News

Until Dawn director David F. Sandberg posted a behind-the-scenes look at “one of the many great practical makeup effects” created for the film by Applied Arts FX Studio.

The Instagram video below features the filmmaker’s original storyboards and behind-the-scenes footage of a sequence in which a worm is burrowed in a character’s face, as seen in the trailer.

“Our approach was to take practical FX as far as possible and then use VFX to hide seams, make fixes or comping of practical elements if needed,” Sandberg commented.

Based on Supermassive Games’ survival horror video game, Until Dawn will be released on April 25 from Sony Pictures.

One year after her sister mysteriously disappeared, Clover and her friends head into the remote valley where she vanished in search of answers. Exploring an abandoned visitor center, they find themselves stalked by a masked killer and horrifically murdered one by one…only...

After nearly three decades, Scream 7 is set to deliver one of the biggest twists in the franchise’s history — Matthew Lillard is returning as Stu Macher. The announcement, revealed by Deadline, has sparked speculation and excitement among horror fans, as the character was believed to have been definitively killed off in the 1996 original.

Lillard’s return marks a full-circle moment for the actor, whose role as the horror-obsessed, unhinged high schooler in Wes Craven’s Scream launched his career. While his character’s demise—via a television dropped on his head—seemed final, the Scream series has never shied away from bending its own rules. Whether through flashbacks, retcons, or unexpected narrative twists, the franchise has found ways to bring back past characters in surprising ways. The question remains: How is Stu still alive? Fans have speculated for years that he could have survived, perhaps resurfacing as a mastermind behind Ghostface killings all along.

For those of you old enough to remember the 1990s, there was a trend in PC gaming during that decade which saw the rise of what was dubbed the "interactive movie." It was a concept that had been brewing since at least the days of producer William Castle and "Mr. Sardonicus," if not earlier but where Hollywood had tried and failed to put such an idea into movie theaters (see: the 1995 experiment "Mr. Payback"), the gaming industry made much better headway into combining the rich narrative and emotional experience of cinema with the personalization and immediacy of video games. Still, the format was inelegant; even watershed games like "Phantasmagoria" and "Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger" featured cutscenes with professional actors in-between moments of non-cinematic gameplay. In other words, the best "interactive movie" games were still just games with bits of movies interspersed throughout.

For my money, the dream...

One of this year's most eagerly awaited horror films is Sony's adaptation of Until Dawn, and the film distributor has just unveiled the first teaser for the upcoming movie. Of course, we shared it below, along with all the key details you need to know about the film.

If you're a hardcore video gamer, this movie is likely already on your radar. Produced by Screen Gems and PlayStation Productions, it’s a live-action spinoff of the wildly popular interactive horror game of the same name from Supermassive Games. Directed by David F. Sandberg and written by Gary Dauberman, this adaptation brings the game’s chilling world to life.

However, there are some notable differences between the game and its movie adaptation, especially in terms of the story. First, it's not considered a direct adaptation. While the game focuses on a group of friends at a secluded mountain lodge being hunted by a mysterious killer,...

If you’ve had enough holiday cheer, perhaps already drank too much eggnog, eaten too many sweets, and have over-indulged with Hallmark movies, Max has you covered in the new year. It’s time to shake those holly jolly feelings and give yourself a classic scare with two out of the three movies from The Conjuring Universe’s Annabelle franchise arriving on January 1. While the first film of the three, aptly titled Annabelle, isn’t on the platform at this time, the second two movies in the trilogy, Annabelle: Creation and Annabelle Comes Home, will be waiting for audiences when they need to ditch the seasonal vibes for a little doom and gloom. And, there isn’t much to know in order to jump in without seeing the first film, as Annabelle: Creation serves as a prequel and will cover the must-know bits and pieces behind the titular possessed doll’s origin story.

Taylor Dearden, Patrick Marron Ball, and Noah Wyle in ‘The Pitt’ (Photograph by Max/Warrick Page)

Max is kicking off the new year with the series premiere of The Pitt, a medical drama that puts ER star Noah Wyle back in scrubs and playing the chief attendant in Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital’s emergency room. Max’s January 2025 lineup also includes the season five premiere of the critically acclaimed, comic book-inspired animated series Harley Quinn, and the series debut of Isadora Moon, based on the bestselling book series.

Season 23 of Real Time with Bill Maher and the premieres of A24’s The Front Room, Look Into My Eyes, and A Different Man stream on Max in January.

Max January 2025 Lineup

January 1

5 Things with Kate Bolduan (CNN)

A Star is Born (1937)

Act of Valor (2012)

All Elite Wrestling: 2019 PPV Events (5 Episodes) (2024)

All Elite Wrestling: Collision 2024 (5 Episodes), Season 2

All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite 2019 (12 Episodes...

