Horror Previews: 'Wolf Man,' 'Birdeater,' 'Bloody Axe Wound,' 'The Devil and the Daylong Brothers,' 'The Rule of Jenny Pen' and '2073'
Horror is all the rage! We get it, people enjoy a good scare in the safety of watching a movie. It's a long-standing tradition that explains why the horror genre has always remained relevant throughout history. While 2024 was a great year for horror, let's see what 2025 has in store. Below is a list of recently released previews for some horror movies coming out in the new year.
“Wolf Man” — Featurette
(in theaters on Jan 17th)
Take a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this new Blumhouse-produced horror thriller from Leigh Whannell, the director of The Invisible Man. You might recognize Whannell as the actor, writer, producer, and co-creator of the popular horror franchises Saw and Insidious. Whannell really caught our attention as a filmmaker with the release of the thrilling sci-fi action film “Upgrade.” While it wasn’t a major hit, it quickly gained a loyal fanbase. In 2020, Whannell achieved significant success as a writer-director with his modern-day take on the classic horror story “The Invisible Man.” That success led him to tackle another Universal Monster property, “The Wolf Man.”
In a new featurette for his upcoming film, Whannell discusses how he modernized the classic tale of an ordinary man transforming into a werewolf by focusing on a claustrophobic and virus-driven transformation. Whannell acknowledges drawing inspiration from the classic horror films of his youth in the 1980s, particularly John Carpenter’s “The Thing.”
Christopher Abbott (“Poor Things”) stars as the unfortunate family man bitten by a werewolf while defending his family. He’s joined on screen by Emmy Award winner Julia Garner, known for her role as Ruth Langmore in “Ozark,” playing Abbott’s wife. She soon faces the horrifying reality that her husband is turning into a monster while also trying to protect their young daughter, all while they’re trapped in a cabin in the woods.
Whannell co-wrote the film with Corbett Tuck, with contributions from Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo (Dumb Money). “Wolf Man” hits theaters on January 17, kicking off the horror season for the new year.
“Birdeater” — Trailer
(in theaters on Jan. 10th)
Look, we’re probably one of the last fools you should ask about throwing a good party, but having a bachelor bash in the middle of the Australian Outback? Well, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out things could go south pretty quickly. “Birdeater,” an Australian thriller from filmmakers Jim Weir and Jack Clark, examines how a fun celebration with friends can quickly spiral into a chaotic, nightmarish ordeal. Out in theaters on Jan, 10th.
“Bloody Axe Wound” — Trailer
(in theaters and on VOD on December 27th)
A teenage girl dreams of following in her father’s footsteps, but when the family business demands heinous acts, will she have what it takes to succeed In this dark horror comedy “Bloody Axe Wound,” where a young girl aspires to become a slasher .... just like her father.
Written and directed by horror filmmaker Matthew John Lawrence, known for the 2020 horror comedy “Uncle Peckerhead,” the film stars Sari Arambulo from the comedy series "A.P. Bio." Arambulo plays Abbie, a wide-eyed teenager raised in the seemingly idyllic small town of Clover Falls, notorious for its frequent homicidal massacres over the years. Unbeknownst to most, Abbie's father, a ghoulish slasher named Roger Bladecut (played by "Twilight" actor Billy Burke), has secretly built a legacy of small-town murders. Roger gruesomely kills innocent teens, records the acts, and sells them as low-budget VHS horror movies for profit. Determined to follow in her father's footsteps, Abbie sets out to create her own "horror slasher" production. However, her plans are derailed when her intended target, a high school teen played by Molly Brown ("The Bear"), turns out to be unexpectedly awesome and cool. In fact, everyone at her school seems remarkably likable, leaving Abbie to question whether she truly has what it takes to be a serial killer.
“Bloody Axe Wound” features a guest appearance by Jeffrey Dean Morgan and is slated to hit theaters and digital platforms on December 27th.
“The Devil and the Daylong Brothers” — Trailer
(in theaters and on VOD on Jan. 31st)
Looking for a genre-bending thriller? Well, The Devil and the Daylong Brothers is not just a Southern Gothic tale; it's a southern-fried, horror-tinged crime thriller with a touch of off-Broadway musical vibe.
The film follows the Daylong Brothers—three siblings from three different mothers, but the same backstabbing father (played by genre icon Keith Carradine)—as they roll into a Southern town on a mission to reclaim their souls from the Devil. It was their father who sold their souls to the Devil, and now the brothers are out for revenge. Oh, and it's also a musical, because why not? This comes out in theaters and on VOD on Jan 31.
“The Rule of Jenny Pen” — Trailer
(Coming Soon, 2025)
Earlier in his career, John Lithgow delivered several memorable performances as sinister characters, especially in Brian De Palma's classic thrillers "Blow Out" and "Raising Cain." While he is widely admired for his comedic fatherly roles in projects like "3rd Rock from the Sun" and "Harry and the Hendersons," Lithgow continues to surprise audiences with nuanced performances that delve into his darker, more sinister side. This year, for instance, Lithgow portrayed the suspiciously shady Cardinal Tremblay in the Oscar-bound papal thriller "Conclave." Next year, however, he will likely deliver straight-up chills as a creepy elderly man terrorizing a retirement home in the upcoming psychological thriller "The Rule of Jenny Pen."
Catch John Lithgow in all of his creepiest glory as he sends chills down your spine, wielding an eerie hand puppet and a down-under accent in the official international trailer for the upcoming film. Lithgow shares the screen with Oscar-winning Australian actor Geoffrey Rush, who portrays Stefan Mortensen, an elderly stroke victim newly moved into a senior care facility, only to become the latest target of the retirement home's resident weirdo — Lithgow's Dave Crealy.
"The Rule of Jenny Pen" is directed by New Zealand filmmaker James Ashcroft, best known for the gritty 2021 Kiwi thriller "Coming Home in the Dark." Ashcroft also co-wrote the film with his writing partner Eli Kent, based on a short story by Owen Marshall.
"The Rule of Jenny Pen" is set to open internationally in March. The film doesn't have an official U.S. release date, but the horror streaming platform Shudder picked up the U.S. rights and is expected to premiere sometime in 2025.
“2073” — Trailer
(in select theaters on December 27th)
If you have the feeling that today’s political and social-economic landscapes have been thrown into a certain level of chaos and uncertainty — well, just imagine what the world will look like in 50 years.
Acclaimed British filmmaker Asif Kapadia, of the Oscar-winning Amy Winehouse documentary “Amy” and the award-winning car racing Ayrton Senna biography “Senna,” offers a bleak look into the future with his latest film project, "2073."
While, it might not be a typical horror film, this dystopian thriller, with documentary-style elements, paints a grim picture of the future. It explores a world where authoritarian regimes rise, misinformation spreads unchecked, tech monopolies dominate, and civil rights are trampled — leading to the collapse of democracy on a global scale.
Starring acclaimed British actress Samantha Morton ("Minority Report," "Sweet and Lowdown," and "The Walking Dead"), the film follows a survivor tormented by unsettling visions of both the past and present. Set in a "what if" future shaped by escalating natural disasters, rampant pollution, constant drone surveillance, and devastating global conflicts, it paints a bleak picture of what could lie ahead.
Asif Kapadia co-writes, directs, and produces this new dystopian documentary and cinematic narrative hybrid, inspired by the classic 1962 French experimental short "La Jetee," which also was the basis of Terry Gilliam's 1995 dystopian time-travel thriller "12 Monkeys."
"2073" is scheduled to open in select theaters on December 27th, courtesy of Neon Films.