Horror fans had an incredible year in 2025, with a strong mix of critically acclaimed and fan-favorite horror movie releases. Sinners was an Oscar favorite, a story that took the Jim Crow South and added a mix of vampires for an incredible experience. Meanwhile, Weapons was a shocking movie that took a wild idea and stunned audiences worldwide.
Thankfully, there are more incredible horror films coming in 2026, and directors who are working on new projects that might not hit in 2026, but have a chance to make the future of horror even more exciting. From directors with new movies arriving to names who are building the future, these are the directors to look out for after 2025.
Christophe Gans
Christopher Gans is doing something in 2026 that no one could have expected. In 2006, Gans directed the horror movie Silent Hill, based on the video game about a town with terrifying secrets literally hidden behind the curtains. The film received negative reviews and was a flop, but it is now getting a sequel.
Gans is an incredible director, and his previous film, before Silent Hill, proved that. Brotherhood of the Wolf was a fantastic fantasy horror film that had genre fans excited to see what was next. Silent Hill had some incredible moments, but fell short. In January 2026, Gans is back with Return to Silent Hill.
While the original Silent Hill received terrible reviews, retrospective looks at the film have been more positive, although the first sequel, Silent Hill: Revelation, remains a disappointment. Gans didn’t direct the sequel, but he is back for this third film, and fans are hoping to see him deliver the same inventive horrors from that first film.
Brandon Cronenberg
Brandon Cornenberg does not have a movie lined up for 2026, but he has signed on for a new sci-fi film that has many sci-fi horror fans excited. As the son of legendary body horror filmmaker David Cronenberg, his first few movies showed he had his father’s eye for the macabre, with Antiviral, Possessor, and Infinity Pool.
It has been over two years since he released Infinity Pool, and his new movie has fans intrigued. He took a small break to work on a mysterious sci-fi horror video game from Blumhouse Games, but in 2025, he announced he had received financing for his next film.
This is a sci-fi film called Dragon, and it’s something he has been working on since 2017. The film is supposed to follow a captain and her crew as they hunt down “dragons” drifting through the cosmos, which are used to create a profitable drug that operates as an “opiate of the masses,” a concept that feels very Cronenberg.
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Maggie Gyllenhaal has a movie coming out in 2026, and it seems like nothing her fans might have expected. The actress, who is known for her dramas, made her directing debut in 2021 with an Oscar-nominated drama thriller called The Lost Daughter. Now, in 2026, she is adapting a remake of a horror classic.
Gyllenhaal is directing The Bride!, which is a remake of the classic Universal Horror movie Bride of Frankenstein. This comes just a few months after Guillermo del Toro directed his Frankenstein adaptation, but Gyllenhaal’s movie looks very different.
As expected, The Bride! appears to be a story about social change, and the idea that this creature has a right to be more than what the people who created her expect her to be. With Jessie Buckley as the Bride and Christian Bale as the Monster, Gyllenhaal might have one of the most interesting horror movies of 2026.
Nia DaCosta
Nia DaCosta has delivered some incredible movies in her career, including the remake of Candyman in 2021 and the highly underrated The Marvels in 2023. Now, in 2026, she gets a chance to direct a sequel to one of the most popular horror franchises of the 21st century with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.
The surprise is that 28 Years Later only came out seven months earlier, which makes this quick turnaround shocking for fans. However, since Danny Boyle directed the 2025 horror movie, and Nia DaCosta helms this one, it is easier to understand the quick turnaround time.
DeCosta did a great job on Candyman, and her last movie was the 2025 drama Hedda, making it seem like she will turn in something exciting and different with her addition to the 28 Years Later saga. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple hits theaters on January 14, 2026.
Sam Raimi
Sam Raimi is one of the most beloved and respected horror movie directors of all time. However, he hasn’t done as much in horror in recent years, making his upcoming 2026 film even more exciting. Raimi, who is best known for creating the Evil Dead franchise, has a new movie coming out called Send Help.
This looks very different from Evil Dead and Raimi’s other horror films, like Drag Me to Hell and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Rachel McAdams is an awkward and put-upon woman who ends up in a plane crash and is lost on a deserted island with her abusive boss (Dylan O’Brien).
