The ‘Scream’ update leads 10 highly anticipated horror films creeping our way in 2022

Need a respite from the horrors of the modern-day world? Well, 2022 has many highly-anticipated horror films coming our way, starting with the reboot of “Scream,” opening Friday, Jan. 14. Here’s a look. (As always, release dates are subject to change. Or disappear. Who knows?)

“Scream” The fifth installment in the slasher franchise has stars of the original “Scream” — Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courteney Cox — returning to small town Woodsboro as a new masked killer emerges. This is a direct sequel to 2011’s “Scream 4,” and will be the first of the series not directed by Wes Craven, who died in 2015. (Jan. 14 in theaters)

“Orphan: First Kill” Isabelle Fuhrman first starred as the murderous 33-year-old posing as a 9-year-old child in 2009’s “Orphan.” Now she returns 13 years later for this prequel origin story that follows the “orphan” as she escapes an insane asylum and impersonates the missing daughter of a wealthy family. (Jan. 28 in theaters)

“Texas Chainsaw Massacre” Like David Gordon Green’s “Halloween” in 2018, this is a direct sequel to the 1974 original, and pretends all those other sequels, spinoffs and what-have-you never existed. Here, after nearly 50 years of hiding (he must still be in really good shape), gruesome masked killer Leatherface returns to terrorize a group of idealistic young friends who accidentally disrupt his carefully shielded world in a remote Texas town. Don’t disrupt! Never disrupt! (Feb. 18 on Netflix)

“Morbius” The Marvel Comics villain who first appeared in the Spider-Man comics gets his feature film debut, with Oscar winner Jared Leto starring as an ailing scientist who, in an attempt to cure himself from a mysterious disease, accidentally turns himself into a vampire. Doh! (April 1 in theaters)

“The Black Phone” After being abducted by a child killer and locked in a soundproof basement, a 13-year-old boy starts receiving calls on a disconnected phone from the killer’s previous victims. Do data rates still apply? Ethan Hawke stars. (June 24 in theaters)

“Nope” Little is known about the plot of Oscar winner Jordan Peele’s follow-up to his horror masterpieces “Get Out” and “Us,” but it stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer and Steven Yuen. The film’s mysterious teaser poster showing an ominous storm cloud is already sparking debate on social media. (July 22 in theaters)

“Salem’s Lot” Stephen King’s classic novel spawned two TV miniseries, but it’s finally getting a feature film adaptation. The story follows a writer who returns to his hometown to discover a mysterious force that turns the residents into vampires. I don’t think I’d go home again. (Sept. 9 in theaters)

“Dark Harvest” A legendary monster called “October Boy” terrorizes residents in a small Midwestern town (why is it always a small Midwestern town?) when he rises from the cornfields every Halloween with his butcher knife. Well, that’ll do it! (Sept. 9 in theaters)

“Halloween Ends” The final installment in David Gordon Green’s modern “Halloween” trilogy (like I said, that pretends any other sequels or spin-offs previously never happened, so forget them!) takes place four years after the events in 2020’s “Halloween Kills.” Jamie Lee Curtis returns as Laurie Strode, the lone survivor of Michael Myers’ 1978 killing spree, who seeks revenge on the serial killer with her granddaughter. (Oct. 14 in theaters)

“Prey” This origin story prequel of “The Predator” franchise follows a skilled warrior (Amber Midthunder) from the Comanche Nation as she tries to protect her tribe from a highly-evolved alien predator beast. (Exact release date unknown, but it will stream on Hulu)

This story was originally published January 14, 2022 at 3:41 AM with the headline "The ‘Scream’ update leads 10 highly anticipated horror films creeping our way in 2022."