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2024 Horror Forecast: Scary Movies Releasing in 2024

A while back, my horror forecast determined it was raining horror movies for the foreseeable future. Put on your raincoats, kids, because it looks like in 2024, we’re in for a torrential downpour. From novel adaptations to sequels to remakes, icons reborn, and even *original ideas*, 2024 is set to be jam-packed with horror movies. So, please sit back and get your flashlights ready; here are some of the new horror movies coming in 2024 that we’re dying to see. 

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A while back, my horror forecast determined it was raining horror movies for the foreseeable future. Put on your raincoats, kids, because it looks like in 2024, we’re in for a torrential downpour. From novel adaptations to sequels to remakes, icons reborn, and even *original ideas*, 2024 is set to be jam-packed with horror movies. 

So, please sit back and get your flashlights ready; here are some of the new horror movies coming in 2024 that we’re dying to see. 

Upcoming Horror Movies in 2024

Night Swim 

Release Date: January 5, 2024 

Blumhouse is kicking off the new year with Night Swim, inspired by the 2014 horror short of the same name. A retired baseball player (Wyatt Russell) moves into a new house, but the swimming pool in the backyard holds some secrets. We need more water horror, so this movie is exciting. Wet ghosts hit harder than dry ones. 

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Founders Day 

Release Date: January 19, 2024 

This new slasher brings us to a small town where a mayoral election will occur. Meanwhile, a string of murders begins at the hands of a masked assailant. Erik and Carson Bloomquist helm the feature as director and writer, and this horror/mystery movie can be found in theaters on January 19, 2024. 

I Know Exactly How You Die 

Release Date: February 4, 2024 

A horror writer sees his manuscript begin to take on a life of its own in this horror slasher directed by Alexandra Spieth. Little else is known about this film at this time. 

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Lisa Frankenstein 

Release Date: February 9, 2024 

This PG-13 horror comedy written by Diablo Cody (Jennifer’s Body) stars Kathryn Newton, Liza Soberano, Cole Sprouse, and Carla Gugino and is the directorial debut of Zelda Williams. Lisa Frankenstein tells the tale of a girl named Lisa who falls in love with a monster. You can find Lisa Frankenstein in theaters on February 9, 2024. 

Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 

Release Date: February 2024 

Winnie-the-Pooh is back for blood; this time, he has his friends with him. One note that many viewers had while watching Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey was the absence of many iconic characters. The sequel is set to make this right as it appears Tigger and Owl will be joining Winnie the Pooh and Piglet on their next adventure out of the Hundred Acre Wood. (Do you know how hilarious it is to me that I’m referring to a horror movie right now?). 

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There has yet to be a confirmed release date for the film, though Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 should be expected in February, with a rumored release date of February 16, 2024. 

Imaginary 

Release Date: March 8, 2024 

This Blumhouse production, directed by Jeff Wadlow, brings horror to teddies with the seemingly haunted Chauncey bear in Imaginary. Judging by the trailer for Imaginary, we’re in for a ghost story, as Chauncey gives a little girl an ominous to-do list as a shadow figure lurks about the house.

Return to Silent Hill 

Release Date: Expected 2024 

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Audiences are going back to Silent Hill with this psychological horror reboot. In 2022, a teaser trailer for Return to Silent Hill was dropped during a Silent Hill Transmission stream, and filming wrapped in July 2023. 

Though an official release date for Return to Silent Hill has yet to be announced, a 2024 release date is likely. 

The First Omen 

Release Date: April 5, 2024 

The Omen prequel has been underway since 2016 and is only months away from finally hitting theaters. The First Omen takes place at a church in Rome, where a conspiracy to bring about evil incarnate is unveiled. 20th Century Studios is producing this Omen prequel, and Arkasha Stevenson is in the director’s seat. 

