Copyright Screen Rant
The horror genre has had a pretty impressive 2025, with plenty of great new movies for anyone looking for a scary time this Halloween. One of the things that stands out with the genre this year is the sheer versatility of the approaches, ranging from deeply dramatic tales of terror to subversive and creative riffs on the established archetypes. Even beyond these ten films, other terrific new horror films like Queens of the Dead, Shelby Oaks, V/H/S/Halloween, The Monkey, The Conjuring: Last Rites, Him, and more have all been solid entries to the genre. For the horror fan in your life, these are our picks for the new horror movies from across the year that make for perfect Halloween watches. Frankenstein Another modern Gothic classic by Guillermo del Toro, Frankenstein is lavish and soulful in a way that speaks to the legendary source material and the one-of-a-kind filmmaker behind it. With Oscar Issac and Jacob Elordi both bringing their A-Game to the foundational sci-fi horror, Frankenstein is horrifying, romantic, and bittersweet in the best of ways. At the core of the film is a raw humanity that elevates it above other adaptations. An unexpected romance, the banal cruelties of man, and even the occasional moment of humanity all serve as necessary counters to the brutal violence and creatively gruesome touches. Frankenstein is an epic take on the original, and a must-watch for horror fans. Frankenstein is now playing in select theaters and will be streaming on Netflix on Nov. 7. Bugonia For fans of both bizarre turns and tight thrillers, Bugonia is a darkly hilarious and deeply unsettling feature grounded by terrific performances from Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. Yorgos Lanthimos delivers one of his most compelling movies to date with a locked-room drama between a pharmaceutical CEO and the two men who believe she's an alien. The film's scariest moments are the ones where Plemons' Teddy seems to be on the verge of snapping, whether that be with a deliberate accusation, a sudden burst of anger, or a crueler use of electroshock interrogation. It all builds to one of the most haunting finales of the year, making it an emotionally powerful Halloween film. Bugonia is now playing in theaters. Weapons One of the best cinematic surprises of the year, Weapons is hard to go too deep into detail without giving the game away. Focusing on the fallout of a class of young children going missing one night, Weapons takes a haunting concept and continually shifts it into something unpredictable and terrifying. Bolstered by one of the best villainous performances of the year, Weapons is just as creepy as Zac Cregger's previous film, Barbarian, but with an expanded scope and stronger script. Bolstered by achingly painful performances that never feel out of tune with the wild horror surrounding it, Weapons is a one-of-a-kind scary story that will especially haunt parents. Weapons is now streaming on HBO Max. Sinners One of the biggest films of the year, Sinners is a perfect movie to revisit or check out for the first time this Halloween. Ryan Coogler's vampire period-piece is charming, funny, heartbreaking, action-packed, and musically engrossing — none of which compares to just how terrifying it is. Coogler showcases all the talents he's brought to the sports and superhero genres in Sinners, with a keen eye for jump scares and atmosphere that transforms a lively club into a claustrophobic last resort. Jack O'Connell is one of the year's best baddies and a great horror villain, especially in contrast to Michael B. Jordan's haunting dual performance. Sinners is now streaming on HBO Max. Dream Eater Dream Eater is the latest swing at the found footage sub-genre. Dream Eater is a haunting mockumentary that focuses on a filmmaker's video recordings of her boyfriend's sleepwalking as they steadily become more unsettling and sinister. Things only become more creepy as they go along, all bolstered by a strong central performance. Earning strong accolades from critics who favorably compared the film to The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity, this Eli Roth-produced film builds to a haunting ending. Fans of found-footage horror movies like Rec will find plenty to love about Dream Eater and its Lovecraftian twist on the sub-genre. Dream Eater is now playing in theaters. Jimmy & Stiggs Another recent film from Eli Roth's The Horror Section, Jimmy & Stiggs is bombastic, weird, and one of the most chaotic movies of the year. Jimmy & Stiggs focuses on a pair of estranged friends who become trapped in an apartment when aliens attack. The result is a neon-lit fever dream of film that's hard to describe in words. Jimmy & Stiggs is at its best when it unleashes the chaos and goes for broke, with a gonzo approach to body horror perfect for fans of Sam Raimi. Directed with a brutal edge that never shifts away from the Cronenberg-esque transformations or dark comedy, Jimmy & Stiggs is the perfect pick for grindhouse horror fans this year. Jimmy & Stiggs is now available for VOD. Dracula Frankenstein isn't the only reimagining of a horror classic hitting audiences this spooky season, with Dracula also getting a new take that's far more willing to bend the canon to delightfully demented effect. Radu Jude's meta film about the legacy of storytelling and the challenges of filmmaking is strange, garish, and just the right level of bizarre. A satirical riff on the desire to use A.I. as a creative shortcut, Dracula needs to be seen to be believed, especially once it fully unleashes the darker undercurrent of its filmmaker's view on the state of art and filmmaking in the modern day. Artistic and horrifying, Dracula is great for fans of subversive horror. Dracula opens in theaters Oct. 31. Final Destination Bloodlines A highlight in the long-running franchise, Final Destination Bloodlines was a surprise box-office hit when it debuted earlier this year. Now that it's almost Halloween, the time is perfect for anyone who missed out on the gory Rube Goldberg machines at the center of the film. Focused on a family that realizes they are next on Death's to-do list, Final Destination Bloodlines has a lot of creative and gruesome fun with the concept, turning everything from garbage trucks to vending machines into horrifying murder weapons. Great for fans of splatter effects and gory twists, Final Destination Bloodlines makes for a bloody good time this Halloween. Final Destination Bloodlines is now streaming on HBO Max. Together The ultimate anti-date movie, Together is one of the creepiest and unnerving films of the year. Starring real-life married couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco as a relationship on the rocks, their attempt to move for a fresh start ends up exposing them to a mysterious substance that begins fusing them into a single person. The premise is played for dark comedy, raw emotion, and straight body-horror, leading to a kaleidoscope experience that's hard to forget about even months after first seeing it. Together is a great and unpredictable horror film that benefits from a purposefully ambiguous edge and soulful examination of relationships. Together is now available on VOD Good Boy One of the best horror movies of the year is also one of 2025's best cinematic experiments. Good Boy is a horror movie almost entirely told from the perspective of a dog, who struggles to understand and fight back against whatever entity is targeting its human. Somber, bittersweet, and achingly emotional, Good Boy is also just plain creepy. The micro-budget indie film is the latest reminder of how good Shudder has been in the horror space lately, with a tight run-time that knows not to overstay its welcome. Instead, Good Boy delivers on its premise and sets up an emotionally stirring finale for anyone who has ever loved a pet. Good Boy is now streaming on Shudder and available for VOD.
