Streaming guide: new horror movies arriving in October 2026

The best streaming services are full of horror movies in October to celebrate the spookiest time of year, so you're certainly spoiled for choice this month.

With a mix of new arrivals and horror classics headed to the streaming giants, I guarantee you won't be bored this month. Most of the new titles arrive early in the month too, so you don't have to wait very long for your frights.

Here are seven horror titles that caught my eye in October 2026.

Barbarian

Where: Hulu (US); rent or buy (UK, AU)
When: October 1

With Zach Cregger's Resident Evil in theaters, now is the perfect time to check out his first horror hit, Barbarian. Even though I've attached the trailer, I personally recommend going in knowing as little as possible, because it shocks you in the best possible way.

The movie follows a woman who arrives at a rental house, only to find its been double-booked and a man is already occupying it. With few options due to the late hour, she reluctantly agrees to stay the night. Barbarian was a huge surprise, and it will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Hereditary 

Where: Hulu (US); rent or buy (UK); Stan (AU)
When: October 1

Ari Aster's Hereditary features one of Toni Collette's finest performances, and it really is a shame she didn't win any awards for it. This is undoubtedly a movie that will stay with you for a while, and it's perfect for those who like their horrors with a side order of pure dread.

Hereditary follows a woman as she is tormented by supernatural occurrences following the death of her mother. She begins to uncover disturbing secrets about her, and her husband and children soon end up in danger too.

Hush

Where: Netflix (US); Shudder (UK, AU)
When: October 1

It's just not Halloween without Mike Flanagan. There are so many of his titles I could've chosen, but when I saw that Hush was on Netflix, I knew I had to shout about this one.

This home invasion horror follows an author who is deaf and mute, who must try and survive when a serial killer enters her home. It's nail-bitingly tense and uses silence in a very clever way, resulting in some of the best editing I've seen in a movie. If you enjoy this, Flanagan's series Midnight Mass (also on Netflix) adapts the book we see in Hush, and it's equally good.

Lake Placid

Where: Netflix (US); rent or buy (UK); 10 (AU)
When: October 1

A silly creature feature is a staple for horror fans, and Lake Placid ticks all the right boxes. The movie is about a giant, 30-foot crocodile that terrorizes a quiet lake in Maine, which has an unfortunate name as it turns the lake is not placid at all.

Indeed, this horror comedy is a must-watch in October despite its poor reviews. It's become a 90s cult classic with a devoted following of horror fans, myself included. It's the perfect blend of scares and laughs and great to watch with friends now it's on Netflix.

Evil Dead Burn

Where: HBO Max (US); rent or buy (UK, AU)
When: October 5

The most recent entry into the Evil Dead franchise is coming to HBO Max in the US, but sadly those in other territories will have to wait. If you're in the mood for gore, carnage and plenty of scares, then Evil Dead Burn should be right up your alley.

The new movie received mixed reviews from fans, making it one of the most divisive of the series. It follows a grieving widow who seeks comfort with her late husband's family at a secluded home, only for them to transform into demonic Deadites. So she doesn't quite get the comfort she was looking for...

V/H/S/Mixtape

Where: Shudder (worldwide)
When: October 9

Found footage sensation V/H/S/ is back with a new entry, which will be streaming exclusively on Shudder this month. This time around, we're focusing on sound, rhythm, and audio, so make sure you watch V/H/S/ Mixtape with a good sound system for best results.

The anthology includes stories about a mysterious puppet show, urban exploration gone wrong, and a sound engineer who goes off on a quest following instructions from their father. So we can expect a lot of different tones here, no pun intended.

Hunting Matthew Nichols 

Where: Shudder (worldwide)
When: October 31

Finally, on Halloween Shudder is dropping a new movie called Hunting Matthew Nichols. Filmed partially in a found footage documentary style, the movie centers around a woman who is documenting the disappearance of her brother.

During the filming, she uncovers some unsettling things, and fans of supernatural tales like The Blair Witch Project should enjoy this one. It's the directorial debut for Markian Tarasiuk, and I'm keen to see what he does next.

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