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Typically, summer is known for its massive blockbusters, superhero sagas, and quality Netflix binges when it’s way too hot and sticky to be outside. However, some of the best horror movies debut in summer 2019, making the hottest months of the year the perfect time to get your fright on. From Us to A Quiet Place and even the terrifying AF Hereditary, Hollywood has certainly taken things up a notch when it comes to scaring the sh*t out of people. Horror films aren’t just regulated to the breezy days of fall either.
This summer, we’ve gotten a terrifying Chucky doll remake with Child’s Play, and another addition to the Conjuring franchize with Annabelle Comes Home. Still, horror has a lot more to offer us before things begin to cool off again. Instead of your typical scary monster and haunted mansion situations, we’re getting female-led films that are psychologically scarring. There id the return of a diabolical clown, very monstrous alligators and a that good ole’ red balloon.
These horror flicks will make the long days and nights of summer even more sinister. They’re so good you’ll probably break into a cold sweat.
Image: A24.
Check them out for yourself below.
Midsommar
Hereditary director Ari Aster has returned with his sophomore film, Midsommar. Starring Florence Pugh as Dani Ardor–a young woman who is still reeling from the murder-suicide her sister committed with her parents. Desperate to save her relationship with her increasingly distant boyfriend, Christian Hughes (Jack Reynor)–the couple embarks on a summer trip to a Swedish midsummer festival.
However, in broad daylight, things quickly become nightmarish when the locals’ sinister plans are revealed. What happens to the couple next is both viscerally disturbing and beyond unnerving.
Midsommar debuted in theaters July 3.
Crawl
Who doesn’t love a good disaster flick with a twist of horror? Crawl follows aspiring swimmer Haley Keller (Kaya Scodelario) who instead of evacuating during a terrifying and destructive hurricane, stays behind in an attempt to save her father, Dave Keller (Barry Pepper)
Instead, Haley finds herself trapped in a flooding house full of famished allegators. If you’re not a person who can easily tolerate small spaces–we don’t think Crawl is for you.
Crawl slithered into theaters July 12.
The Nightingale
The Babadook director Jennifer Kent’s latest film, The Nightingale might be one of the most terrifying things we’ll see all year. Set in the 1820s in colonial Tasmania, the film follows Clare (Aisling Franciosi)–an Irish convict who is held captive and sexually assaulted nightly by a lieutenant named Hawkins (Sam Claflin). Hawkins is also deadset on killing the local indigenous population.
After escaping from Hawkins’ grasp– Clare begins to enact her revenge. She enlists the help of an Aboriginal tracker named Billy (Baykali Ganambarr) to carry out her bloody plan.
The Nightingale will debut Aug. 2.
Don’t Let Go
Blumhouse lives to scar us for life. In Don’t Let Go, David Oyelowo, stars as LAPD detective Jack Radcliff who receives a shocking phone call from his recently murdered niece, Ashley (Euphoria’s Storm Reid). In the supernatural thriller, that’s way more close to life then we would have liked, the uncle/niece duo must work together across space and time to solve Ashley’s murder before it ever happens.
Don’t Let Go is one of those movies that will haunt you long after the credits roll.
Don’t Let Go premieres Aug. 30.
It: Chapter Two
Stephen King’s terrifying clown tale returns in It: Chapter Two. However, this time around the “Losers Club” of Derry, Maine is all grown up and they’re coming for Pennywise’s neck–kind of. Yet, 27 years later, Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) has had more than enough time to sit back and concoct new angles of terror.
It: Chapter Two will have some very familiar faces. Jessica Chastain stars as adult Beverley, James McAvoy will play Bill, and Bill Hader will play Richie Tozier.
It: Chapter Two will open Sept. 6.