Summerween ScorchFest: Homicide and High Tide

Summerween has exploded from a niche, cartoon-born micro-holiday into a massive cultural phenomenon. The actual term and concept got its official start on television popularized and created by the cult-favorite animated series Gravity Falls in a 2012 episode titled ‘Summerween’. In the show, the townspeople love Halloween so much that they celebrate it twice, complete with watermelon jack-o’-lanterns and a relentless pursuit of candy. It quickly resonated with the real-world horror community and now over the last few years, alternative internet culture fueled by film buffs, goth subcultures, and physical media collectors adopted the holiday, turning it into a legitimate summer ritual.

There is an undeniable, gritty magic to summer horror that creates the anticipation for October. Because the horror community is embracing the heat early more and more each year, I’m officially bringing the spirit of the season to Letterboxd with a brand new tracking ritual: The Summerween ScorchFest.

For those who followed along with my winter cinema countdown called FrostFest, you know I love a good logistical challenge. This year’s Summerween ScorchFest follows a similar, brutal blueprint designed to separate the casual viewers from the true gorehounds.

Here is the setup for what’s about to go down:

• The Timeline: We are kicking things off on Memorial Day Weekend (May 23rd) and running all the way through the final dog days of summer on September 1st.

• The Goal: Participants (including myself) must log a minimum of 31 movies over the course of the summer.

• The Catch: Every single movie on your list has to fit the seasonal criteria: think high-temperature tension, camp-counselor body counts, and sun-drenched nightmares and every movie must be reviewed. No passive watching allowed; if you survive the heatwave, you have to write about it.

Over on my Letterboxd, I’ve also curated an official master list for this year’s countdown. The watchlist spans everything from classic 70s and 80s slashers to modern psychological meltdowns to make it easier when creating your own list. I wanted a mix that respects the absolute classics while digging up some deeper, sweat-soaked midnight movie cuts.

Below, I’m breaking down the method and the madness and showing what movies earned a spot on my lineup for this year (+ plot descriptions for those interested). Whether you want to join the challenge officially or just need some counter-programming to the usual cheerful summer blockbusters, the list is live. Grab a cold, sweating drink, lock your doors, and join the ScorchFest.

Rules:

There must be 31 movies minimum
21 Horror Movies
5 Explicitly Summer Holiday Movies (4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Midsummer/Solstice, Summerween, etc.)
3 Movies from 1 Director
4 Decades
ALWAYS 1 GATEWAY HORROR MOVIE watch something that makes you feel nostalgic!
Review them all!

Criteria:
- Local Urban Legend Comes to Life (3)
- Set at a Summer Camp (3)
- A Prank Gone Wrong (2)
- An Amusement Park or Carnival (2)
- Blazing Desert Landscape (2)
- Swarm/Animal Invasion (2)
- Targeted Tourists (2)
- Creatures from the Deep (2)
- An Incompetent Sheriff (2)
- B-Movie Creature Feature (1)
- Alien Threat in the Desert (1)
- International Summer Scare (1)
- A Backyard Pool Scene (1)
- Car Breaks Down (1)

*For extra points watch 3 movies from the same summer slasher franchise
*One film can be multiple criteria

1. Friday the 13th (2009) - dir. Marcus Nispel

Category: Local Urban Legend Comes to Life

Extra Points: 3 Movies from 1 Summer Slasher Franchise [Friday the 13th]

A group of young adults visit a boarded up campsite named Crystal Lake where they soon encounter the mysterious Jason Voorhees and his deadly intentions.

Thoughts: When you think of local urban legends coming to life, Friday the 13th is the blueprint. The 1980 original practically invented the summer camp horror trope, igniting the massive “camp slasher” craze of the decade. For my summerween watchlist, I’m skipping the original and revisiting the 2009 remake. It is the perfect kickoff: familiar enough to feel nostalgic, yet modern and brutal enough to actually deliver some genuine scares.

2. Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI (1986) - dir. Tom McLoughlin

Category: Local Urban Legend Comes to Life

Extra Points: 3 Movies from 1 Summer Slasher Franchise [Friday the 13th]

Tommy Jarvis, tormented by the fear that maybe Jason isn’t really dead, unwittingly resurrects the mass murderer for another bloody rampage.

