Warning: These movies contain graphic content.

Saturday marked the very beginning of October and so the season of ghosts, ghouls, and all scary things has officially begun. With the growing popularity of horror movies, shows, and video games, October has become one of the most exciting months of the year for many people. 

Ever since the 1840s, the U.S. has been celebrating Halloween, but it wasn’t till the early 1970s that horror movies came into the picture. The genre of horror gained popularity from movies such as “The Exorcist” (1973) and “The Omen” (1976). From there, horror became an extremely popular genre in all forms of media. 

Now, many people celebrate Halloween by cozying up and watching horror movies, and this year will be no different. Here is a list of new and upcoming horror movies that any spooky season lover needs to look out for.

“Don’t Worry Darling” (Sept. 23, 2022)

For those who enjoy films that leave you thinking, “Don’t Worry Darling,” a new psychological thriller, might pique your interest. The movie is directed by Olivia Wilde and stars Harry Styles and Florence Pugh. “Don’t Worry Darling” takes place in the 1950s, and tells the story of the seemingly perfect couple, Jack and Alice Chambers, who live in a beautiful experimental community, called Victory Project. 

Victory Projects are set up in such a way that seems rather utopian: the wives all get to stay home, clean, cook, hang out by the pool, and live luxuriously, while the husbands go off to work and come home every day to their beautiful homes and spouses. It truly is like paradise, but not everything is as it seems in this perfect community. Dark twists soon commence, leaving one to wonder, what really is going on behind the scenes?

With its beautiful cinematography, exciting cast, and interesting plot, “Don’t Worry Darling” would be a great addition to any film lover’s list of must-see movies.

“Smile” (Sept. 30, 2022)

Another extremely exciting psychological thriller that just dropped in theaters Friday, Sept. 30 is “Smile.” Directed by Parker Finn, “Smile,” based on Finn’s award-winning 2020 short film, “Laura Hasn’t Slept,” has had many horror fans talking about it since the drop of its first teaser on Twitter. 

This film follows the story of a psychologist, Dr. Rose Cotter, and the events that follow after witnessing one of her patients describe horrific smiles, then brutally taking their own life in front of Cotter. This whole experience leaves Dr. Cotter rather shaken up, to say the least. 

Eventually, Dr. Cotter’s late patient isn’t the only one seeing smiling faces everywhere.

Director Parker Finn outdid himself with the beautiful work behind the camera that makes this movie truly terrifying. The movie uses lighting, jumpscares, and amazing sound to captivate the viewers. Not only that, but the actors did an incredible job creating an unsettling energy throughout the whole film. 

“Hellraiser” (Oct. 7, 2022)

In the new “Hellraiser,” once again, someone has gone recklessly in and opened a mysterious puzzle box, leading a sadistic and unworldly being straight to them, the Cenobite. This is the overarching plot of all of the infamous “Hellraiser” movies over the past 34 years, and this new reboot is no different. 

After the disappearance of her brother, Riley, a young addict, finds herself in possession of a mysterious puzzle box. Unbeknownst to the evil she is soon to call upon herself, she opens the puzzle box, and like many others, is forced to face the pure evil that resides within the Cenobite. 

If you are a fan of the classics or a good reboot, look out for this movie because it is scheduled to release on Hulu as a Hulu Original, Friday, Oct. 7.

“Halloween Ends” (Oct. 14, 2022)

When horror movies or the genre as a whole is brought up, there is a name that even those who hate horror can recognize: the truly iconic killer, Micheal Myers. 

After 12 films, some better than others, the iconic name has become a staple for horror lovers. This year a 13th, and final movie will be added to the extensive line of movies based around the original “Halloween.”

“Halloween Ends” will show the final face-off between one of the most iconic final girls and her even more iconic killer as a conclusion to a story that has been shown in films since 1978. Laurie Strode played by Jamie Lee Curtis and Micheal Myers, the true embodiment of evil, will be finishing everything off once and for all.