As production has kicked off on the film, Sam Raimi’s Send Help has officially landed a release date. After originally being set up at Columbia Pictures in 2019, the movie immediately drew a lot of attention upon its shift to 20th Century Studios in mid 2024 as it would mark Raimi’s first directed horror movie since his 2009 hit Drag Me to Hell. Casting got underway shortly thereafter, with Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness star Rachel McAdams being the first to join, followed by Chris Pang, Dennis Haysbert and Dylan O’Brien.

Now, ᴅᴇᴀᴅline has brought word that Send Help is now set for a January 30, 2026 release date. The news comes as Disney is shifting around multiple тιтles on its upcoming release slate, including delaying Pixar’s Elio by one week, from June 13 to 20, while fellow 20th Century Studios тιтle Ella McCay has been set for a September 9 release date following its Toronto Film Festival premiere.

What This Means For Send Help

Raimi’s First Horror Movie In Nearly Two Decades Is Facing A Crowded Box Office

Send Help getting a release date already is a good sign of the movie’s behind-the-scenes progress, particularly as filming only just began a week ago on Raimi’s horror return, with the director himself sharing a pH๏τo from the first day of production. Given it’s a smaller movie compared to his work in the blockbuster genre on the likes of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Oz the Great and Powerful, it seems likely that he’ll finish it within a month or two, giving him plenty of time in the post-production process to nail down the final cut.

That being said, with the movie being set for a January 2026 release date, Send Help is going up against a very crowded slate of releases. Included in this window are multiple horror movies eyeing to recreate Blumhouse’s success with M3GAN, including its spinoff SOULM8TE, as well as the Nia DaCosta-helmed second installment in the new 28 Years Later trilogy, The Bone Temple. Check out the current list of January 2026 releases below:

In just looking at its opening weekend, Send Help should, at the very least, draw in the horror crowd looking for a new genre film, while the family-oriented audiences go for Aang: The Last Airbender. However, should the first 28 Years Later movie prove to be worth the wait upon its June 20 release, The Bone Temple may find its way to dominating Raimi’s horror return during its third weekend at the box office.

Our Take On Send Help’s Release Date

Never Bet Against Raimi In Horror

While I can’t deny that I would rather see the movie released in a less-crowded window, I still can’t imagine Send Help not turning some kind of profit while at the box office. Even in his more divisive blockbuster productions, like Oz the Great and Powerful, Raimi has generally proven himself to be a name that draws people to the box office, particularly when it comes to the horror genre. Plus, with it having been nearly two decades since he got behind the camera for a horror movie, I think that will also be a major selling point.

Source: ᴅᴇᴀᴅline