Horror fans who grew up in the early 2000s are in for a treat! The action-packed style of horror movies is making a big comeback with reboots of two major franchises planned for 2026. Around the year 2000, a new kind of horror film emerged, focusing on quick cuts, huge action sequences, and loud sound effects rather than building suspense slowly. This style became known as “Action Horror.”
In 2026, we’re seeing a resurgence of horror movies that focus more on action, with both the new Evil Dead film, Evil Dead Burn, and Zach Cregger’s reboot of Resident Evil on the way. While both projects sound exciting—Evil Dead Burn is from the director of the well-regarded horror film Infested—this trend might worry longtime horror fans. Historically, action-horror movies haven’t been known for their quality.
Evil Dead Burn and Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil Reboot Will Both Be Action Horror Movies
Early looks at footage from the new Resident Evil movie and the first trailer for Evil Dead Burn both suggest they’ll be action-packed horror films. They feature impressive action sequences, detailed fight scenes, and a focus on quick, exciting chases rather than building slow, creeping tension. However, it’s worth remembering that this combination of action and horror wasn’t very well-received when it was popular in the 2000s.
A handful of action horror films from this period gained a cult following, like the DC movie Constantine and Dog Soldiers. But generally, combining action and horror resulted in movies that focused more on thrills than genuine scares. Films like Thirteen Ghosts (2001), Ghosts of Mars (2002), the Underworld series, Doom and Alone in the Dark (both 2005), House of the Dead (2003), most of the early Resident Evil movies, Daybreakers (2009), and Priest (2011) are just a few examples that critics didn’t like.
Action Horror Has A Bad Track Record (But Both Big 2026 Franchise Releases Look Great)
Look, for a while there, it seemed like action horror was totally dead – World War Z really felt like the end of the road around 2013. But I’m still cautiously optimistic about the upcoming Evil Dead Burn and the Resident Evil reboot planned for 2026. Zach Cregger, the director of Weapons and Barbarian, has proven he can deliver genuinely clever and surprising horror – those films were fantastic! That makes me think he’ll bring something really special to Resident Evil. Plus, we have seen some solid action horror movies since the early 2000s that successfully blended both genres, so it’s not a completely lost cause.
The 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead was a fantastic, action-packed horror film that improved upon the slower pace of the original. Similarly, the Rec movies remained scary even with their focus on action, and 2022’s Prey demonstrated that action and suspense can work well together. With talented directors behind the upcoming Evil Dead Burn and Resident Evil reboots, fans don’t need to be concerned about the future of action horror – at least, not until the trailers start playing nu-metal music.
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2026-04-25 02:11