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Shudder Has Announced This Year’s Chilling Halfway to Halloween Programming

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As a horror kid, few things excite me as much as the reveal of Shudder’s Halfway to Halloween programming every spring. While the streamer does a pretty excellent job of keeping us fed all year round, there is something magical about the creepy goodness they schedule to give us a little pick-me-up in the spring. This April’s programming is no exception. Our favorite app is gifting classics, new weird shit, and of course, the movies we grew up on that are not classics because the 1990s were just a couple of years ago. Trying to prioritize just five titles this month was hard, but I love a fun challenge and need to win at something. So, here’s what I have my little eye on. 

Dolly (2025)

A couple hiking through the woods get viciously attacked by a maternal and monstrous person who takes the woman captive. I caught Dolly at Fantastic Fest last year and had a good time with it. Max the Impaler plays our baddie, and they insert every frame with menace and terror. Give them more of these villains at the intersection of mean and WTF, please. Also, fellow 90s kids will get a kick out of seeing pieces of Seann William Scott in this film. I highly suspect Dolly will be one of the most talked-about additions to Shudder this month.

The Devils (1971)

17th-Century France is the setting for this tale of corruption, accusations of witchcraft, and chaos. I owe this Ken Russell film a rewatch because I don’t think I appreciated it enough while climbing up my walls during the 2021 quarantine. I remember the cute sandals and some of the vibes. However, I think I will be better able to get into this now that I can at least go outside. The world is still awful, but at least it’s a little less awful in that one regard. So, catch me watching this religious horror moment and catching that blasphemous energy this Easter.

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Tokyo Gore Police (2008)

A young woman joins a privatized police task force to track down her father’s killer. She also battles mutant engineers. Tokyo Gore Police has been on my watchlist forever, and I need to hit play while she’s on Shudder. All the correct people have told me it’s fantastic, and I am so ready to see it with my own eyeballs. I live for weird futuristic B-horror and international films, so this movie seems right on brand for me. I doubt I’ll do it with the Friday night watch party option, but I am definitely hitting play this April.

Luther the Geek (1989)

A merciless killer is set free on parole after serving twenty years and sets off on another killing spree. I love dark comedy and slashers, so it’s weird I have never heard of this movie. I don’t know what to expect from it and am hoping this is one of those times Shudder schools my ass. Whether it’s good or bad, I want to walk away feeling like it was worth the watch for whatever reason. If it can’t do that, then at least I get to cross another 1980s slasher off my list. So, wish me luck because I’m going in with medium-high hopes, friends.

Phantasm (1979)

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Two orphans and their friends meet the Tall Man and his arsenal of deadly weapons. Phantasm was not my franchise, but I will be damned if I don’t associate Halloween and horror with the Tall Man. Angus Scrimm is one of the few actors whose face I connect to horror much the way we do Robert Englund because of this series. Which makes sense for many people in my age group. After all, stylish grave robbers throwing deadly silver balls is what this genre was made for.  I am still hoping to see them all in order someday, and cannot deny the vibes of the installments I have watched.

These are just my top picks from what Shudder is offering this month. Take a gander at the full lineup below and see if something catches your eye. 

April 1

Ben (1972)
Blood for Dracula (1974)
The Boogeyman (1980)
The Crazies (1973)
Death Warmed Up (1984)
The Devils (1971)
Flesh of Frankenstein (1973)
House of Wax (2005)
Luther the Geek (1989)
Pumpkinhead (1988)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
Three…Extremes (2004)
Three (aka Three Extremes 2) (2002)
Troll (1986)
Troll 2 (1991)
Steppenwolf (2024)
Season of the Witch (1973)
Willard (1971)

April 3

Deathstalker (2025)

April 4

Phantasm: Remastered (1979)
Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994)
Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998)
Phantasm: Ravager (2016)

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9 April

Shiver (2012)
The Freakmaker (1974)

April 10

Somnium (2024)

April 15

Black Eyed Susan (2024) Check out our interview with the crew here!

