance to shine with a slick Miramax found-footage horror directed by Daniel Farrands (The Girl Next Door). The screenplay is, interestingly, by Casey La Scala (Donnie Darko). It showcases events after the original Amytiville movie through found footage from 1976. An ambitious female TV news intern leads a team of paranormal psychologists, journalists and clergymen to find out what really happened… only to discover that she may have opened a door she’ll never be able to close. Actually, The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes is a sequel. But we have plenty of originality to come. Like…
3. The Woman in Black
Film genre: Suspense / Mystery / Horror
Upcoming film release 10 February 2012 (UK)
This spooky Victorian-style horror adaptation of the Susan Hill novel could be a pretty good post-Potter vehicle for Daniel Radcliffe – he looks nice wearing an expression of stalwart trepidation above a heavy Victorian suit. The plot relates the misadventures of a young lawyer stuck in an isolated community along with a ghost woman determined to avenge her past. The trailers suggest that suspense and mystery will be pushed to the fore – we particularly love the scene looking through a creepy old-fashioned rotoscope to see something rather nasty through the gaps beyond…
4. Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters
Film genre: Action / Comedy / Horror
Upcoming film release 2 March 2012 (UK)
Ah yeah! EXCITE! Tommy Wirkola (Dead Snow) co-writes and directs another action comedy horror – and we’re in safe hands, because he knows how to get the comedy-horror balance right. We catch up with Hansel and Gretel 15 years after a nasty incident involving a gingerbread house – and the siblings have grown to become witch-hunting bounty hunters. This should be a crackingly good film, although it’s got Gemma Arterton in it.
Hear the Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters official movie soundtrack: Death Wish
5. The Cabin in the Woods
Film genre: Comedy / Horror
Upcoming film release 13 April 2012 (UK)
This is the cheeky comedy horror film we’ve all been waiting for. Why? It’s co-written by Joss Whedon, that’s why – he’s the king of quirky dialogue and everything he touches turns to gold. A group of teenagers spend a weekend in a mysterious cabin in the middle of the woods, and we’re promised an intriguing twist on the old cabin-in-woods format. What will Joss Whedon (Firefly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer)make of the slasher horror concept? In 2012 we’ll get our long-awaited answer.
6. Skavengers
Film genre: Home Invasion / Foreign Horror (Danish)
Upcoming film release 13 April 2012 (Denmark)
Scandinavian horror has a good name for itself in terms of script and atmosphere (Let the Right One In, Dead Snow, Trollhunter), perhaps because its peoples are brought up in high seasonal contrasts of light and darkness with a highly-developed sense of humour. This is going to be director Nikolaj Tarp’s first feature film, though he did work on TV series The Killing. Although pretty much everyone involved is Danish it’s touted as being an english-language horror film. Actors Vanessa Johansson (Day of the Dead) and Carsten Nørgaard (Alien vs Predator) are not unknowns. Intentional mystery surrounds the nature and appearance of the ‘skavengers’ themselves… let’s hope we’re in for a nasty surprise!
7. Dark Shadows
Film genre: Drama / Mystery / Horror
Upcoming film release 11 May 2012 (USA)
2012 brings you the first of two gothic horror films from Tim Burton. Dark Shadows is based on a TV series and follows the vampire Barnabas as he comes up against other monsters including witches, ghosts and werewolves. We are utterly not surprised to see Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter in it. But we like them, so we won’t be sniffy about it. Christopher Lee also pops up in a role.
8. The Becoming
Film genre: Horror
Upcoming film release 25 May 2012 (USA)
Aw. This is just going to be a good old supernatural mish-mash. The plot involves a dark dawn of supernatural demons that are sort of vampires controlling mankind. It involves scrolls and child sacrifices involving the number 666. It’s going to be pure hokum, obviously. But a bit of hokum is good for you. Fans of Priest will no doubt love it.
9. Prometheus
Film genre: Sci-Fi / Horror
Upcoming film release 1 June 2012 (UK)
OMG OMG gush alert – Ridley Scott is making another sci-fi space horror movie! It’s been too, too long since Alien. The cast looks fantastic: Charlize Theron (Monster) and Guy Pearce (Memento) are listed on the IMDB credits and are hotties who never fail to act, like, seriously properly and stuff. Noomi Rapace’s name is being thrown around as well. We were initially a bit concerned Prometheus might be oh so pretty, pretty vacant – all style and no substance. However, Guy Pearce has got a sixth sense when it comes to picking good scripts. Is Prometheus an Alien prequel? Or a new project? Heavy speculation all round… Just so you know, Prometheus is a wily mythic figure who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals – a more endearing version of Lucifer, Lightbringer. We’re sure the mythos will be sneakily relevant to the plot. We’ll keep you posted… unless you keep us posted first.
10. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Film genre: Thriller / Horror
Upcoming film release 22 August 2012 (UK)
This western Steampunk fantasy horror scratch-mix is going to be JOLLY BRILLIANT AND MUCH, MUCH BETTER THAN ‘LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN’ or we’ll eat our stovepipe hat! President Lincoln’s mother is killed by a supernatural creature and this ghastly mishap fuels his passion to crush vampires and their slave-owning helpers. Of course it does.
11. John Dies At The End
Film genre: Comedy / Fantasy / Horror
Upcoming film release 2012 (USA)
There’s a new street drug in town called Soy Sauce that promises an out-of-body experience with every hit – but some of its users don’t seem entirely human when they come back. With mankind threatened by a silent alien invasion, the world needs a proper hero, not just a pair of malingering college dropouts. Can they save the day? Quite frankly – no. This has a chance of being genuinely good because it’s got lovely Paul Giametti (Sideways) in it! He wouldn’t risk his really excellent reputation as a comedy master on something inane and stupid, so the script is likely to be pretty sharp.
12. Silent Hill: Revelation 3D
Film genre: Mystery / Thriller / Horror
Upcoming film release 2012 (USA)
Heather Mason and her father are fleeing from sinister forces that Heather doesn’t fully understand… Surely we weren’t the only people to secretly adore the original Silent Hill movie? We thought it was a genuine video-game-to-movie success. Atmospheric eye candy with loads of fun nods to the video game, and also featuring Pyramid Head in the flesh. Who is obviously, albeit wrongly, hot. Just this once, we’ll say rah-rah for the 3D element as well. So there. One more bit of good news: Silent Hill: Revelation DOES HAVE PYRAMID HEAD IN IT. Our childhood fantasy comes true – again!
13. The Host 2
Film genre: Monster / Satire / Foreign Horror (Korean)
Upcoming film release 2012 (South Korea)
The Host 2 has a different director (Hao Ning) taking over from Joon Ho-Bong, who helped make The Host one of the top 20 best korean films of all time. It’s been confirmed as a prequel by the producers, who also say The Host 2 will make use of “multiple monsters”. The producers suggest that The Host 2 will have as much political and social comment as the original did. GOOD. Do not miss this.
14. Spectre
Film genre: Supernatural / Thriller / Horror
Upcoming film release 2012 (USA)
Having become a quiet box office success with Insiduous, James Wan (Saw) is taking on a £10 million horror film with Nicole Kidman (The Others) as the lead (well, there’s been talk of it since Cannes, and her name’s now listed in the credits on IMDB). This may not end up being a horror flick of lasting value, but rest assured it will be a slick but low budget chiller with plenty of spooks and jumps. We liked that other low budget horror, The Others – Kidman could turn out to be perfect for this role.
15. Stoker
Film genre: Drama / Thriller / Horror
Upcoming film release 2012 (USA)
A teenage girl mourns the death of her father – but also has to deal with an uncle who mysteriously shows up to meet her family. This is a guaranteed MUST-SEE because, as well as starring Mia Wasikowska and Nicole Kidman (her second horror film of the year) it’s directed by the fabled Chan-wook Park (Oldboy) who’s done, like, probably a third of all the best korean movies ever. Write his name in gold.
16. Frankenweenie
Film genre: Animation / Comedy / Horror
Upcoming film release 5 October 2012 (UK)
Christmas comes but once a year – in 2012, Tim Burton visits twice, and he’s timed this particular quirky horror fantasy perfectly for Halloween. What happens when young Victor’s pet dog Sparky (who stars in Victor’s home-made monster movies) is hit by a car? Frankenweenie stars Winona Ryder. It may be worth mentioning that Johnny Depp is not in it. Helena Bonham-Carter is also not in it. We are looking forward to the animation: Tim Burton has a lovely gothic art style.
