5 Scary New Horror Releases On Netflix, December 2022
October brought a veritable feast of genre offerings to streaming services. But December is slightly less fruitful for horror fans, with family-friendly holiday films accounting for a large portion of upcoming programming. With that said, there are still a handful of promising titles hitting Netflix this month, all five of which happen to be Netflix originals. So, if you’re ready to get your scare on, keep reading for five standout offerings premiering on Netflix this month!
Troll (Now Streaming)
Though I haven’t had a chance to check it out just yet, Troll looks rather promising. It comes from director Roar Uthaug (who previously helmed the bone-chilling slasher Cold Prey and also directed the 2018 Tomb Raider reboot). The flick is garnering overwhelmingly positive reviews and sits at a Rotten Tomatoes critic rating of 88% ‘fresh’ as of the publication of this post.
Synopsis: Deep in the Dovre mountains, something gigantic wakes up after a thousand years in captivity. The creature destroys everything in its path and quickly approaches Oslo.
Hot Skull (Now Streaming)
This 8-episode Netflix original series has already won over viewers and critics. The show boasts an audience score of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and an IMDb user score of 7.3. The program is adapted from a novel by Afşin Kum. It’ i’s sure to appeal to fans of dystopian horror and the viral outbreak genre. However, given that the COVID pandemic still isn’t quite in the rearview, we wouldn’t blame you if you felt the need to wait a beat before diving into Hot Skull.
Synopsis: In a dystopian world, as an epidemic spreads through verbal communication, a tyrannical institution pursues a linguist immune to the disease.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (December 9)
I watched an FYC screener for Pinocchio last week and it absolutely gutted me. But in a good way. It’s touching and funny and heartbreaking. I think del Toro fans are bound to appreciate it a great deal. The film is very much in his signature style. But keep in mind that the themes about the fleeting nature of life and the relationship we have with our own mortality may be a bit heavy for younger audience members, even though this is packaged as a children’s movie.
Synopsis: A father’s wish magically brings a wooden boy to life in Italy, giving him a chance to care for the child.
The Witcher: Blood Origin (December 25)
If you’re a fan of the Netflix series The Witcher, there’s a good chance this six-episode prequel series is already on your radar. And if you’re not watching The Witcher, maybe you should be. The program has a massive fanbase and boasts an impressive cast that includes the likes of Henry Cavill and Freya Allan. Not to mention, it holds an impressive IMDb user score of 8.2.
Synopsis: A prequel to the Netflix series The Witcher, is set in an elven world 1,200 years before the show, centering on the origins of the very first Witcher.
White Noise (December 30)
I am a fan of Noah Baumbach. So, the idea that he’s veering into the horror space has me anxious to see where he goes with this latest effort. White Noise is adapted from the 1985 Don DeLillo novel of the same name. The film won Baumbach the Green Drop Award at the Venice Film Festival and the picture received additional nominations at other fests where it has screened. Additionally, the picture features an impressive cast that includes Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig, and Don Cheadle.
Synopsis: Dramatizes a contemporary American family’s attempts to deal with the mundane conflicts of everyday life while grappling with the universal mysteries of love, death, and the possibility of happiness in an uncertain world.
