Nothing says spooky, creepy, still-thinking-about-it-days-later like a Stephen King story. Filmmaker John Lee Hancock’s adaptation of King’s short story “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” is no exception. While there are some shocking and troubling deaths, the real horror in the film is the unsettling feeling throughout. Teenage Craig (played by It’s Jaeden Martell) develops a foreboding relationship with the elderly and unsympathetic Mr. Harrigan (a subtly menacing Donald Sutherland) — the boy is hired to be a reader to the crusty old misanthrope — that takes a King-style turn with the gifting of a mobile phone from Craig to his employer. Harrigan rails about the downside of technology even as he quickly adapts to the operating system, and Craig finds a literal friend connection with his benefactor through voicemailss and some cryptic texts. Of course, all of that goes sideways and there are creepy consequences, some life lessons, and a ringtone you won’t forget.

— Krista Smith

I think by now we have all seen the villain of Season 4, Vecna, and his terrifying effects on the kids of Hawkins. But if you have been holding off on watching, you’re in for a treat (and a trick or two) because the Duffers admittedly made this season the scariest one yet. From high school bullies to possessions and disappearances, Stranger Things 4 is a feast of everyone’s worst nightmares. Be prepared to watch with the lights on because there was no holding back on the jumps and scares.

—Alyssa Hillman

For whatever reason, religious cults never fail to pique our interest, and Devil in Ohio is no exception. If the series’ ominous cornfields, mysterious injuries, and fraught family dynamics weren’t gripping enough, the new series starring Emily Deschanel is based on a true story. Mae, a young girl with a concerning past, shakes up a small town in Ohio, slowly but surely revealing all of chinks in the community’s armor, and the unexpected workings of the devil in such a wholesome town. Thankfully the powerful performances, heartfelt high school storylines, and tight-knit family at the core of this story make the spookiness more manageable, ultimately casting Devil in Ohio as a suspenseful and satisfying Halloween watch.

— Brookie McIlvaine

The latest addition to Mike Flanagan’s horror canon (The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass), The Midnight Club follows a group of terminally ill teenagers who find themselves at the Brightcliffe Hospice, a mysterious haven for young patients facing the most unfortunate diagnoses. It’s 1994, and Ilonka (Iman Benson) has just arrived to Brightcliffe to discover her new cohort is meeting in secret each night for a ritual of blowing off steam by telling each other the scariest stories imaginable. How can you scare someone who’s already gotten the worst news imaginable? As the teens struggle with their own mortality, the mysteries of the manor they’re spending their final days at start to reveal themselves, and terror ensues. The Midnight Club features frequent Flanagan collaborators including Zach Gilford, Henry Thomas, and Rahul Kohli in supporting roles, and a killer 90s soundtrack. If that’s not enough to convince you to press play on this series this spooky season, it broke the Guinness World Record for most jump-scares in a single episode of scripted television, clocking in at 21 scares.

—Jenny Changnon

With his fantastical costumes and singular stage presence, David Bowie is what dreams are made of. But in 1986’s Jim Henson and George Lucas fantasy masterpiece Labyrinth, Bowie proves himself a formidable master of nightmares as well, playing Jareth, a freaky Goblin King with a fierce, electrified blond mullet and one of those mesmerizing crystal levitation balls that street performers and ravers are always messing with. 

A young Jennifer Connelly plays moody 16-year-old Sarah, who must head deep into a whimsical Labyrinth to rescue her baby brother from Jareth and his kingdom of goblins. This follow-up to The Dark Crystal features feathered creatures who juggle their heads, a cadre of expressive hands, an M.C. Esher-inspired chase sequence, and an unforgettable Bowie anthem that will have your whole family singing, You remind me of the babe.

—Ryan G. Smith

Ryan Murphy has been killing it (pun intended) with spooky content for years; the latest, DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, feels like the most terrifying because it’s true. People cannot get enough of Evan Peters’s chilling performance as serial killer and cannibal Dahmer, with each episode adding to the horror of the crime spree that left 17 men dead. The scariest part of the story is not what Dahmer is doing but how easily he could have been caught throughout the years if the police would have listened to those crying out for justice.

