Something wickedly entertaining this way comes.
Merry Halloween weekend! While we may not be able to offer you any candy, we aren't going to let you walk away empty-handed. Yes, we've assembled an irresistible line-up of TV and movie treats if you feel like celebrating spooky season from the comfort of your couch. Because, let's be real: Is there anything better than putting on a cozy sweater, lighting some candles—just not the black flame one, of course—and turning on a scary show or film to get us in the mood for Halloween.
While we love the classics—such as Hocus Pocus, Casper and The Haunting of Hill House—sometimes it's nice to switch things up and try something new, like Netflix's latest thriller from Mike Flanagan and the long-awaited live-action movie adaptation of Five Nights at Freddy's.
Plus, Kiernan Shipka stars in a must-see retro scary movie, while there's also some true crime picks that will have you fearing humans more than monsters. Well, more so than usual.
So, grab your favorite candy and turn on every light because we've assembled the best line-up of new TV shows and movies that may give you a little bit of a fright:
The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix)
Knives Out but with an Edgar Allan Poe twist. That’s what viewers can expect in this horror series, the latest from Mike Flanagan, the creator of The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass.
Flanagan assembled an all-star cast to tell the tale of the demise of the Usher family, with patriarch Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood), the head of a multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical empire, revealing how each of his six adult children died, with all of their deaths loosely inspired by a Poe story.
Totally Killer (Prime Video)
Time travel meets the slasher genre with a final girl played to perfection by Kiernan Shipka in this movie about a serial killer claiming another victim 35 years after murdering three teens. A sneaky exploration of the complicated bond between a mother and daughter, Totally Killer has as much heart and humor as it does horror.
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines (Paramount+)
A prequel to 2019’s Pet Sematary, this new offering directed by Lindsey Anderson Beer is set 50 years before the events of the previous film, which is based on Stephen King's 1983 novel of the same name.
Sure to be scary AF, the movie stars Tell Me Lies fan-favorite Jackson White, so that’s one thing that won’t give you a fright!
Wednesday (Netflix)
Yes, we know Wednesday technically came out last year, but Netflix chose to release the addition to the Addams Family universe on Thanksgiving weekend. So, this is the series' first official spooky season and must be streamed accordingly. May we suggest a triple feature with The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, the two '90s films that feature an iconic turn from Christina Ricci as Wednesday? (She appears in the Netflix show as a new character.)
Thanks to Jenna Ortega's pitch-perfect turn as the pale and pigtailed titular character navigating supernatural scaries and teen drama at Nevermore Academy, Wednesday was an instant hit, reaching 182 million households and totaling 1.2 billion hours viewed within its first 28 days.
School Spirits (Paramount+)
High school can sometimes feel like purgatory for teens. But it actually is for Maddie (Peyton List), a girl stuck in the afterlife investigating her own disappearance while still dealing with math tests and mean girls. Now that’s just cruel.
Desperately Seeking Soulmate: Escaping Twin Flames Universe (Prime Video)
Inspired by the in-depth Vanity Fair investigation into online spiritual community Twin Flames Universe, the three-part series pulls the curtain back on a dangerous Internet love cult created by YouTube influencers Jeff and Shaleia Divine. While the couple promised to match its members with their perfect partner, former participants describe the nightmare they entered when they attempted to pursue their “twin flame.” (No, Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly are not members.)
The Devil on Trial (Netflix)
Did The Conjuring franchise’s third film, The Devil Made Me Do It, frighten and fascinate you? Well, this docuseries centers on the real-life story that inspired the movie’s plot. Gulp.
Directed by Chris Holt, The Devil on Trial deep-dives into the first and only time demonic possession was used as a defense in an American murder trial: The 1981 proceedings of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, who claimed that he was not guilty in the murder of his landlord because he was possessed at the time of the killing.
Five Nights at Freddy's (Peacock)
Haven’t heard of FNaF? Find the nearest child and you will immediately learn what’s up.
The Blumhouse-produced adaptation of the wildly popular horror video game series stars The Hunger Games’ Josh Hutcherson as a security guard who experiences a series of terrors at the pizza joint where he handles the night shift. Responsible for the scares? The animatronic animals who might just be killing kids. You know, we never did trust that Chuck E. Cheese.
Goosebumps (Disney+)
It’s baaack.The latest adaptation of the beloved R.L. Stine book series follows five high schoolers as they investigate the mysterious death of a teen three decades earlier.
Complicating matters for the group of sleuths are the secrets they keep unearthing about their parents. Our goosebumps already have chills.
Living For the Dead (Hulu)
We never knew we needed a Queer Eye for ghosts, but that’s exactly what we get in Living For the Dead. Co-created and narrated by Kristen Stewart (?!), the reality series follows five queer ghost hunters as they travel the country to explore hauntings and try to help the living by healing the dead.
American Horror Stories (Hulu)
The third season of this spin-off of the hit anthology series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, Stories contains four stand-alone episodes—titled “Bestie,” “Daphne,” “Organ” and “Tapeworm,” which, no thank you!—that feature Reid Scott, Raúl Castillo, Emily Browning, and Lisa Rinna. Yes, really.
John Carpenter's Suburban Screams (Peacock)
Fans of the iconic horror director can finally celebrate as he makes his highly anticipated return to filmmaking in this anthology series, which takes viewers inside six true tales of terror from suburbia, as told by the people who lived through them. Sometimes real life really is scarier than fiction.
Chucky (Syfy/Peacock)
While we wait for the second half of season three to drop in 2024, we can’t think of a better series to binge than this bloody good time of a series based on the Child’s Play film franchise.
A spooky bonus? Casper star Devon Sawa has played multiple characters during his time on the show, though it seems like we can’t keep them if that murderous redheaded doll has any say.
(E! and Peacock are both part of the NBCUniversal family)