Thoughts: If you’ve been subscribed to Gorehound Grindhouse for the past year, you already know my hot take: this film took the crown in my ultimate Friday the 13th franchise ranking. It is my absolute favorite of the franchise. With summer officially here and Letterboxd challenges filling up my feed, it is the perfect excuse for a rewatch.

3. Urban Legend (1998) - dir. Jamie Blanks

Category: Local Urban Legend Comes to Life

A college campus is plagued by a vicious serial killer murdering students in ways that correspond to various urban legends.

Thoughts: My absolute favorite subgenre is the post-Scream, late-’90s whodunnit slasher. I first watched this one ages ago and haven’t revisited it since, making it the perfect time capsule to look back at a highly specific era of pop culture. Besides, how could I not include Urban Legend in a category explicitly highlighting urban legends?

4. Fear Street: 1978 (2021) - dir. Leigh Janiak

Category: Set at a Summer Camp

In 1978, two rival groups at Camp Nightwing must band together to solve a terrifying mystery when horrors from their towns’ history come alive.

Thoughts: Ever since this movie dropped, it has been constantly praised as the definitive summerween watch. It perfectly captures the hazy, nostalgic warmth of summer camp and splatters it with relentless, bloody horror. I love how it acts as a gorgeous homage to classic ‘70s and ‘80s slashers while still subverting expectations with a fresh, modern supernatural twist.

5. Friday the 13th (1980) - dir. Sean S. Cunningham

Category: Set at a Summer Camp

Extra Points: 3 Movies from 1 Summer Slasher Franchise [Friday the 13th]

Camp counselors are stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant while trying to reopen a summer camp that was the site of a child’s drowning.

Thoughts: Friday the 13th is the blueprint. Out of every single movie on this list, this is the one if you are looking for the quintessential summer horror experience. It perfectly isolates a group of young adults in the deep woods, creating a rustic camp setting so iconic that the genre has spent decades trying to copy it. For me, this is a mandatory annual viewing, and I am genuinely excited for this rewatch.

6. Sleepaway Camp (1983) - dir. Robert Hiltzik

Category: Set at a Summer Camp

Extra Points: 3 Movies from 1 Summer Slasher Franchise [Sleepaway Camp]

Years after a terrible boating accident, Angela is sent to Camp Arawak where a series of bizarre and violent “accidents” begin to claim the lives of various campers.

Thoughts: I still remember the absolute shock of watching this ending for the first time. The film masterfully builds tension by wrapping it in charming, coming-of-age quirkiness, leaving me completely jaw-dropped by the finale. I am in serious need of a rewatch. I can’t wait to see if it hits differently now that I know exactly where the story is heading.

7. I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) - dir. Danny Cannon

Category: A Prank Gone Wrong, Explicitly A Summer Holiday [4th of July]

Ever since killing the Fisherman one year ago, Julie James is still haunted by images of him after her. When her best friend Karla wins free tickets to the Bahamas, Julie finds this a perfect opportunity to finally relax. But someone is waiting for her. Someone who she thought was dead. Someone who is out again for revenge.

Thoughts: I finally watched I Still Know What You Did Last Summer earlier this year, and I’m ready to say the quiet part out loud. It is better than the original. The 1998 sequel swaps grounded teen anxiety for pure, campy maritime chaos. Brandy’s performance is wonderfully over-the-top, the pacing is lightning-fast, and the kills are significantly gorier. Then there is the final twist that is so bafflingly ridiculous you can’t look away. To me, the real standout was a young, dreadlocked Jack Black as the resort stoner. This year, I am excited to forget the first film and have I Still Know as my official 4th of July watch.

8. Fear Street: 1994 (2021) - dir. Leigh Janiak

Category: A Prank Gone Wrong

After a series of brutal slayings, a teen and her friends take on an evil force that’s plagued their notorious town for centuries.

