7 best shows and films to stream for Halloween: Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and more
It's officially spooky season! And with Halloween creeping around the corner, there are plenty of spine-chilling shows and movies to add to your October watchlist. Whether you're in the mood for a good scare courtesy of a cult classic horror, or on the hunt for a lighthearted, witchy flick; Amazon, Netflix, Disney+ and more streamers have a frighteningly good selection.
Best Halloween TV shows and films for a good scare…
The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix)
Ready to be scared stiff? The Haunting of Hill House creator Mike Flanagan has penned a bone-chilling new Netflix series. Boasting a stellar cast that includes Bruce Greenwood, Mark Hamill, and Carla Gugino, this modern retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's gothic tale is not to be missed.
Centred around the corrupt and careless Ushers, life looks pretty good for the family, until the heirs to the Usher dynasty start dying one by one, and at the hands of the mysterious Verna. After dropping on Netflix, the verdict is officially in, and fans have nothing but praise for this Halloween treat.
Ready or Not (Disney+)
A black comedy horror film, Ready or Not needs to be on your October watch list. Helmed by scream queen Samara Weaving, the film follows Grace, a blushing bride who moments after her wedding, is confronted with a terrifying scenario. Having said 'I do' to her loving husband, Alex Le Domas, Grace is roped into a disturbing family ritual: at midnight on their wedding day, every new member must draw a card from a mysterious puzzle box.
While each card is labelled with a harmless game, Grace is unlucky enough to draw the Hide-and-Seek card, which dictates that the Le Domas family must hunt her down and kill her by morning. Terrified beyond belief, Grace is forced to stay hidden to ensure her survival. Cue plenty of jump scares and a fresh twist on the cat and mouse trope.
MORE: The Fall of the House of Usher: early reviews are in – and viewers are saying the same thing
Stranger Things (Netflix)
If you haven't watched Stranger Things, now's your chance. Set in the 1980s, the critically-acclaimed series revolves around a group of friends living in the unsuspecting town of Hawkins, Indiana. After one of their own – Will Byers – goes missing on his way home, and a mysterious girl named Eleven turns up, a mystery plagued with secret experiments and terrifying supernatural forces begins to unravel.
The Others (Amazon Prime)
Nicole Kidman delivers one of her best performances in The Others. Hailed as the "first intelligent horror film in years," this Halloween must-watch is full of twists and turns.
Set in 1945 on the Channel Island of Jersey, Grace Stewart (Nicole Kidman), a concerned mother-of-two, attempts to take care of her children (both of whom suffer from a severe sensitivity to light). As she waits for her husband to return from the Second World War, Grace begins to experience a number of supernatural occurrences, leaving her fearing for her own sanity. Convinced that the house is haunted, Grace seeks to uncover the truth, but nothing is as it seems.
Fear Street (Netflix)
If you're good with gore, then Netflix's Fear Street trilogy is worth a watch. While each film is set in a different time period, all three are connected by a centuries-old curse.
After years of brutal slayings and unfortunate incidents, it becomes clear that the town of Shadyside has been plagued by an evil force. Leading a group of teens to investigate, each movie digs deeper into the overarching mystery of Shadyside, while unpacking what happened to different generations of its townspeople.
American Horror Story (Disney+)
Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, American Horror Story is the gift that keeps on giving. An anthology series, each season focuses on a different group of characters in a new setting, but within the same fictional universe.
From haunted houses to criminally insane institutions, supernatural hotels to a deadly summer camp and more, if you're a die hard horror fan, this show will tick all the boxes with its varied storylines.
Best non-scary Halloween TV shows and films
Hocus Pocus (Disney+)
Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and caldron bubble! One of the most iconic Halloween movies of all time, if you're looking for something way less scary, then Hocus Pocus is the perfect fit.
Starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy, the trio combine comedy and witchcraft as the legendary Sanderson Sisters. After an unsuspecting teen, Max Dennison, lights the cursed Candle of Black Fame, he accidentally resurrects the centuries-old witches, reigniting their plan to consume the soul of a child, and become young again.
Harry Potter (Netflix)
Fans can head to Hogwarts this Halloween, courtesy of Netflix. With all eight films available to watch on the streamer, there's no better time to revel in the world of witchcraft and wizardry.
After discovering his magical heritage and catching the train to Hogwarts, the eponymous Harry Potter (played by Daniel Radcliffe) makes friends and enemies at the ever-enchanting school, while dealing with the comeback of the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who killed his parents.
Beetlejuice (Hulu)
A cult classic, Beetlejuice revolves around a recently deceased couple, Barbara and Adam Maitland, who recruit the 'bio-exorcist' Beetlejuice to scare away the new family who have moved into their house.
Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin and more round out the cast.
