October is quickly approaching, and what better way to celebrate than by turning off the lights and settling down with a horror movie? This year there are a number of brand-new horror movies coming out just in time for Halloween — everything from a new Stephen King adaptation, the (supposedly) final conclusion to the Halloween franchise, and a good old-fashioned exorcism.
Before we launch ourselves headfirst into the terrors of October, there are a few spooky movies releasing in late September as well. Rob Zombie's The Munsters reboot releases on September 27th on Netflix. It is a prequel to the iconic 1960s horror-themed sitcom and shows how Herman and Lily Munster fell in love. Hocus Pocus 2, the long-awaited sequel to the 1993 cult favorite, releases on Disney+ on September 30th. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy all reprise their roles as the delightfully witchy Sanderson sisters. And finally, My Best Friend's Exorcism is an adaptation of the popular novel by Grady Hendrix about a high school girl who gets possessed by a demon. It releases on Amazon Prime Video on September 30th.
Mr. Harrigan's Phone - October 5th
Mr. Harrigan's Phone is about Craig (played by Jaeden Martell from It and It: Chapter Two), an assistant for the retired Mr. Harrigan (played by Donald Sutherland from Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Hunger Games, and more). After the elderly man passes away, Craig has no one left to talk to and leaves a voicemail on the old man's phone complaining about getting bullied. Soon after, the bully is found dead by apparent suicide.
The movie is based on the Stephen King novella of the same name that was published in his 2020 collection If It Bleeds and is directed by John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side, Saving Mr. Banks, The Founder). It releases on Netflix on October 5th.
Hellraiser - October 7th
Hellraiser is a reboot of the classic 1987 horror film of the same name. In this version, a young woman with drug addiction (Odessa A'zion from Netflix's Grand Army) finds a cursed puzzle box and accidentally unleashes the sadistic, demon-like Cenobites upon the world.
The film is attracting attention for the fact that it has not only recast the role of main antagonist Pinhead, who was played for decades by Doug Bradley, but that it has cast a woman in his place.
Jamie Clayton (Sense8) now stars as the immortal lover of torture. The film is directed by David Bruckner (The Night House, the “Amateur Night” segment of V/H/S) and written by his frequent collaborators Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski (Siren, The Night House). It will release exclusively on Hulu on October 7th.
Halloween Ends - October 14th
Halloween Ends is being marketed as the final confrontation between serial killer Michael Myers and his perennial victim Laurie Strode. It will mark the supposed conclusion to the reboot trilogy that began with Halloween (2018) and continued with last year's Halloween Kills.
Like the other films in the series, it is made by the comedy team of director David Gordon Green and writer Danny McBride (best known for starring in Pineapple Express, Eastbound & Down, and The Righteous Gemstones).
The film will be released simultaneously in theaters and on Peacock on October 14th.
Bitch Ass - October 14th
When a gang initiation goes awry, four would-be gang members are trapped inside a Saw-like house of horrors with the first Black serial killer ever to wear a mask, named Bitch Ass. Based on reviews, Bitch Ass is supposed to evoke the classics of the Black horror subgenre and even features Tony Todd of Candyman fame.
It is directed by Bill Posley in his directorial debut, is co-written by Jonathan Colomb, and releases on October 14th.
The Good Nurse - October 19th & October 26th
The Good Nurse is a crime drama that is part of the Netflix and Chills October lineup. It follows nurse Amy (Jessica Chastain) as she investigates a string of mysterious patient deaths that begin soon after fellow nurse Charlie (Eddie Redmayne) starts working at the hospital.
It is directed by Tobias Lindholm, an award-winning filmmaker best known for his Danish films The Hunt, A War, and Another Round, the first and last of which star Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal); and it is written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns (1917, Last Night in Soho, Penny Dreadful).
The Good Nurse will have a limited theatrical release on October 19th and be available to stream on Netflix starting October 26th.
Prey for the Devil - October 28th
In Prey for the Devil, a young nun (Jacqueline Byers) is allowed to enter the Catholic Church's exorcism training program, which normally doesn't allow women, after she shows particular promise. When she is thrust into her first exorcism, however, things do not go according to plan. The film is directed by Daniel Stamm (The Last Exorcism), written by Robert Zappia (Halloween H20), and releases on October 28th.