This August, your favorite streaming services will soothe that ache in your soul for a new horror movie. Get ready to channel the screams from your laptop screens.
August has it all: from classic horror franchises like Hellraiser and Saw to modern horror movies that flipped the genre on its head, from nightmare-inducing dolls like Chucky to films inspired by folktales of old. So get that popcorn popped and settle in for a night of frights. Here are the best horror movies coming to Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime this August 2020.
Netflix
Elizabeth Harvest (August 1)
On August 1, Sebastian Gutierrez’s Elizabeth Harvest comes to Netflix. If you’re in the mood for a mind-bending good time, this sci-fi horror thriller flick is worth a watch.
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When newlywed Elizabeth arrives at her brilliant scientist husband’s vast estate, she imagines her life could not get any more luxurious. Her husband tells her that she can go anywhere she wants in the house—except one room. In this tale loosely inspired by the legend of Bluebeard, Elizabeth will learn why some doors should stay closed.
The Addams Family (August 1)
Call over Thing and tell Lurch to take a break on the organ: 1991's The Addams Family is hitting Netflix this month. Starring Anjelica Huston as Morticia, Raul Julia as Gomez, Christopher Lloyd as Uncle Fester, and Christina Ricci as Wednesday, this frightful and fun nineties horror comedy is definitely worth a rewatch this August.
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What Keeps You Alive (August 2)
This gripping survival thriller stars Hannah Emily Anderson and Brittany Allen. Jackie (Anderson) and Jules (Allen) are celebrating their first anniversary together at an isolated cabin in the woods. And what could go wrong at a cabin in the woods? From the jump, Jules senses something is off. Jackie's behavior is different, darker. When a childhood friend of Jackie's stops by for a visit, she speaks of a disturbing past that Jules knows nothing about. Is Jackie really the woman she claims herself to be? The tension mounts, and soon Jackie finds herself pitted against the woman she thought she loved in a terrifying fight for survival.
We Summon the Darkness (August 8)
Marc Meyers’ newest horror thriller We Summon the Darkness looks like it came straight out of the 80s, and with scares and screams like these, we’d believe it.
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Three best friends set out on a road trip to a heavy metal music festival. But when they meet some new friends who invite them back to their rural home for some after-party fun, things get bloody. Satanic murderers are on the loose, and they’ve already taken 18 lives. Tonight, they’re preparing to take more.
Scary Movie 5 (August 12)
As much as we love a good hair-raising horror movie, sometimes you need to cleanse your palate a bit with some laughs. With that in mind, Scary Movie 5 will hit Netflix on August 12.
Is Scary Movie 5 going to blow your mind? No, no it will not. The movie rocks a 4% critic score and 38% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Nevertheless, if you're looking to watch something silly and scary that's packed with winks to all your favorite classic horror movies, Scary Movie 5 is there.
1BR (August 23)
One of the buzziest horror movies of 2019,1BR will hit streaming on Netflix on August 23rd. And you’ll never look at your own neighbors the same again after watching this movie.
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When Sarah moves into her dream Hollywood apartment, finally ready to escape a terrible and painful past for good, she quickly sees that something is not quite right among her building’s residents. But by the time she finally realizes the truth, it may be too late to save herself.
Frozen Ground
This icy serial killer thriller stars Nicholas Cage and John Cusack and is inspired by the real-life murder spree of Alaska's Robert Hansen. Cage plays Alaskan State Trooper Jack Halcombe, a man who embarks on a dangerous manhunt through the wilds of Alaska to track down and stop serial killer Robert Hansen (Cusack) before the next body surfaces.
Hulu
Hellraiser (August 1)
This British supernatural horror movie sent shockwaves through the horror scene when it was released in 1987, introducing the world to Hell Priest cenobite, Pinhead. Based on writer-director Clive Barker’s very own novella The Hellbound Heart, the film spawned multiple sequels, and there's chatter that a reboot is on the way. In the meantime, you can catch the beginning of the Hellraiser franchise on Hulu beginning August 1.
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When Frank accidentally opens a portal to hell while tinkering with his brand-new puzzle box, he unleashes a deadly and destructive power upon himself. It isn’t until Frank’s brother and his wife move into Frank’s old home that they accidentally bring him back from the dead—well, what’s left of him anyway. And Frank is on a mission to see himself reconstructed, bit by horrifying bit.
Child's Play (August 1)
This horrifying film from 1988 introduced unsuspecting viewers to the terror that is Chucky. Now, he’ll scare a whole new generation of Hulu viewers beginning August 1.
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Young Andy Barclay thinks he just received the doll of his dreams; in truth, the plaything is his worst nightmare. Possessed by the spirit of a murderer, Chucky unleashes murder and mayhem on his new owners—all while skittering around in his little doll shoes and laughing like, well, a doll from hell.
Amazon Prime Video
My Bloody Valentine (August 1)
The terrifying Canadian slasher film finally comes to both Hulu and Amazon Prime on August 1, and you should prepare for classic and controversial frights.
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The tiny coal-mining town of Valentine’s Bluff has not seen a Valentine’s Day party in two decades. Why? Some twenty years ago, a deadly mining accident sent its sole survivor on a killing spree, warning that the town should never throw a Valentine’s celebration again. But when the town decides enough time has passed, they decide to throw a lovely little shindig. Bad move, Valentine's Bluff residents.
Saw Collection (August 1)
It's time to play a game. On August 1, you can stream the entire Saw franchise, from the grisly original to every single one of its follow-ups.
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Saw made a major impact on the horror genre upon its release in 2004, introducing us to the warped morality of the Jigsaw Killer. Each twisted game Jigsaw forced upon victims left viewers squirming in their seats, and brought more viewers into the theaters. The original Saw was a blockbuster horror hit, raking in $100 million worldwide. Now all eight Saw franchise flicks available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, you’ll be squirming into the couch cushions at home.
Featured still from "What Keeps You Alive" via Digital Interference Productions.
