Horror continues to be a major audience draw as a genre, and this year has delivered horror successes like Longlegs, Smile 2, and the critically-acclaimed The Substance. The genre continues to be attractive to filmmakers as horror flicks often feature smaller budgets, but this doesn't deter audiences. Every year, there are a few standout horror hits, and 2022 is certainly no different.

2022 saw the release of the Scream legacy sequel, which revitalized the franchise, and Halloween Ends, which ended that franchise's reboot trilogy. A number of standout original horror movies were also released, including Barbarian, which shocked audiences with its surprising twists and turns, and Smile, which reaped the benefits of a stellar marketing campaign to become a major box office success. Other notable titles include Jordan Peele's Nope, Bodies Bodies Bodies, The Menu, and Men, but the year also delivered two installments of what would become a horror trilogy.