As midterms wind down and Halloween draws near, University of Miami students are craving chills, and these upcoming horror releases deliver. From psychological thrillers to supernatural scares, here’s why each of these titles deserves a spot in your late night watchlist.
Him (Sep. 19)
This Jordan Peele produced supernatural horror film blends athletic ambition with creeping dread. Set amid intense mentorship and blood chilling secrets, it’s a unique fusion of psychological terror and the competitive energy familiar to college life. Plus, Marlon Wayans’s presence mixes dark humor with genuine fright. It’s perfect for a dorm room scare session.
The Strangers: Chapter 2 (Sep. 26)
A sequel to the cult home invasion thriller, this film elevates tension with stylish execution from veteran genre filmmaker Renny Harlin. A road trip gone wrong, masked strangers and small town isolation amplify the dread of being hunted with no safe place to turn.
The Long Walk (Sep. 12)
From the director of “The Hunger Games” comes this dystopian survival thriller based on Stephen King’s novel. It probes endurance, peer pressure and the will to survive. Plus, Mark Hamill’s menacing performance offers a reminder of how quickly authority can turn oppressive.
The story follows a group of teenage boys forced to compete in a brutal walking contest where stopping means death, a chilling metaphor for conformity and sacrifice under authoritarian rule. With rising young actors, the film balances star power with raw, emotional intensity, making it both a harrowing endurance test and a character driven drama.
V/H/S/Halloween (Oct. 3)
The cult anthology series returns just in time for spooking season, with seven directions offering a mix of twisted vision shot in the found footage style. This installment leans heavily into Halloween themes.
Expect cursed tapes, haunted houses and creepy urban legends brought to life with handheld immediacy. This film delivers quick, intense jots that make it ideal for post study breaks or Halloween parties, while its varied direction styles range from psychological shocks to campy gore.
It’s also perfect for group viewing, with plenty of debate over which segment is the scariest, funniest, or most disturbing.
Black Phone 2 (Oct. 17)
A sequel to the hit horror “The Black Phone,” this installment escalates the supernatural terror with a more amplified evil. Scott Derrickson’s visceral style and Ethan Hawke’s return as the chilling Grabber make this ideal viewing for fans of the original and anyone seeking dread.
Frankenstein (Oct. 17)
A stunning, gothic reimagining of Mary Shelley’s classic by master filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. Its lush visual, moral complexity, and monster as sympathetic soul narrative transcend typical horror tropes.
A great pick for film buffs, literature lovers, or anyone intrigued by what horror can achieve through artistry. No worries if you miss its theatrical release, you can watch it on Nov. 7 through Netflix.
The Woman in Cabin 10 (Oct. 10)
A mystery thriller in a claustrophobic cruise ship setting, starring Keira Knightley as a journalist no one believes.
Perfect for campus watch groups or solo nights: paranoia, isolation and unraveling secrets all in one locked in location speak to the anxiety of being trapped whether physically or by other’s doubts.
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (Dec. 10)
While technically releasing after Halloween, this sequel continues the popular video game turned film saga with returning fan favorites and new scares.
Ideal for haunted house enthusiasts and those who enjoy serialized horror continuity, plus its December release encourages a sequel watch party once finals are over.
Good Dog (Sep. 5)
This indie horror gem twists the idea of “man’s best friend” into something far more sinister. When a college couple adopts a stray dog, they quickly discover the animal has terrifying ties to an urban legend.
Mixing slow-burn dread with shocking bursts of violence, this film is perfect for students who like their horror both clever and unsettling.
Diés Iraé (Oct. 31)
This Malayalam language horror film from Indian director Rahul Sadasivan (“Bhoothakaalam,” “Bramayugam”) premieres globally on Halloween night. “Diés Iraé,” Latin for “Day of Wrath,” blends psychological dread with supernatural elements, anchored by Pranav Mohanlal’s genre debut.
With much of the creative team behind “Bramayugam” returning, including cinematographer Shehnad Jalal and composer Christo Xavier, the film promises an atmosphere, high style horror experience.
The story follows a man drawn into a cursed community where folklore, faith and fear collide, forcing him to confront the darkness that binds the living and the dead.
Halloween is creeping up and the next two months have plenty of scares both on and off campus. For fans of cult classics and buzzy new releases, there are horror titles to queue up this September and October.