Ava Mac ‘21, Editor-in-Chief
It is no secret that 2020 is something straight out of a horror movie—practically stealing pages from the likes of Contagion (2011) and Pandemic (2016). But in a way, that makes it all the more comforting to watch a scary movie and witness a world much more frightening than our own with far-flung threats like ghosts and monsters.
For those looking for an escape from this worldwide nightmare, the movie industry is getting back on track, and the horror titles you have been waiting to watch for so long have now been given a new release date. Here is a list of scary movies that you can expect to see hit screens in the coming months.
Come Play Oct. 20, 2020
Taking a modern twist on the “kid-accidentally-befriends-evil-ghosts” horror movie cliché, Come Play tells the story of a young, non-verbal autistic boy named Oliver who struggles to make friends at his school. He, as so many other kids these days, finds comfort in his technology at hand. But when a malevolent being called “Larry” takes advantage of Oliver’s devices and attempts to break into reality, Oliver’s parents must fight this creature to keep it out of their world.
Director Jacob Chase’s short film, Larry, from which Come Play was adapted, gives audiences a glimpse of what the titular creature is capable. For those dying to see more of Larry before the feature film’s release, you can check out the five-minute short film on YouTube.
Freaky Nov. 13, 2020
Freaky is a twisted take on the family comedy Freaky Friday, but instead of switching bodies between mother and daughter, Freaky switches the bodies of a teenage girl named Millie and a serial killer called The Blissfield Butcher. Made by the same mind behind the Happy Death Day franchise, Freaky has a similar curse in that our main character Millie must get her body back in 24 hours or the switch becomes permanent.
Fans who loved the thrill and hilarity of Happy Death Day can expect the same level of excitement with Freaky as it releases in the next few weeks.
Antlers Feb. 19, 2021
Based on a short story called “The Quiet Boy” by Nick Antosca, Antlers takes place in a small town in Oregon where a series of strange, animalistic attacks threaten the community. School teacher Julia Meadows and her brother, the local sheriff, Paul Meadows, become entangled in the mystery as one of Julia’s students shows a concerning knowledge of the creatures at hand.
With Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water’s famed director Guillermo del Toro on board as a producer, Antlers’ creature will be one for all to remember in fear. The monster is based on the wendigo, an infamous legend of the Algonquian folklore. When discussing the design of such a beast, del Toro said, “We have to remember [we are] not creating a monster, [we are] creating a god… so the design needs to have elements that are completely unnatural, that are almost surreal or abstract.”
A Quiet Place Part II April 23, 2021
The sequel to John Krasinksi’s A Quiet Place has been heavily anticipated since its initial release in 2018, and after production being put off for so many months the sequel is finally in the works. Following the remaining Abbott family members, the fight to survive in silence continues as they navigate terrors old and new.
However, a sequel was not originally in Krasinksi’s plan. “It’s one of those things where I [was not] really going to do a second one because the first one was such a personal experience,” Krasinksi said, adding that the movie was a love letter to his kids and his experience as a father. “It was really important for me to continue the metaphor, and so we actually [started] dealing with how this all started.”
Last Night In Soho – April 23, 2021
Although a trailer has yet to be released, and information from cast and crew is limited, what we currently know of Last Night in Soho is that it depicts the story of a young girl named Eloise. Passionate about fashion and obsessed with the 1960s, Eloise mysteriously time travels to London in that same time period. While she gets the opportunity to meet her idol, a singer by the name of Sandy, nothing is as it seems, and time begins to fall apart as a result.
Last Night in Soho will be director Edgar Wright’s first horror movie, whose past works include action cult-classics such as Baby Driver and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. It will be interesting to see how this director takes on this new genre, and how he will do so in his own iconic style.
Many things in our world may be up in the air, but as far as movies go, we can look forward to seeing these horror films in the next six months.
Lyon Life 