Halloween at the cinema or on the couch: the thrilling films and series to watch this week, between classics and new releases
Monsters, witches, nightmares, and dark humor: seven films and two series for all tastes, from body horror to gothic comedy
Pumpkins, fog, and nightmares: Halloween is just around the corner, and the programming of Italian cinemas is more than ready to satisfy viewers' craving for horror. This year, thrills come in all forms, with an impressive list of new releases that truly cover all shades of fright: from the '90s gothic of Dracula by Luc Besson to the surreal thriller of Bugonia by Yorgos Lanthimos, up to the "dark" fairy tale retelling of The Ugly Stepsister (here our review). Deformed heroes return with The Toxic Avenger, while Chainsaw Man – The Story of Reze brings the demonic action of the cult anime to the big screen. And if The Black Phone 2 reignites the nightmare with Ethan Hawke, for nostalgics there are also classics: Young Frankenstein, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and ParaNorman return to theaters to remind us that the monstrous can also be funny.
If you don't have plans for Halloween yet — or simply don't feel like going out to costume parties and crowded venues — no problem: between cinemas and streaming platforms, there's no shortage of options for a thrilling night. Light the pumpkins, dim the lights, and get ready to choose between monsters, vampires, and digital nightmares.
Films in cinemas for Halloween
The Ugly Stepsister
A dark and ruthless fairy tale, which flips the perspective of Cinderella's stepsisters, amidst gothic atmospheres and proto-cosmetic surgery, because the obsession with beauty is an endless fairy tale. Set in a world suspended between the gothic and the grotesque, Aron Gauder's film mixes irony and violence, focusing on dark cinematography and morally ambiguous characters that give a dark touch to the classic fairy tale, shining a light on a (villainous) character unfairly taken for granted.
It's for you if you love literary or cinematic retellings of classic fairy tales and your ideal vision of Halloween doesn't lack a touch of cruelty.
Read the review of The Ugly Stepsister
The Toxic Avenger
The most disgusting superhero of the 80s returns in a new version directed by Macon Blair and produced by Troma Entertainment. The cast features a duo of actors we'd like to see more often, such as Peter Dinklage and Elijah Wood, in a title that retains the pulp irreverence of the original, updating it to contemporary language. Perfect for nostalgics but also for those who will discover this character starting from this film just released in theaters.
It's for you if you're nostalgic for exploitation cinema and like films that mix splatter and social satire, without being too subtle or refined.
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: The Story of Reze
Based on Tatsuki Fujimoto's cult manga, the feature film expands the anime's story with even more dramatic tones. At the center of the film is the new turn in the relationship between Denji and Reze, between impossible romance and ultraviolence. The animation is once again by Studio MAPPA, a guarantee of visual quality and overwhelming rhythm. In the United States, it was the unexpected box office king last week… but watch out for spoilers circulating on social media.
It's for you if you want to enjoy an anime on the big screen even on Halloween and are already familiar with the Chainsaw Man saga.
Dracula
The indestructible Luc Besson returns to gothic with a personal version of the vampire par excellence that strongly recalls his blockbuster films of the 80s and 90s, once again driven by his fetish actor Caleb Landry Jones in the role of a bloodsucker who strongly resembles Coppola's Dracula.
It's for you if you love authorial reinterpretations of classics and are fascinated by doomed love stories.
Bugonia
A remake of the surreal and little-known comedy by Korean director Kim Tae-yong, Yorgos Lanthimos delivers a horror thriller featuring conspiracy theorists and icy pharmaceutical CEOs, seeing him return to his former cruel tones. The cast is also excellent, led by his muse Emma Stone and with Jesse Plemmons increasingly prominent in the role of a man convinced that a businesswoman he kidnapped is actually an alien who wants to exterminate humanity.
It's for you if you adore Yorgos Lanthimos's early films and his pronounced cruelty and distrust of humanity.
The Black Phone 2
The sequel to the supernatural thriller directed by Scott Derrickson brings back Ethan Hawke in the role of the Man in the Mask, confirming a growing generation of very promising performers returning from the first film and the absolute visual talent for horror and unease of its director.
It's for you if you're looking for a King-inspired horror, all atmosphere and audacious stylistic solutions, that truly unsettles the viewer.
Read the review of Black Phone 2
Returns to cinemas for Halloween
Halloween is also an opportunity to return to the cinema with great horror classics, with three very different films returning to theaters, united by their cult status for this horror occasion. It starts with the now traditional appointment with Young Frankenstein, the comedic masterpiece by Mel Brooks, which returns to theaters in a restored version: an irresistible tribute to Universal horror cinema, showing on October 30 and 31, 2025. For a more daring viewing, the appointment is from October 27, 2025, with The Rocky Horror Picture Show, with its event screenings and costumed audience. The real gem for cinephiles, however, is the chance to re-watch ParaNorman on the big screen, a stop-motion animation masterpiece by Laika, which combines fear and melancholy in a story for all ages.
Streaming series for Halloween
It: Welcome to Derry
The prequel to Stephen King's saga and Andy Muschietti's cinematic duology. The new HBO Max series explores the origins of Pennywise and the events that transformed Derry into the town of the terrifying clown, bringing back the actor from his films, Bill Skarsgård, who returns here as Pennywise. Amidst 60s atmospheres and buried secrets, it promises to expand the myth with a more choral and mysterious tone, telling the background of some familiar characters from the King universe. Available on Sky and NOW.
It's for you if you want to discover what came before "It" and love stories that reveal the hidden evil in small communities.
Read the review of It: Welcome to Derry
The Monster
Created by Stefano Sollima and Leonardo Fasoli, the Sky Original series reconstructs the case of the Monster of Florence with documentary rigor. No judgments or easy answers, but an investigation into the investigations starting from the famous "Sardinian lead" with attention to the language and obsessions of an Italy grappling with its first serial killer. Available on Netflix.
It's for you if you love true crime told with respect, precision, and moral ambiguity, or if you enjoyed Sollima's early works like Gomorrah, Zerozerozero, and Soldado.