Ah, June ー the peaceful entrance into summer, the promise of blue skies, basking in the sun, and unimpeded relaxation. But all that downtime demands entertainment and stimulation, and as always, the movie industry responds with its annual summer blockbusters. What is it about the warm embrace of summer that makes us crave the blood-curdling, heart-racing effects of a horror movie? Unable to sit quietly in the heat for too long, time and time again, movie-goers rush from the beach to the air-conditioned comfort of a movie theater to set themselves on edge.
Luckily, this June, five horror movies are coming to the big screen to cleanse your complacent palate with a little terror. Demons, predators, killers, cults, zombies, AI bots 一 this June has it all.
The Ritual – Releasing June 6th
Based on true events, The Ritual details what its trailer describes as “the most terrifying exorcism in American history.” Starring Al Pacino as Father Theophilus and Dan Stevens as Father Joseph Steiger, this film follows two priests who cast aside their differences to save the life of a possessed young woman named Emma Schmidt (Abigail Cowen). Through a series of risky exorcisms, “the lord’s army” comes together to keep evil at bay.
Dangerous Animals – Releasing June 6th
Dangerous Animals joins the summer genre staple born from Spielberg’s seminal classic Jaws: shark horror. Director Sean Byrne and screenwriter Nick Lepard add a twist to this tried-and-true genre by blending it with a serial killer thriller. On Australia’s east coast, free-spirited surfer Zephyr (Hassie Harrison) is abducted by a shark fanatic serial killer (Jai Courtney), who uses his favorite creatures to satiate his sadistic impulses. Zephyr, held captive on Tucker’s tug boat, faces a ticking clock as she attempts to free herself before the killer feeds her to the sharks circling below.
House of Abraham – Releasing June 13th
A woman who has spent her life haunted by the memory of finding her mother dead as a child decides to end her suffering. Dee (Natasha Henstridge) checks into the House of Abraham, home to a cult that promises a peaceful end to their guests’ lives, and soon discovers that the portrayal of the holistic and charismatic leader is a ruse. Abraham, whose mantra is “life isn’t for everyone,” says all of them are free to leave at any point. When one of the guests takes him up on his offer and then mysteriously disappears without any of his belongings, Dee has a chilling realization that she hasn’t entered a house of relief but of death.
28 Years Later – Releasing June 20th
The long-awaited sequel to the 2002 zombie horror classic 28 Days Later arrives this June and shows us how the world has progressed since the outbreak of a deadly virus that has infected the majority of Earth’s population. Even in a rigid quarantine, some humans have managed to carry on. 28 Years Later focuses on one such group on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily guarded causeway. When a father (Aaron-Taylor Johnson) and son (Alfie Williams) venture beyond the island on a mission into the apocalyptic and terrifying heart of the mainland, they discover secrets and horrors of how the virus and those infected, and those not infected, have been mutated.
M3GAN 2.0 – Releasing June 27th
The absurdist AI horror M3GAN returns to the big screen with its second installment. Two years after M3GAN’s murderous rampage, a military-grade weapon AI bot, Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), is created by a defense contractor who stole the tech that built M3GAN. Going rogue, Amelia sets out to destroy anyone in connection with her creation. The original creator, Gemma (Allison Williams), resorts to resurrecting the unpredictable and violent M3GAN to take Amelia down and protect herself, her niece Cady (Violet McGraw), and humanity itself. A blend of horror, sci-fi, and comedy, M3GAN 2.0 promises to leave an impression.
If you’re in search of some classic, uncomplicated, heart-racing fun, make your way to the theater this June. Get ready to grip your armrest, have your sweatshirt at the ready to pull over your eyes, and pick your poison.
Want to look into the eyes of the Devil itself? Go see Al Pacino in The Ritual. Looking to mix the staple summer shark movie with the unhinged mind of a serial killer? Dip into the water of Dangerous Animals. Turn your stomach with House of Abraham, feel a zombie breathing down your back with 28 Years Later, and laugh and scream at the absurdity of M3GAN 2.0. It might not seem like the perfect nightcap for a blissful summer day, but we all know it is.
Looking to wade into shark-infested waters? Check out our recommendations for shark horror novels here.
Shop our Horror bookshelf on Bookshop for more skin-prickling thrills.
