9 Recent Slashers That Deserve More Attention

Slashers have had a resurgence in the last few years, as can be evidenced by recently spawned

IPs like Terrifier, Fear Street and Ty West's X. Though the genre can be formulaic, Bodies

Bodies, Bodies and In a Violent Nature proved there's still plenty of ways to put a creative

spin on the genre. Screamed Twilight Years seemed to be a punnet at one point, but the latest outing

was the most successful entry yet, proving hack and slash flicks are back bigger than ever. Of

course, with so many masked killer horrors dominating at once, there were bound to be a

few stragglers. Despite showing promise, the entries on this list came and went with little

fanfare, usually because of poor marketing, too much competition, or the concept was too niche

Although loyalists should be familiar with a couple of these entries, some are virtually

unknown, which is a huge shame considering how much innovation they harbour. Scream 7 and the

upcoming scary movie, Return, may have been getting a ton of hype, but these recent slashers deserve

just as much attention, if not more. I'm Sean Ferry for WhatCultureHorror, and here are

recent slashers that deserve more attention. The Conference. In this Swedish dark comedy

a group of municipal employees attends a team-building repeat when a masked killer begins

picking them off one by one. What stands out about the conference above all else is its biting

commentary on workplace culture. Rather than putting their differences aside when bodies

start to drop, the employees try to find a way to benefit from the lethal situations they can

climb the work ladder. Although the bloodbath is initially horrifying, the victims are gradually

depicted in a more unflattering light. As such, it's hard to know who to root for, especially

after seeing the characters' fake smiles and forced camaraderie. Even though it would have

been easy for the ensemble to be portrayed as power-hungry caricatures, each of them is believable

making their fates pack a sizable punch. Rather than relying on gore, the twisted horror builds

suspense through its pacing and atmosphere, but rest assured it totally delivers on vicious kills

Available on most streaming services, including Netflix, the conference is worth a look for anyone

in the mood for a subversive slasher. The Blackening. In this horror comedy, seven friends

reunite for a Juneteenth getaway in a remote cabin, unaware they're being targeted by a

mysterious assailant. After being forced to play a board game centred around black culture

secrets amongst the group are slowly unearthed. Even though the blackening could be let down by

bottom-of-the-barrel jokes, it works because the self-aware script celebrates and pokes fun at

classic trokes. It does a fine job of embracing cliches while other times turning them on their

head, keeping you on your toes. The gang are fully aware of the horror stereotypes

literally rolling their eyes when they realize they have to split up or investigate a strange noise outside What truly makes the blackening shine is its dynamic cast and the natural chemistry between them Due to their witty banter and distinct

personalities, you get a great sense that these characters have been through thick and thin

making it more impactful when bodies start piling up. With a 97-minute runtime, the Blackening never

outstays its welcome, cramming every scene with gut-bursting lines, memorable kills, and genius

visual gags. Sick. Produced by Blumhouse and distributed by Peacock, Sick centres around two

friends, Parker and Miri, quarantining during the COVID pandemic. When they discover intruders have

broken in, the pair realise nobody will come to their aid due to the lockdown, meaning they have

to rely on themselves to survive the night. Rather than trying to have a heavy-handed message

surrounding the pandemic, Sick uses the isolation as a narrative device. Based on the premise

we know the chances of somebody coming to Parker or Miri's aid are slim to none

adding a permeating feeling of dread. The performances from leads Gideon Adlin and Beth Millian are top-notch

bringing authenticity to the escalating chaos, and their chemistry makes the stakes feel real

elevating every chase and confrontation. It's refreshing to see how briskly Sick moves

cutting out the unnecessary filler and focusing on well-executed set pieces. The kills are fierce yet beautifully staged

so they never come across as gratuitous. At the same time, there's a layer of dark humour and

self-awareness that keeps things fresh. Though hype for sick never took off, it's one of the

most intense slashers to come out in recent years. Silent Night, Deadly Night. Even though the

original Silent Night, Deadly Night was intended as a sincere horror, the murderous Santa saga

quickly descended into a meme-generating parody, especially after that Garbage Day clip from the

first sequel went viral. After churning out subpar installments and a lousy remake, it felt like the

Christmas-themed brand was finished. However, 2025's Silent Night Deadly Night took a back-to-basics

approach, being a legitimate fright fest above all else. Although the reboot embraces the campiness

of the 1984 cult classic, there's a bigger push on character depth and emotional tension

The updated storyline explores trauma with nuance, giving the protagonist a detailed backstory that

adds weight. Rowan Campbell brings a believable vulnerability to the psychotic Billy Chapman

making his descent into madness oddly sympathetic. The nods to the classic never feel shoehorned in

but are noticeable enough for purists to appreciate. At the same time, this Silent

Night Deadly Night stands on its own, so newbies should find it equally enjoyable. Though this

iteration could have been a bare-bones remake, it ended up being the best entry in the series