Thoughts: When looking for the definitive movie to anchor the “prank gone wrong” category, Fear Street: 1994 was the immediate, undeniable choice. The entire bloody chain of events kicks off because of a chaotic highway prank meant to scare the rival Shadyside kids. Instead, it triggers a catastrophic car crash, bleeds a historic curse back to life, and sets an army of undead slashers loose. It is the absolute peak of the trope: a dumb teenage joke that accidentally invites pure, supernatural carnage.

9. Hell Fest (2018) - dir. Gregory Plotkin

Category: An Amusement Park or Carnival

On Halloween night at a horror theme park, a costumed killer begins slaying innocent patrons who believe that it’s all part of the festivities.

Thoughts: For the “amusement park or carnival” category, Hell Fest is the movie I’m most excited to finally cross off my watchlist. I actually haven’t seen this one yet, but everything I hear about it screams peak summerween energy. The concept alone is brilliant: a masked serial killer turns a massive horror theme park into his own personal hunting ground while the patrons assume it’s all just part of the show. I am a sucker for that specific atmospheric dread, and I can’t wait to dive into the neon lights, mazes, and crowd chaos for the first time.

10. Final Destination 3 (2006) - dir. James Wong

Category: An Amusement Park or Carnival

High school senior Wendy’s premonition of a deadly rollercoaster ride saves her life and a lucky few, but not from death itself — which seeks out those who escaped their fate.

Thoughts: When it comes to this category, Final Destination 3 is the undisputed heavyweight champion. It is an absolute tradition for me to queue this one up right around the 4th of July, locking it in as a core summer staple. The legendary roller coaster disaster sequence is a masterclass in tension, completely ruining amusement park rides for an entire generation. I love the sun-drenched, mid-2000s summer aesthetic mixed with the franchise’s signature, overly complicated death traps.

11. Wolf Creek (2005) - Greg McLean

Category: Blazing Desert Landscape

Three backpackers stranded in the Australian outback are plunged inside a hellish nightmare of insufferable torture by a sadistic psychopathic local.

Thoughts: For the “blazing desert landscape” category, Wolf Creek is a massive blind spot that I am finally ready to tackle. I haven’t seen this one yet, but its reputation as an uncompromising, sun-baked nightmare precedes it. The film trades cozy woods for the vast, isolated, and unforgiving Australian Outback. I am fascinated by how it uses the oppressive daytime heat and endless desert roads to create total vulnerability, turning a classic road trip into a fight for survival.

12. The Hills Have Eyes (2006) - Alexandre Aja

Category: Blazing Desert Landscape, 3 Movies from 1 Director [Alexandre Aja]

Based on Wes Craven’s 1977 suspenseful cult classic, The Hills Have Eyes is the story of a family road trip that goes terrifyingly awry when the travelers become stranded in a government atomic zone. Miles from nowhere, the Carter family soon realizes the seemingly uninhabited wasteland is actually the breeding ground of a blood-thirsty mutant family...and they are the prey.

Thoughts: The 2006 remake of The Hills Have Eyes is doing double duty on my watchlist. It perfectly anchors the "blazing desert landscape" category while simultaneously kicking off my "3 movies from 1 director" spotlight on Alexandre Aja. I haven't seen this one yet, but it is a major gap in my horror history. Who knows, I might have to check out the original as well.

13. Ticks (1993) - dir. Tony Randel

Category: Swarm/Animal Invasion

Teens camping in a northern California retreat are terrorized by mutant insects created by evil, polluting pot farmers.

Thoughts: The creature feature Ticks is an essential piece of nineties horror that I am finally checking out this summer. I haven’t seen this one yet, but I am an absolute sucker for nineties practical effects and gross-out eco-horror. The premise sounds beautifully chaotic: mutated, oversized wood ticks terrorizing a group of troubled teens at a wilderness retreat. I am genuinely excited to dive into this one fresh, mostly because the thought of a relentless, blood-sucking swarm invading the woods sounds like the perfect stomach-churning addition to the list.

14. Crawl (2019) - dir. Alexandre Aja

Category: Swarm/Animal Invasion, 3 Movies from 1 Director [Alexandre Aja]

When a huge hurricane hits her hometown in Florida, Haley ignores evacuation orders to look for her father. After finding him badly wounded, both are trapped by the flood. With virtually no time to escape the storm, they discover that rising water levels are the least of their problems.

