All New Horror Films Will Be Released Before Halloween
September and October are always the best months for horror movie fans, as the run-up to Halloween brings all sorts of gory joy to your local theaters (and your streaming devices).
Below are 13 new and noteworthy horror films coming out between now and All Hallows’ Eve. They run the gamut from cool ghost stories like The Haunting of Venice to the brutal mutilations of Saw X and everything in between. Mark your calendars (in blood???) and buy your tickets early (or renew your Shudder subscription).
Satanic Latinos (September 14)
Kick off the holiday horror season early with an anthology of five spooky tales drawn from Latino culture. Satanic Latinos ‘ team of Latino directors includes The Blair Witch Project ‘s Eduardo Sanchez, Bingo Hell ‘s Gigi Saul Guerrero, as well as Mike Mendez, the man who delighted horror fans with Big Ass Spider! in 2014, so expect something out of the ordinary. horror, comedy, action, drama and god knows what else.
Where to watch: in theaters September 14.
Game “Elevator” (September 15)
The Elevator Game mines horror from the darkest corners of the internet, telling the story of skeptical content creators on a mission to debunk online rumors by playing the “elevator game” – a series of rituals designed to summon “The Woman on the 5th Floor.” I haven’t seen the movie, but I’d bet money that the ritual actually works.
Where to watch it: Streaming on Shudder, September 15.
Ghosts in Venice (September 15)
Some people like Sherlock Holmes, but in my opinion there is no better old European detective than Agatha Christie’s Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. The Haunting of Venice is director Kenneth Branagh’s third entry into the Poirot franchise. In it, an investigator solves a murder with supernatural overtones, plunging his comic mustache into the world of psychics and séances in 1947 Italy. It may be more mystery than horror, but The Haunting of Venice seems to scare people – in a sophisticated way, of course.
Where to watch: in theaters September 15.
El Conde (September 15)
Sometimes the idea of a film alone elevates it to “must-see” status. Taking a break from tragic stories of women in cages like Jakey O and Princess Di, director Pablo Larraín takes on El Conde, a darkly satirical horror-comedy that reveals that Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet is actually a 250-year-old vampire who just wants to die. Take my money already, Netflix. (Wait, you’re already doing that.)
Where to watch it : Streaming on Netflix September 15th.
It lives inside (September 22)
In the best horror films, the monster is always something all too real. In It Lives Inside, the villain is a metaphor for an Indian-American teenager’s questions about her cultural identity. When a Hindu creature kidnaps her best friend, Sam must confront the supernatural (and her family history) to drive out the evil.
Where to watch : in theaters September 22.
No one will save you (September 22)
If you want to watch a movie about scary aliens, No One Will Save You should be very satisfying. In this tense, action-packed film, a young woman awakens to find aliens attacking her home, so she sets out to escape their vile actions. Imagine a mixture of an evil alien . and the evil “Home Alone” , and you’re already halfway there.
Where to watch it: Streaming on Hulu, September 22.
Saw X (September 29)
In the tenth installment of the Saw franchise, Tobin Bell returns as John Kramer, and this time his victims deserve it. Between Saw and Saw 2, X sees Kramer battling terminal cancer. He travels to Mexico for an experimental procedure, but is being taken advantage of by rogue doctors. Vowing to live out the life he has left, Kramer creates a series of elaborate death traps in which he tortures and kills his enemies (as is typical).
Where to watch: in theaters September 29.
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines (October 6)
A prequel to the 1989 film reboot of Stephen King’s 1983 novel Pet Sematary , released in 2019, Bloodlines tells the story of Jude Crandall’s horror-filled encounter with the reincarnated corpse of Timmy Batherman, a local boy who returned from Vietnam in a coffin and was buried in a truly unfortunate place. I always thought this was the scariest part of the book, so I’m glad it got its own movie.
Where to watch it: Streams on Paramount+ October 6.
The Exorcist: The Believer (October 6)
To celebrate The Exorcist’s 50th anniversary, sequel Exorcist: Believer pretends that the two sequels to the original never happened (and that’s probably for the best). Director David Gordon Green, who completed his Halloween trilogy last year, picks up the story where the original left off, even featuring the original owner’s mother (90-year-old Ellen Burstyn). Will you feel dizzy and vomit? We can only guess.
Where to watch : in theaters October 6.
Malibu Horror Story (October 20)
Malibu Horror Story follows paranormal investigators investigating the disappearance of teenagers near a sacred Native American site. The description doesn’t suggest much originality, and I have no idea if it’ll be of any use, but it’s found footage of a terrifying film that somehow secured a (limited) theatrical release and was given a solid review by members of the horror press . reviews so far, so maybe it’s a killer. That’s how The Blair Witch Project started, right?
Where to watch: in theaters October 27.
Five Nights at Freddy’s (October 27)
Horror fans have been waiting a long time for the film version of the Five Nights at Freddy’s video game franchise, and it’s finally here… and it looks promising. The film follows a hapless security guard who is hired to work the night shift at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a children’s eatery known more for its history of murderous animatronics and missing children than for its cuisine. As a bonus, you’ll be able to choose between watching it in a theater or streaming it.
Where to watch : In theaters and on Peacock on October 27.
Thanksgiving Day (November 17)
Okay, Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving will be out well after Halloween, but I can’t make a Thanksgiving horror movie list, so I’m including it here. “Thanksgiving” is based on the faux trailer Roth made for 2007’s Grindhouse , and while I wish it retained the amazing production value of the original ’70s short, I’m still open to seeing another of Roth’s dark comedic riffs on the theme of slashers.
Where to watch: In theaters November 17.