5 Upcoming Movies That Could Be the Next ‘Obsession’ or ‘Backrooms’: Horror’s New Wave Is Coming for Your Sleep
The cultural moment that ‘Backrooms’ created has made one thing unmistakably clear: audiences are hungry for horror with atmosphere, mythology, and the kind of slow dread that lingers long after the credits end. Released by A24 on May 29, 2026, the film directed by Kane Parsons expanded a viral internet creepypasta into a full psychological and sci-fi horror story about a mysterious dimension hidden beyond reality, and its impact on the genre conversation has been immediate.
The appetite for that kind of obsessive, community-driven horror experience is not going anywhere. From analog nightmare fuel rooted in internet folklore to studio-backed body horror and prestige werewolf films, the pipeline of potentially culture-defining releases stretches well into next year, and several of them have all the ingredients needed to ignite the same kind of fixation that ‘Backrooms’ sparked.
‘Evil Dead Burn’ Is Coming for a New Generation of Deadite Fans
‘Evil Dead Burn’ stars Souheila Yacoub, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan, and Tandi Wright, and follows a woman seeking solace with her in-laws after the loss of her husband, only for one by one they are transformed into Deadites in a family reunion from hell. The film is directed by Sébastien Vaniček, who impressed Sam Raimi enough with ‘Infested’ to earn him complete creative control over the project.
Evil Dead series creator Sam Raimi selected Vaniček as director after being impressed with his work on ‘Infested’, and Vaniček stated his intention was to create a visceral, sensory experience that punches the audience in the gut. With a July 10, 2026, release date, this franchise entry arrives with genuine auteur credibility behind it.
‘Resident Evil’ Puts Zach Cregger in the Driver’s Seat
The new adaptation will not retell existing video game storylines such as Leon Kennedy’s journey, instead offering an original survival horror narrative set within the franchise universe, with actor Austin Abrams leading the cast as a new character navigating the outbreak chaos of Raccoon City. Director Zach Cregger, known for ‘Barbarian’ and ‘Weapons’, has spoken about respecting the games while telling a story that doesn’t compete with them.
‘Resident Evil’ carries an $80 million budget and is scheduled for release on September 18, 2026, with cinematography by Dariusz Wolski and a supporting cast that includes Paul Walter Hauser, Zach Cherry, and Kali Reis. Cregger’s instinct for character-driven dread in strange spaces makes this one of the year’s most genuinely intriguing propositions.
‘Clayface’ Is DC’s First Real Foray Into Body Horror
DC Studios describes ‘Clayface’ as its first-ever foray into the genre, with the film directed by James Watkins from a screenplay credited to Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, and set for a Halloween release on October 23, 2026. Tom Rhys Harries stars as Matt Hagen, a rising Hollywood actor whose face is brutally disfigured, setting him on a path toward a scientist who transforms his body into clay.
The film has been described as a Cronenberg-esque body horror movie specifically said to echo Cronenberg’s 1986 remake of ‘The Fly’, and it would be the first DC-branded horror movie since Wes Craven’s ‘Swamp Thing’ adaptation in 1982. The combination of Flanagan’s script and Watkins’ direction gives this a pedigree that horror fans have every reason to follow closely.
‘Werwulf’ Is Robert Eggers at His Most Ambitious
‘Werwulf’ is set in 13th-century England, centers on a mysterious creature stalking the foggy medieval countryside as local folklore transforms into terrifying reality for the villagers, and is co-written by Eggers and Icelandic poet Sjón. The cast brings together Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe, and Ralph Ineson in what Eggers himself has reportedly called the darkest script he has ever written.
The film is slated to come out on December 25, 2026, and it is said to be Eggers’ scariest film yet, following the enormous critical and commercial success of his ‘Nosferatu’ reimagining. A Christmas Day release for a medieval werewolf horror film is exactly the kind of counterprogramming that becomes an instant conversation piece.
‘Paranormal Activity 8’ Promises to Reinvent the Franchise
Paramount has set a May 21, 2027, release date for the next ‘Paranormal Activity’ movie, co-financed with Blumhouse-Atomic Monster and directed by Ian Tuason, with James Wan and Jason Blum producing alongside franchise creator Oren Peli. Plot details remain under wraps, but Tuason has been forthcoming about the creative direction.
Tuason told Bloody Disgusting that camera technology will be a significant element of the film, saying the franchise could not be rebooted in any other way, and that technology has advanced to a point where it has become a central part of what he wants to accomplish. For a franchise that essentially built the modern found-footage template, that ambition is reason enough to pay attention well ahead of its release.
Whether you are drawn to the claustrophobia of a blood-filled ocean or the fog of a medieval English moor, these films each carry a distinct quality that could turn casual viewers into devoted communities — so which of them do you think has the best shot at becoming the next great horror fixation, and why?
