Are you ready for Halloween [1]? One of the most important parts of the season is to figure out which scary movies you're going to marathon. We've already told you which horror movies to stream on Netflix [2] and talked about horror movies that are coming soon [3], but it's not always about the scare. We've rounded up 13 horror movies, thrillers, and dramas that have been recently released or will be out by Oct. 31, so you can get excited for Halloween.
Tusk
- What it's about: Wallace Bryton (Justin Long [4]) suddenly goes missing while in Canada for his latest interview. His mysterious subject, a man named Howard Howe, might be involved.
- Why it's perfect for Halloween: Without giving too much away, it's like Human Centipede and Cabin in the Woods collide. So much terror and humor, all at once.
- When it came out: Sept. 19
Gone Girl
- What it's about: Ben Affleck [5] plays Nick, the main suspect in his wife Amy's (Rosamund Pike) disappearance and possible murder.
- Why it's perfect for Halloween: It's a tightly woven mystery filled with dark and twisty turns.
- When it came out: Oct. 3
Annabelle
- What it's about: A horrific, demonic presence attaches itself to a vintage doll named Annabelle and subsequently begins tormenting a young couple.
- Why it's perfect for Halloween: If it's anything like The Conjuring [6], you'll definitely get in a few screams this October.
- When it came out: Oct. 3
Autómata
- What it's about: Antonio Banderas [7] plays an insurance agent for a robotics corporation called ROC. While he routinely investigates the case of manipulating a robot, his discovery will have profound consequences for the future of humanity.
- Why it's perfect for Halloween: We're neck deep in the age of technology, and a chilling film about the humanness of robots is the perfect way to creep yourself out.
- When it came out: Oct. 9
Catch Hell
- What it's about: Ryan Phillippe [8] stars as Hollywood actor Regan Pearce, who falls victim group of vengeful men. They proceed to torture, bludgeon, and blackmail him in an abandoned building in rural Louisiana.
- Why it's perfect for Halloween: It comes from the producers of Saw, so you just know things are going to get pretty messed up.
- When it came out: Oct. 10
The Town That Dreaded Sundown
- What it's about: The Phantom Killer seems to be back, decades after he first appeared. Could it be the very same killer? Perhaps an imitator? Or something more dark and more malevolent than before?
- Why it's perfect for Halloween: What good would Halloween be without an epic slasher film?
- When it comes out: Oct. 16
Dracula Untold
- What it's about: Luke Evans is the original vampire, Vlad the Impaler, and we follow him as he gets his fangs and turns to the dark side.
- Why it's perfect for Halloween: This is supposed to be the origin story of all vampire origin stories, so you can bet on a renewed fear of vampires.
- When it comes out: Oct. 17
Extraterrestrial
- What it's about: When a group of friends heads to a remote cabin in the woods for a weekend, they unearth the wreckage of a UFO. The worst part is, there are survivors.
- Why it's perfect for Halloween: There are few things that will make you lose sleep faster than worrying about an alien abduction.
- When it comes out: Oct. 17
Stonehearst Asylum
- What it's about: Jim Sturgess is a recent medical school grad who takes a position at a mysterious mental institution. He soon finds he's immersed himself in a dangerous and corrupt institution from which he might never emerge.
- Why it's perfect for Halloween: Well, come on, there aren't many buildings in existence that are creepier than asylums. Just ask American Horror Story [9].
- When it comes out: Oct. 24
Ouija
- What it's about: After a girl named Debbie is killed, her friends trace the grisly murder back to a ouija board. They soon realize, all too late, that they've unlocked an ancient and evil power.
- Why it's perfect for Halloween: Well, Halloween is all about evil spirits, right? What better way to tune in than with this terrifying game?
- When it comes out: Oct. 24
Exists
- What it's about: A group of friends heads deep into the Texan woods for a weekend little escape. But when they encounter a brutal, violent urban legend come to life, they finds themselves trying to escape something else.
- Why it's perfect for Halloween: This is the same director as The Blair Witch Project, Eduardo Sánchez. That means you can pretty much guarantee that you'll be freaked out.
- When it comes out: Oct. 24
Nightcrawler
- What it's about: Jake Gyllenhaal [10] plays an aspiring nighttime crime reporter who slowly gets sucked into a darker, more sinister side of journalism.
- Why it's perfect for Halloween: Judging from the trailer, Jake Gyllenhaal looks like he's going to become utterly unhinged throughout the course of the movie. And his hands don't necessarily stay clean.
- When it comes out: Oct. 31
Horns
- What it's about: Daniel Radcliffe [11] plays Ig Perrish, who wakes one day to find that he has grown horns. The horns hold mysterious power: they can compel others to admit their sinful thoughts and unknowingly commit acts of depravity.
- Why it's perfect for Halloween: The film is adapted from the highly acclaimed novel of the same name, and it's pretty messed up. When the devil's involved, you know things are going to get twisted.
- When it comes out: Oct. 31