Halloween 2020 is fast approaching, and as any big fan of the holiday knows, it's never too early to start celebrating. That's why Netflix has released its annual "Netflix and Chills" programming lineup, a packed list of movies and television shows to watch during a horror fan's favorite time of the year. The collection spans new releases not only for the month of October but for September, as well, meaning that those looking to get into the spirit of the season can start immediately.
No doubt inspired by the popularity of its foreign releases, the streaming giant plans to add a healthy chunk of international horror films this year. It's an exciting opportunity for American audiences to discover the rich horror traditions of other countries and cultures, and perhaps even find brand new ways to freak themselves out. There's no Stranger Things releasing in 2020, but instead, Netflix is debuting what are sure to be television juggernauts in their own right.
Although Netflix and Chills is comprised of original content distributed exclusively by the streaming service, Netflix is also releasing a handful of older horror movies it has received licensing rights for. The result is quite a diverse list of options that travel well outside the strict confines of the horror genre. The list below includes both original programming and third-party licensed content.
#Alive - September 8
American audiences embraced the magic of South Korean zombie movies after Train to Busan became a sensational hit, so it's comforting to know that there are more on the way for those looking to further explore this world. Utilizing the present wave of video game live-streamers as its background story, Train to Busan sequel, Peninsula.
The Babysitter: Killer Queen - September 10
The Babysitter: Killer Queen, the sequel to the 2017 horror-comedy The Babysitter, doesn't feature scream queen Samara Weaving in a starring role, but it does one-up the wild energy from its predecessor. Cole, still played by Judah Lewis from the first entry, struggles with his traumatic experiences but must re-live his nightmare when he finds himself faced against his enemies once again. That sounds like a generic horror sequel description, but the film's high-octane comedy makes it stand out as wackier, full of twists, and, for some, perhaps even more fun than the original.
The Paramedic - September 16
This Spanish psychological thriller, The Paramedic, looks to be a juicy exploration of toxic masculinity as the battery that powers revenge. The film follows a man named Angel (Mario Casas) who is confined to a wheelchair as his depression spirals into a rage at those he feels have wronged him in life. Straight in his crosshairs is his partner, Vane (Deborah Francois), who he suspects is betraying him. Considering the sizeable bucket of revenge thrillers that portray women as vengeful scorned lovers, it might be refreshing to see one that reverses gender roles.
Ratched - September 18
One of the biggest releases in the Netflix and Chills lineup, Ratched is the prequel to both the novel and the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The series is produced by Ryan Murphy, known for his prolific line of hit shows that include horror names like American Horror Story and Scream Queens, and stars critically acclaimed Murphy-collaborator Sarah Paulson. She's the main draw here, hyping audiences who are eagerly anticipating to see how her performance will stack up the legendary Louise Fletcher. Ratched is an origin story for the cruel and domineering Nurse Mildred Ratchet, a caretaker at a mental hospital who uses her position of power to abuse and exploit her patients.
La Revolution - Unspecified October Date
A period drama with a grisly twist, La Revolution is about a disease that infects the elite class of during the time of the French Revolution, leading them to murder those underneath them. The French television series sounds like it will use its alternative history setting to comment on modern socio-economic inequalities, and has the potential to be a sleeper hit. There's no confirmed date set for its release, though, so be on the lookout during the month of October.
Oktoberfest: Beer & Blood - October 1
Moving over to , Netflix will also debut a period piece mini-series centering on organized crime's intrusion into the brewery industry during the year 1900. The story is also a tale of star-crossed lovers, a poor brewer's son and a rich mobster's daughter, who must face the cunning wrath of the head of the criminal group trying to gain control of Munich's beer-making operations. Although it doesn't sound like it's necessarily a horror series, Oktoberfest sounds like it will still feature plenty of murder and suspense.
A.M.I - October 1
Crossing Black Mirror with B-movie conventions, A.M.I. was released last year in 2019, and follows the murder rampage of a girl obsessed with an artificial intelligence app on her phone. The reviews, which describe the film as packed to the brim with melodrama and way-too-serious social commentary, were largely negative. However, it also sounds like an entertainingly wild schlockfest that some horror fans so desperately crave.
Cape Fear - October 1
The brutally uncomfortable and disturbingly suspenseful thriller from Martin Scorsese, Cape Fear is set to make its way to Netflix at the beginning of the month. Undoubtedly one of the legendary director's more psychologically terrifying endeavors, Cape Fear is a remake of the 1962 film of the same name about a convicted rapist (Robert De Niro) who hunts down the defense attorney he blames for his sentencing.
House of 1,000 Corpses - October 1
Rob Zombie's gore-soaked ode to 1970s killer hillbilly exploitation movies will arrive on Netflix just in time for the Halloween season. House of 1000 Corpses splits audiences between those that revel in Zombie's unflinching embrace of grindhouse-style violence and mayhem and those that think his style is a cheesy pastiche of superior material, but it's essential viewing for any horror fan who's into cannibalistic families and backwoods psychos.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle - October 1
Netflix introduced audiences to author Shirley Jackson with The Haunting of Hill House, a modern-day adaptation of one of her most famous works, and it continues to provide content capturing the writer's hauntingly Gothic style with We Have Always Lived in the Castle. The novel and the film focus on an eighteen-year-old girl, played by American Horror Story alum Taissa Farmiga, isolated in her country estate with her sister and uncle after a family tragedy. The novel is Jackson's last published work and is a reflection of her crippling social anxiety, ripe material for the emotional pain and beauty of Gothic fiction.