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Untitled Universal Monster Movie by Radio Silence 

Release Date: April 19, 2024 

It seems like a new vampire movie is coming, as this Untitled Radio Silence Monster Movie project was initially rumored to be titled Dracula’s Daughter. While there’s been no confirmation on a title or subject matter, the plot, if it follows the 1936 horror film of the same name, will center on a group of kidnappers who find out the hard way that one of their victims is the daughter of a famous universal monster. Melissa Barrera (Scream 5, 6) takes a leading role

Witchboard 

Release Date: Expected 2024 

Chuck Russell, who previously gave us movies such as The Blob, The Mask, Nightmare on Elm Street 3, and Bless The Child, is returning to horror with Witchboard. This reimagining of the 1980s paranormal horror of the same name sees Jamie Campbell Bower (Stranger Things’ Vecna) as an occultist whom a paranormal-afflicted couple (Madison Iseman, Aaron Dominguez) seek out for help. There’s been no official release date for Witchboard yet, but it should arrive sometime in 2024. 

Horrorscope 

Release Date: May 10, 2024 

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After attending a party where their horoscopes were read, a group of teens began dying in ways that matched their astrology readings. Horrorscope is based on a novel of the same name by “Nicholas Adams.” Adams was a collective pen name used by a group of 90s YA horror writers. Expect a fun, creative slasher with a little mystery. 

The Strangers: Chapter One 

Release Date: May 17, 2024 

Director Renny Harlin is bringing us The Strangers trilogy in 2024, each film existing as its chapter in a larger story. All of this is setting up the potential for a The Strangers universe in the future, with even more films to follow. 

The first film in the trilogy, The Strangers: Chapter One, is expected to be released on May 17, 2024. While the release dates of its successors are not yet known, they are all expected to be released sometime in 2024. 

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The Shrouds

Release Date: Unknown

The king of body horror, David Cronenberg, will have a unique treat for us soon through his upcoming horror movie The Shrouds. Filming reportedly wrapped back in June 2023, so some sources speculate that The Shrouds will premiere at the Cannes Festival in April 2024, with a widespread release to follow not long after. The Shrouds is about a businessman who invents a way to connect with the dead through a burial shroud, allowing people to watch their lost loved ones decompose in real-time. That’s just the beginning of this scary movie that will undoubtedly leave its mark on viewers.

The Watchers 

Release Date: June 7, 2024 

A woman named Mina (played by Dakota Fanning) becomes isolated in a bunker alongside three strangers in the Irish wilderness as ominous creatures lurk just outside. The Watchers is the feature film directorial debut of Ishana Shyamalan, the daughter of M Night Shyamalan. 

A Quiet Place: Day One 

Release Date: June 28, 2024 

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This spinoff-prequel of the original story by John Krasinski sees Emily Blunt, Djimon Hounsou, and Millicent Simmonds reprising their roles. However, expect a new story with new characters as Lupita Nyong’o (Us) takes the lead in A Quiet Place: Day One.

Trap 

Release Date: August 2, 2024 

The plot for M Night Shyamalan‘s new movie has been massively kept under wraps. However, while speaking at CineEurope, M Night Shyamalan hinted Trap is a “psychological thriller set at a concert.” This film is M Night Shyamalan’s first in a new multi-movie deal with WB and New Line Cinemas, so expect a Shyamalan resurgence in the years to follow. 

Speak No Evil 

Release Date: August 9, 2024 

In 2022, the Danish film Speak No Evil left its mark on audiences due to its disturbing, unforgettable nature. In the summer of 2024, Blumhouse will deliver a remake of Speak No Evil, starring James McAvoy and Mackenzie Davis. The original film sees a family terrorized while on vacation in the countryside, making this a perfect horror movie to close summer. 

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Alien: Romulus 

Release Date: August 16, 2024 

Xenomorphs are returning to the big screen with Fede Álvarez in the director’s seat. Star Cailee Spaeny recently confirmed Alien: Romulus will take place between the events of Alien and Aliens. A pre-sequel, if you will. If that tickles your tulips, you’ll be delighted to know that FX has an Alien prequel series underway. 

They Listen 

Release Date: August 30, 2024 

The plot of this upcoming horror film, produced by Blumhouse and directed by Chris Weitz, has been massively kept under wraps. We know the release date was pushed off in 2023, and we expect They Listen to release on August 30, 2024. 

