12 intriguing horror films to watch in October (and where to watch them)

Sure, September just began, but we horror fans know that October is a very busy month – so, it pays to start planning our Halloween season early. That’s why I have put together this handy guide to help you keep track of the great new horror coming up in the next month.

I’m including theatrical releases and new movies coming to Shudder in this list, so let’s dive in!

Big Baby (10/30 on Shudder) – Directed by Spider One and executive produced by Cher (!), this slasher made its premiere at Panic Fest 2026 in April. Horror screenwriter Adam (Brandon Scott) has been very successful, but is experiencing problems finding inspiration. That changes when he has a nightmare that involves a killer wearing a baby mask. Adam uses this nightmare as inspiration for a new screenplay, but the killer may have actually become real, and the only way to stop him from killing everyone around him is to finish the story.

Breeder (10/16 in theatres) – Ya’ll, the trailer for this one looks wild! Financially strapped college student Russell is desperate for money to fund his research into saving bees from extinction. That’s when Patti (Dot-Marie Jones, Three From Hell) shows up. She’s a poodle breeder who lives in a ranch in an isolated area. She offers to help Russell…but in order to get Patti’s money, Russell will have to pay a price. Bloody Disgusting called Breeder “one of 2026’s best horror surprises.”

Clayface (10/23 in theatres) – Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House) wrote the screenplay for this DC Universe film, which is said to lean pretty hard into horror. Actor Matt Hagen has his aspiring career sidelined when he is severely disfigured in an accident. He signs up to be a test subject in an effort to restore his facial features, but the side effects are absolutely horrifying.

Crawlers (10/16 in theatres) – The plotline for Crawlers sounds very similar to Shudder’s Infested. Following a mysterious death at the apartment building she manages, Serena soon discovers the building is infested with deadly venomous spiders. Now, she must try to lead the apartment residents to safety while the place is under quarantine.

A controversial horror film returns to theatres

The Devils (theatrical re-release 10/16) – Kevin Russell’s controversial 1971 film was slapped with an X rating when it was originally released in the UK and the US. Many countries banned it entirely, and others edited it. Now we will have the opportunity to see a 4K restoration of this talked-about film on the big screen for a one-week period of time. The plot involves a Roman Catholic priest who has been accused of witchcraft, and stars Vanessa Redgrave as a nun who leads the accusations.

Hallowarrior (10/16 on Shudder) – Pumpkin (Milly Shapiro of Hereditary) is just your average 16-year-old girl who loves Halloween. But it’s not as much fun since a virus killed off most of the population four years ago. Still, Pumpkin plans a Halloween party, and three strangers show up unexpectedly.

Hunting Matthew Nichols (10/31 on Shudder) – In 2001, teens Matthew and Jordan ventured into the woods on Vancouver Island, and never returned. The only evidence to show up was a camcorder and some mini tapes, which were found in a cabin. 22 years later, Matthew’s sister Tara is working on a documentary in which she tries to solve the mysterious disappearance.

Infirmary (10/2 on Shudder) – This found footage horror movie uses security camera and bodycam to tell the story of Edward, who is working his first shift at the semi-abandoned Wilshire Infirmary. He is joined by Lester, who is training him to take over his job when he retires. Naturally, some supernatural stuff starts to go down, and things get pretty scary.

Other Mommy (10/9 in theatres) – 8-year-old Bela lives with her parents, who are having some marital difficulties. The tense atmosphere at home only gets worse when a terrifying entity that looks just like Bela’s Mom shows up. Other Mommy stars Jessica Chastain as Bela’s mom / Other Mommy, and this trailer made quite a splash when it was first shown in theatres.

Stiletto (10/30 in theatres) – Judging by the poster art, Stiletto appears to be a pretty gnarly slasher film. It’s distributed by Eli Roth’s The Horror Section. “On the first anniversary of her sister’s murder, an exotic dancer, Lyric, seeks revenge while trying to protect her fellow dancers from a masked serial killer targeting the local strip club community.”

Whalefall (10/16 in theatres) – OK, the plot for Whalefall sounds crazy, but the trailer intrigued me enough that I have added it to my must-watch list. Jay Gardiner (Austin Abrams)’s father (Josh Brolin) has just died, and Jay goes on a dive trip hoping to find his remains. But while he is under the water, he is swallowed by a whale. With only an hour’s worth of air in his tank, can Jay use the survival techniques his father taught him to stay alive?

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