Sure, you have your favorite horror movies that you watch each Halloween. But you’re probably also in the mood for some fresh blood (get it?) and we’ve got you covered on that front, with plenty of new horror movies that could be your Halloween standbys in the years to come.
Below, we’ve put together a list of new horror movies streaming right now — films that were released in 2023, some that came out earlier this year and some that are brand new.
We’ve got everything from new entries in popular franchises (like “Scream VI” and “Evil Dead Rises”) to brand-new movies that are totally killer (including, of course, “Totally Killer”) and even a new family film (“Haunted Mansion”) and a spooky detective tale (“A Haunting in Venice”). Seriously, something for everyone.
Read on to find out what new horror movies you should be watching this Halloween – and where you can watch them.
Five Nights at Freddy’s
Where It’s Streaming: Peacock
What It’s About: Based on the insanely popular videogame series of the same name, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” stars Josh Hutcherson as a nighttime security guard for an abandoned pizza parlor that is seemingly haunted by the ghosts of dead children. Oh and the audio-animatronic characters come to life and murder people, which, as far as we know, never happened at Chuck E. Cheese’s or Showbiz Pizza. 2023 has been defined by extremely popular videogame adaptations like “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “The Last of Us.” And “Five Nights at Freddy’s” should continue the trend.
When Evil Lurks
Where It’s Streaming: Shudder
What It’s About: The followup from “Terrified” director Demián Rugna, “When Evil Lurks” quickly earned a reputation on the festival circuit as one of the most brutal horror movies of the year. The film follows two brothers who stumble upon a demonic possession that spreads throughout their town with no mercy. Speaking of no mercy, this is not one for the gore-phobic or faint of heart.
Knock at the Cabin
Where It’s Streaming: Prime Video
What It’s About: M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller stars Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge as parents who take their daughter to a remote cabin on vacation, only to be confronted by three individuals who claim that in order to prevent a worldwide apocalypse, one of them must be sacrificed. Dave Bautista and Ruper Grint co-star in this taught horror film that keeps you guessing until the very end.
Totally Killer
Where It’s Streaming: Prime Video
What It’s About: In this effervescent horror comedy, which doesn’t skim on the terror or the laughs, a teenage girl (Kiernan Shipka) travels back to the 1980’s in an attempt to save her mom (Olivia Holt in the past and Julie Bowen in the present) from a deranged, masked psychopath (The Sweet Sixteen Killer). Think “Back to the Future” meets “Scream.” Nahnatchka Khan, who directed Netflix’s rom-com “Always Be My Maybe,” takes a trip to the dark side with this one.
Haunted Mansion
Where It’s Streaming: Disney+
What It’s About: Based on the Disney theme park attraction of the same name (which first opened in Disneyland in 1969), “Haunted Mansion” stars Rosario Dawson as a single mother who looks to a team of paranormal researchers (played by LaKeith Stanfield, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito and Tiffany Haddish) to rid her new home of the 999 happy haunts. It’s a fun homage to the original ride, with cameos from Jamie Lee Curtis, Jared Leto, Winona Ryder and Dan Levy. This is some spooky fun that the whole family can enjoy. Just remember, when it comes to the Haunted Mansion, there’s always room for one more …
Cobweb
Where It’s Streaming: Hulu
What It’s About: This is your classic there’s-something-living-in-the-walls story, where a young boy (Woody Norman from “C’mon C’mon”) starts to suspect that not only is a hidden sibling living trapped behind the wall, but that his aw-shucks parents (Lizzy Caplan and Anthony Starr) might not be what they appear. “Cobweb” is one of the year’s best horror movies, choked with autumnal flavor and lingering dread. Make it a point to watch this one – it absolutely rules.
No One Will Save You
Where It’s Streaming: Hulu
What’s It About: Kaitlyn Dever plays an agoraphobic young woman who lives outside of town in a big house with her mother. After her mother dies, her life changes even more dramatically, when an alien invasion begins outside her door. That’s pretty much all you should know before watching “No One Will Save You,” one of the scariest and most fun movies of this Halloween season. Watch it with somebody you’d be happy getting abducted with.
M3GAN
Where It’s Streaming: Prime Video
What It’s About: Allison Williams (already a horror legend thanks to her role in “Get Out”) plays a robotics expert at a toy company who becomes the guardian to her young niece (Violet McGraw), whose parents were recently killed. Seeing the perfect in-house focus group, she allows her niece to play with M3GAN, a next-generation doll. And things go from bad to worse as M3GAN’s murderous streak starts to show. One of the year’s most popular horror movies, its inventive mixture of humor and horror (with a strong satirical edge) made it must-watch material even for those who have to watch through their fingers.
