Many of the 2025 horror movies to be released have been met with not just exceptional ticket sales but critical praise as well. While horror movies have long drawn a substantial crowd, critics aren’t always so keen. However, the cinematic landscape seems to be shifting in 2025.
The last few years have shown us that horror is becoming more critically lauded, with the Oscars starting to recognise the genre more and more. Last year, The Substance was nominated for Best Picture, making it the eighth film of its kind to get the prestigious nod. In 2026, it’s looking like these 3 movies may also be in with a shot.
Sinners
While it certainly does fall into the category of horror, Sinners serves up so much more than blood and guts and jump scares. This sweeping movie, that feels poised to become a future iconic epic, blends multiple genres to form a truly unique cinematic experience. However, what’s worth noting here is that horror is what got butts in seats. The trailers did not reveal Ryan Coogler‘s obscure use of music or his slow-build transcendence from a crime drama to a horror vehicle. This goes to show that audiences still have an insatiable appetite for horror in 2025. The critical acclaim showcases that critics are becoming much more open-minded about the genre. Yes, the film’s multiple brackets may have helped that, but ultimately, the final half of the movie is full on terror and suspense. And this is where Coogler’s idiosyncratic vision proved to be a stroke of genius. Drama and character study kept people intrigued, but terror and chaos got them to stay until the end.
Sinners came out swinging in April 2025, grossing $48 million in its opening weekend and finishing its run with an impressive $365.8 million against a budget of $90 million. It has also been thrown around in Oscar gossip, particularly for its original soundtrack. Jack O’Connell‘s villainous role as Remmick gave him a worldwide recognition boost right before he starred in Danny Boyle‘s 28 Years Later. So, by August 2025, horror fans were nice and warmed up for another scarefest.
Weapons
It almost feels like the genre-merging Sinners paved the way for Zach Cregger‘s equally expectation-flipping horror movie, Weapons. Based on the trailer, many would assume they are walking into another mystery movie centred around a vanishing, or in this case, vanishings. And while on the surface, that is true, Barbarian director Zach Cregger takes the audience on a wild ride that slowly but surely morphs into something you would not expect.
Told through a chaptered format, Weapons weaves in and out of non-linear storytelling as each chapter intricately leaves breadcrumbs for the final showdown. In doing so, the end result feels like what a Quentin Tarantino horror movie would be. It’s equipped with jump scares, creepy foreshadowing, and even light humour in the craziest of moments, making for another unique cinematic experience of the year. In the years to come, it’s hard to imagine that this film will not be seen as a trailblazer of a new-era of horror, one that is not yet named, but likely will receive a sub-genre title. In terms of its success, Weapons has been widely accepted by critics and opened to an incredible $42.5 million in its first weekend in cinemas. When it comes to Oscar contention, many are shouting Amy Madigan‘s name from the rooftops for a Best Supporting Actress nod for her haunting rendition as the evil but utterly captivating Gladys.
Together
Following Weapons, Michael Shanks‘ body horror flick Together showcased that 2025 horror movies are really dominating the landscape. While it may not have reached the blockbuster heights of its genre predecessors, its success tells an equally compelling story about horror’s expanding reach. The film’s $28 million worldwide gross, bolstered by a strong opening weekend performance in the US and Canada, proves that horror’s dominance isn’t limited to big studio tentpoles.
What makes Together‘s performance particularly noteworthy is its impressive 90% “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, demonstrating that critical acclaim for horror continues to flourish in 2025. Unlike the Warner Bros.-backed powerhouses Sinners and Weapons, Shanks’ Together emerged from Neon, a smaller studio working with a considerably more modest budget. Yet this David-versus-Goliath scenario only strengthens the case for horror’s pervasive influence this year. The film’s success illustrates that audiences’ appetites for horror are growing month by month in 2025, with viewers actively seeking out quality scares regardless of studio size or marketing budgets. To that, Together represents the democratization of horror’s dominance – proving that when filmmakers deliver genuine thrills and critical substance, audiences will find them.
Read Next: 5 Slow-Burn Movies That End in Absolute Carnage Like ‘Sinners’
Follow Us
