Best Horror of June 2025: ’28 Years Later,’ ‘M3GAN 2.0,’ A Cannes Favorite About a Shark-Loving Serial Killer and More
Welcome to Horror Explorer, a curated column showcasing the month’s best movies, series, books and everything else spooky worth checking out. I’m William Earl, the editor of Variety.com and the publication’s resident horror enthusiast. Please drop me a line at wearl@variety.com if there’s something I should check out for next month’s missive.
“The Ritual” (Opening in theaters on June 6 from XYZ Films) — Although this exorcism movie looks like it touches many of the usual tropes, it has two secret weapons: Al Pacino and Dan Stevens playing priests. Let’s hope this pair is allowed to chew the scenery enough to elevate this likely schlock.“Predator: Killer of Killers” (Debuting on June 6 on Hulu) — “Prey” director Dan Trachtenberg’s latest chapter in the sci-fi action franchise is an animated grouping of three short films showing historical battles with Predators. The premise — a Viking, ninja and WWII pilot take on the monster — is intriguing, and early looks at the animation are impressive.“28 Years Later” (Opening in theaters on June 20 from Sony Pictures Releasing) — The third film in this franchise reunites “28 Days Later” director Danny Boyle, writer Alex Garland and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle. Starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes, the plot concerns the citizens of a remote island who have learned to live in a world taken over by the Rage virus.“M3GAN 2.0” (Opening in theaters on June 27 from Universal Pictures) — The sequel to the campy hit brings back stars Allison Williams and Violet McGraw. This time, M3GAN is on the side of good, as she is rebooted to help fight an even MORE evil doll, Amelia, who is now a tool of the military. Even more outrageous kills and dancing are sure to follow.
“Dangerous Animals” (Opening in theaters on June 6 from IFC Films and Shudder) — “The Devil’s Candy” director Sean Byrne returns with a new horror film that sports a delightfully bonkers concept: A killer kidnaps people to feed to sharks off his boat. The film received raves at its debut during Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes. (Click here to read Variety’s review.)“I Don’t Understand You” (Opening in theaters on June 6 from Vertical) — Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells are all warmth and charisma as a couple who travel to Italy while they’re waiting to finalize the adoption process. Once abroad, a series of miscommunications turns deadly in this bloody comedy of manners that also has real heart. (Click here to read Variety’s review.)“Best Wishes to All” (Debuting on June 13 on Shudder) — Yûta Shimotsu’s twisty, surprising feature stars Kotone Furukawa as a student who visits her grandparents and starts learning more dark family secrets than she can handle. There is plenty of bizarre and unexpected imagery, all of which leads to a thought-provoking conclusion.
“Revival” (Debuting on June 12 on Syfy) — The recently dead of a Wisconsin town walk the earth again in this murder mystery. As the world comes to terms with a tiny group of revived citizens, one of them works with the police to try to figure out why she was killed in the first place. This adaptation of Tim Seeley and Mike Norton’s comic series is a fun twist on procedural drama, with some outrageous gore along the way.“Hell Motel” (Debuting on June 17 on Shudder) — “Slasher” creators Aaron Martin and Ian Carpenter return with this anthology series set at a destination for true crime obsessives who soon get killed off themselves. Eric McCormack, who starred in the duo’s “Slasher: Ripper,” gets campy in this breezy and bloody summertime offering.The third and final season of “Squid Game” (Debuting on June 27 on Netflix) — One of the biggest series of all time is coming to an end and creator Hwang Dong-hyuk is sure to put fans through the wringer before things are over.
“The Ritual” (Opening in theaters on June 6 from XYZ Films) — Although this exorcism movie looks like it touches many of the usual tropes, it has two secret weapons: Al Pacino and Dan Stevens playing priests. Let’s hope this pair is allowed to chew the scenery enough to elevate this likely schlock.“Predator: Killer of Killers” (Debuting on June 6 on Hulu) — “Prey” director Dan Trachtenberg’s latest chapter in the sci-fi action franchise is an animated grouping of three short films showing historical battles with Predators. The premise — a Viking, ninja and WWII pilot take on the monster — is intriguing, and early looks at the animation are impressive.“28 Years Later” (Opening in theaters on June 20 from Sony Pictures Releasing) — The third film in this franchise reunites “28 Days Later” director Danny Boyle, writer Alex Garland and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle. Starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes, the plot concerns the citizens of a remote island who have learned to live in a world taken over by the Rage virus.“M3GAN 2.0” (Opening in theaters on June 27 from Universal Pictures) — The sequel to the campy hit brings back stars Allison Williams and Violet McGraw. This time, M3GAN is on the side of good, as she is rebooted to help fight an even MORE evil doll, Amelia, who is now a tool of the military. Even more outrageous kills and dancing are sure to follow.
“Dangerous Animals” (Opening in theaters on June 6 from IFC Films and Shudder) — “The Devil’s Candy” director Sean Byrne returns with a new horror film that sports a delightfully bonkers concept: A killer kidnaps people to feed to sharks off his boat. The film received raves at its debut during Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes. (Click here to read Variety’s review.)“I Don’t Understand You” (Opening in theaters on June 6 from Vertical) — Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells are all warmth and charisma as a couple who travel to Italy while they’re waiting to finalize the adoption process. Once abroad, a series of miscommunications turns deadly in this bloody comedy of manners that also has real heart. (Click here to read Variety’s review.)“Best Wishes to All” (Debuting on June 13 on Shudder) — Yûta Shimotsu’s twisty, surprising feature stars Kotone Furukawa as a student who visits her grandparents and starts learning more dark family secrets than she can handle. There is plenty of bizarre and unexpected imagery, all of which leads to a thought-provoking conclusion.
“Revival” (Debuting on June 12 on Syfy) — The recently dead of a Wisconsin town walk the earth again in this murder mystery. As the world comes to terms with a tiny group of revived citizens, one of them works with the police to try to figure out why she was killed in the first place. This adaptation of Tim Seeley and Mike Norton’s comic series is a fun twist on procedural drama, with some outrageous gore along the way.“Hell Motel” (Debuting on June 17 on Shudder) — “Slasher” creators Aaron Martin and Ian Carpenter return with this anthology series set at a destination for true crime obsessives who soon get killed off themselves. Eric McCormack, who starred in the duo’s “Slasher: Ripper,” gets campy in this breezy and bloody summertime offering.The third and final season of “Squid Game” (Debuting on June 27 on Netflix) — One of the biggest series of all time is coming to an end and creator Hwang Dong-hyuk is sure to put fans through the wringer before things are over.