Thoughts: Alexandre Aja’s 2019 survival thriller Crawl is the next film on my watchlist. I haven’t seen this one yet, but the premise alone promises an incredibly intense experience. I love a good claustrophobic survival setup, and seeing how Aja blends extreme weather chaos with creature-feature dread sounds like an absolute blast.

15. The Laughing Dead (1989) - dir. Somtow Sucharitkul

Category: Targeted Tourists

A busload of travelers and their disgraced priest tour guide, on the hunt for Aztec ruins, decide to stop in a Mexican village on the eve of the Day of the Dead. Unbeknownst to them, a local doctor plans to begin a diabolical ritual intended to bring about Hell on Earth.

Thoughts: The supernatural slasher The Laughing Dead looks like the wildest addition to my itinerary yet. I haven't seen this one, but its unhinged reputation makes it a must-watch for anyone who loves a horror movie that completely ruins a vacation. Everything I hear points to this being an absolute kitchen-sink explosion of zombies, demons, and cheap practical effects.

16. Club Dread (2004) - dir. Jay Chandrasekhar

Category: Targeted Tourists

When a serial killer interrupts the fun at the swanky Coconut Pete’s Coconut Beach Resort -- a hedonistic island paradise for swingers --- it’s up to the club’s staff to stop the violence ... or at least hide it!

Thoughts: This horror-comedy is the next stop on my list. I haven't seen this one yet, but the idea of a Broken Lizard slasher parodied on an isolated vacation island sounds like pure, chaotic fun. It is exactly the kind of unhinged vacation energy I want to bring to this lineup, trading real terror for ridiculous, island-bound laughs.

17. 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019) - dir. Johannes Roberts

Category: Creatures from the Deep

Four teenage girls go on a diving adventure to explore a submerged Mayan city. Once inside, their rush of excitement turns into a jolt of terror as they discover the sunken ruins are a hunting ground for deadly great white sharks. With their air supply steadily dwindling, the friends must navigate the underwater labyrinth of claustrophobic caves and eerie tunnels in search of a way out of their watery hell.

Thoughts: It has been ages since I last watched this. I’m pretty sure I haven't seen it since high school and I am so ready to dive back in. Re-visiting this one feels like the perfect excuse to subject myself to that brutal, chaotic underwater maze all over again.

18. Piranha 3D (2010) - dir. Alexandre Aja

Category: Creatures from the Deep, 3 Movies from 1 Director [Alexandre Aja]

Each year the population of sleepy Lake Victoria, Arizona explodes from 5,000 to 50,000 residents for the annual Spring Break celebration. But then, an earthquake opens an underwater chasm, releasing an enormous swarm of ancient Piranha that have been dormant for thousands of years, now with a taste for human flesh. This year, there’s something more to worry about than the usual hangovers and complaints from locals, a new type of terror is about to be cut loose on Lake Victoria.

Thoughts: Alexandre Aja’s Piranha 3D is the final piece of my director spotlight, and it has been years since I last experienced this absolute bloodbath. Just like 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, I haven't watched it since high school, making a return to Lake Victoria long overdue.

19. Piranha (1978) - dir. Joe Dante

Category: An Incompetent Sheriff

When flesh-eating piranhas are accidentally released into a summer resort’s rivers, the guests become their next meal.

Thoughts: I just watched this original Piranha for the very first time last year, and I instantly fell in love with it. It is an absolute masterclass in how to take inspiration from Jaws and turn it into something beautifully chaotic. The movie thrives on that classic B-movie charm. Instead of a majestic ocean, it traps you in a local river system with a swarm of mutant, flesh-eating monsters. The creature effects are delightfully retro, and the film strikes the perfect balance between genuine suspense and satirical humor that keeps you thoroughly entertained.

20. Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers (1988) - dir. Michael A. Simpson

Category: An Incompetent Sheriff

Extra Points: 3 Movies from 1 Summer Slasher Franchise [Sleepaway Camp]

Angela Baker escapes from a mental hospital and surfaces at a summer camp as a counselor who lectures her teenage charges on proper moral behavior. Those teens who break her strict rules -- from the camp chatterbox or a sex-obsessed girl to the boys who are peeping Toms -- are murdered by the impostor in various gruesome ways. As more campers go missing, intrepid counselor Molly begins to piece together the truth.