Sick
Where It’s Streaming: Peacock
What It’s About: It’s a pandemic-set slasher movie, written by original “Scream” scribe Kevin Williamson and directed by John Hyams, one of the best B-movie auteurs working today. It killed (pun intended) at the fall festivals last year before making its way to a streaming debut on Peacock earlier in 2023. And guess what? It kicks just as much ass at home. Check your temperature, put on your mask and give it a watch.
Sister Death
Where It’s Streaming: Netflix
What It’s About: A prequel to the popular (and utterly bone-chilling) Netflix original film “Verónica” (from back in 2017), which was based on something that actually happened in 1991 when a Ouija board was linked to a mysterious death, “Sister Death” seems to be based only on the imagination of returning filmmaker Paco Plaza. Set in Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, “the story follows Narcisa, a novice nun with supernatural gifts who joins a school to teach young girls.” Yes please!
El Conde
Where It’s Streaming: Netflix
What It’s About: The latest film from filmmaker Pablo Larraín (“Jackie,” “Spencer”) imagines that bloodthirsty Chilean dictator and general Augusto Pinochet (Jaime Vadell) was actually an immortal vampire, literally thirsty for blood. It’s a pretty wild concept but Larraín is deeply committed to the concept, which allows for both a thoughtful examination of recent history and some pretty scary set pieces. (A young nun from the Vatican is sent to kill him around the same time that his family descends to squabble for a piece of his empire.) Featuring lush black-and-white cinematography by Edward Lachman and a really terrific third act twist, “El Conde” is one of the best movies of the year. But why not watch it at Halloween?
A Haunting in Venice
Where It’s Streaming: Hulu (on Oct. 31)
What It’s About: The latest installment in Kenneth Branagh’s series of Agatha Christie adaptations mines a somewhat obscure 1969 novel called “Hallowe’en Party.” It’s there that our hero, Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (Branagh) is invited to a seance where – wouldn’t you know it? – somebody winds up dead. The star-power of the latest entry in the franchise isn’t as blinding as it was previously, with a cast that includes Michelle Yeoh, Tina Fey, Kelly Reilly and Jamie Dornan, but this locked-door mystery is just as fun as the other films. Naturally, this entry is spookier than the previous films. Might be best watched while drinking enough champagne to fill the Nile.
Scream VI
Where It’s Streaming: Paramount+
What’s It About: A year after the well-received reboot/sequel “Scream” comes this even-better sequel, which sees our new characters (Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding) menaced, once again, by a killer in a Ghostface mask. But this time they’re in Manhattan going to college, which gives the movie some much-needed texture, even if they did shoot it in Montreal. Potential victims/killers include Jack Champion, Henry Czerny, Dermot Mulroney, Tony Revolori and Samara Weaving. Oh and Hayden Panettiere is back from “Scream 4,” so that’s fun!
The Pope’s Exorcist
Where It’s Streaming: Netflix
What It’s About: One of the year’s best (and most under-appreciated) horror movies is this gem, which stars Russell Crowe as “The Pope’s Exorcist.” (Just to be clear he works for the pope, he’s not exorcising the pope, although that would probably be a cool movie too.) The movie is set in Spain in the 1980’s, it has a very cool soundtrack (although is there any wrong way to use “She Sells Sanctuary” by The Cults?) and Crowe is doing the most acting you can imagine (this is a very good thing). If you need further convincing, the film was directed by Julius Avery, who also made the great, totally fucked up World War II zombie movie “Overlord” for J.J. Abrams. He is a treasure and so is “The Pope’s Exorcist.” Just watch it.
Renfield
Where It’s Streaming: Prime Video
What It’s About: Universal, having abandoned the unified Dark Universe approach to its classic movie monsters, has made its monster movies more bespoke. And “Renfield,” the first (and best) of their 2023 Dracula movies, is a great example. The movie stars Nicholas Hoult as the title character, the immortal servant of Dracula (Nicolas Cage chewing every last bit of scenery). Originally envisioned as more serious horror, the movie eventually became more comedic, leaning on the relationship between Dracula and Renfield as a proxy for any kind of toxic relationship you’ve been through, romantic or otherwise. The resulting film is too much fun to dismiss, combining elements of gangster movie and romantic comedy (among others).
The Nun 2
Where It’s Streaming: Max
What It’s About: The sequel to the “Conjuring”-verse film takes place in the 1950s, four years after the events of the first “Nun” movie as Taissa Farmiga’s Sister Irene is drawn into more hauntings from the demonic Valek in the wake of a priest’s murder. Michael Chaves, who directed “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,” takes over the director’s chair.
Evil Dead Rise
Where It’s Streaming: Max
What It’s About: The new “Evil Dead” movie is more reboot than sequel, taking the core tenants of the “Evil Dead” franchise – Deadites, the Book of the Dead and some horror comedy – and placing them inside a brand new story. This time, the action takes place in a Los Angeles apartment building where someone very unfortunate stumbles upon the Book of the Dead.
