Horror fans are in for an exciting 2025. With iconic franchises expanding into TV series and hit shows returning for new seasons, there's a lot to look forward to next year, including series based on some of the best horror films of all time. From psychological thrillers to post-apocalyptic nightmares, as well as another Stephen King-Mike Flanagan duo, the upcoming releases are calibrated to keep viewers on edge.
While it's still obviously too early to know whether the upcoming shows will truly hit the sweet spot among fans of the genre, there's plenty of room for optimism surrounding a handful of major projects set to premiere or return next year. The list of upcoming horror shows demonstrates the genre's endless creativity and ability to reinvent itself.
10
Alien: Earth
Hulu
THE Foreigner the franchise has always delivered chilling horror mixed with atmospheric storytelling and the new TV adaptation, Alien: Earthpromises to elevate the fear factor. The show, led by acclaimed showrunner Noah Hawley (Fargo, Legion), brings a fresh yet familiar approach to the horrific universe. It's easy to imagine how the claustrophobic dread of xenomorphs will translate into a serialized format. With Hawley's talent for layered storytelling and intense character development, viewers are eager to see how he reinvents the franchise.
Set in the year 2120, just two years before the events of the original Foreigner film, Alien: Earth supposedly focuses on humanity's reckless early attempts to weaponize xenomorphsresulting in chaos on Earth itself. Spearheaded by Timothy Olyphant and based on the franchise's iconic blend of sci-fi horror and existential dread, this plot feels timely and plausible. Hit or miss, Alien: Earth is about to become a must-see spectacle for fans everywhere.
9
IT: Welcome to Derry
HBO
Stephen King THIS universe is expanding with Welcome to Derrya prequel that delves into the sinister history of the infamous city. Set in the 1960s, the series should explore the origins of Pennywise and the generational trauma that afflicts the residents of Derry. Fans of the eerie narrative of King's novel and blockbuster films can anticipate new horrors as the series reveals the creepy clown's macabre beginnings.
Creative list alone positions Welcome to Derry as a must-have watch. The show brings back Andy Muschietti, the director of the blockbuster THIS films, promising continuity in vision and terror. According to early reports, the show will be a prequel to THIS and an origin story for the supernatural alien Pennywise, offering chilling answers to questions fans have long speculated about. That alone has horror devotees speculating wildly.
8
Yellowjackets (Season 3)
Show time
Show time Yellow Jackets became an instant favorite with its dark and gripping story of a high school football team lost in the desert. Season three promises to up the ante, continuing the dual timeline approach that contrasts their harrowing '90s survival story with their modern lives, filled with secrets and plenty of psychological scars. After the shocking cliffhangers of season 2, audiences are eager to unravel the mysteries of Shauna, Taissa, Misty and Natalie, as well as the mysterious force that hangs over their fight for survival.
Fortunately, season three looks set to explore these angles. Series creator Ashley Lyle promised the new season finally answer some of the main Yellow Jackets questions lasting through the first two seasons, including what happened in the past that the women are so afraid of being exposed. Plotted as a five-season story, it's safe to assume that the central season of this story arc should bring many of Yellowjacket's secrets into focus and set the stage for the story's final conclusion.
7
The Last of Us (Season 2)
HBO
With stellar performances from Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, a hauntingly beautiful post-apocalyptic world, and terrifying infected creatures, the first season of the HBO drama enchanted viewers and left them hungry for more. Season 2 will be based on The Last of Us Part IIthe controversial but revered sequel to the original video game. Saying that fans are eager to see how the Last of us showrunners will adapt the game's emotionally turbulent storywhich delves into themes of revenge, trauma, and morality is an understatement.
Central to the questions will be whether Ellie's darker, more vengeful arc will match the intensity of the video game source material, and how the show will expand its worldbuilding to reveal even more horrific infected variations. Neil Druckmann, co-creator of the original game, and showrunner Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) have proven their storytelling prowess in crafting emotionally resonant and terrifying narratives. The new season is expected to put their tightrope approach to an even more demanding test.
6
Stranger Things (Season 5)
Netflix
The announcement of Stranger Things season 5 in February 2022 has fans excited ever since – and for good reason. After four seasons of otherworldly thrills, the stakes have never been higher in Hawkins. With series creators Matt and Ross Duffer promising a “epic conclusion,” fans can expect a horror-filled spectacle that ties up the show’s narrative arcs while introducing new twists. The anticipation of answers to long-standing problems Stranger Things mysteries as if Will's connection to the Upside Down is enough to keep viewers on edge.
