3 New Horror Films Releasing in the UK February 2026

As we emerge from the bleak, frost-bitten landscape of January, cinema audiences across the United Kingdom might be forgiven for seeking a little warmth. However, for those of us who find our comfort in the shadows of the auditorium, February 2026 promises a different kind of heat—the kind that prickles at the back of the neck and sets the pulse racing. The British winter has always been a fertile season for the macabre; there is something about the early twilight and the biting wind that complements the visceral thrills of a well-crafted scare.

This month, the UK release calendar is particularly well-stocked with titles that lean into various sub-genres of horror, from the claustrophobia of survivalist dread to the expansive, nihilistic terror of home invasion. As we look toward the screen this February, three films stand out as essential viewing for the dedicated horror enthusiast. These are films that do not merely aim to startle with cheap jump scares, but rather seek to settle into the marrow of your bones.

Send Help

The first title on our radar is Send Help, a film that appears to be aiming for that sweet spot between survivalist thriller and psychological breakdown. Set against the backdrop of a remote island following a catastrophic plane crash, the early word suggests this isn't merely a retread of Cast Away. Instead, it seems to be leaning heavily into the "Lord of the Flies" school of thought, where the true monster isn't a supernatural entity, but the person sitting next to you.

Directed by Sam Raimi—a name that carries immense weight for any horror aficionado—the project has been shrouded in a level of secrecy that only heightens the anticipation. What we know of the premise suggests a focus on the thin veneer of civilisation. When a group is stranded with no hope of rescue, how long does it take for the rules of society to evaporate?

If Raimi brings even a fraction of his signature kinetic energy and dark wit to this survival tale, Send Help could be the standout of the season. We are looking for something that captures the suffocating isolation of the open sea and the primal dread of being forgotten by the world. It is a terrifying thought: that the very people you rely on for survival might become your greatest threat.

Cold Storage

Next, we move from the humidity of a tropical purgatory to the clinical, sub-zero depths of a containment facility. Cold Storage is a film that has been whispered about in genre circles for some time, largely due to its source material—the high-octane novel by David Koepp.

The premise is enough to make any germaphobe break out in a cold sweat: a highly invasive, prehistoric fungus is unearthed and stored in a decommissioned military base. Naturally, the containment fails. What follows is a race against time to prevent a biological extinction event. However, rather than a sprawling global disaster movie, Cold Storage looks to be a tightly wound, claustrophobic chamber piece.

The potential for body horror here is immense. In an era where we have become perhaps too accustomed to digital effects, there are rumours that Cold Storage has invested heavily in practical gore and tactile transformations. There is something uniquely unsettling about a threat you cannot reason with—a biological force that simply wants to consume and expand. If the film stays true to the visceral descriptions of its literary counterpart, audiences should prepare for a sensory assault that makes the skin crawl. It is the kind of "contained" horror that works best in a cinema, where the exit signs feel just a little too far away.

The Strangers: Chapter 3

Finally, we reach the conclusion of a journey that has revitalised one of the most frightening concepts in modern cinema. The Strangers: Chapter 3 arrives in UK cinemas this month, bringing an end to the ambitious trilogy that sought to expand the world of the masked trio: Dollface, Pin-Up Girl, and the Man in the Mask.

For those of us who found the 2008 original to be a formative experience in home-invasion dread, this trilogy has been a fascinating experiment. The core appeal of The Strangers has always been its lack of motive. There is no curse to break, no revenge plot to satisfy—just the random, cold-blooded reality of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

As we approach Chapter 3, the central question remains: how will this end? The previous chapters have played with our expectations of the "final girl" trope and the safety of the domestic space. This final instalment promises to bring the terror into a more expansive setting, potentially stripping away the last few layers of safety the characters—and the audience—have left.

The challenge for any third act is to provide a satisfying conclusion without over-explaining the mystery. We don't want to know who is under the masks; we want the terror of knowing they could be anyone. If director Renny Harlin can maintain the oppressive atmosphere that has defined this revival, we are in for a bleak, uncompromising finale that will have us all double-checking our window locks before bed.

Even without having seen the final cuts, the trajectory of horror in February 2026 looks incredibly promising. These three films represent a cross-section of what the genre does best: they exploit our fear of nature, our fear of illness, and our fear of each other.

At UK Film Review, we often discuss the "why" behind horror. Why do we seek out these experiences? Perhaps it is because, in a world that often feels chaotic and unpredictable, the controlled terror of a cinema screen provides a safe place to process our anxieties. Or perhaps we just like the rush.

Whatever your motivation, February is shaping up to be a month that demands your attention. These are not films to be watched on a tablet with the lights on; they are experiences designed for the big screen and the shared intake of breath from a terrified audience.