From Familiar Killers to Fresh Nighmares - A Look at Upcoming Horror Releases in February 2026
February is shaping up to be a busier month for horror releases than either January’s cautious trickle or December’s end-of-year slowdown. After a quiet start to the year, February welcomes a slew of new titles spanning studio sequels, indie thrillers, and high-concept supernatural stories.
To make sense of the congestion, I’ve split this month’s releases into two groups. The "Looking Good" titles are the films currently generating the most attention — whether through trailers, familiar franchises, or early word of mouth — while "Hmm, Not So Sure" gathers projects that may still surprise, but are arriving with fewer indicators to a standout debut. It’s not a verdict, just a way of navigating a crowded release slate.
Looking Good
The Morrigan
When Fiona, an American archaeologist, travels to rural Ireland to excavate an ancient burial site, the dig unleashes an ancient force tied to Celtic mythology — The Morrigan, a vengeful war goddess bound to blood, prophecy, and death. With her teenage daughter showing signs of possession, Fiona is forced into a battle between modern intellect and ancient belief. Racing against time, she must confront the goddess’s brutal legacy before her family becomes the latest offering to a terrible and ancient power.
VOD/Digital release on the 3rd of February
The Strangers - Chapter 3
Survivor Maya has spent years trying to escape the trauma of her encounter with masked killers. When familiar patterns of violence begin to appear once more, she realises the nightmare isn’t over. The strangers are back, and this time, they aren’t settling for mere games.
As the pursuit escalates toward an inevitable confrontation, Maya refuses to remain prey. What follows is a relentless showdown where survival demands sacrifice, and the rules of the hunt are rewritten in blood.
“Pure, nerve-shredding survival horror.” — The Midnight Reel
Runtime: 95 minutes
Cinema release on the 6th of February
Whistle
A group of high-school outsiders stumble upon an ancient Aztec Death Whistle, unaware of its deadly purpose. When one of them blows it as a joke, the horrifying sound summons something far worse than than they could have imagined — manifestations of their own future deaths.
As the entity hunts them one by one, the survivors race to uncover the artifact’s origins and break the curse. With each blast of the whistle bringing death closer, stopping it may be the only way to survive a fate they’ve already set in motion.
“Relentless and inventive.” — The Horror Vault
Runtime: 101 minutes
Limited cinema release on the 6th of February
The Mortuary Assistant
Newly certified mortician, Rebecca Owens, takes a night shift embalming bodies alone in a small-town mortuary. At first, the work is routine — until the corpses begin to move, whisper, and reveal secrets they should never have known. Rebecca begins to uncover sinister rituals tied to her mentor and confronts traumatic memories she’s long suppressed. With possession looming, surviving the night may demand confronting the dead — and herself.
“Claustrophobic and terrifying.” — Embalmed Cinema
Runtime: 104 minutes
Limited/VOD/Digital release on the 13th of February
Honey Bunch
After waking from a coma with fragmented memories, Diana agrees to undergo experimental treatments at a remote medical facility. Her husband insists it’s the only way forward — but as the procedures intensify, Diana’s sense of reality begins to crumble.
Is the treatment restoring her mind, or erasing it? Trust dissolves and Diana must confront the possibility that her husband’s devotion masks something far more disturbing.
“Quietly devastating.” — The Clinical Cut
Runtime: 102 minutes
Shudder release on the 13th of February
Broken Bird
Sybil, a withdrawn mortician’s assistant, finds comfort among the dead and expression through poetry at a local pub. When her employer begins preparing her to inherit the funeral home, Sybil sees the promise of a belonging she’s never known.
But beneath her fragile stability lies a violent fantasy life that grows harder to contain. As the mentorship turns manipulative, Sybil’s inner world threatens to erupt into something irreversible and uncontrollable.
“Disturbing and intimate.” — Black Veil Review
Runtime: 99 minutes
Limited cinema release on the 13th of February
Psycho Killer
A nameless, masked murderer leaves a trail of bodies across America, driven by a desire for notoriety and damnation. When he kills a highway patrolman in rural Nebraska, he leaves behind a single witness — the officer’s wife.
Also a cop, she launches a relentless pursuit across state lines as the killer prepares his ultimate act: a mass murder designed to secure his place in hell.
“Cold, brutal, and relentless.” — Red Siren Cinema
Runtime: 107 minutes
Cinema release on the 20th of February
The Dreadful
In medieval England, Anne lives under the oppressive rule of her mother-in-law, Morwen, struggling to survive on society’s fringes. When a soldier from Anne’s past returns from war, his presence awakens a curse tied to blood, betrayal, and vengeance.
As a mysterious knight stalks the land, superstition gives way to horror, threatening to consume everyone bound to the curse’s grim design.
“Medieval misery at its darkest.” — The Black Banner
Runtime: 105 minutes
Limited cinema/VOD/Digital release on the 20th of February
Scream 7
Sidney Prescott has built a quiet life far from Woodsboro — until a new Ghostface killer emerges. When the murders draw frighteningly close to home, Sidney’s worst fear is realised: her daughter has become the next target.
Forced back into the cycle of violence she never truly escaped, Sidney confronts her past one final time in a fight to protect her family and end Ghostface’s legacy for good.
“A brutal return to form.” — Slasher Central
Runtime: 111 minutes
Cinema release on the 27th of February
Hmm, Not Sure
Dracula
In this reimagining of Bram Stoker’s immortal legend, Count Dracula emerges as both predator and presence — a figure whose influence corrupts everything it touches. As his shadow spreads across Europe, a small group of adversaries begins to uncover the true cost of immortality.
Limited cinema release on the 6th of February
Twisted
Two opportunistic millennials exploit New York City’s housing crisis by renting apartments they don’t own, building a lucrative scam on deception and greed. But when one property’s true owner reappears, the power dynamic shifts in horrifying ways.
VOD/Digital release on the 6th of February
The Arborist
Still reeling from personal loss, a professional arborist accepts a job at the sprawling estate of a reclusive landowner. When she and her young son begin removing trees from the property, they unknowingly disturb something buried deep within the land.
VOD/Digital release on the 6th of February
Mimics
Struggling impressionist Sam Reinhold is offered a shortcut to success when he encounters Fergus, a malevolent puppet with supernatural abilities. In exchange for fame, Sam must accept conditions he barely understands.
Limited release on the 13th of February
The Haunted Forest
Horror-obsessed teenager Zach lands a job at his cousin’s popular haunted forest attraction just in time for Halloween season. But when visitors begin dying in ways that mirror the attraction’s scares, fantasy gives way to real terror.
VOD/Digital release on the 13th of February
Diabolic
Haunted by violent visions, a woman is forced to return to the isolated religious compound where she was raised. There, she confronts a legacy of fanaticism, secrecy, and a witch condemned generations earlier.
Limited cinema/VOD/Digital release on the 20th of February
This is Not a Test
When a sudden zombie outbreak traps students and teachers inside a high school, survival becomes a matter of trust, leadership, and moral compromise. With the dead pounding at the doors, the living turn on one another.
Limited cinema release on the 20th of February
Noseeums
Fresh from a toxic breakup, college student Ember joins her roommate and wealthy friends for a weekend at a secluded Florida lake house. The land feels disturbingly familiar, and soon Ember begins sensing the presence of restless spirits tied to the property’s past.
VOD/Digital release on the 27th of February
Crazy Old Lady
On a stormy night, Pedro agrees to watch his ex-girlfriend’s senile mother, Alicia, after her nurse mysteriously disappears. From the moment he enters the house, something feels wrong — Alicia doesn’t recognize him and the night spirals into psychological torment.
Shudder release on the 27th of February
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