Horror movies: 6 thrilling October 2026 highlights

Horror movies in October 2026 bring giant creatures, familiar villains and a mother who may be something else entirely. Four theatrical releases and two streaming series make up this roundup, with Jessica Chastain and Josh Hartnett among the stars. Here is when to watch, plus a Utah festival for genre fans. Mike Flanagan brings Stephen King’s 1974 novel to television in an eight-episode “Carrie” series. Summer H. Howell plays the bullied teenager whose telekinetic powers emerge as she enters high school. Samantha Sloyan plays her mother, Margaret. Matthew Lillard, Kate Siegel and Rahul Kohli also star. The story joins a long list of King adaptations. Hartnett’s Calvin Penney faces a threat from the ocean while trying to protect his family in Newfoundland. Mackenzie Davis and Charlie Heaton co-star in the six-episode series. Netflix’s cast and release guide details the mystery surrounding the creature. A giant snake stalks a medical mission in the Amazon in Mike P. Nelson’s latest thriller. The director of “W