Spooky season has arrived; now is the time for pumpkin carving, putting the final touches on your best Halloween costume and, of course, watching a whole load of horror movies.
If you’ve already seen all the usual scary movie classics, from “The Exorcist” to “Halloween,” you might be in the mood for something new. Fortunately, there’s plenty of great horror flicks that have been released in 2026 so far. I’m a horror movie fanatic and have seen nearly 25 new horror movies on the big screen over the last 10 months. So, I'm here to tell you the ones worth streaming.
If you’re putting together a Halloween-themed movie night, these are the new horror movies you need to check out this year. And I’ve got details on where to stream each one right now. Prepare for scares!
My 5 favorite horror movies of 2026 (so far)
‘28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’
One of my great cinematic disappointments this year is “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.” Not the movie itself, which absolutely rocks. But rather its box office struggles. Maybe it was the divisive, jarring ending of its predecessor, “28 Years Later,” or maybe it was the short turnaround between sequels, but for whatever reason, audiences just didn’t show up, which is a great shame. This post-apocalyptic flick is twisted in all the right ways and includes one of Ralph Fiennes very best performances. Seriously, he should mount an Oscar campaign.
Set directly after “28 Years Later,” young Spike (Alfie Williams) is inducted into the gang of Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell), a sadistic man-child who roams the zombie-filled Great Britain terrorizing survivors. Meanwhile, the returning Dr. Ian Kelson (Fiennes) experiments on an alpha zombie named Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry), in the hopes of finding a cure. Eventually, these two storylines come together in an unforgettable, very bloody finale. A quick word of warning: “The Bone Temple” is gory, so it’s not for the squeamish.
Watch "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" on Netflix now
‘Obsession’
“Obsession” is the obvious choice for the movie to watch this Halloween. I’m certainly not winning any points for originality with this pick. But there’s a reason Curry Barker’s supernatural cautionary tale has become the talk of the horror town this year; it’s just a supremely entertaining ride. Blending spooky moments with dark humor, and one of 2026’s great breakout performances from Inde Navarrette, “Obsession” is worth obsessing over.
Bear (Michael Johnston) is a timid music shop worker, hopelessly infatuated with his colleague and friend, Nikki (Navarrette). When he buys a gift shop trinket that proves to be the real deal, he’s granted his one wish: for Nikki to fall madly in love with him. But this is a “cursed monkey paw” situation, and Bear’s initial delight at scoring the girls of his dreams soon turns into a nightmare when Nikki’s new obsession with Bear turns sinister.
Watch "Obsession" on Peacock now
‘Hokum’
“Hokum” was an unfortunate victim of poor timing. It landed in theaters in May, the same month as “Obsession” and “Backrooms,” which sucked up all the attention, leaving “Hokum” largely forgotten. That’s a fate this creepy supernatural horror didn’t deserve. I have a strong stomach for horror, but there’s a spine-chilling 45-minute stretch in “Hokum” that really unnerved me. And that’s a feeling that very few horror movies manage to give me these days.
Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott) is an American author suffering from crippling writer’s block as he attempts to wrap up his successful book series. On a whim, he decides to travel to rural Ireland to scatter his parents’ ashes at the hotel where they honeymooned in their youth. Once in the scenic location, he learns the local legend of a witch said to haunt the hotel’s grand suite, and spookiness ensues. “Hokum” is my top choice if you want a Halloween horror with real scares.
Watch "Hokum" on Prime Video (buy/rent) now
‘Send Help’
“Send Help” sees director Sam Raimi in fine form, crafting a playful horror-thriller that works largely thanks to Rachel McAdams’ excellent performance. It’s a strong pick this Halloween if you want a movie with horror elements, but also plenty of dark thriller DNA. It also plays with audiences' expectations in novel ways, asking viewers to question who the real villain is. It does lose steam in the middle, but Raimi brings it home in style with a great ending.
Linda Liddle (McAdams) is a hard worker, but struggles with playing the corporate schmoozing game. She’s long promised a promotion, which is then cruelly taken away by her new boss, the arrogant nepobaby Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien). When the two are stranded on a tropical island after a plane crash, their dynamic is flipped. Linda thrives on the island, while Bradley does little but whine. With no rescue in sight, tensions flare fast.
Watch "Send Help" on Hulu now
‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’
Jane Schoenbrun’s 2024 horror “I Saw the TV Glow” was a true genre gem, and while the director’s follow-up “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” didn’t quite have the same impact on me, it’s still an absorbing watch with plenty to unwrap. I particularly enjoyed its commentary on the nature of modern horror reboots. It’s less successful in its second half as it slides further and further into the surreal. However, it’s one of the year’s most interesting movies, a marriage of pulpy slasher tropes and softly-lit romanticism.
Kris Williams (Hannah Einbinder) is a young filmmaker hired to reboot the “Camp Miasma” franchise, a once-celebrated slasher series that’s now a punchline after years of subpar direct-to-DVD sequels. Her pitch involves casting Billy Presley (Gillian Anderson), the star of the first “Camp Miasma,” who is now a recluse living in the abandoned camp where the films were shot. Kris heads to Billy’s home to convince the retired actress to reprise her role, and quickly falls under her spell as the two tumble into a surreal world of blood and lust.
Watch "Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma" on Mubi now
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