Thoughts: This slasher sequel is a massive piece of essential eighties horror that I still haven’t seen yet. Everything I hear about this installment points to it being a major tonal shift from the original, trading grim mystery for absolute, self-aware camp chaos. I am incredibly excited to dive into this one completely uninitiated. The idea of a sun-drenched, heavily wooded eighties summer camp turned into a ridiculous, meta playground for a relentless killer sounds right up my alley.

21. Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) - dir. Jack Arnold

Category: B-Movie Creature Feature

When scientists exploring the Amazon River stumble on a “missing link” connecting humans and fish, they plan to capture it for later study. But the Creature has plans of his own, and has set his sights on the lead scientist’s beautiful fiancée, Kay.

Thoughts: I am finally sitting down to watch this legendary creature feature in full. I might have caught a few scattered clips on TV when I was younger, but I’ve never actually experienced it from start to finish as an adult. With its murky, sun-drenched waters and dense jungle atmosphere, summer feels like the absolute perfect season to finally check it off the list. I am genuinely excited to experience the stunning, pioneering underwater cinematography and see how the iconic monster design holds up under a mature lens.

22. Nope (2022) - dir. Jordan Peele

Category: Alien Threat in the Desert

Residents in a lonely gulch of inland California bear witness to an uncanny, chilling discovery.

Thoughts: As a massive Jordan Peele fan, returning to this high-desert spectacle always hits differently. I will never forget my very first viewing; watching it early at a special midnight screening with my theater coworkers before it officially hit the public. It is a masterful blend of sci-fi paranoia and sun-bleached western dread. The way the vast, dusty valleys and blinding daylight are used to build tension under an empty sky is unmatched. Experiencing that massive scale and overwhelming sound design again during the heat of the summer is the ultimate cinematic treat.

23. Zombie Flesh Eaters (1979) - dir. Lucio Fulci

Category: International Summer Scare

After an abandoned boat sails into New York harbor with a zombie aboard, a reporter teams up with the daughter of the boat’s missing owner to investigate the island where he was last seen conducting research—the site of an alleged zombie outbreak.

Thoughts: This is easily one of my favorite movies of all time, and I even have the t-shirt to prove it. It connects directly to my own roots, having been partially filmed in New York City and the Dominican Republic. It is one of the very few horror films to show the country back in the seventies, flawlessly capturing that oppressive, sweltering Caribbean heat. Plus, it throws in a legendary clash between an actual shark and a zombie underwater, which is the absolute blueprint for a perfect summer watch.

24. The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018) - dir. Johannes Roberts

Category: A Backyard Pool Scene

A family’s road trip takes a dangerous turn when they arrive at a secluded mobile home park to stay with some relatives and find it mysteriously deserted. Under the cover of darkness, three masked killers pay them a visit to test the family’s every limit as they struggle to survive.

Thoughts: I know I’ve watched this one before, but unfortunately, I barely remember much of it. Re-visiting this sequel is the perfect chance to fix that memory lapse and experience the chaos all over again. The standout sequence everyone always hypes up takes place right by a glowing backyard pool, which makes it an essential addition to any warm-weather horror list. I am really looking forward to diving back into that specific, neon-drenched atmosphere and seeing how the tension holds up now that I’m giving it a proper, focused rewatch.

25. Vacancy (2007) - dir. Nimród Antal

Category: Car Breaks Down

A young married couple becomes stranded at an isolated motel and find hidden video cameras in their room. They realize that unless they escape, they’ll be the next victims of a snuff film.

Thoughts: This classic motel thriller is a notable title that I still haven’t seen yet. The idea of getting stranded on a dark, isolated road sounds like the absolute ultimate setup for a high-stress summer watch. I love a tight, claustrophobic survival story where the ordinary world suddenly becomes completely hostile, and stepping into this nightmare entirely fresh is exactly the kind of gritty adrenaline rush my list needs.