The Conjuring universe timeline is perhaps the most needlessly convoluted of any cinematic universe. Chronologically, the first four films to come out were The Conjuring (2013), Annabelle (2014), The Conjuring 2 (2016), and Annabelle: Creation (2017). These films took place in 1971, 1967, 1977, and 1955, respectively. Annabelle was a prequel to The Conjuring, while Annabelle: Creation was a sequel to Annabelle, though it narratively functioned as a prequel.

The through-line between the first two Annabelle films and The Conjuring is the doll itself. It first appeared at the start of The Conjuring when the real-life demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren were giving a lecture to college students about how they came into possession of the Annabelle doll. Set in 1968, this prologue detailed the Warrens' visit with two nursing students who believed their doll was haunted. Annabelle and Annabelle: Creation delved into the doll's backstory — who built it, what happened to its creators, and who exactly Annabelle was.

The Scream 7 cast continues to grow with the latest addition, Mckenna Grace. Horror fans will recognize projects like The Haunting of Hill House, Annabelle Comes Home, and the two recent Ghostbusters films: Afterlife and Frozen Empire.

Deadline reports that Grace has joined the cast alongside other franchise newcomers like Asa Germann, Isabel May, and Celeste O'Connor, but their roles in the project are being kept under wraps, as is the film's overall storyline.

All we really know so far about Scream 7 is that Neve Campbell is returning as final girl Sidney Prescott. May, an actress best known for starring in Yellowstone spinoffs 1883 and 1923, will play Sidney's daughter, though that is the only detail about the new characters that has been provided thus far.

Scream 7 will be released in theaters on February 26, 2026, with original screenwriter Kevin Williamson stepping up to direct one of the meta-slasher films for the...

The latest addition to the growing Scream 7 cast has been announced this week, with Mckenna Grace officially signing on.

Deadline first reported the news this afternoon.

Mckenna Grace is fresh off playing Phoebe Spengler in the two most recent Ghostbusters sequels, the granddaughter of iconic character Egon Spengler. Casting Grace in the role proved to be one of the best casting decisions the franchise has made in recent years, with Grace frequently stealing the show and becoming the most beloved member of the new cast.

Needless to say, she’s a smart addition to the Scream franchise cast as well. And with Scream V and Scream VI stars including Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera exiting the franchise, well, let’s just say the Scream saga is going to need some likable star-power going forward.

In addition to the Ghostbusters movies, Mckenna Grace has amassed an impressive resume in the past ten years.

The 10 Freakiest Film & TV Dolls of All Time — From Chucky to M3GAN - Main Image

When people think of something scary for Halloween, usually they think up some kind of big scary monster or psychopath with a weapon; but there’s also some horror to be found from the exact opposite of big monsters—creepy little dolls.

The horror genre has had some very memorable creepy dolls for decades, and we take a look at some that are worth checking out for anyone looking to get spooked for the Halloween season.

Chucky (Child’s Play)

Probably responsible for a lot of trauma for millennials when it comes to dolls, Chucky made his debut in 1988’s Child’s Play. His origin is that Chucky was originally serial killer Charles Lee Ray who was dying in a toy store, and in a last-ditch effort committed some voodoo to transfer his consciousness into...

Hollywood history is replete with tales of young children possessed, preyed upon, or otherwise endangered by supernatural forces beyond their control. From The Exorcist to Poltergeist to Sinister and Annabelle Comes Home, the innocent vulnerability of children combined with the power and evil of supernatural menace makes for terrifying horror. In Before, starring and executive produced by Billy Crystal, a psychiatrists latest patient is a troubled little boy whose frightened, violent outbursts may stem from a deep personal connection between the two and the doctors tragically deceased wife. Its a series with a unique central mystery and a stunning central performance from its young co-star, but its undone in part by too much repetition and insufficient payoff.

If you’re a fan of bone-chilling horror, you’ve probably heard of The Conjuring Universe. Created by filmmaker James Wan, The Conjuring franchise has terrified audiences since 2013, giving us nine films and grossing over $2 billion worldwide. Based on the real-life paranormal investigations of Ed and Lorraine Warren, the films explore a series of ghostly and demonic encounters. But with multiple prequels and side stories, it can be tricky to figure out the right order to watch them. Do you go by release date or take the chilling journey chronologically? To help you dive into the supernatural world of The Conjuring, here’s a guide on how to watch the movies in chronological order.

How Many Conjuring Movies Are There?

As of now, there are nine movies in The Conjuring Universe, including three Conjuring films, three Annabelle films, The Nun series, and The Curse of La Llorona. With a fourth Conjuring movie already confirmed,...

One of the most iconic on-screen horror couples of the past decade is about to make their final appearance in the upcoming film The Conjuring: Last Rites. Director James Wan recently took to his Instagram page, @creepypuppet, to share a post signaling the official start of filming for the fourth and final film in the main series.

The photo shows chairs for Ed and Lorraine Warren, the infamous demonologists based on the real couple of the same name. Within The Conjuring Universe, Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson have played them in all three main films, starting with the 2013 film, along with making appearances in a few others, such as Annabelle Comes Home.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by James Wan (@creepypuppet)

The Conjuring: Last Rites. Currently, Warner Bros. Pictures has scheduled it to be released theatrically on September 5, 2025.

