The Scariest Horror Movies Hitting Theaters This October

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2025 has been a remarkably successful year for horror movies in theaters, delivering some of the year’s biggest blockbusters. Films like Sinners, Final Destination: Bloodlines, Weapons, and 28 Years Later have truly terrified audiences. However, even with the genre’s current popularity and it being spooky season, there aren’t quite as many major horror releases as you might anticipate this October. Horror has become one of the few consistently profitable genres, dominating much of the movie calendar and leaving the weeks leading up to Halloween feeling a little empty on the big screen.

Even though there aren’t any major releases like Sinners or Weapons before All Hallows’ Eve, that doesn’t mean you won’t find something scary at the movie theater. There are lots of smaller films, a few movies being re-released, and one big studio sequel currently playing in cinemas. Check out our complete guide below, as horror is always more impactful when experienced with an audience. (And don’t worry – we also have a guide to all the horror movies you can stream this month!)

Bone Lake (October 3)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=mQy7BuW-R6c

Sage and Diego rented a luxurious house at the remote and eerily named Bone Lake, hoping for a romantic escape. However, their getaway is interrupted when another couple, Cin and Will, arrive, also claiming to have booked the house. They agree to share the space, but what begins as a double date quickly descends into a psychological thriller filled with secrets, attraction, and shocking, fast-paced violence.

Coyotes (October 3)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=mJ26vDXApsc

Justin Long, recently praised for his role in the 2022 horror film Barbarian, stars as a man residing in the Hollywood Hills with his wife (Kate Bosworth) and daughter. Their peaceful life is shattered when a group of unusually aggressive coyotes attacks. “Killer animal attack” is a classic horror theme-even the less successful films can be fun to watch. However, one downside of this movie is that the coyotes themselves appear to be digitally created using AI, which is a bit disappointing.

Good Boy (October 3)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=q4-CRkd_74g

The saying goes you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but you *can* create a horror movie with one! Good Boy features Indy, a remarkably expressive Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, whose home is haunted. The film follows the loyal dog’s experiences as he encounters spooky, supernatural events each night. (A cat, on the other hand, would likely ignore it all!) Good Boy received positive feedback after its premiere at South by Southwest.

Shell (October 3)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=R6W6YzhRuTA

Elisabeth Moss stars as an actress whose career is slowing down. She attempts to boost her popularity by getting a makeover with the help of a wellness guru (Kate Hudson). But things aren’t what they seem, and there’s a frightening secret behind the transformation. It’s worth noting that Shell unfortunately debuted at film festivals in the same year as The Substance, which explores similar themes. Despite this, many reviews at the time praised the film for its own strengths, particularly its powerful acting and shocking conclusion.

Trick ‘r Treat rerelease (October 14 and 16)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=XM-IlZeWpXs

Trick ‘r Treat initially came out on DVD in 2009 without a proper theatrical run, but despite this, the movie-a collection of scary stories connected and taking place on Halloween night, featuring Dylan Baker, Anna Paquin, and Brian Cox-has become a beloved cult favorite. Now, it’s getting a chance on the big screen thanks to Fathom Entertainment. Just remember to respect the traditions of Halloween. If you don’t, Sam-the unsettling trick-or-treater who wears a bag as a mask and carries a pointed lollipop-will find you.

Black Phone 2 (October 17)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=v0kqkRZHqk4

Scott Derrickson’s 2021 film, The Black Phone, did surprisingly well in theaters, so it’s not unexpected that they’re making a sequel. Black Phone 2 again features Mason Thames as Finney. Even though he was the first to escape the child serial killer called the Grabber (Ethan Hawke)-with some help from the special phone that allowed him to talk to the killer’s past victims-it appears the Grabber isn’t finished with him. This is particularly frightening given that the Grabber died at the end of the first movie.

Frankenstein (October 17)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=x–N03NO130

Queens of the Dead (October 24)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=A_gUjCvASN4

George A. Romero popularized zombies with films like Night of the Living Dead, but now his daughter, director Tina Romero, is exploring fresh territory for the undead: a queer nightclub. Queens of the Dead, featuring Katy O’Brian, Jaquel Spivey, Riki Lindhome, and Jack Haven, centers on a group of drag queens and club-goers who must fight for their lives when a zombie outbreak hits Manhattan. The film is delightfully campy, as expected, but like her father, Romero also knows how to create a zombie movie with real bite and suspense.

Shelby Oaks (October 24)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=uIptaJR3v08

From Neon comes Shelby Oaks, a film about Mia (Camille Sullivan) and her search for her sister, Sarah Durn, who disappeared twelve years ago while investigating the paranormal in an abandoned town. When Mia travels to Shelby Oaks, she faces terrifying new experiences and discovers disturbing, repressed memories from her own childhood. The movie serves as a conclusion to the YouTube channel Paranormal Paranoids, which also featured Durn. However, you don’t need to have watched the four-year-old video series to enjoy Shelby Oaks.

Dracula (October 29)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=p94-xq_0TR8&rco=1

Many Dracula films have been made, and most stick to a familiar formula. However, Romanian director Radu Jude’s Dracula is different. It’s a boldly unconventional comedy horror – a remarkably crude, amusing, and unique cinematic experience.

Twilight re-release (October 29–November 2)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=XOh9CgfMro4

Is Twilight a horror film? Or is it more unsettling to realize it’s been 20 years since the first Twilight book was published? Edward Cullen stays young forever, but you are getting older – food for thought! All four movies, Twilight, Eclipse, and both parts of Breaking Dawn, will be shown in cinemas for a single night each, beginning October 29.

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2025-10-02 18:55