13 Horror Movies Releasing in October

Over the past few months, horror fans have seen a wide variety of releases. These range from undersung gems like 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple to unexpected hits like Obsession and the launch of a new franchise in Backrooms.

As we approach fall, we enter the horror season. October has long been a preferred month for horror studios, with many releasing movies that fit the vibe movie-goers seek in cinemas and on streaming. As part of our 2026 Fall Preview, here are 10 horror movies you can watch this October.

Beware Boiúna

Oct. 2 in theaters

Beware Boiúna kicks off October for monster movie fans. The story follows a team of young doctors on a medical outreach mission deep in the Amazonian rainforest. The locals are unhappy to see them, leading to an encounter with Boiúna, a massive mythological snake that prowls the area. Kiana Madeira, Jessica Rothe, and Logan Marshall-Green star in the film.

Verity

Oct. 2 in theaters

Verity is an erotic thriller based on a novel by Colleen Hoover, the author behind the box-office romantic hit It Ends With Us. Directed by Michael Showalter, the film follows Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling ghostwriter played by Dakota Johnson. Jeremy Crawford, played by Josh Hartnett, hires her to complete the final novel of Verity Crawford, a beloved mystery author played by Anne Hathaway who cannot write after an accident. Lowen moves into the Crawford home and grows fixated on Verity.

The Influencer Project

Oct. 2 in theaters

The Influencer Project applies found footage horror to influencer culture. Chiara King plays herself in a fictional story about traveling to Copenhagen with a documentary crew to film an unvarnished look at her life. She soon catches the eye of a local stalker. Eduardo Sanchez and Gregg Hale, the filmmakers behind The Blair Witch Project, produce the film.

Appofeniacs

Oct. 2 in theaters

Directed by Chris Marrs Piliero and starring an ensemble cast that includes Sean Gunn, Appofeniacs explores generative AI and how it can cause chaos in society. The horror movie consists of interwoven vignettes. These include a ride-share driver crossing paths with an unstable individual and a girl targeted by an online smear campaign.

Other Mommy

Oct. 2 in theaters

Other Mommy went viral after its trailer premiered alongside The Odyssey, drawing attention to a brief shot of creepy contortions. Directed by Rob Savage and based on the book Incidents Around the House, the story follows a little girl named Arabella Olivia Clarke who is haunted by a supernatural presence resembling her mother, played by Jessica Chastain.

The Devils

Oct. 16 in theaters

Ken Russell’s The Devils returns in a 4K director’s cut that presents his full vision 15 years after his death. First released in 1971, the film faced fierce controversy, censorship, and criticism. Based on Aldous Huxley’s novel The Devils of Loudun, the story centers on a 17th-century priest burned at the stake after being accused of seducing an entire convent. Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave star in the film.

Crawlers

Oct. 16 in theaters

Crawlers is a creature feature about an infestation of venomous spiders that prompts police to place an apartment building under quarantine. Directed by Ángel Gómez Hernández, the film follows the building manager, played by Matilda Lutz, as she uses her knowledge of the layout to help residents survive despite her arachnophobia.

Breeder

Oct. 16 in theaters

Following a Tribeca Film Festival premiere, Breeder receives a limited theatrical release. The story follows a broke college student, played by Daniel Doheny, who finds an online deal to move into the remote ranch of a poodle breeder, played by Dot Marie Jones, in exchange for funding his research. The catch is that she needs his help with larger and more ambitious projects.

Hallowarrior

Oct. 16 in theaters

Available on Shudder after premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival, Hallowarrior is directed by Ben Sottak. Milly Shapiro from Hereditary stars as Pumpkin, a young girl in a post-apocalyptic wasteland who surrounds herself with Halloween paraphernalia to cope with loneliness. When scavengers arrive and offer a path to escape, things take a terrifying turn.

Whalefall

Oct. 16 in theaters

Based on the Daniel Kraus novel, Whalefall is written and directed by Brian Duffield. Austin Abrams stars as a scuba diver searching for his father’s remains at sea. At the start of his expedition, a sperm whale swallows him, leaving him with only an hour of oxygen in his tank.

Source: Polygon