Best New Horror Movies To Watch in April 2024

While April showers bring May flowers, finding something to do in the meantime is easy for horror movie fans. This month, a diverse array of scary movies are set to hit the screens, from foreign horrors to movies with some seriously traumatized children. Nicolas Cage continues to grind out the work with another entry for the horror drama, which certainly won’t be his last year. It’s another month of potential classics coming your way, and here are the top seven you won’t want to miss.

‘Baghead’

Based on the original short film of the same name, Baghead reimagines old ghost stories. From the producers of It and Barbarian, the film tells the story of a young woman who inherits a run-down pub and discovers a dark secret within its basement: Baghead. This shape-shifting creature will show that speaking to lost loved ones is not without consequences. Freya Allan (The Witcher) stars in this plot twist-heavy creature feature that will make your skin crawl.

‘The First Omen’

The First Omen is a prequel to its almost 50-year-old predecessor, The Omen, that tells the origins of the Antichrist, Damien. The new movie explores the events leading up to Damien’s birth, unearthing the chilling beginnings of one of the most evil beings on the big screen. With a cast including Bill Nighy (Love Actually) as Cardinal Lawrence and Nell Tiger Free (Servant) as Margaret Daino, the latest installment in the influential franchise has a lot of promise. The 2006 remake had less than stellar responses from critics, but this new perspective of the iconic movie takes us on a journey with an American woman who travels to the Italian church where she uncovers this spawn of Satan. It promises to deepen the dark mythology and religious iconography that has fascinated audiences for decades.

‘Sting’

Sting is a horror film directed by Kiah Roache-Turner, that follows a 12-year-old girl named Charlotte (Alyla Browne) and her pet spider that transforms into a giant flesh-eating monster. Charlotte is a bit of an intrepid child, and while her parents are distracted by their newborn, she turns to the creepy crawlies with a strange fascination. What starts as an innocent, albeit somewhat disturbing, friendship, Charlotte eventually has to fight the arachnid to save herself and her family, along with the other inhabitants of their New York apartment building. The film not only terrifies, but also serves as a cautionary tale of neglect, the need for attention, and the unforeseen consequences.

‘In Flames’

In Flames is a Pakistani-Canadian film that was originally released in 2023. However, its success overseas has enabled it to see a limited release in American theaters. The movie is a very uniquely haunting exploration of societal and supernatural forces that oppress women. Set in Karachi, Pakistan, it tells the story of Mariam (Ramesha Nawal), a woman whose life is upended by visions that connect her to a past filled with secrets and danger. The film’s critical success has led it to become Pakistan’s entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.

‘Arcadian’

Arcadian is one of the newest additions to post-apocalyptic horror, where survival is not just a struggle against the elements but also the monstrous. Starring Nicolas Cage, Jaeden Martell (It), and Maxwell Jenkins (Reacher), the film follows a family isolated in a remote farmhouse that has to fight off creatures whenever the sun sets. Not only are the creatures in this feature impressively designed, but it also delivers a gripping story of family and resilience in the face of unimaginable horrors. Arcadian captures our primal fear of the dark and takes on the deceptively complex genre of survival horror.

‘Abigail’

Abigail is an upcoming horror comedy by directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, who are known for their work on Scream (2022) and Scream VI. Abigail serves as a reimaging of the classic Universal Monster movie Dracula’s Daughter; however, in this version, the antagonist is a young girl named Abigail (Alisha Weir). When a group of kidnappers abduct Abigail, hoping to collect a $50 million ransom from her wealthy father, they quickly discover they’ve made a huge mistake. Melissa Barrera (Scream), Dan Stevens (Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire), Kathryn Newton (Lisa Frankenstein), Giancarlo Esposito (The Mandalorian), and the late Angus Cloud (Euphoria) also star in the monster movie.

‘Late Night With the Devil’

Set in 1977, a live television broadcast goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation’s living rooms. Late Night With The Devil is a found-footage film focusing on the paranormal. While most of the film is centered around the late-night show, David Dastmalchian delivers a standout performance as Jack Delroy. He fully embodies this character, and that only adds to the eerie nature of it all. While Late Night With The Devil might’ve flown under the radar, it’s a film you don’t want to miss. You can watch it in theaters right now or wait for it to hit Shudder later this month.

‘Infested’

In another foreign horror genre addition, Infested is a French film that made its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. Arachnophobes have another reason to fear this month as the film takes a serious tone in its depiction of a spider infestation in a rundown apartment building. The residents must battle against an army of deadly, rapidly reproducing spiders. Kaleb (Théo Christine), a young man on the brink of 30, introduces the eight-legged monsters when he brings a venomous spider into his apartment. Infested is expected to not only be a horror film, but it will also examine the disparity of inequality in housing, using the film to highlight the real-life horrors associated with neglected living conditions and the vulnerabilities of those residing in such environments.

‘Humane’

The satirical horror film Humane marks the directorial debut of Canadian photographer Caitlin Cronenberg, the daughter of legendary body-horror filmmaker David Cronenberg. The entire film plays out over a single day following a global economic collapse that has forced world leaders to come up with a way to minimize the earth’s population. During a family dinner, the father announces that he will be joining the government’s new military assigned to the morbid euthanasia of humanity, much to the surprise and dismay of his relatives. Since IFC Films and Shudder picked up distribution rights, the film is set to be released in theaters and will also become available on the streaming service in the summer.