No plot details have been confirmed for Last Rites yet,...

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga will be back one more time in The Conjuring: Last Rites, and we’ve learned that filming on the planned final installment is now underway.

Mia Tomlinson (The Beast Must Die) and Ben Hardy (X-Men: Apocalypse) also star, with Michael Chaves (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, The Nun II) directing.

The Conjuring: Last Rites will release in theaters September 5, 2025.

David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (The Conjuring 2) wrote the screenplay for the fourth movie. Franchise mainstays James Wan and Peter Safran are on board to produce.

The Conjuring films are based on the real-life case files of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga respectively.

In addition to another movie, The Conjuring is also headed to the small screen. A series for Max was originally announced in April 2023, and development continues here in 2024.

There are currently eight films...

A new horror movie we're really looking forward to next year is Until Dawn. It's a live-action feature adaptation of the popular 2015 video game of the same name, and it's slated to come out in spring 2025. In fact, Sony's Screen Gems has just set an official theatrical release date for April 25, 2025, so make sure to save the date.

David F. Sandberg directed the Until Dawn movie from a screenplay written by Gary Dauberman. Blair Butler wrote the film's previous draft. Sandberg is best known for directing the hit supernatural horror film Lights Out. He's also known for helming the horror flick Annabelle: Creation and the superhero films Shazam! and Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

Dauberman, on the other hand, previously worked together with Sandberg on Annabelle: Creation. He wrote the screenplay for that film. He also wrote the scripts for the horror movies Annabelle, The Nun and Annabelle Comes Home.

Stephen King's "Salem's Lot," a tale of vampires invading a small New England town, is beloved by horror fans. A mash-up of "Dracula" and "Peyton Place," it was the second novel King published, and when people look back at the master of horror's bibliography, they often hold "Salem's Lot" in high regard (I included it among my round-up of the 10 Best Stephen King novels right here). King's novel was adapted as a TV miniseries twice: once in 1979, helmed by "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" mastermind Tobe Hooper, and again in 2004 on TNT. The Hooper version is a favorite of genre fans, while most people dislike the TNT adaptation (although I'll be brave and admit I think it's not so bad!). 

After only appearing in TV form for so many years, a feature film adaptation of "Salem's Lot" was finally announced in 2019, with "Annabelle Comes Home" filmmaker Gary Dauberman tasked...

The eerie town of Jerusalem’s Lot comes back to life in 2024 as Salem’s Lot, Stephen King’s classic vampire tale, gets a fresh adaptation. Directed by Gary Dauberman, known for his work on Annabelle Comes Home and It, this new version of Salem’s Lot weaves together the familiar elements of horror with a stellar cast of seasoned actors. Streaming exclusively on Max, this film plunges into the supernatural horrors hidden in the small town as a writer returns home, only to find something sinister lurking beneath the surface.

Here’s a rundown of the cast and the characters they bring to life in this chilling adaptation:

Salem’s Lot Main Cast & Characters Lewis Pullman as Ben Mears

At the heart of the story is Ben Mears, portrayed by Lewis Pullman. Ben, a writer, returns to Jerusalem’s Lot, hoping to gather inspiration for his next novel. Instead, he discovers his...

At long last, Gary Dauberman’s adaptation of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot is here, after a delay so lengthy that it sparked fears that it might become the latest Warner Bros. movie to fall foul of WB chief David Zaslav’s giant magnet. Nothing kills vampires faster, after all, than deletion for tax purposes.

A fate worse than death averted, the sheer scale of the delay led tongues to wag about the movie’s quality. Was Salem’s Lot a big old stinker? Had Dauberman – making his second directorial feature here after Annabelle Comes Home, plus his sterling work adapting King’s words for the big screen with both of Andy Muschietti’s It movies (and as a screenwriter on various Conjuring flicks) – made a vampire film that, simply, sucked?

The simple answer is no. Although there’s a more complicated answer at play here, too. There’s plenty to...

It's finally here! October, the best month of the year, especially if you're a horror movie fan. Any time of year is the right time to watch a horror movie, but there's something extra special about watching horror movies as we draw closer and closer to Halloween. And to help you get into the spirit of the season, this month's horror streaming roundup is all about ghost movies! Not just haunted house movies, mind you — but movies about ghosts and all their spooky antics. I like all horror subgenres. Vampires? Hell yes. Slashers? Absolutely. Monsters? Yep! But of all the various types of horror movies, movies about ghosts are my personal favorite. I can't say that I believe in ghosts, but like Fox Mulder, I want to believe. Until some sort of ghostly evidence presents itself to me, I'll stick with the movies. So grab your candy corn, carve a pumpkin or two,...

Exclusive: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark filmmaker André Øvredal is returning to the horror space with an untitled project at Paramount Pictures.