26. Scooby-Doo (2002) - dir. Raja Gosnell

Category: Gateway Horror

When the Mystery Inc. gang is invited to Spooky Island, a popular amusement park, they soon discover that the attractions aren’t the only things that are spooky. Strange things are happening, and it’s up to Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma to uncover the truth behind the mysterious happenings.

Thoughts: This is the ultimate childhood classic for me, the definitive movie that grew up right alongside me and acted as my true introduction to the spooky side of cinema. It was my absolute favorite as a kid, and returning to it now is pure, sun-drenched nostalgia. Everything about it is elite. The cast is legendary, the unexpected cameos are unforgettable, and the soundtrack (especially that OutKast track) instantly locks in the perfect early-2000s energy. The resort island setting manages to feel like a massive summer vacation and a haunted house rolled into one, making it an essential seasonal watch.

27. Scooby-Doo! Camp Scare (2010) - dir. Ethan Spaulding

Category: Gateway Horror

Scooby and the gang experience outdoor fun as they go back to Fred’s old summer camp. As summer goes on, it becomes increasingly clear that the spooky camp stories told by the fireplace, are more real than they’ve though and soon, it’s up to the gang to try and solve the mystery of camp scare.

Thoughts: I must have watched this one back when I was a kid, but unfortunately, I don’t remember it at all. It is officially locked onto my watchlist for this summer, and returning to it feels like uncovering a lost piece of my childhood mystery-solving history. Even with a blank memory, it is impossible to ignore how it serves as the absolute epitome of summer vacation for the Mystery Inc. crew. Getting to experience the ultimate rustic camp setting alongside a cozy, animated mystery completely fresh is the perfect way to tap back into that classic gateway energy.

28. The Blackening (2022) - dir. Tim Story

Category: Explicitly A Summer Holiday [Juneteenth]

Seven black friends go away for the weekend, only to find themselves trapped in a cabin with a killer who has a vendetta. They must pit their street smarts and knowledge of horror movies against the murderer to stay alive.

Thoughts: I haven’t watched this one since its original theatrical run, and I am so ready to dive back in. There really aren’t that many horror movies explicitly centered around a Juneteenth celebration, which makes it an absolute standout for a seasonal rewatch. It is a brilliant, razor-sharp blend of self-aware comedy and classic cabin-in-the-woods horror. The way it subverts long-standing genre tropes while delivering genuine slasher tension makes it incredibly entertaining, and it is the perfect title to lock in for a summer holiday view.

29. Gravity Falls: Summerween (2012) - dir. John Aoshima

Category: Explicitly A Summer Holiday [Summerween]

It’s Summerween, and Dipper and Mabel are visited by a monster called the Summerween Trickster, who informs them they must collect 500 pieces of candy, or be eaten.

Thoughts: Okay so this one is actually a tv show episode! It is from Gravity Falls titled "Summerween" (Season 1, Episode 12) and is an essential part of my blueprint, a true core memory that defines my childhood. I grew up watching this alongside my sister, and it is impossible to overstate just how influential it was. This single episode literally invented the entire concept of Summerween, giving birth to the exact cultural phenomenon and seasonal watchlist challenge horror fans celebrate today. According to the show, the residents love Halloween so much they celebrate it twice a year, specifically carving out June 22nd (or the second-to-last Friday of the month) as the official holiday. Swapping jack-o’-lanterns for jack-o’-melons, it offers the ultimate blueprint for blending cozy, spooky-season aesthetics with mid-summer warmth. It is the absolute perfect watch to bridge the gap between summer vibes and ghostly fun.

30. Re-Elected (2020) - dir. Max Radbill

Category: Explicitly A Summer Holiday [4th of July]

Friends battle former U.S. presidents when they come back from the dead as zombies on the Fourth of July.

Thoughts: This indie horror title is currently locked onto my watchlist as a premier candidate for the 4th of July. I haven’t seen it yet, but the word on the street is that it’s a massively underrated gem that deserves a lot more love. The idea of historical figures or patriotic themes colliding with a bloody slasher format sounds like pure, chaotic fun. Going into an unheralded indie flick completely fresh right on the holiday itself is the exact kind of high-entertainment gamble my summer lineup thrives on.

