Welcome to Horror Explorer, a curated column showcasing the month’s best movies, series, books and everything else spooky worth checking out. I’m William Earl, the executive digital director of Variety and the publication’s resident horror enthusiast. Please drop me a line at wearl@variety.com if there’s something I should check out for next month’s missive.
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Marquee Madness
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection Fall 2: Deadpoint (Opening in theaters Sept. 2 via Lionsgate and Grindstone Entertainment Group) — Two young women (Harriet Slater and Arsema Thomas) try to survive when a rock slide during a plank walk in Thailand leaves them stranded 3,000 feet in the air. Horror filmmakers The Spierig Brothers (“Daybreakers,” “Jigsaw”) helm this sequel to the surprise 2022 hit.
Onslaught (Opening in theaters Sept. 4 via A24) — Adam Wingard returns to down-and-dirty genre filmmaking with this funny, violent siege flick. Adria Arjona kicks ass as a mother who must save her daughter by any means possible when super soldiers attack her trailer park. It’s a little John Carpenter, a little “Terminator” and a ton of fun.
Hope (Opening in theaters Sept. 9 via Neon) — “The Wailing” director Na Hong-jin returns with this creature feature that debuted at Cannes earlier this year. When larger-than-life monsters end up in a small, isolated community, its residents have to fight for survival in this breathless epic.
Resident Evil (Opening in theaters Sept. 18 via Columbia Pictures through Sony Pictures Releasing) — Zach Cregger returns with a high-octane adaptation of the horror video game. “Weapons” breakout Austin Abrams stars in the zombie tale, which is described as a gory, wild chase movie and a departure from the director’s previous work.
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Off the Beaten Path
Image Credit: Courtesy of Impractical Productions Don’t Move (Opening in theaters Sept. 11 via Impractical Studios) — This giant spider thriller is co-written by “Impractical Jokers” star James Murray. The practical creature effects look effectively disgusting, and the eclectic cast includes Rob Riggle, T-Pain and Tom Cavanagh.
Black Zombie (Opening in theaters Sept. 11 via Kino Lorber) — This documentary examines the origins of horror movie zombies and how they were developed from the religious traditions of Haitian people. Maya Annik Bedward helms this fascinating look at cinema history that is not often examined.
Never After Dark (Opening in theaters Sept. 25 via Magnolia Pictures) — “Shōgun” star Moeka Hoshi stars in this tense supernatural tale about a psychic whose gifts are put to the test at a particularly sinister house. Dave Boyle’s movie is stylishly shot and expertly twists oft-told tropes into something new.
Bloody Tennis (Debuting on Shudder on Sept. 25) — Nikias Chryssos wrote and directed this story about a competitive European tennis school where dark secrets are hidden. Early footage has eye-popping color and style, and hints at something deeply sinister.
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Killer Series
Image Credit: Courtesy of Shudder The Creep Tapes (Debuting Sept. 15 on Shudder) — Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass deliver a third season of the slasher series, in which Duplass plays the charming and insane Peachfuzz. Guest stars this season include Kate Siegel, Nic Hamilton, Elliott Fullam and the star’s real-life daughter, Ora Duplass.
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story (Debuting Sept. 17 on Netflix) — Ian Brennan’s latest subject in the anthology series is the young woman who killed her parents with an axe in the late 1800s. Sarah Paulson, Vicky Krieps, Charlie Hunnam and Rebecca Hall lead the starry cast.
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Bloodcurdling Books
Image Credit: Courtesy of Dutton She Haunts Me Still: A Novel by De Elizabeth (Now available via Dutton) — A New England vampire tale that mixes dark academia, rich characters and plenty of romantic prose, Elizabeth’s jump into adult fiction is as rewarding as it is bingeable.
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Frightening Festivals
Image Credit: Best Friend Forever Toronto International Film Festival 2026 (Sept. 10-20; tickets on sale here) — The festival’s Midnight Madness world premieres include Anna Biller’s “Love Witch” follow-up, “The Face of Horror”; the fun and frantic crime thriller “Vintage Violence”; and the vampire martial arts Western “HALF.”
Fantastic Fest 2026 (Sept. 17-24; tickets on sale here) — Austin’s genre festival is a horror lover’s paradise and includes world premieres like Adam Egypt Mortimer’s psychedelic supernatural tale “Pathetic Fallacy”; Mike P. Nelson’s giant snake movie “Beware Boiuna”; and a 4K restoration of Herschell Gordon Lewis’ “Blood Feast.”