Former Warner Bros production executive Walter Hamada is producing via his production company 18hz, as part of his first-look deal with Paramount, alongside It screenwriter Gary Dauberman via Coin Operated.

Zachary Donohue and T.W. Burgess penned the script for the new project, which has a logline that’s being kept secret.

Hamada also is producing Primate for the studio; that film is in production. Dauberman, whose feature take on Stephen King’s classic novel Salem’s Lot was released last fall on Max, also penned several installments in The Conjuring series including The Nun and Annabelle franchises. His feature directorial debut was Annabelle Comes Home.

Dauberman’s feature take of King’s It grossed $1.1 billion.

Øvredal also directed the movies Mortal and Amblin’s The Last Voyage of the Demeter.

Salem's Lot is widely regarded as one of Stephen King's best - and perhaps more importantly, most terrifying - novels, which is why the new adaptation currently streaming on Max simply didn't cut it for the majority of fans and critics.

The movie follows the basic premise, but does not flesh out the main characters enough and is seriously lacking in scares and gore (pretty much every kill takes place off-screen) despite the R rating. It also leaves out some major story elements, including Ben Mears' childhood connection to the Marsten House.

In the book, this haunted house is almost a character in its own right, and is the source of evil in the town of Jerusalem's Lot that attracts Kurt Barlow and Richard Straker in the first place. Ben is left traumatized after sneaking into the house as a child, and returns to "The Lot" to confront his...

Pumpkin spice season, spooky season … whatever you like to call this time of year, 12-foot skeletons are popping up left and right and Halloween is just around the corner, which means it’s the perfect time of year to watch horror movies. Sometimes you want a Halloween classic, but sometimes, you want something brand new.

Fortunately, October always has a robust lineup new horror movies to stream, and 2024 is no different. In fact, the first week of the month is positively packed with new streaming debuts, from a new spin on Stephen King’s beloved novel “Salem’s Lot” to the body-swap thriller Netflix dropped $17 million to acquire. Here’s your guide to all the new horror movies streaming this week.

“Salem’s Lot” (Max) “Salem’s Lot”

Streaming On: Max

Release Date: Oct. 3

Stephen King‘s celebrated (and rather lengthy) vampire novel “Salem’s Lot” gets a film adaptation from “Annabelle Comes Home...

The newest adaptation of Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot has dropped on Max, and it's chock-full of Easter eggs and nods, both to the King of Horror and to the horror genre in general. The long-gestating adaptation was a victim of the Covid-19 pandemic and then the writer's strike, taking years to get to the screen. It adapts one of Stephen King's most beloved novels, and his first foray into the vampire genre, telling his own version of the Dracula story. The 2024 'Salem's Lot movie changes the book in significant ways but remains faithful to the spirit of the story.

Written and directed by Gary Dauberman, the new movie assembles a strong cast of character actors: Lewis Pullman (Ben Mears), Makenzie Leigh (Susan Norton), Jordan Preston Carter (Mark Petrie), Alfre Woodard (Dr. Cody), Bill Camp (Matt Burke), John Benjamin Hickey (Father Callahan), Nicholas Crovetti (Danny Glick), Spencer Treat Clark...

The long-awaited movie adaptation of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot from director Gary Dauberman (Annabelle Comes Home) is now available to stream on Max, unleashing a stylish vampire outbreak without much in the way of story. It turns out that there was a much longer cut of the film that Dauberman ultimately trimmed down for a leaner runtime.

The filmmaker revealed in a recent interview with Den of Geek, “My first cut was about three hours. There’s a lot left out. My first draft of the script is 180-odd pages or something because you’re trying to include everything. And a lot of it has to do with a lot of the secondary characters and stuff that I spoke about. So it was sad to see that stuff go, but it’s like a necessary evil.”

One of the key scenes trimmed? Ben Mears’ chilling encounter with Depression-era hitman...

The first behind-the-scenes photos from the set of The Conjuring: Last Rites have surfaced online, featuring the first look at the main casts return. The upcoming movie serves as the final installment in James Wans blockbuster horror franchise.

Shared on Instagram, the set photos show franchise vets Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as they reprise paranormal experts Ed and Lorraine Warren for the last time. This comes after over a decade since Wilson and Farmiga portrayed the famous couple in the first installment, which centered around haunting experiences of the Perron family. In addition to leading the main franchise, Wilson and Farmiga have also made brief appearances in other Conjuring spinoffs, including Annabelle Comes Home and The Nun II. At the moment, Wan or New Line Cinema has yet to reveal if there would be plans for Wilson and Farmiga to continue making cameos in future The Conjuring Universe projects.

In this week’s episode of The Discourse, host Mike DeAngelo is bitten by the latest Stephen King adaptation, “Salem’s Lot.” The vampire film follows an author who returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot, hoping to find inspiration for his next novel, only to uncover that a bloodthirsty vampire is terrorizing the town. The Gary Dauberman (“Annabelle Comes Home”) film stars Lewis Pullman, Mackenzie Leigh, Bill Camp, Spencer Treat Clark, Alfre Woodard and more.