31. Uncle Sam (1996) - dir. William Lustig

Category: Explicitly A Summer Holiday [4th of July]

It’s Fourth of July Weekend, and the recently discovered corpse of Sgt. Sam Harper rises from the dead to punish the unpatriotic.

Thoughts: This patriotic slasher is my top priority for the 4th of July. I haven’t seen it yet, and I actually planned to watch it last summer but completely missed my chance, so I am making sure it doesn’t slip through the cracks again. It feels like the absolute definitive choice for the holiday, wrapping itself entirely in Americana, fireworks, and seasonal neighborhood chaos. Stepping into this cult classic completely uninitiated on the exact day it takes place is going to be the perfect way to wrap up the holiday.

32. The Purge: Election Year (2016) - dir. James DeMonaco

Extra

Two years after choosing not to kill the man who killed his son, former police sergeant Leo Barnes has become head of security for Senator Charlene Roan, the front runner in the next Presidential election due to her vow to eliminate the Purge. On the night of what should be the final Purge, a betrayal from within the government forces Barnes and Roan out onto the street where they must fight to survive the night.

Thoughts: This film serves as an essential extra on my watchlist, completely separate from any official category. I have seen it before, but it has evolved into a mandatory annual tradition for me to queue it up right around the 4th of July. Even though the chaotic annual event in the story doesn’t take place on the exact holiday, the movie is absolutely drenched in distorted Americana, patriotic imagery, and revolutionary themes. Re-visiting this high-stakes survival story during the holiday week always amplifies its chaotic energy, making it the perfect blockbuster action-horror hybrid to anchor a summer marathon.

33. Blow Out (1981) - dir. Brian De Palma

Extra

While recording sound effects for a slasher flick, Jack Terry stumbles upon a real-life horror: a car careening off a bridge and into a river. Jack jumps into the water and fishes out Sally from the car, but the other passenger is already dead — a governor intending to run for president. As Jack does some investigating of his tapes, and starts a perilous romance with Sally, he enters a tangled web of conspiracy that might leave him dead.

Thoughts: This celebrated thriller is a crucial extra on my summer lineup that I still haven’t seen yet. I’ve heard from multiple horror and thriller fans that it is an incredible movie to watch right around the 4th of July, making it the perfect seasonal blind spot to finally clear. As a fan of the director and his signature cinematic aesthetics, I am incredibly excited to see how his style elevates this story. The promise of gorgeous split-screens, intense tracking shots, and a heavy dose of political paranoia set against a backdrop of red, white, and blue festivities sounds like absolute heaven for a summer watchlist.

34. Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland (1989) - dir. Michael A. Simpson

Extra

Extra Points: 3 Movies from 1 Summer Slasher Franchise [Sleepaway Camp]

Psychotic Angela is itching to do what she does best: slaughter dozens of teenage campers. As luck would have it, the previous site of her murders has been renamed and converted into an experimental summer camp meant to bring together privileged and lower-class teens. On the day the youths are boarding the buses to camp, Angela runs over a potential camper with a garbage truck and assumes her identity. Once she has infiltrated the camp, the real terror begins.

Thoughts: This final piece of the original trilogy serves as an essential extra on my list. I haven't seen this one yet, but since I already have both the original film and the second installment locked onto this summer watchlist, it only makes sense to complete the trifecta.

35. Scary Movie (2000) - dir. Keenan Ivory Wayans

Extra

A familiar-looking group of teenagers find themselves being stalked by a more-than-vaguely recognizable masked killer! As the victims begin to pile up and the laughs pile on, none of your favorite scary movies escape the razor-sharp satire of this outrageously funny parody!

Thoughts: With the highly anticipated franchise revival arriving in theaters this summer, returning to the absolute masterpiece that started it all is a mandatory refresher. I have seen this movie countess times, but the announcement of the original creative team reuniting for the 2026 film makes a full rewatch feel incredibly urgent. I am excited to revisit this before the theater doors open for this historic summer comedy event.

36. Backrooms (2026) - dir. Kane Parsons

Extra: 2026 Summer Release

A strange doorway appears in the basement of a furniture showroom.

