It’s that time of year again when ghouls, goblins, witches, vampires, and trick-or-treaters do their thing. And as if all of that wasn’t already nerve-wracking enough, it’s also at about this point that various TV networks are pulling out the big guns to scare the heck out of you with a wide variety of horror film choices. What follows is our guide (updated daily!) to the horror films of Halloween 2018 as well as where and when you can find them — scroll down to see! 

Monday, Oct. 15, 2018

Return to the House on Haunted Hill — 9:00 a.m., AMC

horror-return-to-the-house-on-haunted-hill
Warner Bros

Fashion editor Ariel (Amanda Righetti) refuses to believe her sister’s scary stories about the abandoned insane asylum on Haunted Hill. But, when her sister is found dead of an apparent suicide, Ariel and her boyfriend, Paul (Tom Riley), find a journal in her apartment that has information about a cursed statue worth millions, hidden on the asylum’s grounds. So they just go in and snatch it… oh, c’mon, you know it’s not going to be as easy as that. Blood, mayhem, and more blood ensues.

Poltergeist — 10:30 a.m., AMC

horror-poltergeist
MGM

When a family moves into a new California home, they start to notice odd little happenings that seem out of the norm. It isn’t long before things start becoming more harrowing and then downright terrifying as the family’s young daughter is pulled into the spirit world (through their television set!). They’ve no choice but to call in a medium, which unveils horrible truths about their home and the land it’s built on. Released in 1982.

The Hills Have Eyes — 1:00 p.m., AMC

horror-the-hills-have-eyes
Blood Relations Co.

A family takes a couple of camper vans on a trip to San Diego, but end up stranded as a result of an accident. The others wait behind while two of the men go for help, none of them aware of the fact that the place they’ve broken down just happens to a former site for nuclear tests. And wouldn’t you know, all that radiation created a number of flesh-eating mutants. Truthfully, this kind of stuff never happens in your living room. 

The Crazies — 3:35 p.m., AMC

horror-the-crazies
Pittsburgh Films

A military plane crashes near a small town, infecting the water supply with a deadly virus that causes insanity then death. The army moves in to control the situation, but the ungrateful civilians treat them as though they’re invaders and then infect them as well. Where, oh where, will all those infections end? Hint: not in a good place.  

ParaNorman — 4:00 p.m., Freeform

paranorman3
Focus Features

Young Norman Babcock (voice of Kodi Smit-McPhee) has the ability to speak with the dead, and it’s a power that he must use to save his neighbors from a witch’s curse that results in zombies arising from their graves. John Goodman voices the character of his Uncle Prenderghast in this CG film that was released in 2012. 

Hotel Transvylvania — 6:00 p.m., Freeform

hotel-transylvania
Columbia Pictures

It’s not easy raising a daughter — even if she is a couple of hundred years old and you happen to be the king of vampires — which is something the over-protective Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler) learns as he tries to protect Mavis (voiced by Selena Gomez) from the outside world. And for the record, Dracula doesn’t say, “Blah, blah, blah,” except when he tells people he doesn’t say “blah, blah, blah.” 

Trick ‘r Treat — 6:00 p.m., Syfy

horror-trick-r-treat
Warner Bros

Taking place on Halloween night, this film consists of five stories that are all tied together, including tales of a high school principal who also happens to be a serial killer and a nasty older man who goes toe to toe against a demon coming to his door as a trick-or-treater. Released in 2007.

The Exorcist — 8:00 p.m., AMC

the-exorcist
Warner Bros

Admittedly some of the effects haven’t aged that well while others definitely have, but this classic (directed by William Friedkin) remains scary as hell. Linda Blair is introduced to the world as Regan, a sweet little girl who is inconveniently possessed by the Devil. What follows is her mother’s (Ellen Burstyn) desperate attempts to get her daughter help. Who you gonna call? Not Ghostbusters, but exorcists in the form of Max von Sydow as Father Lankester Merrin and Jason Miller as Father Damien Karras. Trust us, you’ll never look at pea soup the same way again after seeing this one.

