There is a lot of entertainment out there these days, and a lot of fantasy, sci-fi, and horror titles to parse through. So we’re rounding up the genre movies coming out each month.
Unsurprisingly, October has a lot of new horror movies hitting theaters. There seems to be a different niche for everyone: killer coyotes, sexy couples on vacation, supernatural westerns, and even a new Frankenstein. Oh my! If horror’s not your thing, though, there are also a couple of less scary choices, like an animated kids’ movie about monsters called Stitch Head and Netflix’s take on Roald Dahl’s The Twits.
Bone Lake — in theaters October 3
Two couples accidentally book the same mansion getaway at the mysterious Bone Lake. (And that’s Bone Lake, not Boner Lake, as the men in the trailer joke.) What starts as an awkward mishap turns into a tense game of secrets, seduction, and lies—with a whole lot of sex and violence, as the red-band trailer gleefully advertises.
Killing Faith — in theaters October 3
In this supernatural western, a grizzled frontier doctor escorts a freed slave and her adopted daughter across the West. But the girl isn’t a normal child: every living thing she touches dies. Her adoptive mother believes that taking her to a faith healer will cure her. As the trio cross the rugged West, they run into people who think the only solution is to kill the little girl.
Good Boy — in theaters October 3
When a man moves into a new house, he quickly discovers that there’s something else living within the walls. It’s up to the brave dog to save the day. Yes, this is a haunted house movie, but from the perspective of a dog. The point-of-view is bound to make Good Boy uniquely terrifying, while also giving a talented new actor a chance at stardom.
Peas and Carrots — in theaters October 3
It’s a musical! It’s a family movie! It’s science fiction! It’s… a world where people can only say the phrase “peas and carrots”? After announcing to her parents (former one-hit wonder musicians from the 1990s) that she wants to form a band, a teenage girl finds herself repeatedly transported to a mysterious reality at nighttime where people only speak in the phrase “peas and carrots.”
Coyotes — in theaters October 3
A pack of monstrous coyotes stalks the Hollywood Hills. These coyotes aren’t normal animals, though. They’re smart enough to open doors and break into homes. Real-life couple Justin Long and Kate Bosworth lead this horror-comedy, as they do their best to keep their family safe from the preternaturally clever canines.
Shell — in theaters October 3
Elisabeth Moss plays Samantha, an actress desperate for a comeback. She joins a wellness program, led by glamorous CEO Zoe (Kate Hudson), which promises her beauty and confidence. But as Samantha becomes more deeply entrenched in Zoe’s orbit and other patients begin to go missing, Samantha starts to suspect that the CEO might be hiding something sinister about the company’s purpose.
Scared Shitless — in theaters October 3
This gross-out horror comedy follows a plumber and his germaphobic son on what starts off as a routine house call. But the two discover that a genetically-engineered creature is loose in the apartment building’s pipes—and killing off the building’s residents. They must team up to defeat the gross monster and put an end to the grotesque murders.
V/H/S/Halloween — on Shudder October 3
The newest installment in the V/H/S franchise, V/H/S Halloween is yet another found footage horror anthology from Shudder. This one involves films directed by Scooby-Doo Project co-director Casper Kelly and Her Smell director Alex Ross Perry, among others. As the subtitle suggests, the short films will all be Halloween-themed.
Tron: Ares — in theaters October 10
In the long-awaited and much-delayed third Tron movie, a super-intelligent computer program enters the real world. The project was first announced in 2010 and was originally supposed to be a sequel to Tron: Legacy (itself a sequel to the original 1982 movie). But in 2017, plans shifted to making a soft reboot instead. Though directors and screenwriters have cycled through, Jared Leto has been attached to the movie since 2018.
Vicious — on Paramount+ October 10
After Polly (Dakota Fanning) invites a lost old woman into her home, she finds herself pulled into a surreal and sinister treasure hunt. The stranger leaves a box, declaring that Polly must place three esoteric items (something she needs, something she hates, and something she loves) into it or else she will die. At first, Polly resists, but no matter where she runs, she can’t escape the strange ritual.
Deathstalker — in theaters October 10
Deathstalker is a remake of the 1983 movie of the same name. The original is notorious for the gratuitous sexual violence, but it looks like the new one is leaning into the ‘80s fantasy camp without the misogynistic elements. A fearsome warrior goes against the forces of evil, battling monsters with a sick-ass giant sword. The movie will have new music by Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash—who also executive produces.
