What to stream this Halloween

With the nights getting darker and Halloween just around the corner, more Brits than ever are signed up to a streaming service and will be searching for spooky content this October 31st.

And with Halloween just around the corner, streaming services are loading up on all kinds of scary content. Whether you’re after classic horror films, the latest thrillers, or something scary but suitable for children, there's a wealth of seasonal content available across Netflix, NOW, Amazon Prime and Disney Plus.

Recent data from Ofcom has revealed that 11 million Brits signed up for a streaming service subscription in 2020 - an increase of 55% since 2019. Our research has also shown that over a quarter of households admit they rely solely on the internet to stream their favourite shows, and almost half of TV fans juggle multiple streaming service subscriptions.

So if you need help deciding which TV streaming services to use over Halloween, use our Ustream tool above and plan out your upcoming fright-fest.

Horror films on NOW cinema

Each month, Sky Cinema dedicates a channel to a single theme, and it’s no surprise that in October that theme is Halloween. There’s a great line-up of horror movie classics, new releases and kid-friendly spooky films to enjoy this Halloween season.

Candyman (1992)

Even though a new edition of Candyman was recently released, this classic 90s horror movie is a must-watch for any horror movie buff. The murderous spirit with a hook for a hand is summoned whenever you say his name five times. Are you brave enough to try?

Us (2019)

This brilliant and eerie horror movie comes from the mind of Jordan Peele and stars Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke and Elisabeth Moss. It reinvents the genre, giving you modern scares as well as some classic horror tropes as it follows a family that gets terrorised by their own doppelgangers on a hellish beach trip..

The Grudge

John Cho and Andrea Riseborough star in this 2020 reboot of The Grudge, in which a detective seeks to solve a murder and break a curse as she fears for her and her son's safety.

The Invisible Man

This acclaimed modern retelling of the Invisible Man story from Blumhouse is full of scares, twists and turns. Starring Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale) and Oliver Jackson-Cohen (The Haunting of Hill House), you’re never 100% sure of what’s going to happen next.

Other horror movies on NOW cinema:

Horror films on Netflix

Hereditary

Hereditary was filmmaker Ari Aster’s directorial debut. It follows the story of a grieving family coming to terms with a horrible accident and uses gore and the supernatural to make one of the scariest movies of all time. Toni Collette’s performance is outstanding, the film is beautifully shot, well-paced and truly terrifying.

Midsommar

After the success of Hereditary, Aster returned a year later with a different kind of horror movie that had everyone talking. Midsommar follows the main characters, Danny and Christian, on a trip to Sweden that will change them forever.

Gerald’s Game

Gerald’s Game is less well-known than some of the other Stephen King adaptations, but its arrival gave it a new lease of life. Although it starts off as a slow burn, you’ll be rewarded with one of the grizzliest, goriest scenes ever put on film if you stick with it until the end.

Silence of the Lambs

A true classic, Silence of the Lambs is one horror film everyone should watch. Anthony Hopkins’ performance as the cannibalistic psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter was groundbreaking, chilling and just as impressive on the 20th viewing as it was the first.

Get Netflix on Sky TV

Other horror films on Netflix:

Classic horror films on Amazon Prime

An American Werewolf in London

The classic horror-comedy An American Werewolf in London is now available on Amazon Prime.

The film follows two friends on a backpacking holiday in England, one of whom ends up turning into a werewolf. The chaos that ensues is all a bit dated now, but the special effects and make-up still hold up.

Jaws

The reason you’re afraid to go in the water, Jaws was a revolutionary piece of horror cinema. With nothing but some waves in the water and that infamous music, Steven Spielberg created one of the best horror films of the 20th Century, and it still holds up to this day.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

They don’t come more classic than Invasion of the Body Snatchers — a story about pod people that’s been remade for almost every generation.

The themes of distrust and paranoia make the original 1970s version by Philip Kaufman timeless, with Donal Sutherland giving a fantastically creepy performance that deserves rewatch after rewatch.

Other horror films on Amazon Prime:

Halloween films for kids

If your family is looking to watch something spooky rather than scary, there are plenty of kid-friendly films to watch this month across streaming services.

Hocus Pocus

This classic 90s Halloween film stars Bette Midler, Kathy Nijimy and Sarah Jessica-Parker as three witch sisters who are determined to live forever. This spooky yet comical film features talking cats, zombie ex-boyfriends, magic, music and mayhem. There’s a reason it’s a Halloween classic.

Whether you’re re-watching out of nostalgia or introducing it to your own kids, you’ll all be singing “I put a spell on you” soon enough.

Muppets Haunted Mansion

This long-overdue Muppets Halloween special follows Gonzo as he takes on his greatest challenge: spending the night in a haunted mansion. With plenty of celebrity guest appearances, the newest Muppets movie adventure looks to be a medley of musicals and madness, in true Muppet style.

Stream Muppets Haunted Mansion on Disney Plus.