Exorcist II: The Heretic — 10:50 p.m., AMC

exorcist-ii-the-heretic
Warner Bros

We’d like to say that the devil made them do this one, but, unfortunately, it was greed. The attempt was made to cash in on the success of the first film, but nothing about this sequel really works. Richard Burton is Father Lamont who is investigating the death of Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) from the first film. That investigation leads him to hypnotizing teenager Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair reprising her role), tapping into the demon within her and learning that that same demon had been exorcised from a boy in Africa. Lamont heads to Africa for answers, and things become completely muddled. 

Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018

The Addams Family — 12:00 a.m. and 11:10 a.m., Freeform

horror-addams-family
Paramount Pictures

Attempting to rob what is described as an eccentric family (which is one word that could be used to describe the Addams’), con artists get one of their own to pretend that they’re a long-lost uncle (as in Fester). The cast includes Anjelica Huston as Morticia, Raul Julia as Gomez, Christopher Lloyd (Great Scott! It’s Doc Brown) as Uncle Fester, and Christina Ricci as Wednesday. Released in 1991.

Sweeney Todd — 7:00 a.m., Freeform

Halloween II — 7:29 a.m., AMC

horror-halloween-ii
Universal Pictures

In the aftermath of the first film, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is rushed to the hospital, which draws the attention of Michael Myers, who eludes Sheriff Brackett (Charles Cyphers) and Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence). Released in 1981.

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers — 9:29 a.m., AMC

horror-halloween4
Universal Pictures

Let’s face it, there isn’t a great deal of variation in these films. It’s 10 years since the original, and Michael Myers is back in Haddonfield, his goal to kill his young niece. The question is whether or not Dr. Loomis can stop him from doing so. Released in 1988.

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers — 11:29 a.m., AMC

horror-halloween5
Universal Pictures

Set one year after the events of the last film in the series, Halloween 4: The Return of Michel Myers, the obviously unstoppable Mr. Meyers (aka “The Shape”) is once again in Haddonfield, this time to try and kill his niece who has become mute. Released in 1989.

Hocus Pocus — 1:15 p.m., Freeform

horror-hocus-pocus
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures

After three teenagers accidentally free a trio of witches (played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker), they have to figure out how to obtain the book of magic spells in the witches’ possession to prevent them from becoming immortal and threatening the world. Not really as serious as it sounds, but still enjoyable. Released in 1993.

Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers — 1:29 p.m., AMC

horror-halloween6
Universal Pictures

It’s been six years since Michael Myers’ last appearance, but now he’s back and this time he’s stalking his niece, Jamie Lloyd, whose newborn child is, for some reason, the objective of both Myers and a strange cult. Released in 1995.

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later — 3:29, p.m., AMC

horror-halloween-h20
Universal Pictures

Jamie Lee Curtis reprises the role that turned her into a Scream Queen, Laurie Strode. Twenty years after the release of the original Halloween, she’s now the dean at a private school in Northern California who finds herself having to protect the student body and her son from the return of Michael Myers. Released in 1998.

Halloween — 5:29 p.m., AMC

horror-halloween
Universal Pictures

One of the earliest entries in the slasher/slice-and-dice horror film genre, and by all estimates still considered something of a classic. Things begin in 1963 when six-year-old Michael Myers murders his older sister and is locked up in an institution for 15 years. Flash forward to 1978 and he manages to escape, returning to his Illinois town, and beginning to claim new victims. This one made a Scream Queen star out of Jamie Lee Curtis, and served as inspiration for nine additional films. Michael Meyers is like the Energizer Bunny of serial killers. Released in 1978.

Hotel Transylvania — 9:00 p.m., Freeform

hotel-transylvania2
Columbia Pictures

It’s not easy raising a daughter — even if she is a couple of hundred years old and you happen to be the king of vampires — which is something the over-protective Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler) learns as he tries to protect Mavis (voiced by Selena Gomez) from the outside world. And for the record, Dracula doesn’t say, “Blah, blah, blah,” except when he tells people he doesn’t say “blah, blah, blah.” 

The Robot vs. The Aztec Mummy — 10:45 p.m., TCM

the-robot-vs-the-aztec-mummy
Azteca Films Ltd.

