The nightmares begin early this week, with the release of the new series The Expecting on the unique digital streaming service Quibi. Directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho), the limited series stars AnnaSophia Robb as a pregnant woman whose unborn child may be the result of a frightening conspiracy, and may not even be human. The series co-stars Rory Culkin and Mira Sorvino, and debuts today, October 5.
After The Expecting you can expect a lot more horror just one day later! October 6 brings with it the debut of the new Blumhouse features Black Box and The Lie on Amazon Prime, as part of a new double feature program called Welcome to the Blumhouse. Black Box stars Mamoudou Athie (Jurassic World 3) as a man who embarks on an experimental, mind-bending procedure after losing his wife in a car crash, and The Lie stars Mireille Enos (The Killing) and Peter Sarsgaard (Orphan) as parents who decide to cover up their teenaged daughter’s murder.
But wait, there’s more! October 6 also brings a trio of new films to DVD and Digital, including the Halloween haunting thriller They Live Inside Us, about a writer who takes his daughter to spend Halloween night in a haunted house in search of inspiration. Joining it on DVD and Digital October 6 is Tales from the Hood 3, the latest in the series of horror anthologies from filmmakers Rusty Cundieff and Darin Scott, who co-directed the last two installments. The sequel stars Tony Todd, Lynn Whitfield and Stephanie Sy, and is also expected to air on SYFY on October 17.
And if you’re looking for something to watch with the whole family, October 6 also brings with it Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo! on DVD and Digital. The new animated feature is a real monster mash, with the gang from Mystery, Inc. teaming up with Elvira herself, Cassandra Peterson, and Bill Nye the Science Guy to stop the Batman villain Scarecrow from tearing up the town with his monster pumpkins. (Now THAT is one heck of a pitch.)
Netflix gets back into the Halloween fray with two new freaky debuts on October 7! To the Lake is a new post-apocalyptic television series from Russia, about a group of zombie plague survivors seeking refuge in Moscow. And on a completely different note, Hubie Halloween is a new Netflix comedy starring Adam Sandler as a safety-conscious outcast who has to protect his small town from real-life monsters on October 31st. Happy Madison regulars Kevin James, Rob Schneider, Steve Buscemi and Shaquille O’Neal co-star.
Meanwhile, over at Hulu, October 7 marks the debut of Books of Blood, the latest adaptation of Clive Barker’s frightening short story compilations. The feature film directorial debut of TV producer Brannon Braga (Salem) adapts a fan-favorite story from the collections and also features new scary tales co-written by Clive Barker.
Shudder gets right back into the macabre mix with the debut of the exclusive feature The Cleansing Hour on October 8! The film stars Ryan Guzman (The Boy Next Door) and Kyle Gallner (Red State) as phony exorcists with their own hit web series, who get more than they bargained for when they confront an actual demonic possession. It’s a film that Bloody-Disgusting’s Meagan Navarro called “an astute concept that offers up some fun and laughs, but it’s bogged down by cheesy clichés and familiar horror trappings.”
And it’s finally here: this week brings the return of Supernatural: Season 15, the final season of the long-running horror series, which was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The last seven episodes begin airing on October 8!
One of the most anticipated horror events of the year debuts on Netflix on October 9. The Haunting of Bly Manor, the follow-up to the acclaimed The Haunting of Hill House, makes its debut with a new limited series based on Henry James iconic horror novel The Turn of the Screw, which had previously been adapted to the classic haunted house film The Innocents, and the modern day remake The Turning, which came out earlier this year. Bloody-Disgusting’s Meagan Navarro declares that, “even with its flaws, Bly Manor offers a captivating Gothic Romance full of chills, thrills, and emotional authenticity that rewards upon every subsequent viewing.”
And if that sounds too intense for some members of your family, Netflix also debuts the new animated Halloween special Super Monsters: Dia de los Monsters for fans of the kid-friendly series on October 9.
If you love werewolves, October 9 is going to be a big day for you. Two new lycanthropy features are finding their way into theaters (if you can find them) and VOD. I Am Lisa tells the story of a woman who takes revenge on the men who attacked her after getting bitten by a werewolf, and The Wolf of Snow Hollow is about a small town sheriff investigating a series of murders which may have been committed by – you guessed it – a werewolf. The Wolf of Snow Hollow also marks the final on-screen performance of genre legend Robert Forster (The Black Hole, Alligator, Mulholland Drive), who passed away late last year.
If somehow that’s not enough horror for you, AMC has you covered. The cable network debuts the second season of Eli Roth’s History of Horror on October 10, and the debut of Fear the Walking Dead: Season 6 on October 11!
And somehow that’s not even all the big new horror debuts this month. So come back in a week for another giant preview of scary movies, tv shows and more!