The Halloween season means horror movies will take over theaters and streaming, and there are plenty of exciting films coming this October. 2025 has already been a great year for the spookiest genre. Sinners gave audiences a sinister blend of vampires and music while breaking box office records, and Weapons delivered an iconic horror villain in an unpredictable story.
A few popular horror franchises also returned with some of their best installments yet, like 28 Years Later and Final Destination Bloodlines. Smaller films like The Monkey, Together, and Clown in a Cornfield also gained notoriety within the horror community, managing to scare audiences with lower budgets.
However, October is typically the time of the year when horror is at its best, heightening the month’s spooky atmosphere. The 2025 Halloween season has a great lineup, and these seven new movies are must-watches for fans looking for the month’s best scares.
Talk To Me’s Directors Tackle Grief Again With Bring Her Back
Directors Michael and Danny Philippou became one of the most intriguing horror filmmakers after 2023’s Talk To Me. They returned in 2025 with Bring Her Back, another project that explores loss with a haunting angle. It centers around two kids who find themselves entwined in a dark ritual by their new foster mother.
The film released on May 30, but it’s finally releasing on HBO Max on October 3. Despite an 89% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, Bring Her Back wasn’t a massive box office hit, grossing $39.2 million. It’s also available on PVOD, but its upcoming HBO Max release gives you the perfect opportunity to check it out if you missed it in theaters.
Good Boy Tells A Ghost Story From The Perspective Of A Dog
The artsy horror era that studios like A24 and Neon have fueled has seen the emergence of many experimental horror films. In early 2025, Steven Soderbergh’s Presence put a twist on the classic haunted house story by showing the film through the eyes of the ghost. October includes a perfect companion to Presence that tells the story through the eyes of a dog.
Good Boy is directed by Ben Leonberg, and follows a dog who protects his owner from the supernatural forces that lurk in their new home. It’s Leonberg’s directorial debut, and he also co-wrote the film and used his own dog, Indy, in the starring role.
The film premiered at the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival and received glowing reviews from critics, earning a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s set to premiere in theaters on October 3, and is essential viewing for anyone who’s wondered how their dog would respond to a ghostly presence.
Justin Long And Kate Bosworth Try To Survive Wild Animals In Coyotes
Justin Long has become somewhat of a scream king. Since his starring role in 2001’s Jeepers Creepers, he’s had notable roles in many of the most bizarre and inventive horror films, like Drag Me to Hell, Tusk, and Barbarian. In his latest film, he brings his real-life wife, Kate Bosworth, into a terrifying situation involving a pack of lethal animals.
Coyotes stars Long and Bosworth as a couple who tries to protect their family in their Hollywood Hills home from a deadly coyote attack. The comedy-horror film is directed by Colin Minihan, and recently premiered at Fantastic Fest. It landed positive reviews, holding a 79% RT critic score.
Based on the trailer, Coyotes will have a goofier tone that will combine comedy with its gory kills. It’s an excellent choice for viewers who enjoy corny B-movies like Piranha 3D or Zombeavers, but it is elevated by its starring cast members whose real-life chemistry will make their predicament more perilous.
A Romantic Vacation Goes Wrong In Bone Lake
One of the most common horror tropes is a vacation gone wrong. A couple or group of friends go to a cabin in the woods, or a remote town where a supernatural threat or violent entity terrorizes them. Bone Lake has a similar premise, but offers something new that has critics praising it.
The film is directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan, and stars Maddie Hasson and Marco Pigossi as a couple whose romantic getaway takes a dark turn while sharing a mansion with a mysterious couple. Bone Lake has a similar tone and synopsis to a film like Speak No Evil, where the main lesson is to never trust people you meet on vacation.
The horror thriller premiered at 2024’s Fantastic Fest, and is finally releasing in theaters over a year later on October 3. It may not be a film that’s on your radar, but with a 93% RT critic score, it deserves to be on your Halloween-viewing list.
Guillermo Del Toro Turns Jacob Elordi Into A Monster In Frankenstein
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a story that has been adapted and transformed dozens of times. Whether it’s Universal’s classic Frankenstein from 1931 or a comedic version like 1974’s Young Frankenstein, the themes and characters from this story continue to be iconic over 200 years later. However, Guillermo del Toro may be the best director yet to adapt this story.
Del Toro’s Frankenstein stars Oscar Isaac as the titular scientist and Jacob Elordi as the notorious monster, who is created by Victor in a disastrous experiment that manipulates mortality and nature. The film also stars Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, and Ralph Ineson. It premieres in select theaters on October 17, before releasing on Netflix on November 7.
The Pan’s Labyrinth director has a knack for gothic horror and mysterious creatures. He delivers sympathy to monsters in unfamiliar worlds, such as the creature from The Shape of Water, and will likely bring plenty of humanity to Elordi’s character. It’s already receiving positive scores from critics and is sure to be a huge fall release.
Chris Stuckmann Makes His Feature-Film Debut With Shelby Oaks
Shelby Oaks is the most fascinating horror movie coming out this October, as its journey is intriguing and inspiring. The film is directed by Chris Stuckmann, one of the most popular film critics on YouTube who has amassed over 2 million subscribers. Stuckmann always voiced his desire to become a director and also shared a particular love for the horror genre.
The Kickstarter for his film made $1.39 million in a month, becoming the most-funded horror project on the service. In 2024, Mike Flanagan joined as an executive producer, and Neon acquired international distribution rights for the film. Shelby Oaks premiered at the 28th Fantasia International Film Festival in 2024, and currently holds an 85% RT critic score.
In addition to its behind-the-scenes story, Shelby Oaks does have a compelling synopsis. It stars Camille Sullivan as a woman who is looking for her sister in a creepy abandoned town. There’s an intriguing mystery at the core of this film, and you can find out what happens when it releases in theaters on October 24.
The Grabber Returns In Black Phone 2
After directing Doctor Strange for the MCU, Scott Derrickson returned to the horror genre for 2021’s The Black Phone. The film introduced audiences to Ethan Hawke’s The Grabber, a serial killer who kidnapped and killed kids while hiding his appearance behind a terrifying mask.
The first film ended with Mason Thames’ Finney killing him after speaking to the ghosts of The Grabber’s victims through a supernatural phone. In Black Phone 2, The Grabber returns but in a more dangerous form, as he terrorizes Finney from beyond the grave.
The Black Phone was a hit with critics and audiences, and Derrickson has an excellent track record when it comes to horror. Hopefully, the sequel can repeat its predecessor’s success when it hits theaters on October 17.
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