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 prove there's still plenty of ways to put a creative spin on the genre. Scream's Twilight Years seemed to be upon it 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 retreat 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 that 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 sizeable 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 tropes. 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 realise 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 and Miri's aid are slim to none, adding a permeating feeling of dread. The performances from leads Gideon Adlon 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 sub-par 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 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's 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 mum, she's surprised to see Pam as 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 HEK 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, emphasising 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 with Greenwood. Even though Influencers is just as solid, it didn't leave as much of an impression as its predecessor. The first instalment 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's 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 sizeable 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 Burns' survival drama follows Zephyr, a drifter who is 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 bum, 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.