The best horror movies of 2026 so far, according to Variety
Variety's midyear list names Obsession the best horror movie of 2026 so far, followed by Hokum, Touch Me, and They Will Kill You. Low-budget hits Backrooms and Obsession helped make 2026 a standout year for the best horror movies at the box office, while sequels including Scream 7 and The Strangers – Chapter 3 drew far less enthusiasm from critics.
Key Takeaways
- Variety ranks Obsession first among 2026 horror releases, with Hokum second and Touch Me third.
- Backrooms and Obsession emerged as low-budget box office hits in a year critics call good-to-great for scary cinema.
- The top 10 also includes Leviticus, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Faces of Death, Mārama, and Exit 8.
- Sequels Scream 7 and The Strangers – Chapter 3 are cited as entries audiences could have lived without.
Which Horror Movies Topped Variety's 2026 Ranking?
William Earl's Variety ranking counts down ten standouts from the first half of 2026. Obsession leads, followed by Hokum, Touch Me, They Will Kill You, Leviticus, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Faces of Death, Mārama, Exit 8, and Backrooms.
The list spans A24's liminal nightmare Backrooms, Neon's haunted-hotel thriller Hokum, and Focus Features' friendzone-fueled Obsession, giving horror fans a wide mix of styles to chase on the big screen.
What Makes Obsession Variety's Number One Pick?
Before the thinkpieces piled up, Obsession arrived as a nasty little thriller blending a monkey's paw scenario with a contemporary take on life in the friendzone. Twisty scares and an all-timer performance from Inde Navarrette helped the fear burrow deep, according to Variety.
Countless WTF moments have fueled months of debate, and the bleak ending kept the film unforgettable long after audiences left theaters. That staying power is why it sits atop the year's best horror movies list.
Why Are Backrooms and Hokum Standouts?
Kane Parsons' Backrooms drops Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve into an endless maze of liminal spaces. Variety credits Jeremy Cox's production design and camerawork for carrying the film's sketch of a script and building tone and tension throughout.
Damian McCarthy's Hokum traps Adam Scott's Ohm inside a secret-filled Irish hotel. Remarkable set design and highbrow jump scares turn the murder mystery into what Variety calls a rollercoaster ride best enjoyed at a crowded multiplex.
Which 2026 Horror Sequels Underwhelmed Critics?
Not every familiar franchise delivered. Variety singles out Scream 7 and The Strangers – Chapter 3 as sequels the world could have lived without, even as original titles kept multiplexes busy.
For more coverage of what to watch next, browse our Streaming & TV Alerts hub as studios announce where top 2026 horror titles land after their theatrical runs.