It’s the start of another year – and decade – and thoughts turn to the onslaught of film releases that are upon us through 2020.
We have already compiled a list of some of the films we are looking forward to here at Zavvi, but here we dig a little deeper into a genre that always gets bums on (and sometimes off) seats: horror.
Invisible men, demonic possessions, witches and the return of some old friends are just some of the treats in store this year.
The Turning (24th January)
Universal Pictures
One of the first out of the block is The Turning, a film which a few years ago was almost made by Steven Spielberg.
Ultimately he would step aside, but his Amblin Entertainment and Dreamworks production companies are still behind it, with director Floria Sigismondi (The Handmaid’s Tale, American Gods) behind the camera.
Set around a mysterious estate in the Maine countryside, newly appointed nanny Kate (Mackenzie Davis) is charged with the care of two disturbed orphans, Flora (Brooklynn Prince) and Miles (Finn Wolfhard) before strange happenings begin to occur.
Fantasy Island (14th February)
Sony Pictures Releasing
Based on the television series from the 1970’s, which starred Ricardo Montalban (Star Trek: The Wrath Of Khan), it has been long-rumoured a film version would come about and now, thanks to Blumhouse, we have our remake.
A group of guests are invited to a remote island by the mysterious Mr. Roarke (Ant-Man’s Michael Pena) where all their fantasies can come true – at a price.
The Invisible Man (28th February)
Universal Pictures
A remake of the classic horror film of the same name, this 21st-century re-imagining comes from writer/director Leigh Whannell, who wrote the first Saw film and made 2018’s brilliant Upgrade.
Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale) stars as Cecilia, a brilliant scientist who is trying to escape an abusive relationship when her ex (The Haunting Of Hill House star Oliver Jackson-Cohen) kills himself, but it may have all been a hoax.
Is Cecilia being stalked by him from beyond the grave, or something more sinister?
A Quiet Place: Part II (20th March)
Paramount Pictures
Everyone LOVED A Quiet Place when it was released two years ago but no-one, even the filmmakers themselves, knew just what a phenomenon it was to become, grossing $340.9 million from its paltry $17 million budget.
A sequel was inevitable and we’ve just had a first look at the film, with Emily Blunt’s Evelyn trying to navigate through the unknown, with her children (Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, and newborn baby), following the tragic events.
Cillian Murphy and Djimon Hounsou are along for the ride this time, with John Kransinki back to direct.
Antebellum (24th April)
Lionsgate
Produced by the team who brought us the similarly social-led thrillers Get Out and Us, Antebellum stars Janelle Monae as a successful author who finds herself trapped in a nightmarish reality – the Antebellum era of the Civil War, so the trailer alludes too – and must find a way to break free of the horrors.
Atmospheric, chilling and hard-hitting, this one could be a big breakout hit, with Kiersey Clemons, Jack Huston, Jena Malone, and Gabourey Sidibe also starring.
The Organ Donor (TBC May)
Lionsgate
Yep, Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Rock are now part of the Saw franchise, wonders never cease.
Serving as part nine of the long-running horror series, this is very much under wraps, but it was Rock who served as the catalyst for making it, coming up with the story of the film which helped lure director Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II, III and IV) back to direct.
Whether Jigsaw makes another appearance remains to be seen, but expect twisted games and blood galore with this one.
Candyman (12th June)
TriStar Pictures
Another long-gestating remake of a classic horror film, this one has been shepherded to the screen by Oscar winner Jordan Peele, writer/director of Get Out and Us.
Co-writing the script with Win Rosenfield, the new film serves as a ‘spiritual sequel’, in the same vein as Halloween, and returns to the neighbourhood of the original as a student writes their essays about the Candyman legend.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Aquaman), Teyonah Parris (If Beale Street Could Talk) star, with Tony Todd returning.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (11th September)
Warner Bros. Pictures
It’s been four years since our last spooky outing with the Warrens (Annabelle Come Home notwithstanding, it was a prequel after all) but finally, we are going ghost hunting once more with the reportedly final chapter of the trilogy.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return with Michael Chaves (The Curse Of La Llorona) taking over directing duties from James Wan in what is described as the duo’s most shocking and terrifying case of all, one that saw a murder suspect use demonic possession as his defence.
Halloween Kills (16th October)
Universal Pictures
The first of the two sequels to 2018’s hugely successful reboot/remake/reimagining/sequel that saw Jamie Lee Curtis return as Laurie Strode, the character is still suffering from PTSD after her first encounter with serial murderer Michael Myers.
After her latest showdown with him, the ever unkillable killer is still lurking, and with Laurie’s family at even greater risk, she is ready for a double-whammy battle with a third film, Halloween Ends, due for release in 2021, with David Gordon Green and Danny McBride both returning to complete the trilogy.
The Witches (16th October)
Warner Bros.
Technically not a horror film per se, but dammit if both the Roald Dahl book and 1990 original film didn’t scare the bejesus out of countless children across the globe, so it’s going on our list.
A reimagining of the classic story by a dream team of Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuaron, Kenya Barris, and Robert Zemeckis, the new vision shifts the action to 1960’s Alabama with Anne Hathaway playing The Grand High Witch alongside Octavia Spencer, Staley Tucci and newcomers Jahzir Bruno and Codie-Lei Eastick.