April 16

The Terror: Devil in Silver (Sneak Peek)

April 17

Night Patrol (2025)

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April 20

Bridge to Nowhere (1986)

April 24

Dolly (2025)
The Last Drive-In With Joe Bob Briggs – Joe Bob’s Wicked Witchy Wingding
The Wailing (2024)

I hope the people at Shudder are having a great day because I know this lineup just made my month. Happy Halfway to Halloween, Ghouls!

Sharai is a writer, horror podcaster, freelancer, and recovering theatre kid. She is the host of the podcast of Nightmare On Fierce Street, one-half of Blerdy Massacre. She has bylines at Fangoria, HorrorBuzz, NightTide, and she is Co-EIC of Horror Movie Blog. She spends way too much time with her TV while failing to escape the Midwest. You can find her most days on Instagram and Twitter. However, if you do find her, she will try to make you watch some scary stuff.

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The Best Horror You Can Stream on Shudder in April 2026

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Shudder is still being coy about its Halfway to Halloween programming. Which means none of us know the full April line-up yet. However, that is not going to stop me from telling you what to watch on the app. I  have taken it upon myself to list five of my favorite movies on the streamer. These are movies I have not had the chance to gush about, as they are not new. Most of the five titles are Shudder Exclusives and/or Originals that are the reason I committed to the app. So, if we have similar tastes in films, you might dig some of these gems almost as much as I do. Get ready to laugh, cry, and sleep with the lights on because I have curated a very weird list of bangers you can stream now.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

A Jane Doe is rolled into a coroner’s office, where he and his son soon learn there is more to this murder victim than meets the eye. The Autopsy of Jane Doe is one of the scariest movies I have seen in my adult life. It is suspenseful, wicked, quiet, and unassuming. This witch is serving mystery, immaculate vibes, and the kind of chills we never get anymore. While I usually praise the acting when gushing about this creepy banger, it is the unsettling atmosphere that truly sends me to hell each watch. Do yourself a favor and hit play on Jane Doe this month while she is on Shudder. You’ve earned a nice waking nightmare, and this is the girl. Also, can Emile Hirsch please do more horror because he’s so damn good in this?

Scare Me (2020)

Two strangers tell each other stories in a secluded cabin during a power outage. Scare Me is one of the main reasons I started getting the yearly Shudder subscription. I describe it as a weird feminist love letter to theatre kids because it hit all of those parts of my brain. It is a clever way to pull off an indie anthology and was surprisingly laugh-out-loud funny. Also, Aya Cash wears an iconic sweater in this movie that will become your new personality. I love Werewolves Within and Heart Eyes. However, I am always telling the Josh Ruben stans they need to check out this gem. Scare Me is for the nerds like me and you (I am assuming if you’re reading all of this).

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The Dark and The Wicked (2020)

Two adult siblings head to their family’s secluded farmhouse because their father is dying. They soon discover their father’s impending death is the least of their worries when something evil begins tormenting them. Bryan Bertino screws with the rhythm of the scares, which amps up the creepiness of this terrifying tale. This movie also introduced most of us to Marin Ireland who is becoming a horror staple these days. This movie is a moment for so many reasons and I hope you remember to watch it with the lights off. Shudder fully snapped when they added The Dark and The Wicked to their library. There are so many disturbing moments that live rent-free in my brain, and I guess I am welcome.

Satan’s Slaves (2017)

Death is just the beginning for one mother. This Joko Anwar remake is one of the most chaotic things on Shudder. It is haunting, cool, and messy in the best ways. I take advantage of this movie and Satan’s Slaves 2: Communion being on the app and watch them back to back every year. If you somehow missed the Anwar fan wagon, you will want to have someone save you a seat for after you watch these movies. Satan’s Slaves is serving fucked up families, fuck them kids, and demons. What more could we possibly ask for in our cinema? I personally am still hoping we will get a third entry because I love this world so much.