C’mon, the title alone is the worth the price of admission (which in this case is absolutely free). A mad scientist (always wondered if this meant the scientist had anger management issues) attempts to locate the map to an ancient Aztec treasure, but realizes he must create a robot to do battle with the mummy warrior protecting it. Seriously, how could you not watch this?

Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018

ParaNorman — 7:00 a.m., Freeform

paranorman2
Focus Features

Young Norman Babcock (voice of Kodi Smit-McPhee) has the ability to speak with the dead, and it’s a power that he must use to save his neighbors from a witch’s curse that results in zombies arising from their graves. John Goodman voices the character of his Uncle Prenderghast in this CG film that was released in 2012. 

The Nightmare Before Christmas — 1:15 p.m., Freeform

horror-nightmare-before-christmas

Photo Credit: Touchstone Pictures)

The King of Halloween Town, Jack Skellington, inadvertently comes across Christmas Town and his imagination is so captured that he attempts to bring Christmas to his town, though nobody has any idea what he’s talking about. Actor Chris Sarandon provides the voice of Jack in this stop motion animated film, with composer Danny Elfman providing the character’s singing voice.

The Seventh Victim — 2:15 p.m., TCM

halloween-the-seventh-victim
RKO Pictures

Mary Gibson (Kim Hunter) investigates the mysterious disappearance of her sister, which brings her to New York. The deeper she digs, the more it becomes apparent that her sister has fallen victim to a mysterious cult. Released 1943.

Hocus Pocus — 2:50 p.m., Freeform

hocus-pocus3
Walt Disney Pictures

After three teenagers accidentally free a trio of witches (played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker), they have to figure out how to obtain the book of magic spells in the witches’ possession to prevent them from becoming immortal and threatening the world. Not really as serious as it sounds, but still enjoyable. Released in 1993.

CUCUY: The Boogeyman — 7:00 p.m., Syfy

boogeyman
Hybrid Presents

A teenage girl under house arrest discovers that the nightmarish urban legend of the Mexican boogeyman, El Cucuy, is true. But, seriously, don’t these legends always turn out to be true in these films? 

Monsters, Inc. — 7:25 p.m., Freeform

horror-monsters-inc
Pixar

It’s horror Pixar style as we learn the truth about things that go bump in the night as we’re introduced to monsters James P. Sullivan (voiced by John Goodman) and Mike Wazowski (voiced by Billy Crystal), who find themselves involved with a human child named Boo (voiced by Mary Gibbs). It may not be Toy Story, but it’s still a lot of fun. Released in 2001. 

Monsters University — 9:30 p.m., Freeform

monsters-university
Pixar

A delightful prequel to Monsters, Inc., showing us how Sully and Mike first pursued their dreams of scaring children and how they forged their friendship with each other. 

Friday, Oct. 12, 2018

The Boxtrolls — 12:00 a.m., Syfy

the-boxtrolls
Focus Features

In this CG animated film, a young orphaned boy raised by underground cave-dwelling trash collectors tries to save his friends from an evil exterminator.

Leatherface — 7:00, p.m., Syfy

leatherface
Campbell Grobman Films

A prequel of sorts to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: A violent teen and three others kidnap a young nurse while escaping from a Texas mental institution. They’re pursued by a sheriff seeking revenge, and this disturbed young man — even more disturbed than the others — embarks on a murderous rampage that shapes him into a legendary killer known as Leatherface.

Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018

ParaNorman — 12:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Freeform

horror-paranorman
Focus Features

Young Norman Babcock (voice of Kodi Smit-McPhee) has the ability to speak with the dead, and it’s a power that he must use to save his neighbors from a witch’s curse that results in zombies arising from their graves. John Goodman voices the character of his Uncle Prenderghast in this CG film that was released in 2012. 

Horror Hotel — 1:15 a.m., TCM

horror-horror-hotel
British Lion

Venetia Stevenson plays college student Nan Barlow, who, while researching witches in the Massachusetts town of Whitewood, discovers that the town is actually a haven for real witches who plan on sacrificing humans so they can attain immortality. See, this kind of stuff never happens at home when you use the Internet to do your research. There’s gotta be a moral in there somewhere. Originally released in 1960 in England under the title The City of the Dead.  

