There are some truly terrifying films [1] set to hit the big screen next year, but surprisingly, some of the scariest-looking ones are based on stories that we already know. While it's true that some reboots are major flops, great remakes can pay the perfect tribute to cinematic classics, and no remakes work as well as horror flicks. This year saw resurrections of everything from 1977's Suspiria [2] to 1978's Halloween [3], and 2019 promises a whole new batch of old movies rising from the dead.
Unfortunately, while the The Crow was initially slated for an October 2019 release, the project was put on hold as of May 2018 when star Jason Momoa and director Corin Hardy dropped out [4] of the project. That said, here are all of the upcoming horror movie reboots you can definitely look forward to seeing in the next year.
Jacob's Ladder
David M. Rosenthal is directing this remake of the haunting 1990 film of the same name, which tells the story of a solider (originally played by Tim Robbins) who loses his brother in combat and returns home only to find himself in a constant state of paranoia, wondering whether his brother really died after all. The movie will star Michael Ealy and Jesse Williams (Grey's Anatomy [6]) as veteran Jacob Singer and his brother, respectively.
"In the space of psychology thrillers, we are never really represented — especially films showing black families [7]," Williams told the Los Angeles Times in 2016. "I'm looking forward to this."
We're excited about the prospect of this movie, but with no trailers or press materials, it's hard to tell if it's actually coming out in theatres at all.
Release date: Feb. 1
Pet Sematary
Directed by Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer, this highly anticipated remake [8] will take on the 1983 Stephen King book that was first made into a movie in 1989. Jason Clarke and Amy Seimetz will star as Louis and Rachel Creed, who move their family to a new home, with John Lithgow also appearing as the neighbour who informs them that there's an eerie pet cemetery in the woods bordering their home.
Release date: Apr. 5
Grudge
This film will actually be a reboot of a reboot [9], since the 2004 movie of the same name was itself a remake of the 2003 Japanese horror film, Ju-on: The Grudge, which tells the story of a house cursed by a vengeful ghost that dooms those who enter it. Nicolas Pesce, who also directed the 2016 indie hit The Eyes of My Mother, is directing the fresh take, with Andrea Riseborough, Betty Gilpin, and John Cho set to star.
Release date: June 21
Child's Play
There have been a ton of sequels, but after years of uncertainty, a full-on reboot is finally happening [10], with a plot that sounds similar to the 1988 original about a single mother, her son, and the worst present ever: a killer doll. Lars Klevberg is directing, and Parks and Recreation's Aubrey Plaza and Atlanta's Brian Tyree Henry will costar.
Release date: June 21