From the haunting return of Kate Bush's “Running Up That Hill” to the dark allure of Vecna's origin story, the show excels at mixing terrifying moments with exciting character arcs. With visual effects created to surpass anything seen on Netflix's signature series before, this final season could redefine the limits of horror on TV. Fans are promised a darker, more intense and emotionally impactful ending than ever before to wrap up the story.
5
Dexter: Resurrection
Paramount+
Dexter's return is already making waves. Three years after the popular character was shot and killed by his son in the controversial finale of Dexter: New Blood, Michael C. Hall Set to Return as Infamous Blood Splatter Analyst Turned Serial Killer in this sequential series. With production set to begin next year, details of the project are still under wraps, including how Dexter could have survived his seemingly conclusive death.
Unlike the only New blood meeting, Dexter: Resurrection is being conceived as a full return for the character Dexter, with franchise mastermind Clyde Phillips already stating that the new show is an ongoing series that could span multiple seasons. Due for release in summer 2025, it's also unclear whether any other originals Dexter cast members will be regulars on the new show or where Dexter's new adventures may be set. Regardless of the details, any return of one of cable TV's all-time greatest antiheroes is sure to generate a lot of talk when the show finally arrives.
4
The Guarantor
Amazon Prime Video
It never hurts to have a veteran of the horror genre leading a cast, so the mention of Kevin Bacon as the star of the upcoming Amazon Prime Video film The Guarantor has already attracted a lot of attention. Bacon plays Hub Halloran, a bounty hunter and struggling musician who is mysteriously resurrected from the dead to discover that his old work has taken on a decidedly darker, supernatural twist.
With a story that mixes police drama with supernatural horror, The Guarantor may mark a new take on traditional ghost stories. After being gloriously killed in the original horror classic Friday the 13th (1980), then haunting performances in films like Echo Shake (1999) and Hollow man (2000), everyone is interested in seeing what an older, more experienced Bacon can bring to a new horror-tinged series.
3
Carrie
Amazon Prime Video
Nearly 50 years after Sissy Spacek made Carrie a household name, a new series adaptation of Stephen King's blockbuster debut novel is on the way, this time helmed by none other than a horror icon in director Mike Flanagan. (Gerald's game, Ouija: Origin of Evil). While Carrie is a horror property that keeps returning, including the 2013 Chloë Grace Moretz remake, the real main attraction here is Flanagan, who enters the series riding a wave of fan goodwill following her Netflix stint.
Considered showrunner for this eight-episode adaptation, Flanagan has had an unmissable record of producing horror shows for Netflix, including a number of popular shows like The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Fall of the House of Usherand Midnight Mass. While few details have been released about the Carrie reboot (or who might be cast to play this iconic role), it's enough to have Mike Flanagan's name attached to leave horror fans salivating at the Carriand possibilities.
2
Crystal Clear Lake
Peacock
It's fitting that a series starring one of the slasher genre's most resurrected serial killers finds itself unexpectedly rising from the grave. More than 2 years after the 12-part prequel series reported for the Friday the 13th franchise was announced, the project seemed effectively dead following the firing of original showrunner and visionary Bryan Fuller (Hannibal, pushing daisies) earlier this year.
However, just like Jason Voorhees himself, Crystal Clear Lake is now back on track under new showrunner Brad Caleb Kane. In addition to working on programs such as Fringe, Black Sailsand Tokyo ViceKane is also executive producer and co-showrunner of Welcome to Derry. Now fans can focus on whether Crystal Clear Lake will explore the origins of one of horror's most iconic villains, Jason Voorheesand the infamous Camp Crystal Lake. Although the films have left audiences with countless questions about Jason's backstory and the camp's dark history, Crystal Clear Lake could solve this mystery once and for all.
1
The Conjuring prequel series
HBO
With plenty of spinoffs and offshoots already, it's probably a bigger surprise that it took over a decade to bring about an extension to the TV series. The Conjuration universe into existence. Announced in 2023, there have been few updates on the status of this HBO project over the past two years, other than that the series would continue the story of the popular film franchise.
Then last summer, HBO chief Casey Bloys told reporters that the series was still in active development, ending speculation that the idea had been quietly dropped. There is no word if original film series stars Patrick Wilson or Vera Farmiga would return or even if the series is on track to premiere in 2025. However, any mention of an upcoming Conjuring project is enough to make horror fans speculate about what's to come.