Dog 51 — in select theaters October 15
In a dystopian future, the people of Paris are segregated by social class. An AI overlord oversees all functions of society. But when the AI’s creator is murdered, two investigators look into the case and soon discover some sinister implications about their rigid society. Dog 51 is based on a novel by French writer Laurent Gaudé.
Frankenstein — in select theaters October 17
We know the story of Frankenstein, of course. But seeing it in the hands of monster lover, Gothic horror connoisseur, and master director Guillermo del Toro is sure to be a transcendent experience. Oscar Isaac leads the cast as brilliant, but tortured scientist Victor Frankenstein, with Jacob Elordi as the Creature and Mia Goth as Elizabeth Lavenza.
Black Phone 2 — in theaters October 17
The details for this sequel have been kept very under wraps, but from the cast list, we know that most of the main characters are returning—including Ethan Hawke’s creepy villain. How does the Grabber return, though? Is it just flashbacks or is there a more sinister reason for his reappearance? Apparently, the author behind the original short story was so inspired by the mask in the movie that he had an idea for the sequel.
Pets on a Train — in theaters October 17
A group of criminal animals—lead by a snarky, sly racoon named Falcon—find themselves on the heist of a lifetime on a train. But when a vengeful badger takes control of the train, Falcon teams up with a straight-laced police dog named Rex and leads the rest of the pets on the train on a mission to stop the badger.
The Twits — on Netflix October 17
Two orphans band together to stop a completely gross and nefarious couple (the titular Twits) from taking over their city. Based on the novel of the same name by Roald Dahl, The Twits originally started off at Disney as a live action film in 2003, before moving to Netflix after the streaming company bought the Roald Dahl Story Company. The movie comes from Wreck-It Ralph director Phil Johston.
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle — on Hulu October 22
A suburban couple hires a nanny to take care of their newborn baby. But they soon learn that the innocent-looking Polly has more sinister motivations. The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is a remake of the 1992 movie of the same name, though this new version has some name changes. Mary Elizabeth Winstead leads the cast, along with Maika Monroe, Raúl Castillo, and Martin Starr.
Bugonia — in theaters October 24
The newest Yorgos Lanthimos-Emma Stone joint follows two conspiracy theorists who are convinced that the CEO of a pharmaceutical company (played by Emma Stone) is secretly an alien bent on destroying Earth. They kidnap her in order to save humanity. Bugonia is an English-language remake of the 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet!
Dream Eater — in theaters October 24
In this found footage horror movie, a filmmaker documents her boyfriend’s disruptive sleep behavior on his doctor’s orders, as they spend some time away at a remote cabin. But what starts as simple sleepwalking slowly becomes stranger and more sinister as the nights drag on. There might be something causing his disturbing episodes.
Shelby Oaks — in theaters October 24
A young woman desperately searches for her missing sister. Her search grows more obsessive when she learns that the imaginary demon from their childhood might be real. She ends up in the mysterious abandoned town of Shelby Oaks, one of the last places she and her sister visited for their paranormal investigative video series. The movie was funded through a Kickstarter campaign, and became the most-funded horror film project on the platform.
Queens of the Dead — in theaters October 24
Tina Romero’s feature debut is about a queer warehouse party gone wrong. Everyone in attendance, from drag queens to club kids, must put aside their petty drama and personal differences so that they can band together and fight off waves of zombies. Jaquel Spivey, Katy O’Brian, Margaret Cho, and Cheyenne Jackson are just some names in the stacked cast.
Chainsaw Man The Movie: Reze Arc — in theaters October 29
The new Chainsaw Movie is a direct sequel to the first season of the anime series, and adapts the next arc of the manga. Devil hunter Denji meets a mysterious girl at a cafe, and a romance sparks between them. But Reze isn’t all that she seems…
Stitch Head — in theaters October 29
The monstrous creations of a mad scientist live peacefully in a creepy castle, cared for by the scientist’s assistant Stitch Head. A greedy carnival owner kidnaps Stitch Head and puts him on display, prompting him to go after the rest of the monsters. The creatures must band together to rescue Stitch Head and thwart the ringmaster’s nefarious plans.