Beetlejuice 2 

Release Date: September 6, 2024 

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Almost 40 years after its predecessor was released (and 30 years since the TV series ended), we are finally getting more Beetlejuice. Michael Keaton is reprising his role as the titular bad guy, with Winona Ryder (Lydia Deetz) and Catherine O’Hara (Delia Deetz) returning. The movie will also introduce Jenna Ortega as Lydia’s daughter and Monica Belluci as Beetlejuice’s wife. As Beetlejuice is no longer a bachelor, we are undoubtedly about to see Beetlejuice in a way we haven’t seen him before. 

Saw XI

Release Date: September 27, 2024

A year after the release of Saw X, expect the eleventh Saw movie to emerge in theaters. Plot details are cloudy, but Saw XI producer Oren Koules hinted that picking up where they left off during Saw X “would be the natural place to take at least the next one.” This statement paints a future with more Saw movies to come and would mean the return of Tobin Bell for Saw XI, though nothing has been confirmed yet. 

Bambi: The Reckoning 

Release Date: Expected 2024 

Horror is coming for another childhood classic this year, as Bambi: The Reckoning is coming. The Bambi horror film was announced by Entertainment Weekly in 2022 and promises to show us a terrifying side to the beloved icon. 

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Salem’s Lot 

Release Date: ??? 

The new Salem’s Lot movie has eluded us for over a year. The completed film saw its original Fall 2022 release pushed to April 2023, which was then canceled, and Salem’s Lot has been in limbo ever since. Though nothing has been substantiated, there were rumors that the film would be released straight to streaming on Max. I’m optimistically including Salem’s Lot as a 2024 release, hoping this film will soon see the light of day. 

Smile 2 

Release Date: October 18, 2024 

Smile was a top horror movie in 2022, and the sequel was green-lit right away. In the past, director and creator Parker Finn hinted in an interview with Collider that we had yet to see all the layers of the Smile entity, so Smile 2 will likely explore that. 

Wolf Man 

Release Date: October 25, 2024 

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The full moon isn’t safe. Blumhouse is breathing new life into another universal monster with Christopher Abbott starring in Wolf Man. Given Blumhouse’s running success giving Universal Monsters a modern-day treatment in The Invisible Man and Renfield, this is one to watch out for. 

Terrifier 3 

Release Date: October 25, 2024 

Art the Clown is returning to terrorize theaters for Halloween, and the scares look like they’ll last through Christmas. In Terrifier 2, director Damien Leone reminded us why practical effects are king, delivering squirm-inducing deaths that need no introduction further than “bleach and salt” or “mashed potatoes.” Terrifier 3 plans to show us that its predecessors are just the tip of the iceberg. 

Slaughter Horse 

Release Date: Expected October 31, 2024 

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This indie horror flick seems like it’s going to be a blast. Toby Johansen directs Slaughter Horse, and its story follows a woman at odds against a deranged kidnapper who has a thing for wearing a horse mask. 

MaXXXine 

I’m including this one, although, as of this writing, there has been no news on any release date. The Ti West-directed trilogy that started with X, which we’ve been waiting on since Pearl was released last year, should be here soon. 

After all, the first two films were only released six months apart, and MaXXXine is currently listed as in post-production. It’s safe to assume we will see the trilogy conclude in 2024. Following the events of X, Mia Goth reprises her role as Maxine, who is headed to Los Angeles in pursuit of her dream to become an actress. 

The Toxic Avenger 

Release Date: TBA

The reboot of this 1984 cult classic should be here soon. Peter Dinklage takes the role of Winston Poze, the hapless janitor who fell into a pit of toxic slime, transforming him into the Toxic Avenger. This reboot also features Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, Taylour Paige, and Jacob Tremblay. The Toxic Avenger premiered at two festivals in the fall of 2023, so it’s reasonable to assume a release date sometime in 2024, though there’s been no official statement as of this writing. 

