Halloween 2025 Film Release Lineup That’ll Chill Your Bones

The season of screams is here! October’s air is turning crisp, and the nights are going longer, which is the perfect time for the spooky season film releases to terrify and excite us!

Movie Insiderz has brought you the Halloween 2025 film release lineup for the October scarefest. Theatres and streaming platforms both have thrillers and blood-curdling slashers ready to smash our screens this Halloween.​

6 new Halloween 2025 film releases

​Bone Lake (October 3)

In horror, even paradise can turn deadly—a twisted vacation is one of the genre’s favorite setups. Directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan, Bone Lake follows the same trope, following a couple whose romantic getaway goes wrong.​

Bone Lake has a similar storyline to Speak No Evil (2024), indicating never trust any strangers you meet on a vacation.

Premiering at 2024’s Fantastic Fest, Bone Lake has earned an impressive 93% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes- cementing its status as a must-watch this Halloween.

Coyotes (October 3)

Justin Long performed well in Zach Cregger’s Barbarian (2022) and is now starring in another horror film, Coyotes, aiming for a release on the same date as Bone Lake.

The creature horror film also stars his real-life wife, Kate Bosworth, a couple who tries their best to protect their family from a deadly attack of lethal coyotes in their Hollywood Hills home.​

The comedy-horror film is directed by Colin Minihan and was recently premiered at Fantastic Fest. So far, it has been able to gain a 79 percent RT critic score, making it a Halloween-worthy watch.​

Good Boy (October 3)

Directed by Ben Leonberg, Good Boy is the horror story told from the perspective of a dog. It is a fresh and unique take on the horror genre where the dog protects his owner from a supernatural force possibly lurking in their home.

​There are two interesting facts about the film: one, it is Leonberg’s directorial debut that bagged massive praise from the critics; two, the director used his own dog, Indy, for the leading role.

​Currently having received a 92 percent Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score after premiering at the Southwest Film and TV Festival 2025, the film surely deserves a watch this Halloween season. Roger Ebert reviewed it as 

“The ingenious canine horror film by Ben Leonberg, that takes us inside the mind of a dreaming dog.” [Source]

Black Phone 2 (October 17)

One of the mandatory films to watch this Halloween 2025 is Black Phone 2. Although the trailer has given A Nightmare on Elm Street kind of vibes, where Freddy Krueger comes into the dreams of the protagonists to harm them in reality.

Still, The Black Phone (2021) gained a positive RT critics’ rating of 81 percent, so its sequel remains one of the most anticipated film releases of the year. And Halloween is the perfect time for it!

Scott Derrickson is the returning director of Black Phone 2, which focuses on the same serial killer, The Grabber, who kidnaps and kills his victims by talking to them over the phone. He is now back to terrorize Gwen, the last part’s survivor, Finney’s sister, through her dreams.

With an excellent track record in the horror genre, especially with movies The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005), Sinister (2012), and a superhero film, Doctor Strange (2016), Derrickson’s Black Phone sequel’s success is expected this Halloween.  

Shelby Oaks (October 24)

Shelby Oaks is one of the most fascinating Halloween films coming out this October, which is directed by a famous YouTube critic, Chris Stuckmann. He has always expressed his desire to direct a film one day.

Mia is on a mission to find her missing sister Riley, who disappeared 12 years ago. She delves into a paranormal investigation footage that might lead her to the fate of her sister.

Neon has emerged as a powerhouse in the world of artsy horror, consistently backing stylish and artful genre films. Now, with Shelby Oaks executive-produced by Mike Flanagan—the mastermind behind The Life of Chuck (2025) and The Haunting of Hill House (2018)—this Halloween release is poised to outshine all the rest.

Frankenstein (limited theatrical release on October 17)

Guillermo del Toro’s reimagining of the classic horror tale of Frankenstein remains at the top of the list of this year’s Halloween releases via Netflix. The film will have a limited theatrical release on October 17, while Netflix streaming is available on November 7.​

Oscar Isaac plays the role of the creator, Victor Frankenstein. His creation, the monster, is portrayed by Jacob Elordi. The story is not only horror but emotional as well since the rash scientist, Victor Frankenstein, was molded so by his oppressive father.

​Frankenstein becomes disappointed in his own monstrous creation, leading him to become more abusive. It is what del Toro had been wanting to make “since he was a child”, reported by Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer, per Variety.  

​The director had been open about his feelings for the monster as he felt that was exactly him when he first saw James Whale’s Frankenstein as a kid. It took him 30 years to make the film, considering it a “Mount Everest to climb”.​

del Toro felt that the monster represented him, as his innocence and his inability to fit into the world were a true depiction of del Toro himself. Hence, the film holds another level of significance in the Halloween horror releases of 2025. 

Got your popcorn (and nightlight) ready? Which of these spooky releases are you watching first?