Part 1 of Frankenweenie – Tim Burton’s original short film (Watch part 2)
17. Suspiria 2012 Remake
Film genre: Horror
Upcoming film release 2012 (USA)
Um. We didn’t really want to mention this, because it made us feel grubby and soiled, but David Gortdon Green is giving Dario Argento’s hyperstylized giallo horror masterpiece Suspiria a remake. Let’s not be sniffy – if you’re a blossoming young horror fan there’s no reason why you should know that watching the 1977 original Suspiria is like going to horror film church. You may well be blown away by the remake and use it as a launch pad to checking out older horror film masterpieces you missed the first time round. In which case, we won’t be mean – we’ll just suggest you watch the original version AS WELL. The plot? An aspiring dancer ends up in a dance academy for girls that is not as it seems…
Enjoy the eerie International trailer for the original Suspiria, with its outstanding musical score by The Goblin…
18. Mama
Film genre: Foreign Horror
Upcoming film release 2012 (USA)
Annabel and Lucas are faced with the challenge of raising his young nieces that were left alone in the forest for 5 years… but how alone were they? We don’t know what the quality control on this film will be like, but the premise of feral / isolated children is always interesting. Dir: Andres Muschietti With: Jessica Chastain.
19. Zon 261
Film genre: Zombies / Foreign Horror (Swedish)
Upcoming film release 2012 (Sweden)
Swedish horror movie Zon 261’s director / writer Frederik Hiller is better known for his acting (Beowulf, Vallander). But actors get behind the camera all the time. Anyway – it’s zombie time! A southern Swedish is cut off from civilisation after an zombie outbreak, and the trapped and isolated swedes must band together to survive the zombie onslaught. Visceral display, guns, zombies and (probably) snow! Excellent.
20. The Devil’s Mile
Film genre: Supernatural / Thriller / Horror
Upcoming film release 2012 (USA)
There simply aren’t enough Lovecraftian horror films these days – especially since The Mountains of Madness got cancelled by greedy studio execs who tried to force Benito del Torro to make a PG13 Lovecraft movie. If you DO want to watch a Lovecraft horror, get your teeth round ‘In the Mouth of Madness’ immediately. It’s great. Moving on… Billed as a relentlessly-paced hybrid of gritty crime thriller and Lovecraftian supernatural horror, The Devil’s Mile sees the kidnapper of two teenage girls take an ill-advised detour en route to their employer, only for kidnappers and victims alike to become trapped on a road they may never escape…
21. The Lords of Salem
Film genre: Supernatural / Thriller / Horror
Upcoming film release 2012 (USA)
The hapless residents of Salem, Massachusetts are visited by a centuries-old coven of witches in a low-budget kitsch visceral display horror that cost just over £1 million to make. Yay! Rob Zombie’s made another film! He may not be the best director in the world, but he’s a talented horror fan who really understands the genre, and his direction’s getting better. Of course we’ll watch. As an added bonus, the film stars Sheri Moon Zombie.
22. Mortis Rex
Film genre: Action / Thriller / Horror
Upcoming film release 2012 (USA)
It’s Scotland in 122 AD. A disgraced Roman war hero is sent to defend a Roman garrison stationed in remote Scotland from a series of mysterious killings. Peter Briggs directs. If it’s set in Scotland, the cinematography should be excellent. And we’ve thoroughly enjoyed the ‘Roman centurion’ horror trend in recent years. Centurion was huge fun. Roman soldiers weeing on each other off the tops of walls? Brilliant!
23. Resident Evil: Retribution
Film genre: Action / Thriller / Horror
Upcoming film release 14 September 2012 (UK)
Guess if director Paul W.S. Anderson’s wife Mila Jovovich (The 5th Element) is in the latest installment of the Resident Evil film franchise. Go on – guess! Of course she is – she’s a supermodel and the director’s wife, and she’s been in all the others. We’ll watch it because it will have Jovovich makes a lovely Alice, and we enjoy the machinations of the Umbrella Corporation, and we don’t have an aversion to special effects. We’ll watch because… we always do.
24. Dark Moon
Film genre: Thriller / Horror
Upcoming film release 28 September 2012 (USA)
We’re tentatively looking forward to this horror thriller from director Olatunde Osunsanmi (The Fourth Kind), even though we’re not that keen on Osunsanmi’s other work. But Dark Moon’s plot concerns a black ops mission to the moon with disturbing consequences. Moon-based sci-fi horror films are always great for cinematography and claustrophobic atmosphere. If the director wants to add in some gung-ho black ops gunplay? Not a problem.