Totally Killer Like Back to the Future but with more stabbing Totally Killer centres around high schooler Jamie who accidentally transported 30 years into the past While trying to find a way home Jamie bumps into her teenage mother Pam Knowing her mom is destined

to be killed by the Sweet Sixteen Killer in her timeline, Jamie must do what she can to change

the future. Rather than copying Back to the Future to a T, Totally Killer finds imaginative ways to

differentiate itself. Instead of Jamie being pals with her mom, she's surprised to see Pam is a bully

making it harder to get close and protect her. The kills are inventive without being overly grim

and the whodunit mystery is compounded by red herrings, keeping viewers guessing until the end

Visually Totally Killer leans into retro aesthetics, creating an immersive throwback atmosphere. Although the film could be bogged down by excessive 80s references, the gags are clever

like when Jamie points out how un-PC the school mascot is or how the drugs are noticeably weaker

Anybody eager to watch a horror flick with its tongue firmly in cheek should give Totally Killer a go

Heart Eyes Heart Eyes revolves around a masked sicko who targets loving couples each Valentine's Day

Our lead, Ali McCabe, is anti-romance, so she should be off-limits to the Heart Eyes killer

But when H.E.K. mistakes Ali and her work colleague Jay Simmons as an item

the platonic pair find themselves on his radar. Leads Olivia Holt and Mason Gooding have effortless chemistry

especially when they're trying not to have chemistry to stay alive. Even though the stakes

are sky high, it's funny to see Ali and Jay's non-flirtatious behaviour being misconstrued by

HEK as affection, compounding the killer's drive to murder them. Although light-hearted horrors

often tone down the violence, Heart Eyes goes in the opposite direction, kicking things off with a

poor woman being pulverised by a grape juicer. This execution grabs your attention straight away

emphasizing that the deaths are going to be elaborate and messy. For this reason, the titular villain feels like a genuine threat

despite the fact that the movie regularly pokes fun at tropes in horror and rom-coms

Though a sequel is in the works, Heart Eyes failed to make a profit but if the follow-up does well, the love-hating sicko could become the next iconic slasher villain

Influencers Influencer is a smart horror indie that creatively explores the pitfalls of social media

After the film's success, it was reassuring to hear a sequel was greenlit

Even though Influencers is just as solid, it didn't leave as much of an impression as its predecessor

The first installment followed an insane woman called CW, who's hell-bent on murdering and replacing an online celeb using deepfakes to steal their life

Rather than repeating the original's formula, Influencers shows CW in a different dilemma

This time, CW settles down in France with her girlfriend Diane, hoping to quash her destructive nature

But after being pestered by content creators CW finds herself falling back into bad habits This time around CW comes across less like a master manipulator and more like an addict who trying to better herself

yet still succumbing to her obsession. When she kills Diane, CW creates deepfakes of her

not just to cover her tracks, but as a coping mechanism for grief. Moments like this show CW

isn't a clear-cut monster, but a broken human being. There's gore aplenty, but influencers is

more depressing than scary, since it shows how the pursuit of clicks and subscribers can be

self-destructive. Thanksgiving. Though Thanksgiving began as a fake trailer for 2007's Grindhouse

the horror community wanted the holiday-themed teaser to be turned into a reality. Although Eli

Roth teased the possibility, nothing came of the project for over a decade. But after a long

long wait, a full-length feature of Thanksgiving hit theatres. Set in the town of Plymouth

the locals find themselves being terrorised by a John Carver masked psycho in the week leading up

to the festive holiday. Despite the straightforward premise, Roth stuffs Thanksgiving with all his

best ideas. It opens with a visceral massacre and a Black Friday sale, which is sure to get under

anybody's skin long before the killer shows up. The film boasts a great cast, especially Patrick

Dempsey and Rick Hoffman, the latter taking a sizable chomp out of every scene he's in

Even though most of the characters are jackasses, they don't feel like cannon fodder

Each of the victims is well-written and played delightfully, making their inevitable demise more powerful or satisfying

Thanksgiving made a profit and is getting a sequel, but it still deserves more credit

considering it's arguably the best entry in Eli Roth's repertoire. Dangerous Animals

Sean Byrne's survival drama follows Zephyr, a drifter who's abducted by sadistic sea captain Bruce Tucker and imprisoned on his boat

When Zephyr learns Bruce feeds his prey to the local sharks, she sets her sights on escaping

Due to the marine location, there's a relentless sense of dread and isolation

which should leave anyone constantly on guard. Yet, Dangerous Animals is disarmingly frightening

right from the opening sequence. Jai Courtney plays Bruce with playful charisma, making it

more shocking when he nonchalantly guts his victims. Although slashers tend to rely on

contrivance or convenience, Dangerous Animals has no room for sloppy writing. The key ensemble feels

like flesh and blood human beings, keeping viewers invested throughout. Even though Zephyr is

resourceful, the sinister captain is terrifyingly adaptable, taking every precaution imaginable to

make escape impossible. Jump scares are a bomb, but they feel earned rather than forced. The pacing

is airtight, ensuring there's never a dull moment while still allowing tension to build naturally

Thanks to the sharp script, focus on atmosphere, and Jai Courtney's career-defining performance

Dangerous Animals is a splasher slasher that horror veterans should sink their teeth into