Tigers Are Not Afraid (2017)

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A girl joins a group of street children after her mother disappears. Issa Lopez’s tragic tale is beautiful, upsetting, and so human it hurts. She wove magical realism and social commentary into what was the first Shudder film to make me cry. I was in no way ready for this devastating emotional journey, and I cannot recommend this title enough. Tigers Are Not Afraid introduced me to Lopez’s work and what a damn good way to get to know her as an artist. Brace yourselves for some crying, and thank me later.

Those are five of my favorite movies that happen to be on Shudder. They are all over the place, but excel in their lanes. They each remain some of my favorite titles on the beloved streamer, and I do not see that changing soon. Let us know your five favorite movies on Shudder in the comments.

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The Best Horror You Can Stream on Netflix in April 2026

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Netflix heard it was spring and broke out the good stuff. They are helping us throw off that winter sadness and get into that death business. Suns out, guns out…or however that saying goes. To be fair, the lineup has been pretty packed lately, which has resulted in a bottleneck in my Netflix queue. Admittedly, that is my favorite of all of my problems I have at the moment. But still, I must push forward because there is so much to catch up on. This is why most of my picks this month are titles that also have homework for me. Some are international, some are horror, and some are gangsters serving face. However, I am excited for each of them and so ready to tell you why I think they are the best bets this month.

So, hop into my mind palace and see what five Netflix goodies I am checking out this April.

The Best Movies to Stream on Netflix This Month

Death Whisperer (2023)

A man returns to his hometown and discovers his sister is suffering from a bizarre illness. This sounds like a possession film to me, and I am finally hitting play. I looked up one day and realized there were three of these films on Netflix. I am not a huge fan of franchises, but I know how most streamers treat films from Thailand. So, this one getting a whole trilogy seems like something I can get involved with. It is also set in 1972 and based on a novel, so the horror vibes will be immaculate. I also found out this was the first Thai movie to be shown in IMAX, and that is a very cool fact. Hopefully, it is as good as I need it to be.

The Green Knight (2021) 

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A24 adapted Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with Dev Patel. That is all I need to know to get me to sit at this knight’s round table. It is described as a dark fantasy, and I cannot believe I missed this when it came out. I am adding this to the list of things the pandemic took from me as I hit play. I might even have to watch this a couple of times…for research. Is that research looking at Dev Patel and bullying more friends into watching Monkey Man? Who can say?

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man (2026)

Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) is pulled back into the life he left behind to end it one way or the other. I am using this movie arriving on Netflix to force me to finally finish this binge that I keep pausing. I do not enjoy being the last person to finish Peaky Blinders. So, I know I would hate not being one of the first people to hit play when it hits the streamers. Aside from thirsting over Murphy, this movie looks sick. It also gives my couch potato heart the promise of closure that I am not sure the show had the chance to give to fans who watched it in real time. So, this is one of those times being late works in my favor. Sorry to everyone who had to wait an eternity for this while I just hop into the express lane.

Re/Member: The Last Night (2025) 

Six high school students are forced to break a curse in order to escape a deadly time loop. Re/Member has been on my list since it landed on Netflix. It is a Japanese horror based on a popular manga about kids dying in a time loop. So, all those words lead me to believe this is my kind of party. However, I never got around to it and am so ashamed. Which is why I’m double-focusing on both movies this month. I hope they give me nightmares because that is the only way I will learn my lesson. I also just really miss horror movies that are actually scary.

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That Night (2026) 

A single mother gets entangled with a murder, and her sister’s attempts to help backfire. This limited series is a Spanish Netflix Original, and it looks fun. Listen! I also firmly believe in supporting women in crime, and I get the impression this group will commit at least a couple of crimes. I am ready for some murder, secrets, drama, and thrills! This winter was rough and I want to feel alive this April. I am hoping that this might be the binge to do it. Wish me luck and I will see you on the other side!

I know it is no surprise that I will be avoiding the outdoors this month. However, I appreciate Netflix for making it easy for me. Why would I go anywhere when I have these titles at home? Thanks for reading my thoughts on all these things I hope I like. Feel free to let us know what you’re watching this month in the comments.

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