Hotel Transylvania

This animated film stars Dracula as the owner of a hotel for monsters. Visitors like werewolves, mummies and Frankenstein’s monster — or Frank, as he goes by in this film — stay at the hotel to get a respite from scaring civilians.

The hotel is supposed to be human-free, but a human comes to visit, which Dracula has to keep secret (and prevent his daughter from falling in love with as well) or else his hotel would go out of business.

The film is available on Netflix.

The Addams Family

This film tells the story of the creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky Addams family.

Headed up by Gomez and Morticia Addams, the Addams family is trying to solve the mystery of where Uncle Fester has been for the past 25 years as well as following their day-to-day lives. The ‘90s films based on the popular TV series are classic, light-hearted fare for kids.

Coraline

Based on the award-winning novel by fantasy legend Neil Gaiman, Coraline is a bit darker than the other films recommended here. A young girl, Coraline, discovers a secret door in her new home and ventures into an idealised parallel world — but all is not as it seems.

It’s currently streaming on NOW Cinema.

Where can I watch my favourite TV shows online?

Here are some of the most searched-for TV shows and movies and where you can find them.

Where can I watch WPC 56?

You can watch WPC 56 on Sky and Virgin TV, or you can stream all three seasons on BBC iPlayer.

WPC 56 is a BBC drama series that follows the first Woman Police Constable to join a police force in 1956. Though set in a fictional police force, the show sees WPC Gina Dawson struggle with the real-life issues of sexism in a male-dominated field in the 1950s.

Where can I watch Beck?

You can watch all six seasons of the  Swedish crime drama on Amazon Prime.

The character of Martin Beck has been popular for roughly 20 years now, based on Maj Sjöwalls and Per Wahlöös character. Peter Haber first appeared in the role back in 1998 and the latest season coming out in 2018.

Where can I watch Queen of the South season 5?

Queen of the South season five aired in the US on the USA Network, showing its final episode in June 2021. As yet, there is no confirmed date when international viewers can watch Queen of the South season five on Netflix.

The show, which follows lead character Teresa becoming a drug lord to avenge her lover’s death, will hopefully be available to stream on Netflix soon.

Where can I watch Rick and Morty season 4?

You can stream Rick and Morty season 4 as well as all the previous seasons on Netflix and All4.

The foul-mouthed “evil” genius and his sidekick grandson became instant cult classics when the first season of Rick and Morty aired back in 2013. Since then, their adventures have taken them through time and across dimensions as each season seems to get bigger and more insane.

Where can I watch Rick and Morty season 5?

Rick and Morty season five is available to stream on Channel4.com, having been released week-by-week. At the time of writing, there’s no confirmed date if and when season five will be available to watch on Netflix.

Where can I watch Carnival Row season 2?

Carnival Row season two will stream on Amazon Prime when it’s released.

Amazon’s steampunk fantasy series set in a mythical Victorian-style future was a surprise hit in 2019. Starring Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevigne, it’s a perfect mix of fairy, fantasy and science fiction.

Carnival Row season 2 release date

Season two was greenlit early, but due to delays caused by COVID-19, there is no official release date for Carnival Row season two.

Where can I watch Miraculous Ladybug season 4?

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir is available to stream on Disney Plus.

This children’s animated show has become popular around the world, featuring two Parisian teenagers who transform into the titular superheroes to protect the city from danger.

Disney Plus acquired all five seasons of Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir and season four is currently airing in the US. At the moment there is no official date for when season four will be available on Disney Plus in the UK.

Where can I watch Steven Universe?

Stream Steven Universe season 4 and 5 on NOW Kids or Netflix.

Steven Universe is a beloved animated TV series for children of all ages, from 4 to 40. It follows the life of a half-human, half-alien who’s being raised by his father and three aliens known as The Crystal Gems as they train him to become a warrior like them. Packed full of adventures, magic and music, Steven Universe is a beacon of diversity and representation and a must-watch for those with kids.

Where can I watch Sons of Anarchy?

Sons of Anarchy is available to stream on Netflix in the UK.

Starring Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal and Ron Perlman, Sons of Anarchy centres on a gun-running biker gang family that butts heads with rival gangs, racist groups and the “occasional” run in with the law.

Stream all seven seasons of Sons of Anarchy on Netflix.

Where can I watch The Walking Dead?

New episodes of The Walking Dead air on the FOX channel in the UK. FOX is part of select TV bundles provided by Sky TV, Virgin Media and BT TV.

Since 2010, The Walking Dead has been breaking viewership records and dominating pop culture conversations. 

The Walking Dead is record-breaking TV, setting all-time-high viewing figures for a show broadcast on a US cable channel. It's not hard to see why it's been such a monster hit. 

Lavish special effects and innovative zombie jump-scares are just the half of it. The show's success is also built on striking characters, gripping action and tight plotting.

