Horror films have long been associated with Halloween, but in recent years scary films have been released throughout the year. It’s not just a Halloween tie-in anymore. Many of us give horror movies special attention as the winds chill and the days grow shorter, and Fall sets in, but there’s no scarcity of horror in the warmer months.
Our first list features recent horror films, many of which were not released in the traditional October spooky season. They’re in no particular order, but all worth a slot on your seasonal watch-list if you missed them in theaters.
10 Recent Horror Movies You Need to See
1- Weapons – August 2025
2- Heretic – November 2024
3- The Substance – September 2024
4- Smile 2 – October 2024
5- Speak No Evil – October 2024
6- Presence – January 2024
7- Abigail – April 2024
8- Bring Her Back – May 2025
9- Nosferatu – December 2024
10- The First Omen – April 2024
10 Classic Horror Movies You Should Watch
The Horror genre has seen a lot of success in recent years and films have been churned out in great numbers. Some have lasting appeal and help define the genre itself. It never hurts to travel back to those quintessential films that shaped the context of these newer films. From ghosts and ghouls to mind-bending fear, here are some classics from decades past (in no particular order).
1- The Exorcist – 1973
2- The Shining – 1980
3- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – 1974
4- Halloween – 1978
5- Carrie – 1976
6- The Amityville Horror – 1979
7- Friday the13th – 1980
8- A Nightmare on Elm Street – 1984
9- The Creature From the Black Lagoon – 1954
10- The Omen – 1976
Horror Movies Not to Be Missed
Top-10 lists are sometimes taken too seriously, and folks get angry about excluded films and/or the curated order. While everyone has an opinion, here are some films for spooky season that you may want to add to your watch-list just to boost your Halloween vibe (In no particular order).
1- The Ring – 2002
2- Cabin in the Woods – 2012
3- Barbarian – 2022
4- Shutter Island – 2010
5- 28 Days Later – 2003
6- Late Night with the Devil – 2024
7- Us – 2019
8- The Descent – 2005
9- The Black Phone – 2022
10- Silence of the Lambs – 1991
11- Get Out – 2017
12- Talk to Me – July 2023
13- Heart Eyes – 2025
14- Don’t Breathe – 2016
15- Violent Night – 2022
16- Happy Death Day – 2017
17- The Blair Witch Project – 1999
18- Evil Dead Rise – 2023
19- Companion – 2025
20- House of Wax – 2005
21- Chopping Mall – 1986
22- M3gan – 2023
23- The Strangers – 2008
24- Scream – 1996
25- It Follows – 2015
10 Horror Movies for Kids
Everyone loves a good scare when Halloween rolls around, but not all scares are equal, and not all are appropriate for younger kids. Despite the focus on fear and gore, there are a lot of great movies for kids that are scary, fun and not nightmare inducing.
1- Monster House – 2006
2- Coraline – 2009
3- Gremlins – 1984
4- Igor – 2008
5- The Adams Family – 1991
6- The Nightmare Before Christmas – 1993
7- The Boxtrolls – 2014
8- Poltergeist – 1982
9- ParaNorman – 2012
10- The Gate – 1987
Horror Movies that are Bonkers
Occasionally, a director takes things too far in delivering a full-blown horror experience. Sometimes that’s a good thing. This section is for those odd films that go over-the-top in some way to twist your brain and cause double takes in disbelief of what you’re seeing. Not for the faint of heart.
1- Long Legs – 2024
2- Terrifier – 2018
3- Brightwood – 2022
4- The Surfer – 2024
5- Better Watch Out – 2016
6- Assassination Nation – 2018
7- The Toxic Avenger – 1984
8- Cocaine Bear – 2023
9- Bones and All – 2023
10- Wolf Creek – 2005
By CapeCod.com Staff