Continue reading ‘Salem’s Lot’: Lewis Pullman & Makenzie Leigh Talk About Their Stephen King Horror Remake, ‘Thunderbolts*’, & More [The Discourse Podcast] at The Playlist.

At the heart of every cinematic re-adaptation is a question: Why? Gary Dauberman's Salem's Lot answers with a shrug, defined by disappointingly shallow storytelling and downgraded special effects. Tobe Hooper's 1979 miniseries isn't bulletproof, but neither is it as generic as Dauberman's take on Stephen King's northeastern vampire tale. It's not offensively terrible nor memorably inept, merely rudimentary in its vampiric lore and underwhelming compared to a billion other Count Dracula remixes we’ve endured over the decades. Dauberman's vanilla soft-serve of a King adaptation is begging for added flavors, hardly worth the wait as it crusted over in release-date purgatory.

Lewis Pullman plays a milquetoast Ben Mears, an author who returns to his Maine hometown of Salem’s Lot in search of closure. At the same time, conspicuous furniture seller Richard Straker (Pilou Asbæk) smuggles his vampire master — Kurt Barlow (Alexander Ward) — into a cursed manor that looms over Salem's Lot.

“Salem’s Lot” is once again getting the adaptation treatment, this time as a film from “Annabelle Comes Home” director and “It” screenwriter Gary Dauberman.

The latest crack at Stephen King’s acclaimed vampire novel managed to pull together a cast of recognizable faces despite being pulled from a theatrical release to go directly to Max. “Salem’s Lot” follows a writer’s return to his hometown, searching for inspiration for his next book, only to find out the place is slowly being overrun by vampires.

Here’s a rundown of the cast and characters in the horror adaptation.

Lewis Pullman as Ben Mears

Lewis Pullman plays writer Ben Mears.

Pullman is likely most recognized for playing Lt. Bob Floyd in “Top Gun: Maverick.” He’s also starred in Apple TV+’s “Lessons in Chemistry” as Calvin Evans and Prime Video’s “Outer Range” as Rhett Abbott, as well as the films...

Are you ready for one of the biggest Octobers of all time? This Halloween season is packed with 50+ new release horror movies, a good portion of them releasing this week alone.

Here’s all the new horror releasing from October 1 – October 6, 2024!

For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.

Just when you thought it was safe to take out the trash, the Screambox Original horror-comedy Crackcoon landed on our streaming service and VOD platforms this past Tuesday.

The film has been fittingly described as “Rocket Raccoon meets Cocaine Bear” by Total Film, and you can watch the trailer for Crackcoon below for a taste of the bloody madness.

“When a synthetically-altered street drug is discarded in the woods by a drug dealer during a car chase with police, the fallout proves nothing less than horrific as an innocent raccoon eats it, transforming it into a nightmarish...

Imagine going back to your hometown only to realize a bloodthirsty vampire has been preying on the locals. Well, that’s the world the producing team from the hit franchises “It” and “The Conjuring” is going to transport you to in the Max original film, “Salem’s Lot” based on Stephen King’s 1975 bestselling novel of the same name. Gary Dauberman (“Annabelle Comes Home”), writes, directs, and executive produces the film for Max after a few years of delays. Watch “Salem’s Lot” on Thursday, Oct. 3 exclusively with a Subscription to Max.

How to Watch ‘Salem’s Lot’ Movie When: Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024 TV: Max Stream: Watch with a Subscription to Max. Sign Up $9.99+ / month max.com About ‘Salem’s Lot’ Movie

Max’s 2024 adaptation of “Salem’s Lot” brings Stephen King’s chilling vampire tale straight to the small screen with a fresh take. Directed by Gary Dauberman, this version promises to delve deeper into...

A new film adaptation of Stephen King’s 1977 vampire novel “Salem’s Lot” is preparing for its streaming premiere on service Max this October. The movie transports viewers to the small town of Jerusalem’s Lot, Maine as its residents are menaced by a mysterious evil force. Director Gary Dauberman applies lessons from previous Stephen King adaptations to bring the classic tale to a new audience in a chilling modern retelling.

Dauberman, known for his work on horror films like “Annabelle Comes Home”, stepped in to direct the film after its production faced delays due to industry disruptions. Principal photography wrapped earlier this year following location filming in Massachusetts towns like Ipswich and Sterling that stood in for the novel’s Maine setting. Care was taken to transform the modern streets and structures into period settings that capture the novel’s 1970s timeframe.

The film stars Lewis Pullman as writer Ben Mears,...

Today marks the launch of No Sleep October, a month-long celebration for Halloween and horror fans alike. Max’s brand new exclusive films, horror library, imaginative curations, designs, and specially designed art featuring iconic stars from fans’ favorite scary movies will haunt viewers and keep them up all night with fear.

