Spooky season has officially arrived, and Hollywood is betting big on frights this year. From major studio blockbusters to gritty indie gems, October’s release schedule is packed with high-profile horror, including Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, the return of Ethan Hawke in Black Phone 2, and Keira Knightley’s thriller The Woman in Cabin 10. To help you navigate the chaos, we’ve rounded up the 14 most anticipated horror titles hitting theaters and streaming platforms this month.
The October 3 Wave: From Pets to Predators
Kicking off the month, Good Boy (out now) offers a unique perspective: horror through the eyes of a dog. Directed by Ben Leonberg, this 72-minute feature stars his own Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Indy, as he fights to protect his owner from malevolent forces. Also out today is Bone Lake, a B-movie slasher from director Mercedes Bryce Morgan that leans into the trope of couples trapped in a rental home, blending visceral gore with an intentional “trashy” aesthetic.
If you prefer your horror with a side of comedy, Coyotes features real-life couple Kate Bosworth and Justin Long as parents besieged by a pack of savage animals. Meanwhile, the V/H/S franchise continues its reign on Shudder with a new collection of seven Halloween-themed shorts, including a segment from Too Many Cooks creator Casper Kelly. Rounding out the day is Scared Shitless, a Canadian comedy-horror starring GTA V’s Steven Ogg that leans heavily into practical effects and slapstick scares.
Mid-Month Thrills: Streamers vs. The Big Screen
Paramount Plus enters the ring on October 10 with Vicious, starring Dakota Fanning. Directed by Bryan Bertino, the film follows a woman forced into a deadly game of survival involving three mysterious objects. That same day, Netflix drops The Woman in Cabin 10, a psychological thriller starring Keira Knightley and Guy Pearce that explores themes of gaslighting and murder on a luxury yacht.
The tension ramps up on October 17 with the arrival of The Black Phone 2. Scott Derrickson returns to helm this Blumhouse sequel, bringing back Ethan Hawke as “The Grabber” for another round of terrifying, Stephen King-inspired suspense. Simultaneously, Guillermo del Toro’s highly anticipated Frankenstein hits theaters for a limited run before arriving on Netflix on November 7. With Oscar Isaac as Dr. Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as the creature, this gothic reimagining is arguably the month’s most prestigious title.
Also on October 17, Tubi debuts a new Pumpkinhead reimagining. Produced by R.L. Stine and directed by Jem Garrard, this version pivots from the original’s adult-oriented dread toward a slightly more accessible, yet still chilling, experience.
The Final Frights: Late October Releases
On October 22, the classic thriller The Hand That Rocks the Cradle gets a modern, horror-centric update on Hulu and Disney+. Directed by Michelle Garza Cervera, the film stars Maika Monroe as a sinister nanny infiltrating the life of an upper-class mother, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. It promises a much darker, more overtly creepy tone than the 1992 original.
October 24 brings the highly anticipated Shelby Oaks to theaters. Executive produced by Mike Flanagan and directed by former critic Chris Stuckmann, the film follows a woman’s desperate search for her missing sister, blending mixed-media storytelling with a terrifying supernatural mystery. On the same day, In Our Blood offers a disturbing, lo-fi narrative about a documentary crew whose search for an estranged mother goes horribly wrong. Finally, Tina Romero brings Queens of the Dead to the big screen—a vibrant, queer-focused zombie apocalypse flick starring Margaret Cho and Katy O’Brian that balances biting social commentary with classic survival horror.
