The impressive opening weekend of “Orphan: First Kill” is the latest sign that 2022 is the year of horror. The Blumhouse flick “The Black Phone” had a killer theatrical run at the start of the summer, and Jordan Peele’s UFO flick “Nope” nabbed the highest box office opening for an original movie since Peele’s sophomore feature, “Us.” Horror is and has always been one of the most prolific and profitable genres in all of cinema, even if awards bodies continue to ignore the films that keep the industry alive between superhero releases.

“Orphan: First Kill” may also signal a new trend in horror, as it seems “trauma horror” is finally on its way out, and fun horror is on its way in. Director William Brent Bell knew that bringing this story to a new era would be no easy task, but in my opinion, he completely nailed it. “Orphan: First Kill” leans all the way in on the ridiculous premise of the original film, and allows all of the characters involved to revel in it. Without spoiling anything, keep your eyes peeled for one of the funniest needle drops in years, and a Julia Stiles performance that has me wanting her to carry an entire franchise of her own.