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Faces of Death

Release Date: TBA

The remake of the 80s cult horror film Faces of Death has no official release date yet and is not guaranteed to appear in 2024. However, news of Faces of Death, starring Barbie Ferreira and Dacre Montgomery, has been mounting over the last two years, and the film is expected soon.

Nosferatu 

Release Date: December 25, 2024

It’s been over a hundred years since Nosferatu was released, creating iconic shots that are still replicated in many films today. Nosferatu, heavily inspired by Bram Stoker’s Dracula, also impacted the vampire mythos, as the film Nosferatu is responsible for the idea that sunlight could kill vampires. It’s exciting to see this film revived. 

The Nosferatu remake, directed by Robert Eggers and costarring Lily-Rose Depp and Willem Dafoe, should be released on Christmas Day. The antagonist (Count Orlock) is played by Bill Skarsgard, who previously made his own mark on horror with his depiction of Pennywise. I have high hopes.

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Jordan Peele’s New Movie 

Previously expected: December 25, 2024, new release date TBD 

Some time ago, Jordan Peele announced that he had a fourth horror movie on the way, and all that is known about it is that it would be released on Christmas Day 2024. Unfortunately, due to not wanting to compete with the release of Nosferatu, the original Christmas release date has been pulled, with a new one still to be determined. Jordan Peele’s new movie will likely be pushed back until 2025; however, since it was a 2024 movie release I was looking forward to, its 2024 absence deserves to be noted. 

Note: Unfortunately, I do not have Madame Horror Press’s uncanny powers of omnipotence. However, my preternatural senses tell me we can expect even more new scary movies in 2024 than the ones listed here. As such, this list is by no means exhaustive. A hurricane of horror may very well be on the horizon; please prepare yourself adequately.

I hope you enjoy all the horror movies that 2024 intends to rain down upon us. Let us know in the comments which scary movie of 2024 you’re most excited about. 

To never miss out on fun horror updates, conversation, and more, follow us on Instagram @HORRORPRESSLLC and subscribe to our monthly Apparitions newsletter. Stay spooky and safe this year, horror fans. 

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A writer by both passion and profession: Tiffany Taylor is a mother of three with a lifelong interest in all things strange or mysterious. Her love for the written word blossomed from her love of horror at a young age because scary stories played an integral role in her childhood. Today, when she isn’t reading, writing, or watching scary movies, Tiffany enjoys cooking, stargazing, and listening to music.

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The Best Horror You Can Stream on Shudder in July 2025

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Looks like another July will be spent getting cozy with Shudder in this house. Between all the new (to me) international titles and the conclusion of Hell Motel on July 29th, the app has filled my calendar for the month. Hold my texts, keep your emails in the draft folder, and don’t look for me outside. My TV and I are on a mission, and we’re prioritizing the five titles below. I hope they grab your attention and make it into your Shudder viewings this summer as well. However, I’ll be too busy watching them to know what anyone else is doing, so happy streaming whatever you decide to get into. 

While we have you here, you should consider joining us for Bloody Brunches! Every Sunday at 11 AM CST / 12 PM EST, we’ll be livestreaming a new episode of Hell Motel. Who know’s who you’ll see, sometimes Ian Carpenter and crew stop by!

The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month

Lake Placid (1999)

A small group of people try to capture a gigantic crocodile terrorizing the people of Black Lake, Maine. I am not an aquatic horror girl, and I am usually unimpressed with 90s action horror titles. I make a special exception for Lake Placid though. Sure, it stars Bridget Fonda, Bill Pullman, and Oliver Platt. However, real film buffs know that it’s really the late Betty White who carries this movie. Her foul-mouthed character stood on business and is the reason most of us revisit this title during the summer.

You can watch Lake Placid on July 1st.

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Nyi Blorong (1982)

The South Sea Queen’s daughter rises to take a human lover. I have a long history of disliking snakes and movies about snakes. However, I’m leaning into this 1982 film because I deserve a retro Indonesian horror fantasy moment. I am also excited because it stars the late Suzzanna, the queen of Indonesian horror. I only learned about her a few years ago and wanted to spend some time with her work. As usual, Shudder is making it too easy to become a better cinephile. 