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre — 5:00 p.m., Syfy

horror-texas-chainsaw-massacre
Bryanston Distribution Company

When Sally (Marilyn Burns) hears that her grandfather’s grave may have been vandalized, she and her paraplegic brother, Franklin (Paul A. Partain), set out with their friends to investigate. Stupidly, they decide to visit the family’s old farmhouse and, wouldn’t you know it, there just happens to be a bunch of nutso killers living there, led by the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen), who, going for a unique look, wears a mask of human skin. Things ain’t looking so good for Sally and company. Released in 1974.

Hocus Pocus — 6:40 p.m., Freeform

horror-hocus-pocus2
Walt Disney Pictures

After three teenagers accidentally free a trio of witches (played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker), they have to figure out how to obtain the book of magic spells in the witches’ possession to prevent them from becoming immortal and threatening the world. Not really as serious as it sounds, but still enjoyable. Released in 1993.

Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018

The Lost World: Jurassic Park — 3:00 p.m., Freeform

horror-the-lost-world-jurassic-park
Universal Pictures

In the second film of the series, it’s back to the island where the franchise’s formula falls into place: people come to an island populated by dinosaurs and those who aren’t eaten manage to get home. Although in this case a T-Rex does happen to make it back with them to San Diego, where, as they say, mayhem ensues. Not as effective as the first film, but definitely plenty of thrills — particularly with the Velociraptors, those nasty little buggers. 

Lights Out — 7:15 p.m., Syfy

horror-lights-out
Warner Bros

Describes Warner Bros of the film’s plot, “When Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) left home, she thought that her childhood fears were behind her. As a young girl growing up, she was never really sure of what was real when the lights went out at night. Now, her little brother Martin (Gabriel Bateman) is experiencing the same unexplained and terrifying events that jeopardized her safety and sanity. Holding a mysterious attachment to their mother (Maria Bello), a supernatural entity has returned with a vengeance to torment the entire family.” Well, you know the old expression: the family that stays together, gets slayed together. Or something like that. 

The Devil’s Bride — 8:00 p.m., TCM

horror-devils-bride
20th Century Fox

Invited to a party, Duc de Richleau (Christopher Lee) and Rx Van Ryn (Leon Greene) are surprised to find that the festivities are actually designed by satanists who are planning on making a sacrifice that night. With names like that, could they have really been surprised?

Truth or Dare — 8:30 p.m., Syfy

horror-truth-or-dare
Universal Pictures

Olivia, Lucas, and a group of their college friends travel to Mexico for one last getaway before graduation — which is never a good idea in these kinds of films. And things only go south from there when a stranger convinces one of the students to play a seemingly harmless game of truth or dare with the others. When she does, unfortunately she unleashes supernatural forces, which, as the studio says, “forces the friends to share dark secrets and confront their deepest fears. The rules are simple but wicked — tell the truth or die, do the dare or die, and if you stop playing, you die.” We’re admittedly uncomfortable with a game that leads to death no matter which way you go. But that’s just us. 

Hocus Pocus — 9:00 p.m., Freeform

horror-hocus-pocus
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures

After three teenagers accidentally free a trio of witches (played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker), they have to figure out how to obtain the book of magic spells in the witches’ possession to prevent them from becoming immortal and threatening the world. Not really as serious as it sounds, but still enjoyable. Released in 1993.

Horror of Dracula — 10:00 p.m., TCM

horror-horror-of-dracula
Hammer Films

You wouldn’t know it by today’s standards, but Christopher Lee was scary as hell when he first played the king of vampires in this 1958 film. It’s a fairly loyal adaptation of the original Bram Stoker novel, and inspired a series of sequels that carried on right into the 1970s, becoming more and more anemic (see what we did there?) along the way. 

Dracula Prince of Darkness — 11:30 p.m., TCM

horror-dracula-prince-of-darkness
Hammer Films

In this 1966 sequel to Horror of Dracula, four travelers find themselves drawn to the castle of Count Dracula, where their blood is destined to be use to resurrect the vampire from the grave. Christopher Lee reprises the title role.