Welcome to Horror Explorer, a curated column showcasing the month’s best movies, series, books and everything else spooky worth checking out. I’m William Earl, the executive digital director of Variety and the publication’s resident horror enthusiast. Please drop me a line at wearl@variety.com if there’s something I should check out for next month’s missive.

More from Variety

Marquee Madness

“Black Phone 2” (In theaters Oct. 17 via Universal Pictures) — Ethan Hawke’s murderous Grabber channels Freddy Krueger in a sequel that allows the dead killer to attack through dreams. Scott Derrickson’s gorgeously shot film takes advantage of its wintry setting to make a spooky, desolate tale.

“Frankenstein” (In select theaters Oct. 17 via Netflix; will debut on Netflix on Nov. 7) — Guillermo del Toro’s big budget adaptation of the classic tale features Oscar Isaac as the ambitious doctor and Jacob Elordi as the undead creation. Mia Goth, Charles Dance and Christoph Waltz also star in the lush gothic film.

“Bugonia” (In theaters Oct. 24 via Focus Features) — Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest mind-twisting film stars frequent collaborator Emma Stone as a high-powered CEO who is kidnapped by a pair of conspiracy theorists who believe she is an alien. Expect another visually-dynamic stunner, enhanced by performances from Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias and Alicia Silverstone.

Off the Beaten Path

“Chain Reactions” (Now in theaters via Dark Sky) — This documentary about “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” and its impact features unique analysis from Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Stephen King and Karyn Kusama.

“Bone Lake” (In theaters Oct. 3 via Bleecker Street) — Mercedes Bryce Morgan’s sexy and bloody mystery is filled with twists and turns, as two couples accidentally book the same Airbnb together and begin uncovering dark secrets. Joshua Friedlander’s script has some nasty surprises in for audiences that will hit especially hard on the big screen.

“Coyotes” (In theaters Oct. 3 via Aura Entertainment) — Real-life married couple Justin Long and Kate Bosworth star in this horror-comedy about a wacky cast of characters who get surrounded by bloodthirsty wolves closing in on a wealthy cluster of Hollywood Hills mansions. The gore and laughs are supplemented by some emotional beats courtesy of the starring couple.

“V/H/S/Halloween” (Debuting Oct. 3 on Shudder) — The anthology series tackles spooky season with a new collection of short films from contributors like “REC” co-director Paco Plaza, “Too Many Cooks” mastermind Casper Kelly and “Her Smell” director Alex Ross Perry.

“Good Boy” (In theaters Oct. 3 via Independent Film Company and Shudder) — A haunted mystery from the perspective of a very cute dog, it’s no surprise that the trailer for this indie film went viral. Come for the creative concept, stay for the surprisingly emotional twists and turns.

“Deathstalker” (In theaters Oct. 10 via Shout! Studios) — “Psycho Goreman” and “Frankie Freako” director Steven Kostanski helms this remake of the fantasy cult classic, which now stars Daniel Bernhardt as the titular badass. Expect plenty of epic creature fights and gory swordplay.

“Shelby Oaks” (In theaters Oct. 24 via Neon) — YouTube film critic Chris Stuckmann delivers his buzzy directorial debut. The story of a woman searching for her long-lost sister and the sinister forces that may have caused her disappearance, “Oaks” is sly, creative and features some great scares.

“Queens of the Dead” (In theaters Oct. 24 via Independent Film Company and Shudder) — Tina Romero takes her late father’s legacy series for a spin, setting a zombie outbreak movie at a party filled with drag queens and queer friends. Katy O’Brian, Jaquel Spivey, Riki Lindhome, Jack Haven and Cheyenne Jackson lead a dynamic cast.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.