You can watch Nyi Blorong on July 7th.

The Housemaid (2018)

An orphaned girl is hired as a housemaid at a haunted rubber plantation in 1953 French Indochina. Once there, she falls in love with the landowner, which sends the ghost of his dead wife into a jealous rage. I was excited to watch this just because it sounds chaotic, and I do not see enough Vietnamese horror for my liking. However, I recently discovered it is also an IFC Midnight title, so now my expectations are through the roof. IFC has been the home of upsetting, weird, and unique horror since 2010. I have a date with Shudder on July 14th, because I want this movie in my eyeballs the second it becomes available.

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You can watch The Housemaid on July 14th.

Swallow (2020)

A pregnant housewife is compelled to eat dangerous objects, leading her husband and in-laws to become more controlling. Swallow had the misfortune of debuting during the top of the pandemic, so many people missed it. I found it on accident during Thanksgiving back when Showtime still had its own app. It’s quiet chaos that surprised me in a good way. I have been trying to make everyone I know watch it, and Shudder is making that so much easier this month. I am overdue for a rewatch myself, so I will also be hitting play while it’s available this July. 

You can watch Swallow on July 21st.

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Monster Island (2024)

A Japanese ship transporting prisoners of war and a British POW are stranded on an island where a mythical creator hunts them. Can they work together now that their very survival depends on it? I was bummed I missed this movie at Overlook Film Fest this year because all my friends loved it. So, obviously, I am thrilled Monster Island (also known as Orang Ikan) is hitting the Shudders streets so soon. I do not know what the other monster movies are doing this July because my heart belongs to this baby.

You can watch Monster Island on July 25th.

So, as usual, I will be hiding in my apartment and trying to make Shudder Saturdays my personality. I’m running at their international titles like it’s my job and revisiting a few movies I never spend enough time with. I hope your Shudder watches spark as much joy for you as I expect mine will this July. 

 

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‘Bride of Frankenstein’ at 90: Why Universal’s Horror Classic Still Haunts and Inspires

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In the 90 years since its release, The Bride of Frankenstein is still the Universal Monsters franchise’s strongest film.

I first watched The Bride of Frankenstein on cable around 15 years ago. Director James Whale’s fable of a misunderstood creature’s quest for a bride really stayed with me after subsequent viewings. Speaking of The Bride, she’s the Universal Monster with the most potential for a gripping and modern reimagining that hasn’t been fully tapped into yet. Universal’s newest theme park Epic Universe, opening back in May, inspired a deeper dive into The Bride of Frankenstein, the titular role and its legacy.

Unveiling The Bride: The Plot and Power of the 1935 Classic

Immediately following 1931’s Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein centers on Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) as the sinister Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger) urges him to collaborate on creating a mate for The Monster (Boris Karloff). In the meantime, The Monster travels across the countryside, learns to speak, and meets Pretorius. When both scientists complete and unveil The Bride (Elsa Lanchester), she rejects The Monster, motivating him to pull a lever and famously say, “We belong dead.” Pulling the lever ignites an explosion, killing The Monster, The Bride, and Pretorius.

Just as it took two scientists’ minds to create her onscreen, two individuals gave life to The Bride’s characterization and look: Lanchester and makeup master Jack Pierce, who designed nearly all the original Universal Monsters.

The Bride’s Hiss: How Lanchester Stole the Show with Limited Screentime

The Bride not being the film’s main protagonist is ironic since she’s the title character. Making the most of her brief performance, Lanchester’s swan-like mannerisms as The Bride sharply contrast with the humanity Karloff brings out of The Monster. After her dual role as The Bride and author Mary Shelley herself in the film, Lanchester took on more horror film roles like Henrietta Stiles in Willard (1971). It’s not hard to imagine what could’ve been for her career if she reprised her role in The Bride of Frankenstein’s sequels Son of Frankenstein and Ghost of Frankenstein. If a lab explosion couldn’t kill The Monster, wouldn’t it be the same for The Bride?

