Shudder has the strongest lineup of brand-new horror for Halloween this October, built around the found-footage film Infirmary and a string of weekly originals through its "Season of Screams" event. Hulu adds one genuinely new title, the Irish folk-horror film Hokum, while Netflix leans on catalog horror plus a new miniseries rather than a slate of originals.
Each service is playing a different game this month. Shudder is positioning itself as the destination for new horror releases, Hulu picked up a theatrical film that didn't find its audience in cinemas, and Netflix is counting on familiar titles to pull in casual viewers. Knowing which approach fits what you want to watch makes the decision easier than scrolling through three apps at once.
Table of Contents
- What's new on Shudder this month
- Hokum on Hulu
- What's new on Netflix
- Which service to pick, and what to watch for
What's new on Shudder this month
Shudder's biggest October release is "Infirmary," a found-footage horror film from director Nicholas Pineda starring Paul Syre and Mark Anthony Williams. The film, set in 2023, follows a security guard who vanishes during his first night shift at an abandoned psychiatric hospital, and it premiered exclusively on Shudder and AMC+ on October 2, 2026, according to Creepy Catalog. That's just the opening of Shudder's "Season of Screams" push.
The service is adding new exclusive originals on a near-weekly schedule through the end of the month, including "Harbinger" (October 5), "V/H/S/MixTape" (October 9), "Hallowarrior" (October 16), "The Cycle" (October 23), "Big Baby" (October 30), and "Haunting Matthew Nichols" (October 31), as Creepy Catalog reports. That cadence gives subscribers a new title roughly once a week leading up to Halloween night, rather than one or two releases dropped early in the month. Shudder is also hosting its own Chainsaw Awards, a streaming ceremony recognizing the past year's horror releases, airing on the service on October 25, 2026, per Fangoria. The ceremony includes a Best Screenplay nomination for "Hokum," the film that moved to Hulu this month.
Hokum on Hulu
"Hokum" is an Irish folk-horror film starring Adam Scott as a writer who visits a haunted inn in Ireland to scatter his parents' ashes. The film had a limited theatrical run through Neon in May 2026, and it began streaming on Hulu on October 10, 2026, according to Dread Central.
For viewers who skipped the theatrical release, Hulu's October date is the first chance to see it at home. It's also the only new horror title Hulu is adding this month, so viewers looking for a broader rotating slate will need to check Shudder or Netflix instead.
What's new on Netflix
Netflix's October horror additions are mostly catalog titles rather than new originals. Outlets list "Split," "The Sixth Sense," "The Menu," and "Cocaine Bear" (added October 14) among the platform's notable horror library adds for the month, per Creepy Catalog.
None of these are new releases, but they fill out the catalog for subscribers who haven't seen them or want a rewatch before Halloween. Netflix's one new piece of horror programming is "Below," a miniseries starring Josh Hartnett, Mackenzie Davis, Charlie Heaton, Natasha Henstridge, and Rohan Campbell, which premiered on October 8, 2026, according to Fangoria. If you want something actually new on Netflix this month rather than a familiar rewatch, "Below" is the title to look for.
Which service to pick, and what to watch for
The three services serve different viewers this month. Shudder has the deepest run of genuinely new horror releases, Hulu's one addition is a festival-circuit film worth catching if you missed its theatrical run, and Netflix's new programming is limited to a single miniseries alongside older catalog titles. A few things to keep in mind before picking a service for the night:.
- If you want something released specifically for this Halloween, Shudder's weekly originals are the most reliable source.
- If you're looking for a single standout new film rather than a full slate, "Hokum" on Hulu and "Infirmary" on Shudder are the two genuinely new theatrical-style releases this month.
- If you'd rather watch something familiar, Netflix's catalog additions ("Split," "The Sixth Sense," "The Menu," "Cocaine Bear") cover that without a new subscription.
- Exact premiere dates have varied slightly across outlets covering the same titles, so it's worth checking the service's own listing before building a night around a specific date.