10 Excellent Horror Movies Set Around Halloween (That Don’t Star Michael Myers)

“The night HE came home!” While most horror film buffs associate Halloween with Michael Myers, the slasher created by John Carpenter and Debra Hill, there are scads of scary movies set around October 31 that don’t star Carpenter’s masked boogeyman. Some of these Halloween-adjacent horror films are really good, too.

From anthology films to haunted house features to found-footage flicks, Halloween movies capitalize on the eerie vibes audiences associate with this beloved holiday. They have jack-o-lanterns, witch masks, and deranged clown costumes galore. They also have murderers, supernatural entities, and hungry monsters. No amount of candy corn can save the characters in these movies from the tricks waiting for them in the shadows.

10 Halloween III: Season Of The Witch (1982)

That’s right: the third installment in the Halloween franchise has nothing to do with Michael Myers, minus a small nod to the masked slasher in a commercial that plays in the film’s background. It turns out Carpenter and Hill always intended for Halloween to be an anthology series, with each film exploring a different tale of terror related to the title holiday.

Season of the Witch follows two adults who uncover a plot to resurrect latent occult energy through latex Halloween masks designed for children. The film bombed in theatres and Michael Myers returned for Halloween IV, but it has since developed its own cult following.

9 Trick ‘R Treat (2007)

An anthology horror film, Trick ‘R Treat tops the list of indulgent Halloween movies. Set in the fictional town of Warren Valley, Ohio, the film’s nonlinear narrative highlights supernatural and grotesque events that unfold on October 31.

From undead corpses to werewolves, these short films are all connected through a character named Sam, a trick-or-treater wearing orange pajamas and a burlap sack as a mask. Trick ‘R Treat is directed by Michael Dougherty, who went on to helm Krampus and Godzilla: King of the Monsters.

8 Haunt (2019)

Haunt is a distinct horror film that combines slasher movie vibes with haunted house tropes. A group of 20-somethings decides to check out an “extreme” haunted house on the edge of town, one that requires them to give up their cell phones and signs waivers before they enter.

Little do these friends know they are entering a Halloween attraction they won’t forget anytime soon. The group of costumed creeps responsible for providing the scares has much more nefarious plans for their visitors.

7 Creepshow (1982)

Another iconic Halloween-themed anthology film, Creepshow comes from the minds of two genre greats: George Romero and Stephen King. Based on the classic comic books of the same name, the movie deals more in camp and gory camp than genuine suspense.

While it’s only the wraparound story (which stars King’s son Joe Hill) that is set around Halloween, these cheesy sagas about revenge, phobias, and monsters in the closet are perfect Halloween viewing. The segments star the likes of Lesley Nielsen, Ted Danson, and Ed Harris.

6 Ginger Snaps (2001)

A Canadian werewolf movie about two sisters afflicted with lycanthropy reaches its climax at a high school Halloween party. In Ginger Snaps, outcast siblings Brigitte and Ginger have an even harder time adjusting to teenage life after they’re attacked by a werewolf.

As one of the sisters, Brigitte, tries to concoct a cure for their wolfen state, Ginger enjoys her new strength and increased appetite for sex and food. Fans of teen horror with a feminist twist will love this bloody Canadian feature from John Fawcett, who went on to work on the series Orphan Black.

5 I Am Not A Serial Killer (2016)

I Am Not a Serial Killer is a film that wears many masks: psychological drama, slasher, and creature feature. Based on the 2009 Dan Wells novel of the same name, it stars Max Records as a teenager, John Wayne Cleaver, who has sociopathic tendencies and homicidal visions which he keeps at bay through intense therapy.

After multiple people are murdered in his small Midwestern town, Cleaver grapples with his own urges while suspecting his older neighbor, played by Christopher Lloyd, is the culprit. Halloween isn’t a centerpiece of the film, but scenes of trick-or-treating and high school Halloween dances add to its eerie vibes.

4 Hell House LLC (2015)

This found-footage flick about a group of friends who open up a haunted house outside New York City. The only problem is that the old hotel they pick is actually haunted by a powerful demonic force.

Framed like a documentary, Hell House LLC explores the months leading up to the opening night of the titular spectacle, which ended in tragedy. With its relatable characters, effective jump scares, and supernatural underpinnings, Hell House LLC is an entertaining addition to the genre.

3 Donnie Darko (2001)

Donnie Darko defies genre classification, but this surreal sci-fi cult film hinges on the title character’s choices leading up to Halloween night, 1988. Jake Gyllenhaal gives a memorable performance as Donnie, a high schooler with a history of mental health issues who is stalked by a guy in a bunny costume named Frank – who tells Donnie the world will end in 28 days.

In a sleepwalking daze, Donnie commits multiple crimes connected to Frank’s assertions about impending doom. Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko co-stars Jena Malone, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, and Noah Wylie.

2 The Guest (2014)

Like other films on this list, The Guest reaches its culmination at a Halloween dance party. Dan Stevens stars as David, a sultry and mysterious man who appears on a family’s doorstep – claiming to be a former soldier who fought alongside their deceased son.

David is welcomed into the family’s home, but a series of freak accidents and deaths all trace back to him. Adam Wingard directs this original tale that brings together government intrigue, lo-fi electronic music, and militaristic action sequences.

1 Murder Party (2007)

Comedic without sacrificing legitimate scares, Murder Party focuses on a group of hipsters who decide they want to torture and kill someone on Halloween night as an act of artistic expression. When a lonely man shows up in a costume made out of cardboard, an actual murder party ensues.

Fortunately for the man, Chris, his assailants are too stoned and disorganized to execute their plans. Chris escapes into New York City, and his potential killers follow suit with an array of weapons.

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