No Sleep October brings horror fans three films only available to stream on Max, including Salem’s Lot on October 3. In the film, author Ben Mears returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book, only to discover his hometown is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire.

The new Max Original film Caddo Lake debuts on October 10. When an eight-year-old girl mysteriously vanishes, a series of past deaths and disappearances start to link together, forever altering a broken family’s history. And in Trap, debuting October 25, a father and teen daughter attend a pop concert,...

The leaves are changing, the neighborhood decorations are getting spooky, and the air is (hopefully) getting crisper. It’s the Witching Season! And Halloween is finally upon us. Which means, more horror movies! So, with that in mind… here is your guide to seventeen brand new horror movies coming your way this Halloween season by theater, streaming, and video on demand.

Salem’s Lot

On October 3rd, HBO Max will bring us a movie that’s been in development since before vampires even existed, Salem’s Lot. A film so scary, they didn’t want to show it in theaters! They wanted you to watch it in the safety of your own home. Right? I’m sure that’s what’s why. Couldn’t be anything else… The Salem’s Lot trailer proudly boasts that this new iteration comes from the people who brought you the recent It and Conjuring Universe Films and...

October is here! Which means peak Halloween season is now underway, and that includes the launch of “No Sleep October,” a month-long celebration for Halloween and horror fans alike at Max. Max’s brand new exclusive films, a best-in-class horror library, imaginative curations, and specially designed art featuring iconic stars will keep you busy all month long.

Look for new Max Original Film, Salem’s Lot on October 3. In the film, “Author Ben Mears returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book only to discover his hometown is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire.”

Max Original Film Caddo Lake arrives on October 10. “When an eight-year-old girl mysteriously vanishes, a series of past deaths and disappearances start to link together, forever altering a broken family’s history.” Celine Held & Logan George (Topside) wrote and directed for New Line Cinema, and the film...

Ready for Halloween? So is Max. The streamer just debuted their month-long Halloween and horror movie celebration, dubbed “No Sleep October,” and we’ve got the full list for your perusal.

There’s a batch of A24 horror movies that includes favorites like “Bodies Bodies Bodies” and “Midsommar” alongside new releases “MaXXXine” and “I Saw the TV Glow.”

Timed to the release of Max’s “Salem’s Lot” adaptation from “Anabelle Comes Home” director Gary Dauberman, which debuts on Oct. 3, Max also has a collection of Stephen King movies, including Tobe Hooper’s 1979 mini-series adaptation, “It” and “It: Chapter Two,” “The Shining” and “Doctor Sleep.”

And with the streaming debut of “Trap” landing on Max on Oct. 25, M. Night Shyamalan is also getting the spotlight with a collection that includes “Unbreakable,” “The Sixth Sense” and “The Visit.”

Finally, there are of course plenty of horror and Halloween classics, including “A Nightmare on Elm Street,...

The lineup of new movies and TV shows on Max in October 2024 is just as packed with known Warner Bros. and HBO classics as ever, alongside a steady stream of slick recent releases. After launching in 2020 as HBO Max, the primary streaming home for Warner Bros. titles, Max changed its name and rebranded in 2023. While the name change also comes with some changes to subscription tiers, Max will still release new hit titles every month, which in October includes yet more highly acclaimed movies and the most anticipated TV shows.

Max features a varied collection of new releases and returning favorites for Max users to enjoy in the coming month. The long-delayed adaptation of Salem's Lot will finally be making its debut on Max while there are also some big horror movies from 2024, including MaXXXine and Trap. October 2024 will also see Max adding a number of classic horror movies to...

Bonnie Aarons is surprisingly most recognizable when she looks nothing like herself, considering that her most famous role is the demon nun Valak in The Conjuring 2. Outside The Conjuring franchise, Aarons has appeared in over 50 movies, including some unexpected ones. She briefly appears in the comedy Shallow Hal, both The Princess Diaries movies, starring Anne Hathaway, and the psychological drama The Silver Linings Playbook. Still, Aarons is best known for horror movies, including Drag Me To Hell and I Know Who Killed Me, and The Conjuring franchise made her a horror icon.

Valak "the Defiler" is first introduced in The Conjuring 2, taking the form of the creepy entity known as the Crooked Man, as well as the white-faced, yellow-eyed nun. The ending of The Conjuring 2 shows Vera Farmig's Lorraine Warren sending Valak back to hell. Still, the demon nun image was so visually striking and popular with...

Alfre Woodard, John Benjamin Hickey, Makenzie Leigh, Lewis Pullman, and Jordan Preston Carter in ‘Salem’s Lot’ (Photo by Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max)

Max’s October 2024 lineup includes a new adaptation of Stephen King’s bestselling vampire novel Salem’s Lot and the premiere of the eight-episode comedy series The Franchise starring Himesh Patel. Jordin Sparks hosts and Johnny Weir and Terrell Ferguson judge the new competition series Roller Jam debuting on October 10th. And Dylan O’Brien stars in Caddo Lake, a mystery thriller premiering on October 10th.

