20 Incredible Modern Horror Movies That Came Out Of NOWHERE

4. Hokum

Damian McCarthy became somewhat of a household name with his first two features, 2020's Caveat and 2024’s Oddity. Yet, it’s almost impossible to deny that his third turn at bat – 2026’s Hokum – is his breakthrough given that it grossed roughly 12x as much as Oddity and delivered a significantly more enjoyable viewing experience.

The folk horror tale sees the typically likable Adam Scott playing against type as Ohm Bauman, a mean-spirited author with writer’s block who travels to the Bilberry Woods Hotel in Ireland to bury his parents’ ashes and take his own life.

Luckily, he fails at the latter task, and he spends the rest of his time in the hotel challenging the guilt he feels about his parents’ deaths as he tries to solve the murder of kindhearted bartender Fiona and escape the clutches of the witch residing in the basement.

There’s so much to love about McCarthy’s movie, such as its expert synthesis of effective scares, ghostly atmospheres, quirky characters, and cheeky gallows humor. Almost every main character – including Bauman, eventually – is endearing and three-dimensional, and all three of the aforementioned major plotlines are thoroughly intriguing.

That masterful tonal balance is further exemplified by Hokum having a comforting rustic vibe and a touching full-circle ending, despite also taunting Bauman with perhaps the creepiest cinematic creature of 2026: Jack the Donkey.

Hokum is as chilling as it is cherishable, and it’s easily among 2026’s biggest horror surprises.