Thoughts: This internet-birthed phenomenon is serving as an essential extra on my summer list. It is one of the most highly anticipated theatrical drops of the season, so it feels like a mandatory theater outing. I do know some of the viral online lore and some stuff on the original web series but stepping into that endless maze of fluorescent-lit, liminal dread with entirely fresh eyes is exactly the kind of modern psychological thrill I want to anchor my summer viewing.

37. Scary Movie (2026) - dir. Michael Tiddes

Extra: 2026 Summer Release

Twenty-six years after outrunning a suspiciously familiar masked killer, the Core Four are back in the killer’s crosshairs and no horror movie IP is safe.

Thoughts: It has been nearly two decades since they last steered this ship, and stepping into a theater completely fresh to see how they lampoon the era of "elevated horror" sounds like the ultimate summer comedy event. I cannot wait to see them bring back that raw, unapologetically chaotic energy to roast everything from creepy dolls to viral internet creepypastas without a single filter.

38. Evil Dead Burn (2026) - dir. Sébastien Vaniček

Extra: 2026 Summer Release

After the loss of her husband, a woman seeks solace with her in-laws in their secluded family home. As one by one they are transformed into Deadites—turning the gathering into a family reunion from hell—she comes to discover that the vows she took in life... live on even in death.

Thoughts: The next entry in this legendary franchise is easily one of my most anticipated theater trips of the year. As an absolute fanatic for this series and someone who considers the 2013 reimagining to be an absolute masterpiece of modern blood-soaked horror, the moment this project was announced it shot straight to the top of my must-watch list. The promise of a frantic, hyper-violent survival sprint where a secluded home becomes a bloody battleground has me counting down the days until release. Plus, the bubbling rumors that this film is being eyed to turn into a haunted house at Halloween Horror Nights this year has me completely intrigued.

39. Ice Cream Man (2026) - dir. Eli Roth

Extra: 2026 Summer Release

An idyllic summer town descends into madness when an ice cream man serves kids sweet delights with horrifying results.

Thoughts: This upcoming horror event is shaping up to be the ultimate, sun-drenched nightmare. Directed by Eli Roth, it is scheduled to hit theaters this August, perfectly capturing that sweltering, mid-summer horror vibe. Going into the theater to see an entire suburban town descend into sugary, bloody madness sounds like an absolute blast.

40. Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (2026) - dir. Jane Schoenbrun

Extra: 2026 Summer Release

The infamous Camp Miasma slasher franchise is getting rebooted yet again. But when the latest movie’s director becomes obsessed with the mysterious, reclusive actress who played the “final girl” in the original film, a whole new kind of slasher emerges from the bottom of the lake.

Thoughts: I am incredibly excited to see what Schoenbrun does next with Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. After the way We’re All Going to the World’s Fair and I Saw the TV Glow completely rewired my brain, their filmography has become an absolute priority for me. What has me most hyped is seeing them transition into a gnarly, physical eighties camp aesthetic. Their first two movies perfectly captured those lonely, deeply isolated internet and television voids, so watching them step out of the screen and into the woods is a massive shift. Everything coming out about this project suggests a wild, exhilarating evolution that filters classic slasher tropes through their signature psychosexual horror-comedy lens, making it easily one of my top anticipated theater events of the season.

Rewatches: Friday the 13th (2009), Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI, Urban Legend, Fear Street: 1978, Friday the 13th (1980), Sleepaway Camp, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, Fear Street: 1994, Final Destination 3, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, Piranha 3D, Piranha, Nope, Zombie Flesh Eaters, The Strangers: Prey at Night, Scooby-Doo, Scooby-Doo! Camp Scare, The Blackening, Gravity Falls: Summerween, The Purge: Election Year, Scary Movie (2000)

That wraps up my ultimate Summerween watchlist. Whether it's revisiting childhood gateway classics, braving sun-baked desert wastes, or catching the most anticipated new releases in a packed theater, this lineup is custom-built to carry us straight through the heat of the season. Grab your jack-o'-melons, queue up the movies, and let's get tracking.

HAPPY SUMMERWEEN 🔦🏕️🪓

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