While it shares some themes with Drag Me to Hell, this looks like more of a realistic horror film of a woman finally getting revenge on her tormenter, but with Raimi at the helm, there is sure to be lots of twists and turns. Seeing Raimi making horror again is always exciting.
Robert Eggers
Robert Eggers has some of the most brilliant, yet polarizing, horror films in the modern era. The Witch was a brilliant look at a terrifying situation and was highly praised. His follow-up, The Lighthouse, was highly polarizing, shot in black and white with more symbolism than plot, but was still highly respected by critics.
The Northman was a fantasy film that once again polarized audiences, but remained a brilliant look at medieval culture. However, in 2024, Eggers might have made his masterpiece when he remade Nosferatu, adding his own touches and delivering some of the best visuals in any horror movie in recent years.
Horror fans have to hope he brings a similar visual flair to his 2026 horror movie, as he has plans to release Werewulf on Christmas Day 2026. As the title suggests, this is a new werewolf movie as he continues to bring his unique touch to more classic horror staples.
Radio Silence
Radio Silence has specialized in horror for years, with a segment in V/H/S catching notice, and Eli Roth supporting them as they made Devil’s Due. In 2019, they released their masterpiece Ready or Not. The horror comedy followed a woman who learned her new husband’s family planned to kill and sacrifice her on the night of her wedding.
After that, the filmmakers returned to V/H/S and then took on two films in the Scream franchise, as they helped reinvent things with new leads in Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega. Now, in 2026, they are back with the second chapter of their masterpiece, directing Ready or Not 2: Here I Come.
This is very exciting, as they brought back Samara Weaving for the lead, and paired her with Kathryn Newton as her sister (they worked with Newton on Abigail). With a cast including Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kevin Durand, and Elijah Wood, this looks like an excellent follow-up for some of today’s best horror directors.
Danny & Michael Philippou
Danny and Michael Philippou were YouTubers who got a chance to make a horror movie, and Talk to Me was a huge success. The 2022 release is about a group of young adults who found a severed arm that they could hold on to and speak to spirits from beyond the grave. However, this allowed evil into this world.
The two followed that up with the horror movie Bring Her Back, which received positive reviews and was another box office success. Sitting at two-for-two on horror movies, fans are anxiously awaiting what is next. The brothers have nothing scheduled for 2026, but they have hinted at their next project.
That is where the excitement comes, as the new project is the second Talk to Me movie. They said they have already shot a prequel, and they are also confirmed to be in development on the sequel. While both of these projects’ release dates remain unknown, the brothers are two names to watch for the future of horror filmmaking.
Zach Cregger
Zach Cregger has become the go-to name in horror filmmaking, and 2025 was one of the best years for the director. Cregger was formerly a member of the Whitest Kids U’ Know comedy troupe, but he is now a successful film director. It started with Barbarian in 2022, and then he released Weapons in 2025.
With the incredible success of Weapons, fans quickly grew excited when he announced he was making a new Resident Evil movie next. The best news is that Cregger immediately got started on the film, and it is set for a September 18, 2026, release date.
Cregger also said that he plans for the movie to play out with respect to the video games, especially in how he wants to set up the storyline to follow a similar direction as one might expect when playing the games. This might be one of the best horror movies of 2026, as well as a rare great video game adaptation.
Ryan Coogler
The best horror movie director in 2025 was Ryan Coogler, who helmed the historical vampire movie Sinners. This should come as no surprise, since Coogler has proved to be a master filmmaker with his Creed and Black Panther movies. With Michael B. Jordan in the cast, it was no surprise that Sinners was one of 2025’s best movies.
The best thing about Sinners was that it was an original Coogler idea, not based on previous source material. While this was Coogler’s first horror movie, there is hope that he’ll return to the genre in the future, although this remains an unknown. Regardless, he is one of the best horror directors working today based on one film.
At the moment, Coogler is considering working on Black Panther 3, while he is also developing an X-Files television series, which should allow him to deliver more great scares in horror, although on the small screen. Fans of horror movies should have a lot to love about Coogler’s television future.