The streamer’s October calendar of new series and films also includes the documentaries I Am Not A Monster: The Lois Riess Murders, Louder: The Soundtrack of Change, and Breath of Fire. Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap starring Josh Hartnett makes its streaming premiere on October 25th, and Maxxxine with Mia Goth debuts on October 18th.

The third and final...

The Halloween season is in full swing and October is right around the corner. What does that mean? Well, it means we’re about to be hit with an absolute deluge of new horror movies.

October is always loaded up on fresh frights on the small screen and big screen, and that’s why we’ve put together the ultimate Halloween Movie Guide with a spotlight on 31 New Horror Movies releasing throughout October. 31 days… 31 new movies… it seems only right.

Read on for Bloody Disgusting’s Halloween 2024 Movie Guide!

Bloody Disgusting’s Halloween Movie Guide is presented by Apartment 7A starring Julia Garner. Add the new psychological thriller to your Halloween watch list.

Crackcoon – October 1 – Screambox

Just when you thought it was safe to take out the trash… The Screambox Original horror-comedy Crackcoon has been fittingly described as “Rocket Raccoon meets Cocaine Bear.” In the film directed by Brad Twigg,...

There was some doubt that Salem's Lot would ever see the light of day, but the latest Stephen King adaptation is finally set for release on streaming. Based on the book of the same name, Salem's Lot was initially set to debut back in 2022 before it disappeared from the release schedule. Eventually, the film was given an October 3 release on Max, but that period of limbo led some to question whether Salem's Lot was worth watching. Even King was frustrated with the delays. With the release date drawing near, the film finally has a Rotten Tomatoes score. While that's not the ultimate measure of quality, it's still something that many people consider.

Salem's Lot (2024) 3.5/5

Salem's Lot is a 2024 remake of the movie of the same name released in 1979. The latest adaptation of Stephen King's 1975 novel stars Lewis Pullman, Makenzie Leigh, and Bill Camp, with Gary Dauberman writing and directing the Max original film.

It’s the fall of 1975 when writer Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman) returns to his childhood home in rural Maine, hoping the sleepy enclave might offer something in the way of inspiration. His previous books have been derided by critics. His publishers, it seems, are losing patience.

Ben spends most of his days in the library, where his presence and research into the archives becomes the talk of the town. Susan Norton (Makenzie Leigh), a fledgling real estate broker, catches his eye and the two form an easy friendship that eventually morphs into romance. But just as Ben’s settling in and tempering the suspicions of locals, one boy (Cade Woodward) disappears and another (Nicholas Crovetti) dies. It’s easy to wonder if this new guy — quiet, strange, from the big city — might somehow be involved.

Premiering on Max, Salem’s Lot is a clipped horror that partially works thanks to a...

If you’re going to remake a classic Stephen King adaptation, you’d better do it right. Nobody’s ever topped Brian De Palma’s original “Carrie,” no matter how hard they tried. “It: Chapter One” knocked it out of the park, but “It: Chapter Two” brought it back into the park and poured manure on it, so they more-or-less cancel each other out. The TV mini-series remake of “The Shining” isn’t as bad as everyone remembers, but let’s not go nuts. It’s pretty grim when the 2019 version of “Pet Sematary” is your gold standard, since quality-wise even that’s just a lateral move.

Gary Dauberman’s remake of “Salem’s Lot,” however, raises the bar. It may be the only Stephen King remake that gets it right. Tobe Hooper’s classic mini-series adaptation from 1979 is still scary, and it’s a heck of a lot more insidious than Dauberman’s,...

Out of the many names of fictional small towns in Maine that Stephen King created, Jerusalem's Lot (shortened to Salem's Lot) might have the nicest ring to it. The subject of his acclaimed eponymous novel (and a pair of short stories published thereafter), the small town in Maine somehow becomes a tourist destination for a bloodthirsty vampire in his acclaimed book of the same name. The film industry seems to like the name as well, with the book being adapted multiple times, including a new film being released on Oct. 3.

While adaptations of Salem's Lot have been resigned to television with two miniseries, many of us thought that the latest adaptation would finally grace the big screen in theaters. Alas, the film is now relegated to streaming (on Max), but it's better than nothing. Written for the screen and directed by Gary Dauberman (Annabelle Comes Home), it's certainly got some...

Gary Dauberman's "Salem's Lot" has had a bumpy ride. The Stephen King adaptation was originally supposed to hit theaters in 2022. Then it got delayed to 2023. Then it got pulled from the release calendar entirely. Since "Salem's Lot" is a Warner Bros. production, there was a growing fear that this vampire movie would go the way of WB's "Batgirl" and "Coyote vs. Acme" and never see the light of day. King got involved, taking to Twitter and pondering why the studio was sitting on the flick. "Not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it's embarrassing, or anything," the master of horror said. Rumors eventually began to swirl that "Salem's Lot" might skip theaters entirely and go directly to WB's streaming service, Max. Sure enough, the studio finally announced that was the case: "Salem's Lot" is destined to stream on Max this October, just in time for Halloween season.

