Iconic horror director James Wan has a new film calledMalignantthat isset to come out this year andDeadlinereportsWarner Bros.finally announced a release date. There is basically no plot description provided forMalignantandall that’s really known about it so far is the cast and that it’s a horror film. However, due to Wan’s history with the genre, fans of horror are excited about this one.
Wan is known primarily asthe creator of theSawseries, which is the second highest-grossing horror franchise of all time, but he also directed the first and second installments of bothThe ConjuringandInsidiousseries, which cements him as one of this century’s most respected horror directors. Outside of the horror genre, he also directedthe seventh film in theFast & Furiousseriesas well as the DCEU’sAquaman. As of 2020, he’s on record as one of the top 20 grossing directors of all time. Though it was suspected that this film was based on his graphic novelMalignant Man, Wan has confirmed that it’s not based on an already existing IP. It’ll be his first film not part of an already existing franchise since 2013.
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Although there’s not much known as of yet aboutMalignant, the cast and crew has Wan written all over it. It stars Annabelle Wallis, who was the lead inAnnabelle, which wasthe firstThe Conjuringspin-off, as well as Mckenna Grace, who starred in the film’s sequelAnnabelle Comes Home. Grace has been making a bit of a name for herself in horror as of late, as she also has roles inChilling Adventures of SabrinaandThe Haunting of Hill House. Wan also worked with his real-life wife, Ingrid Bisu, on the story ofMalignant.
The film has been slated for a July 16, 2025 release and it is under the Warner Bros. and HBO Max contract, so it will be in both cinemas and on the streaming service at the same time. Like countless other films,Malignantis one that has been throughrelease date changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was originally meant to be released in August of last year but was already removed from the release schedule in March of 2020. Only now has an updated release date been announced.
Meanwhile, Wan is also being courted by Warner Bros. to direct its developingAquamansequel,which he is currently attached to as a producer. The filmmaker is also bringing his experience in the horror genre as the producer of anAquamanspin-off centered on The Trench.
Malignantwill be released on HBO Max and in select theaters in the U.S. on June 23, 2025.
