20 New International Horror Films Arriving Just In Time For Halloween

If you're claustrophobic, you may want to skip this one. For the rest of us, director Luke Sparke's apocalyptic creature feature Scurry scuttled onto digital platforms on October 3. The director's previous flick, the dinosaurs-meet-Green-Berets action-horror Primitive War, arrived on VOD on the same day, setting up the perfect opportunity for a demented double feature. 

Presented as a single take, Scurry sees two strangers (Jamie Costa and Emalia) trapped underground after a devastating attack on their city—and they're not alone down there. Something is lurking in the darkness. Something with a whole lot of legs. (Arachnophobes, you may want to look away, too. You've been warned!)

I caught director Yannis Veslemes's She Loved Blossoms More at Tribeca a few years back, and since I'm honestly not sure I could describe it to you if I tried, here's the official synopsis: 

“Three brothers build an unusual time machine in order to bring their long-dead mother back to life. When their delusional father comes into the picture, the experiments go awry, and they descend into a psychedelic hellscape where the past and present fuse in a comedic yet disturbing exploration of grief.”

That description doesn't even begin to capture the strangeness of this sci-fi horror flick, which is full of surreal body horror and visual oddities. Experience it for yourself—She Loved Blossoms More began blooming in theaters and on VOD platforms on October 3, and you can watch an exclusive clip right now.

Previously titled The Waterhouse and woven with references to Greek mythology, writer-director Samuel Clemens' debut feature, The Drowned, swims onto digital platforms on October 7. 

The plot follows three thieves who have just stolen a priceless painting. After arriving at their secluded safe house by the sea, they're perturbed to discover that the fourth member of their gang isn't there. Has one of their accomplices double-crossed them? Or could the answer lie deep beneath the waves? Considering that the email I received about the film included the word “creature” in the subject line, I'm inclined to believe it's the second thing!

At the time of writing this, the IMDb page for this one includes references to a “vengeful cyborg,” but ignore that little mix-up—this is more folk horror than faux-human! Director Denis Kryuchkov's The Healing is about “the depths of trauma and how we choose to heal and/or change from it.”

In the English-language film, Lyuba (Alena Mitroshina) is fleeing an abusive marriage. She joins her friends at a mysterious retreat but quickly gets weirded out by surreal rituals and haunting visions that reveal dark secrets. She could leave—but is what awaits her outside any better? Discover what choice she ultimately makes (and if there turns out to be a cyborg in this after all) when The Healing comes to VOD platforms on October 7.

Fresh off its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest, Beast of War is set to take a juicy bite out of theaters and VOD platforms on October 10. 

Based on the true story of the sinking of the HMAS Armidale in 1942, Beast of War strands a company of young Aussie soldiers, fresh out of boot camp, on a makeshift raft in the middle of the Timor Sea. They have no way to contact their allies, and things are already getting tense even before a gigantic great white shark decides to join the party. The film was written and directed by Kiah Roache-Turner, whose previous titles include flatulent zombie flick Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead and last year's Sting. 

This one is for my fellow gym rats! In director Tony Burke's Protein, a serial killer (Craig Russell) returns to South Wales and gets a job at the local gym. Naturally, he soon kills and eats a local drug dealer for their protein, little realizing that this act would trigger a brutal turf war between rival gangs.

I personally consider horror movies one of the most important macronutrients in my diet (don't tell my trainer), so I can't wait to gobble this one up. If you feel the same, you can get your Protein on demand from October 10.

The past is never silent in director Johannes Grenzfurthner's Solvent, which combines found footage, the horrors of the Nazis, and cameos from the Dead Kennedys' Jello Biafra and Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League (bet you didn't expect to read all of those words together today). 

In the film, a team of experts uncovers a hidden secret while searching for Nazi documents in an Austrian farmhouse. If you're thinking, “hey, maybe don't touch that,” that's probably a good instinct. One American expatriate, Gunner (Jon Gries), doesn't have that instinct, though: he becomes obsessed with solving the mystery—testing his sanity and forcing him to confront an insatiable evil. Find out if he gets to the bottom of it when Solvent surfaces on VOD platforms on October 10.

Going down to the woods alone in a horror movie—never a great idea! Unfortunately for sound recordist Sam Evans (Brendan Cooney), he doesn't know he's in a horror movie. That movie is writer-director Paul Evans Thomas's Within the Pines, and you can find it on VOD platforms from October 10. 

Back to Sam: Why exactly is he out in the pines in the first place? He's lugged his boom mic into the woods to record some soothing natural foley, but what he actually captures is a blood-curdling scream. Moving toward the sound, he encounters an armed stranger, plunging him into a battle not just for his own survival, but also that of the attacker's intended victim… 

Joanne Mitchell makes her feature directorial debut this month with Broken Bird, an extension of her award-winning 2018 short, Sybil. The film stars Rebecca Calder, recently spotted as Janet Smurl in The Conjuring: Last Rites. Here, Calder plays Sybil Chamberlain, a lonely mortician who lost her family in a tragic accident at just 10 years old. Surrounded by the company of the dead and yearning to be loved, she takes solace where she can…

I'll let you interpret what you will from that. Broken Bird looks like a delicious gothic slow burn, and you can let it seduce you when it arrives on VOD platforms on October 17.

Pakistan's highest-grossing horror film of all time, Deemak begins its international victory lap in theaters on October 17.