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Besides the white streaks, Lanchester surprisingly didn’t wear a wig to portray The Bride since Pierce shaped her red hair to look the way it does. Pierce’s work on The Bride is just as iconic if not more so than Lanchester’s performance, ensuring the character became inseparable from her intended suitor in pop culture’s eyes. Case in point: There’s so much officially licensed merchandise playing up a romance between the two characters, even though The Bride can’t stand her intended mate. Beyond Lanchester and Pierce, there is one man responsible for how the film itself would come out.

James Whale’s Masterpiece: Directing The Bride of Frankenstein

Whale stitched great set designs, fantastic performances and composer Franz Waxman’s eerie score together to create a masterpiece.

Having Frankenstein, The Old Dark House and The Invisible Man under his belt by the mid-‘30s, it’s clear Whale creatively peaked while working on The Bride of Frankenstein. Although so much about Whale’s talents has been said, there’s a reason why his work on the film stands out across his filmography: He really went wild when directing it. Every character is practically cartoony, the sets are more elaborate and the plot is thematically richer than the original’s. Being an openly gay filmmaker, he cranked up The Bride of Frankenstein’s camp to legendary heights.

The Bride of Frankenstein is the final horror movie Whale directed. The novel Father of Frankenstein and its film adaptation Gods and Monsters, starring actor Ian McKellen as Whale, dramatize his life after directing the film. According to the reference book Universal Horrors by Tom Weaver, Michael Brunas and John Brunas, he initially didn’t want to direct his horror work’s apex. Just like Henry Frankenstein’s relationship with the monster he created, The Bride of Frankenstein’s production is a case of life imitating art. The Monster’s in-universe infamy further parallels Whale’s Frankenstein duology’s lasting popularity.

How The Bride of Frankenstein Shaped Horror Sequels and Adaptations

The Bride of Frankenstein’s influence can be seen across other horror films and Frankenstein adaptations.

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Having “Bride of” in a horror sequel’s title is synonymous with including the main character’s female counterpart, leading to Bride of Re-Animator, Bride of Chucky, etc. The similarities go further than the titles, with The Bride of Frankenstein inspiring the former’s plot and furthering Tiffany’s arc in the latter. The Bride of Frankenstein inevitably shaped Frankenstein’s future adaptations as well.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein from 1994 closely follows the original novel. Breaking away from the novel’s narrative, its third act pays homage to The Bride of Frankenstein when Victor brings Elizabeth back to life with similarly brief screentime. Mia Goth’s seemingly red hair on the set of Guillermo Del Toro’s upcoming Frankenstein may hint at her character similarly becoming The Bride.

The Bride’s Untapped Potential for a Modern Horror Remake

With Warner Bros. releasing its own take on the character with The Bride! in 2026, it makes Universal’s reluctance to make a new remake downright egregious.

The Bride is still the literally redheaded stepchild among the Universal Monsters. When it comes to being neglected by Universal, The Creature From the Black Lagoon is the only character who rivals The Bride, but that’s another story. Universal did plan a remake directed by Bill Condon, who helmed Gods and Monsters, for its aborted Dark Universe film franchise.

The Bride’s Absence in Epic Universe’s Monsters Unchained Ride

Looking at Epic Universe, the Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment ride apparently leaves The Bride out, even though she makes more sense to be in it than The Phantom of the Opera. However, The Bride does make meet-and-greet appearances across Dark Universe’s grounds.

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Several ideas can be incredible for when Universal finally releases a remake of The Bride of Frankenstein someday. Based on what I’ve heard about 2023’s Poor Things, it’s exploration of a mad scientist’s creation’s experiences in a restrictive society is closer to what a modern reimagining should be. Having a woman behind the camera can lead to a feminist vision, delving into The Bride questioning her life’s purpose.

Until the day a proper remake debuts, the original 1935 film remains The Bride of Frankenstein’s definitive incarnation.

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