11 Horror Movies That Will Scare Your Pants Off This Summer

By Maggie Panos

Updated on 5/29/2017 at 8:30 AM

The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company

As we continue to map out our Summer based on which movies are being released, we're taking a closer look at one specific genre: horror. There are 10 films opening that have piqued our interest thanks to their chilling trailers, killer casts, and mysterious plots. Before the heat gets too out of control, find out what movies should be on your radar. (And if horror isn't your jam, here's our full list of Summer's hottest movies!)

01
Alien: Covenant
Everett Collection

Alien: Covenant

  • The scoop: The details surrounding Alien: Covenant have already convinced us to see the movie opening weekend. Ridley Scott is back as the director, and the cast includes Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, James Franco, and Danny McBride. That's a lot of people we're about to watch die terrible deaths by way of aliens.
  • Release date: May 19
  • Watch the trailer.
02
The Mummy
Universal Pictures

The Mummy

  • The scoop: You didn't ask for a reboot of the Mummy franchise, but you're getting it anyway. This time, Tom Cruise is attempting to stop an ancient princess from destroying the world. Annabelle Wallis, Russell Crowe, and Courtney B. Vance all costar.
  • Release date: June 9
  • Watch the trailer.
03
It Comes at Night
A24 Films

It Comes at Night

  • The scoop: The trailer alone for this mysterious horror movie will fill you with so much dread. This survival story with Joel Edgerton definitely seems like one of the low-key horror hits of the year, à la The Witch or It Follows.
  • Release date: June 9
  • Watch the trailer.
04
47 Meters Down
Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures

47 Meters Down

  • The scoop: Sisters Lisa (Mandy Moore) and Kate (Claire Holt) agree to go on a shark diving expedition in Mexico. Great idea, right? Until their protective cage breaks away from the boat and sends them to the ocean floor, where predators circle as their oxygen runs out.
  • Release date: June 16
  • Watch the trailer.
05
The Beguiled
Focus Features

The Beguiled

  • The scoop: Nicole Kidman looks downright terrifying in this Civil War-set thriller about a school for girls that takes in a wounded soldier (Colin Farrell). Sofia Coppola is the director, and you can definitely feel her style in the trailer . . . especially as things start to unravel.
  • Release date: June 23
  • Watch the trailer.
06
Amityville: The Awakening
The Weinstein Company

Amityville: The Awakening

  • The scoop: This sequel has spent a long time in production — the original trailer is from 2014 — but we're still hoping it'll be a solid thriller. Bella Thorne, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Cameron Monaghan are the stars.
  • Release date: June 30
  • Watch the trailer.
07
A Ghost Story
A24 Films

A Ghost Story

  • The scoop: If you like your thrillers to be a little more moody and thought-provoking, try A Ghost Story. Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara are starring in the drama, about a ghost that returns to its former wife.
  • Release date: July 7
  • Watch the trailer.
08
Wish Upon
Broad Green Pictures

Wish Upon

  • The scoop: If Aladdin was actually a terrifying horror story, it would be Wish Upon. Joey King stars as a girl who is granted seven wishes . . . but they come with a steep price.
  • Release date: July 14
  • Watch the trailer.
09
The Dark Tower
Sony Pictures

The Dark Tower

  • The scoop: We're insanely curious about this Stephen King adaptation, partially because we have yet to see any footage — though a trailer was shown at CinemaCon 2017. Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba are starring in the film, which follows two men living in a postapocalyptic Wild West.
  • Release date: Aug. 4
10
Annabelle: Creation
New Line Cinema

Annabelle: Creation

  • The scoop: Go back to the evil, evil beginning and find out why the creepy doll from The Conjuring is such an utter nightmare. The prequel takes us back to the early 20th century, when a grieving couple takes in a group of orphans.
  • Release date: Aug. 11
  • Watch the trailer.
11
Polaroid
The Weinstein Company

Polaroid

  • The scoop: The producers of The Ring and The Grudge are back with a flick about a killer camera. It snaps your picture, and you die. Sounds simple, but there's potential for maximum creep factor.
  • Release date: Aug. 25