Even if you’re not a Halloween person, October means spooky season. It feels like every brand, store, — and yes, every streamer, finds ways to incorporate themes of haunting and horror. Disney+ started early, with the September premiere of “Agatha All Along,” which will air new episodes for the next several weeks. In October, the streamer will debut “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place,” an expansion of the popular Disney Channel series “Wizards of Waverly Place” which aired from 2007 to 2012.

And of course Hulu has “Huluween,” a celebration of the scariest titles either premiering on the streamer for the first time or simply highlighted from its existing library. That includes films like “Late Night with the Devil,” the series “Reginald the Vampire,” FX’s “American Horror Stories”, a Halloween specials from “Family Guy” and “Solar Opposites,” a docuseries on witch hunting, and much more.

Top Pick: “What We Do in the Shadows...

To the chagrin of many Stephen King fans, Salem’s Lot — the latest movie adaptation of the horror master’s 1975 bestseller — will bypass theaters and debut on Max.

So we’ll be deprived of the big screen experience, and non-subscribers will have a hard time accessing the film.

That’s the bad news.

(Max (YouTube screenshot))

The good news is that early buzz about the project has been ecstatic, and a new trailer released today promises a suitably spine-tingling experience.

Over the familiar strains of Gordon Lightfoot’s “Sundown,” author Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman) “returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book, only to discover his hometown is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire.”

The film also stars Alfre Woodard, Makenzie Leigh, Bill Camp, and William Sadler.

Days Of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 9-16-24 Promise An Explosive...

After a number of lengthy delays, it was recently announced that Warner Bros. and New Line's re-adaptation of Stephen King's Salem's Lot will debut on the Max streaming service on October 3rd, and the first trailer has finally been released online.

The teaser introduces writer Ben Mears (Thunderbolts* actor Lewis Pullman), as he returns to his childhood town of Jerusalem's Lot to do research for his new book. Ben soon realizes that the "haunted" house that traumatized him as a child has some new occupants, and they have sinister plans for The Lot.

Ben joins Susan Norton (Makenzie Leigh), Doctor Cody (Alfre Woodard), Mark Petrie (Jordan Preston Carter) and Father Callahan (John Benjamin Hickey) in an attempt to stop the evil Kurt Barlow before he consumes the entire town.

Though we do see other vampires - the nightmare fuel undead child scratching at the window scene from Tobe Hooper...

Lewis Pullman is ready to sink his teeth into defending his hometown in the trailer for Salem’s Lot, which adapts the classic Stephen King horror novel.

The trailer was released Thursday ahead of writer-director Gary Dauberman’s feature hitting Max on Oct. 3. Makenzie Leigh, Bill Camp, Pilou Asbæk, Alfre Woodard and William Sadler round out the cast for the movie centering on writer Ben Mears (Pullman), who returns to his hometown and realizes he needs to defend it against a vampire.

“I’ve always written stories about things that are so terrible, you’ll run away until your brain won’t remember,” Pullman’s character says in the footage.

Later, Woodard warns, “This is not a disease you can catch.”

Dauberman directed and wrote the film that is adapted from King’s 1975 novel of the same name. Michael Clear, Roy Lee, James Wan and Mark Wolper serve as producers on...

When it comes to Stephen King adaptations, it really can go one of two ways. Sometimes you get a Stand By Me, The Shining, or The Shawshank Redemption; and other times you get a Pet Sematary (1989), a Dark Tower, or, well, another Pet Sematary (2019). And after numerous delays and scrapped theatrical release plans stateside, you could be forgiven for thinking that Gary Dauberman's upcoming take on King's vampire classic Salem's Lot — already well adapted before as a miniseries back in 1979 — is bound to be one of those other times. But if the atmospheric new trailer for the It Chapter One and Two writer's sophomore directorial effort is anything to go by, then we may actually have another King-worthy banger on our hands. Check it out below:

"I've always written stories about things that are so terrible you'll run away until your brain won't remember." So says Lewis Pullman's...

Yesterday, horrormeister Stephen King tweeted: “Salem’S Lot trailer is coming. It’s a good one.” And now that the trailer has arrived, it’s confirmed King was telling the truth. There’s a lot packed into the two-minute trailer, and it effectively captures the creepy, suspenseful, and terrifying vibe.

The film stars Lewis Pullman as Ben Mears, Alfre Woodard as Dr. Cody, Makenzie Leigh as Susan Norton, and Bill Camp as Matthew Burke. Spencer Treat Clark plays Mike Ryerson, Pilou Asbæk is Straker, and John Benjamin Hickey is Father Callahan.

“Author Ben Mears returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book only to discover his hometown is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire,” reads Max’s synopsis. Gary Dauberman (Annabelle Comes Home) adapted Stephen King’s bestselling 1975 novel and directs. Dauberman’s also an executive producer along with Mark Wolper,...