Directed by Rafay Rashdi, Deemak “explores the volatile relationship between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law against a backdrop of escalating paranormal disturbances in a family home.“ The cast includes a wealth of local talent, including Faysal Quraishi, Sonya Hussyn, Samina Peerzada, Javed Sheikh, and Bushra Ansari. Rashdi calls the film's success so far a “defining moment for Pakistani cinema“ and notes that he believes Deemak will connect with international audiences “with its emotional and cultural depth as much as its scares.”

While his film is set in Minnesota, Finnish director Joey Palmroos primarily shot Delivery Run in Lapland with an international cast, so it feels like a good fit for this list! The story centers on Lee (Alexander Arnold, The Last Breath), a deliveryman who finds himself caught in a deadly cat-and-mouse chase in the icy wilderness. A crazed snowplow driver has set his sights on Lee for unknown reasons. With nowhere to run, Lee's only options are to outsmart his relentless pursuer, or face his wrath. 

Delivery Run delivers the scary goods to VOD platforms on October 17. Get a taste with our exclusive clip, and be sure to tip your driver if you order a little snack during the movie!

Director David Moreau's MadS was one of my favorite films of 2024, offering a breathless take on the infection horror subgenre. Will he strike a nerve again with his newest horror feature, Other? 

Co-written by Moreau and Jon Goldman, Other stars Olga Kurylenko as Alice, who returns to her childhood home after her mother's death, only to find that the house is rigged with surveillance tracking her every move. A sinister presence lurks in the home, driving Alice towards a terrifying revelation. How terrifying? You'll have to catch the film on Shudder from October 17 to find out!

Scheduled to coincide with Diwali, supernatural romantic horror Thamma releases in theaters on October 21.

In the Hindi-language film, which marks the fifth installment in the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe (or MHCU for short), two lovers must battle supernatural forces, family ties, ancient prophecies, and nature itself to defend their forbidden romance in a mystical world. The cast is headed by Bollywood star Ayushmann Khurrana, starring opposite Rashmika Mandanna. 

In a plot that seems loosely inspired by the mythical Countess Elizabeth Bathory, a former athlete forms an uneasy alliance with a charming fisherman and a grumpy cop to escape the clutches of an undead countess in The Bitter Taste. 

We love an unlikely pairing! Director Guido Tölke's action-horror film also boasts a score by Swedish indie-rock band Mando Diao and was shot on location in real castles, manors, and mines. Chase it onto VOD platforms on October 21.

From acclaimed Indonesian director Kimo Stamboel (The Queen of Black Magic), The Elixir injects a fresh dose of terror into Netflix's international catalog on October 23.

The film follows a dysfunctional family running a renowned medicine business. When a Javanese herbal elixir triggers a zombie outbreak, they must come together and fight for survival as their village collapses around them. 

Did you know that 1.3 million commuters rely on Barcelona's metro network during the work week? Some never make it to their final destination in director Luis Prieto's Last Stop: Rocafort St., getting a VOD release on October 24. 

Laura (Natalia Azahara) has been newly assigned to work at the titular station. It doesn't take her long to realize that something isn't quite right at the quiet subway stop. A string of unexpected deaths is linked to Rocafort, and urban legends whisper of sinister goings-on. But it's only when Laura enlists the help of a disgraced ex-cop to help her uncover the truth that the terror train truly arrives at the station.

Cambodia's official entry for Best International Film at the 98th Academy Awards, Tenement is coming to theaters and VOD platforms on October 24.

Inrasothythep Neth and Sokyou Chea directed Tenement, which stars Thanet Thorn as Soriya, a Japanese-Cambodian manga artist who travels to Cambodia with her boyfriend to learn more about the country her late mother fled. There, she reunites with lost family and even moves into the apartment where her mother used to live. But something strange seems to be going on with the building's residents. Maybe their seemingly over-caring considerations toward the newcomers mask a darker intent…

It wouldn't be Halloween without a little beginner horror to pique the kiddos' interest in the genre we love! Shuffling into theaters on October 29, writer-director Steve Hudson's Stitch Head offers some classic Frankenstein fun in a family-friendly animated wrapper. 

Based on the best-selling book series of the same name by Guy Bass, the film sees the eponymous Stitch Head awoken by a mad professor to protect his other creations from the townspeople. The voice cast includes many names that will be familiar to my fellow British expats, including Asa Butterfield (Flux Gourmet), Joel Fry (Our Flag Means Death), Alison Steadman (Better Man), and comedians Fern Brady, Jamali Maddix, and Rob Brydon.

Plot details remain scarce for Diés Iraé, a Malayalam-language horror-thriller slated for theatrical release on October 31, but the recently released trailer teases that the film focuses on the spirits of those who die holding deep hatred or unfulfilled desire in their hearts. 

Here's what we know for sure: the film was written and directed by Rahul Sadasivan (Bramayugam) and stars Pranav Mohanlal, making his horror debut. The title translates to “Day of Wrath“ and refers to a Latin hymn associated with the end of days. Keep an eye out for more info about this one—it looks pretty damn eerie! 

Another Halloween release, psychological horror-thriller Hallow Road, is coming to limited theaters on October 31.

Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) stars in director Babak Anvari's film opposite Matthew Rhys. They play two parents plunged into a race against time when their daughter calls them late at night to say that she has hit and killed a girl with the family car. And that's only the start of the horror in store! 

That wraps up a bumper month for international horror. If you're still a few titles short on your Halloween bingo card, check out FANGORIA Digital Editor Angel Melanson's list of 41 horror movies perfect for getting you into the scary-season spirit!