25. Grabbers
Film genre: Comedy / Sci-Fi / Horror
Upcoming film release 2012 (UK)
Comedy horrors are a risky affair, so the quality of Grabbers will entirely depend on sufficiently endearing actors and a sharp script. A lovely old Irish fishing village is invaded by nasty tentacled squidgies from the sea, intent on picking off the villagers one by one. The survivors discover that the only way to keep the horros at bay is to fill their blood with alcohol, as foul-tasting boozy blood is the only thing that seems to repel the creatures…
26. [REC] Apocalypse
Film genre: Action / Horror
Upcoming film release 2012 (USA)
We would argue that after an excellent start the [REC] franchise has remained pretty strong. But then… we also didn’t find 28 Weeks Later as disappointing as everyone else claimed, so we’ll let you be the judge of our taste. A sign of good things to come is that the director for [REC] Apocalypse has been confirmed as Jaume Balagueró, who handled both the original and its ‘appearances can be deceiving’ sequel…
27. Second Origin
Film genre: Adventure / Sci-Fi / Foreign Horror (Spanish)
Upcoming film release 2012 (Spain)
Spanish horror is at the top of its game, and the director of Second Original, Bigas Luna (Jamon Jamon) means this is definitely worth keeping an eye on. We’re intrigued by the Adam-and-Eve plot which has been out of fashion in recent years. After the destruction of Earth’s civilisation, a white girl Alba (14) and a black boy Didac (9) are humanity’s only survivors and are obliged to start civilisation all over again…
28. The Monkey’s Paw
Film genre: Foreign Horror (Spanish)
Upcoming film release 2012 (Spain)
Before the Fall, a drama about a meteorite falling to earth, was well-received – so we have high hopes for this Spanish horror film from director F. Javier Gutiérrez. We have no plot details yet but, but the film’s title may relate to the 1902 short horror story by W.W.Jacobs of the same name, in which the monkey’s paw is a magical talisman that grants the user three wishes… which come at an enormous price. Again, spanish horror films are consistently high quality at the moment… fingers crossed this is as scary and absorbing as Il Orfanato.
29. The Letters
Film genre: Thriller / Horror
Upcoming film release 2012 (USA)
Coastal California, 1978. To the horror of his pregnant wife, a bright young teacher begins to unravel after the suicide of his wayward twin brother. Director Todd Fjelsted’s recent film, Little Birds, was excellent. The Letters is going to be really moody and psychological and scary and slow-building. It’s going to be cool.
30. World War Z
Film genre: Action / Sci-Fi / Horror
Upcoming film release 21 December 2012 (USA)
Brad Pitt stars. In the wake of the zombie apocalypse, A UN representative, writing a report on the great zombie war, interviews survivors. Will probably be more action-y than red blooded horror. Still, we expect big bucks, big SFX and big script. The film will be loosely based on the Max Brooks novel “World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War”, itself a follow-up to his satire “The Zombie Survival Guide”.
There are so many films we could have included… like Djinn, by Tobe Hooper (Poltergeist). But he’s spent the last few years doing TV and his occasional recent movies have had titles like ‘Crocodile’, for heaven’s sake. We simply couldn’t trust Djinn to be any good and will have to wait and see. We could also have mentioned the remakes of The Stand (we reckon it’ll be great) and Rocky Horror Picture Show (if it doesn’t have Richard O’Brien, what’s the point?) and Hellraiser (we reckon it’ll be poo. Seriously, there’s no need) and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (weak film made great TV series, about to be made into a film… again. Is 2012 the year of the remake, or something?). We could also have gone on to mention Ligeia (a short story by Edgar Allen Poe made into a feature film), HorrorCon (something about a mad horror author filmed on location at horror conventions) and a million other things. At the end of the day, there are more horror movies coming out in 2012 than there are days in the year. We’ll keep you posted if we missed any really good ones off our list… or you can tell us yourself on our messageboard or twitter.
When it comes to top-notch horror films, looks like 2012 is going to be a good year… if only they could lay off the remakes. xxx
Horror films in 2012: Cabin in the Woods
Horror films in 2012: Prometheus concept art
Pyramid Head – Silent Hill: Revelation 3D (thanks to Bloody Disgusting)
Concept art from The Host 2
Lovecraftian horror 2012 – The Devil’s Mile
Horror films in 2012: The Becoming
Horror films in 2012: The Grabbers
Amityville Horror – The Lost Tapes
Prometheus film poster. Fan art, but nicely done. Love the Giger visual references of the coiling tunnels…
Horror films in 2012: Frankenweenie