5 Upcoming Horror Movies That Will Disappoint (And 5 That Could Be Great)

If you’re a horror fan, 2016’s first quarter did not breed expectations that this year would be one for the record books. Don’t get me wrong: Robert Eggers’ The Witch was a fine (and dandy) start to the year, and if you bought the premise, then William Brent Bell’s The Boy had its moments. But all it takes to poison the well is an unnecessary remake and 2016 has already produced two: Cabin Fever and Martyrs.

Seriously, if another movie as flat, soulless and depressing as Cabin Fever sees release this year, then popular culture has gone horribly, terribly wrong. It’s up there with Gus Van Sant’s Psycho as a textbook example of how to suck the life out of the source material and seems to have been made to make young filmmakers think, “You know what? Let’s get fast food jobs instead.”

At least the Martyrs reboot has some unintentional laughs. The filmmakers must’ve thought they were making Spectre because the cult members from Pascal Laugier’s movie have become Bond villains, outlining their diabolical plan to the heroine before attempting to kill her. She survives (of course) then exacts revenge Schwarzenegger style by shooting everything in sight.

Each film’s remit appears to have been to acquire a famous title, tone it down for mass consumption and make as much money as possible. With all the sequels and remakes due in 2016, is this a taste of things to come?

Here are 5 movies that don't promise much, and 5 that might surprise us.

Blumhouse doesn’t have the greatest track record of late (Unfriended, The Lazarus Effect, Visions etc), but that’s not the main reason why this PG-13 supernatural thriller from Wolf Creek director Greg McLean is likely to meet with a lukewarm response.

Originally titled 6 Miranda Drive, The Darkness was filmed in 2014 and for reasons undisclosed has languished in post-production ever since. A teen friendly rating, a title change and a delayed release don’t exactly inspire confidence.

Starring Kevin Bacon and Radha Mitchell, The Darkness concerns a couple who return home from a Grand Canyon vacation to find their lives invaded by a supernatural presence. Whatever the film’s fate, it’ll certainly be very different from The Belko Experiment, McLean’s other horror film in due 2016, which promises gore galore as 83 American expats trapped in Brazil are forced to obey the a series of commands issued by a stranger.