There’s a ton of groovy goodies coming down the pipe for us horror fans!!! These are just some of the movies and shows that I’m looking forward to as summer edges it way towards fall:
A Glut of Stephen King
There are so many upcoming Stephen King related projects that I’m looking forward to that I don’t even know where to begin… so let’s start with the biggie:
IT Chapter 2… who isn’t psyched for this movie? With a 2 hour and 45 minute run time, it is going to be EPIC. The trailers look promising and I, personally, could watch Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise all day. I’m betting this one breaks some box office records just like the first installment.
Doctor Sleep… This was a great book and a fitting successor to The Shining, but what intrigues me most about the movie is that the director is trying to make a continuation of both Kubrick’s film and King’s novel, which were very different. I guess it should go without saying that you can’t make a sequel to The Shining without paying homage to the look and feel of the original movie, but the story of Doctor Sleep is anchored in the parts of the novel that Kubrick glossed over in his adaptation (especially when dealing with Jack’s addiction). Doctor Sleep was a frightening book on its own merit and I can’t wait to see the True Knot and their leader Rose the Hat brought to life on the screen.
The Stand… I love the original miniseries directed by Mick Garrid back in the 90s, but let’s face it, network television was too limiting a venue to really be true to any of King’s work. Now we’re getting an uncensored, 10 hour long series that will hopefully stay true to the book, and I was really happy to learn that King himself is writing a new ending that shows us what happens to the surviving characters after the end of the novel. I’m also pretty curious as to who Marilyn Manson is playing in the series (I’m really hoping they cast him as Trash).
Castle Rock, Season Two… While not based on any of his books, this Hulu show takes his characters and explores new stories with them, all set in the fictional Castle Rock. This season will focus on a young Annie Wilkes (the evil nurse from Misery that will forever be linked in any horror fan’s mind with Kathy Bates) and a conflict between Castle Rock and a little town known as ‘Salem’s Lot. I loved the first season; it was creepy, esoteric, and while only tangentially related to King’s work, it captured that King feel.
The Dark Tower… I want to be excited by this, but casting news has basically let us know that the series is going to break the timeline of the books. All I can say about this is that us hardcore fans of the Tower saga have been waiting decades for an adaptation (I am not even going to acknowledge the existence of a certain movie that came out a few years back), so I hope the showrunners don’t fuck this up for us.
Rob Zombie’s 3 From Hell
I have never seen a horror director get shit on by the fans as much as Zombie has, and I really don’t think he deserves it. I love his movies. I know his entries into the Halloween series are what draws most of the fans’ ire, but I always defend those flicks; at least he did something different with the series, I sure as hell did not want more of the polished pop-culture laden crap that was Resurrection. Anyhoo, my favorite of his films are House of 1000 Corpses and Devil’s Rejects, so I’m really geared up to see this new entry in the series. My only concern is a noticable lack of Sid Haig through much of the trailer, and the presence of an unknown stranger tagging along with Otis and Baby. I already have my tickets for this one!!
AHS: 1984
I have enjoyed most seasons of American Horror Story (except Cult, what the fuck was that mess?) and like many of us, I am a huge fan of 80s horror. That being said, I don’t really know if playing off the nostalgia factor and ripping off Friday the 13th will sustain an entire season’s worth of shows. I have heard some different theories about what’s really going on in this season, but knowing American Horror Story there will be some kind of twists and surprises in store.
Halloween Kills/Halloween Ends
OK, these are quite a ways off, but I am always up for some more Michael Meyers, especially when Jamie Lee Curtis is involved. I hope they keep the serious tone of 2018’s Halloween and not verge too far into absurd territory or let it become downright camp like H20. I know a whole lot of people aren’t thrilled with the titles, but they don’t bug me nearly as much as H20 did when that movie came out… at the time I thought that was the stupidest fucking thing in the world.
Mindhunter, Season 2
The first season of this Netflix show was awesome, especially if you’re into the serial killer/psychological thriller niche of horror. Basically, it’s about the first serial profilers and the beginnings of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit. It’s not really gory or anything like that and it is a slow burn, but I enjoyed it. This upcoming season will feature Charles Manson, interestingly played by the same dude who portrays him in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
What upcoming horror movies/shows are you all looking forward to? Join the discussion in the comment section on Facebook.
