Cover ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ proves there’s still plenty of life left in the slasher subgenre of horror movies. (Photo: IMDb)
‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ proves there’s still plenty of life left in the slasher subgenre of horror movies. (Photo: IMDb)
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These new-school horror movies deliver brutal kills, clever twists and bloody tributes to classic slashers
Campy, clever and blood-soaked, the slasher genre of horror movies is slicing its way back into the spotlight. A new wave of films is reimagining the formula with sharp writing, brutal kills and fresh characters, while still paying homage to horror legends. From Ready or Not’s deadly game of hide-and-seek to the revivals of Final Destination and Scream, today’s slashers blend nostalgia with innovation. Whether it's legacy sequels or original twists, these films prove that slasher horror is far from dead.
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‘Ready or Not’
Campy, gory and deliciously entertaining, Ready or Not is an eat-the-rich take on the slasher genre of horror movies. When Grace (Samara Weaving in a star-making role) marries into a wealthy, eccentric family, her wedding night descends into mayhem as she’s forced into a deadly game of hide-and-seek—part of a demonic ritual the in-laws believe will ensure their survival and fortune. A sequel titled Ready or Not: Here I Come is currently in the works with Weaving set to reprise her role.
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‘Fear Street’ trilogy
Divided into three parts (1994, 1978, 1666), the trilogy, based on R.L. Stine’s popular Fear Street book series, traces the origins of the Shadyside curse back to the execution of Sarah Fier. Accused of witchcraft, her vengeful spirit possesses others to kill on her behalf.
Part of the trilogy’s appeal is its reverence for slasher and horror movies that came before, evoking nostalgia in fans of the genre. Part 1: 1994 borrows elements from the Scream franchise. Part 2: 1978, set in summer camp, pays homage to the Friday the 13th movies. And Part 3: 1666 incorporates elements of folk horror.
‘Scream’ (2022)
Jenna Ortega steps into her scream queen era in this clever, Gen Z-driven revival of Wes Craven’s legendary slasher series. Set 25 years after the original Woodsboro killings, a new Ghostface begins targeting a group of teens. The attacks draw legacy survivors Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and Dewey Riley (David Arquette) back into familiar—and deadly—territory as they help a new generation of victims survive the carnage.
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‘Scream VI’
After surviving the latest round of Woodsboro horrors, sisters Sam and Tara Carpenter (Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega) try to rebuild their lives in New York City. But a change of scenery doesn’t mean they’ve escaped the nightmare as Ghostface emerges to stalk them anew. In a direct callback to the original Scream sequel, familial revenge serves as the motive behind the killings in this update. Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) returns with Scream 4 alum Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere)—now an FBI agent—to assist in the investigation.
‘Fear Street: Prom Queen’
R.L. Stine continues to terrorise a new generation with the latest addition to the Fear Street universe. Set once again in the cursed town of Shadyside, Prom Queen follows Lori Granger (India Fowler), an outsider at her high school who soon finds herself fighting for her life when the prom court starts turning up dead, one by one, at the hands of a masked assailant. With its blood-soaked blend of teen drama and mystery, Prom Queen nods to horror classics like Stephen King’s Carrie—minus the pig’s blood and psychic meltdown—and the 1980s cult classic Prom Night.
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‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’
Already hailed as the best entry since the original, the opening set piece alone is guaranteed to fuel the anxiety of a new generation of viewers. The latest instalment in this horror movie franchise takes generational trauma to the next level, introducing a clever twist: life—and death—are inherited legacies. But as much as that adds a fresh new layer to the mythology, it’s the deaths that steal the spotlight, each one unfolding like a morbid Rube Goldberg machine.
‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ (2025)
Instead of a reboot, fans are getting a direct sequel when I Know What You Did Last Summer hits cinemas on July 18. While the film introduces a new cast of characters—led by Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders and Jonah Hauer-King—it’s expected to revisit the original movie’s core premise and tropes: a group of teenagers bound by a dark secret are picked off one by one by a hook-wielding killer. Legacy characters Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze Jr) return to confront the past and help uncover who’s behind the new wave of murders.
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