— Madeleine Saaf Welsh

Sure, the gruesome torture devices doing unholy things, unsavory evil creatures, and rivers full of blood in Apostle are enjoyable, if that’s your thing. But I’d argue that the flawless execution (leaving the pun) of the movie by writer-director Gareth Evans makes watching this such a bloody delight. The story follows Thomas Richardson (played by Dan Stevens) who travels by sea to rescue his sister who’s been abducted by a bunch of cultists. In order to ingratiate himself with the island cult members, he goes full convert and sees some crazy stuff including a highly macabre take on the mother earth archetype. In addition to Stevens, the very cool Lucy Boynton, Michael Sheen, and Kristine Froseth deliver performances that quietly but meticulously make you believe they really are inhabitants of this cuckoo Welsh island in 1905. Come for the gore and great acting, stay for the bonus musings about free thought and destroying the planet.

—Blaine Zuckerman

In The School for Good and Evil, two dueling institutions groom the characters behind the world’s most iconic fairy tales; The School for Good trains the heroes and The School for Evil trains the villains.

For me, high school was far from a fairytale, and I was anything but a star pupil. I talked way too much, consistently forgot to do my homework, and barely passed Chemistry. Had I been a student at The School for Good and Evil my punishment would have been far more heinous than a call home. See, failure in this academy could mean expulsion, where you’re forced to live as a supporting character in someone else’s fairytale. Personally, I wouldn’t mind living for an eternity as a talking tea kettle, however, I’m happy to be living a normal, human life. That being said, it’s nice to stop in to visit their magical world for the length of the movie.

— Chris McPherson

With this chill-inducing eight-episode anthology series, Guillermo del Toro invites a selection of innovative filmmakers — including Jennifer Kent (The Babadook), Panos Cosmatos (Mandy) and Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night) — to craft “twisted nightmares and violent delights” ideal for the spookiest time of the year. Del Toro creates, produces, and hosts the Twilight Zone-style anthology, which debuts October 25, with two new installments rolling out each night through October 28, when the entire collection will be available. Even though the Oscar-winning The Shape of Water writer-director himself is not behind the camera, fans should expect the same visually sumptuous, genre-bending tales for which he’s best known.

—Gina McIntyre

Sure, director Mike Flanagan has a fantastic new horror series out that you must watch: The Midnight Club, which riled up the internet when it was released in 2022. But don’t sleep on his similarly-titled-but-entirely-different series Midnight Mass, which returns a faithless man to his religious island community after serving four years in prison. With a mysterious new priest, a town full of memorable characters, and more amazing monologues about life and death and religion than you can shake a stick at, a Midnight Mass marathon is guaranteed to have you drinking deep from the dark cup of Halloween spirit.

—Miranda Tsang

Do Revenge reminds me of the bubble gum teen dramedy era from times past. The film carries that early millennium/90s nostalgia through its apparel styling and the film’s soundtrack (with artists ranging from Robyn to Rosalia). A little bit Clueless, a little bit Mean Girls, the movie follows Drea and Eleanor, played by Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke, respectively, as they terrorize their classmates at Rosehill Country Day high school. There are some notable appearances by Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy), Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones), Austin Abrams (Euphoria), Alisha Boe (13 Reasons Why), and Jonathan Daviss (Outer Banks). The movie is light, fun, and a cozy seasonal watch.

—Morgan Johnson

Yes, Ryan Murphy is showing up once again on this list. This time, it’s for his latest creepy creation — The Watcher. Based on a viral 2018 New York Magazine article that chronicled a New Jersey family being terrorized by an anonymous letter writer, the series follows Nora (Naomi Watts) and Dean Brannock (Bobby Cannavale) as they move their family into what was supposed to be their suburban dream home. However, their lives begin to spiral into a waking nightmare as they quickly realize that they aren’t the only ones keeping tabs on their new residence. Featuring a phenomenal ensemble cast that includes Jennifer Coolidge, Mia Farrow, Margo Martindale, and Richard Kind, The Watcher is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat as the Brannocks are pushed to their breaking point. 

—Isabel Aurichio