The fall season has just begun! With Halloween approaching, new horror and suspense movies are being released by the minute. So cozy up with some popcorn and, prepare for some screams and thrills!
The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025)
Genre: Horror, Suspense/Thriller
Release Date: Friday, Sep 5, 2025
Budget: $55 Million
Director: Micheal Chaves
Description: A pulse‑pounding entry adds to the celebrated Conjuring franchise, drawing on real‑life investigations. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson reprise their roles as paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren, delivering a powerful, spine‑tingling tale that continues the series’ record‑breaking box‑office success (“Plot Explained.”).
Critics are saying:
Goldwin Reviews said, “Thank you for sharing this beautiful universe with us. There’s no other way to end it but this one. A family who, despite being scared, never lets horror consume them. The best legacy any horror film can ever give.”
The CBO channel said, “In cinematic universes, no one’s ever truly gone. However, ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ genuinely feels like a conclusion to the story we’ve followed for years with Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson.”
The Strangers – Chapter 2:
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Release Date: September 26
Director: Renny Harlin
Description: The Strangers return, more brutal and relentless than before. After discovering that Maya (Madelaine Petsch) survived their previous attack, they come back to finish what they started. With nowhere to run and no one to trust, Maya must endure another night of relentless terror, pursued by the masked killers driven by a senseless, unceasing purpose (“Plot Explained.”).
Critics are saying:
Empire Magazine gave it 2 out of 5 stars, writing: “At once explaining too much and not enough, this middle segment of the trilogy fails to amp up the stranger danger. Perhaps the scariest thing is the end title: To be continued…”
Bloody Disgusting gave it 1 out of 5 stars, writing: “A post-credit tease weakly sets the stage for the final chapter, a job that this installment was meant to achieve. But Chapter 2 throttles and chokes out any lingering interest in the Strangers and this confounding trilogy.”
Him
Genre: Horror, Sports
Release Date: September 19th
Director: Justin Tipping
Budget: $13M
Description: From Oscar® winner Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw Productions, producers of the landmark horror films Get Out, Us, Candyman and Nope, comes a chilling journey into the inner sanctum of fame, idolatry and the pursuit of excellence at any cost, featuring an electrifying dramatic performance from Marlon Wayans (Air, Respect). A young athlete descends into a world of terror when he’s invited to train with a legendary champion whose charisma curdles into something darker (“Plot Explained.”).
Critics are saying:
Meagan Navarro from bloody disgusting said, “Despite a stellar cast and a strong concept executed with vibrant style, HIM fumbles in integrating its visceral symbolism with horror and storytelling.”
Olly Richards from Empire magazine said, “A trippy mix of horror, thriller and sports movie, Him is a very wild ride. A launching pad for its director and lead, and a shining moment for Wayans.”
The Long Walk
Genre: Suspense, Science Fiction
Release Date: September 12
Director: Francis Lawrence
Budget: $25M
Description: From the highly anticipated adaptation of master storyteller Stephen King’s first-written novel, and Francis Lawrence, the visionary director of The Hunger Games franchise films (Catching Fire, Mocking Jay – Pts. 1&2 , and The Ballad of the Songbirds & Snakes), comes THE LONG WALK, an intense, chilling, and emotional thriller that challenges audiences to confront a haunting question: how far could you go (Cinemark Theatres)?
Critics are saying:
Montilee Stormer from MovieReelist.com said, “The Long Walk could be looking at Oscar nods, especially for its leads, Jonsson and Hoffman. The Long Walk is timely as it hits uncomfortably close to home while examining how far we would go to outlast people we barely know and haven’t had time to hate.”
KT Manhe from For Your Reference Podcast said, “Whether through age of cast compared to the age intended for the characters or fiction that leaned more towards real life, the overall messaging and tone felt uneven at times.”
Dead of Winter
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Release Date: September 26
Director: Brian Kirk
Description: Hit by a blizzard, a grief-stricken loner (Emma Thompson) gets lost among backroads near a Minnesotan lake and stops for help at a remote cabin in the woods. Here she discovers a young woman (Laurel Marsden) kidnapped by a desperate couple (Judy Greer, Marc Menchaca) who are armed and intent on murder. Isolated and without cell service, this unlikely hero realizes she is the woman’s only hope of survival (Cinemark Theatres).
Critics are saying:
Peter Bradshaw from Guardian said, “Thompson’s relatable presence and likability-aura make a very good solvent for the concentrated nastiness of Greer’s desperate villain and what she has in mind for her teen prisoner. There’s a distinct chill.”
Jessica Kiang from Variety said, “These are plot holes big and deep enough to drop a lure into and hook a fat trout. Yet sidestep them and “The Dead of Winter” entertains, largely due to Thompson’s sturdy portrait of grace clad in a sensible, fleece-lined overcoat of gumption. “