If you don't have a TV provider and want to watch The Walking Dead, FOX is included as part of the NOW Entertainment membership. If you need to catch up on previous seasons of The Walking Dead while you wait, old episodes are available on Amazon Prime.

Where can I watch Game of Thrones?

Produced by HBO, UK viewers can watch all seasons of Game of Thrones on Sky Atlantic, either on Sky or NOW. 

Game of Thrones was, without a doubt, the biggest TV show of all time. And despite a less than satisfying final season, it remains a modern-day classic. Rewatch the entire series on NOW or on Sky Box Sets.

Where can I watch Westworld?

You can watch both seasons of Westworld on Sky Atlantic on Sky or NOW, or buy individual episodes on Amazon Prime Video.

Westworld has been the main attraction of HBO’s original programming following the end of Game of Thrones. It has filled the dragon-shaped void in our lives with androids, cowboys and a futuristic sci-fi world with plenty of twists throughout.

The highly-successful series was renewed for its fourth season before its third even ended. As yet there’s still no official release date, which is to be expected as there was a two-year gap between season one and two. Plus, COVID.

Where can I watch Succession?

Succession is another popular HBO show, currently filming its third season. You can watch the exploits of the Logan family via Sky or NOW on Sky Atlantic.

Where can I watch The Mandalorian UK?

The Mandalorian seasons one and two are streaming now on Disney Plus.

The Mandalorian was the first original TV show to be released on Disney Plus. Created by Jon Favreau, the man who first brought Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man into the world. The Mandalorian is set in the Star Wars universe and follows the growing relationship between a Mandalorian bounty hunter and a baby version of Yoda. Hijinx and cuteness ensue. 

Where can I watch Love Island?

Past episodes of Love Island are available to stream on BritBox.

The ITV reality TV show that’s taken the world by storm since it premiered in 2015 is pretty much all the TV world talks about each summer. Love Island airs on ITV, but if you want to watch past seasons you’ll need to subscribe to the ITV/BBC streaming service, BritBox.

Where can I watch Friends?

Friends is available to stream on Netflix in the UK. 

Even those of us who know the entire series word-for-word, rewatching Friends is a source of great comfort. Friends has bounced from network to network over the years, appearing on terrestrial and satellite TV channels before making its way to streaming services.

Streaming rights in the US are a little more complicated, as while Friends originally aired on NBC who now have their own Peacock streaming service, it was produced by Warner Bros, owners of HBO. As such, Friends moved from Netflix to HBO Max. And had the reunion special gone ahead, it would have been streamed on HBO Max as well.

Where can I watch The Office (US)?

You can watch The US Office on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Even if you were a fan of the UK original series from Ricky Gervais, there’s no denying that the US Office far surpassed the UK original, and remains one of the most rewatched series in the world. 

Like Friends, The Office first aired on NBC, and as such rights to the show have since returned to NBC in the US, and it was one of the headline shows when it first launched Peacock. 

Where can I watch The Handmaid's Tale?

The Handmaid’s Tale is available to stream on Channel4.com.

Channel 4 has had the exclusive rights to The Handmaid’s Tale since its first season and was the first to air season four in June 2021. You can watch new episodes on Channel4.com with ads, or you can catch up on all the previous seasons on Amazon Prime Video ad-free.

Where can I watch Killing Eve?

You can watch Killing Eve on BBC iPlayer.

Everyone’s favourite killer-for-hire, Killing Eve is a BBC America production and as such aired on BBC here in the UK. You can stream all the episodes on BBC iPlayer, or download and watch them all through your Sky Q set-top box.

Where can I watch Vikings?

All six seasons of Vikings are available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. Produced by History Channel, this somewhat biographical series follows the life and legacy of the legendary Norse hero, Ragnar Lothbrok. A combination of historically accurate timelines and slightly embellished personal storylines, Vikings was a great substitute for Game of Thrones, just with fewer dragons.

Where can I watch The Wire?

You can stream every episode of The Wire on NOW. 

The award-winning crime drama is one of the most revered and critically acclaimed TV shows of all time. It followed Detective James McNulty and his often-futile efforts to infiltrate a West Baltimore drug ring, and is also the show that made Idris Elba a household name.

Where can I watch Keeping up with the Kardashians?

You can stream all 20 seasons of Keeping Up With The Kardashians on NOW with a hayu TV membership.

Whether you love them, hate them, or love to hate them, the Kardashians revolutionised the world of reality TV. And even though their uniquely popular show has finally come to an end, you can always rewatch all the dramas that have taken place over the last 14 years.

How to cancel your streaming services

Once you’ve watched all your favourite shows, and if there’s nothing in particular you want to be able to stream from them for now, you can easily cancel your subscription to streaming services with just a few clicks. All the major streaming services offer flexible monthly subscriptions, so there’s no need to pay for a streaming service if you’re not using it right now.

Be sure to check back regularly though to see if there are new shows coming out that you could be missing out on.