Shudder Announces 61 Days of Halloween 2020 Programming

AMC’s horror streaming service Shudder is taking Halloween programming to a new level this year with their 61 Days of Halloween event starting on September 1 and running all the way through October 31.

The two-month celebration will feature weekly original/exclusive movie premieres, a new The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs Halloween special, a collection of unforgettable chillers from the “master of mayhem” Vincent Price, a third installment of holiday favorite The Ghoul Log (pictured above), the return of the Shudder Halloween Hotline, and 61 days of daily recommendations from Shudder curator Sam Zimmerman.

“We usually call October our ‘Super Bowl month’ but this year we’re starting on Sept. 1,” Shudder General Manager Craig Engler said in a press release, “so the 61 Day of Halloween will be our Super Bowl combined with Mardi Gras and Christmas We start on day one with one of the biggest horror movies of the year, Nicolas Cage in Richard Stanley’s mind-bending Color Out of Space – no less than the best cinematic adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft ever – and roll on through to Halloween with a big premiere every week. And then we’re going to finish October with a surprise that will have horror fans everywhere talking.”

That big surprise at the end of October definitely has our attention. Read on for some of the Halloween programming highlights, with a major, extra-creepy surprise (or maybe two or three) still to come.

COLOR OUT OF SPACE — September 1

After a meteorite lands in the front yard of their farm, Nathan Gardner and his family find themselves battling a mutant extraterrestrial organism as it infects their minds and bodies, transforming their quiet rural life into a living nightmare. Based on the classic H.P. Lovecraft short story, adapted and directed by Richard Stanely. STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Joely Richardson, Madeleine Arthur, Brendan Meyer, Julian Hilliard, Elliott Knight, Josh C. Waller, Q’orianka Kilcher, Tommy Chong. A SHUDDER EXCLUSIVE.

NOS4A2 Season 2 — binge release September 10

NOS4A2’s second season picks up eight years after the events of season one. Vic McQueen (rising star Ashleigh Cummings) remains more determined than ever to destroy Charlie Manx (Emmy®-nominated actor and producer Zachary Quinto). Charlie, having faced his own mortality, emerges desperate for revenge against Vic. This time, he sets his sights on the person who means most to Vic – her eight-year-old son Wayne. The race for Wayne’s soul sends Vic and Charlie on a high-speed collision course, forcing both to confront the mistakes of their pasts in order to secure a hold on Wayne’s future. The series also stars Jahkara Smith, Olafur Darri Olafsson, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Virginia Kull, Jonathan Langdon, Ashley Romans, Jason David and Mattea Conforti. Based on Joe Hill’s best-selling novel of the same name, NOS4A2 is executive produced by showrunner Jami O’Brien (Fear the Walking Dead) and Hill. (Also available on Shudder Canada.)

SPIRAL — September 17

Malik (Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, American Horror Story), and Aaron (Ari Cohen, It: Chapter Two), a same-sex couple, move to a small town in search of a better environment for them and their 16-year-old daughter (Jennifer Laporte, Web of Dreams). But nothing is as it seems as something sinister lies behind the picturesque homes and welcoming faces of their new neighbors. With Ty Wood, Chandra West and Lochlyn Munroe. Written by Colin Minihan (writer of the Shudder Original Z and the upcoming new Urban Legend) and John Poliquin, directed by Kurtis David Harder (Summerland). A SHUDDER ORIGINAL. (Also available on Shudder UK and Shudder ANZ.)

VEROTIKA — September 24

Experience an odyssey into the mind of rock legend Glenn Danzig (The Misfits, Danzig) in his directorial debut, a creepy, surreal, and bloody trilogy of erotic horror stories that critics have called “absolutely bonkers” (Rolling Stone), “a new cult horror favorite” (Bloody Disgusting) with the AV Club saying “everyone should get the chance to see what Danzig’s ego hath wrought…All I want to do is watch this movie again, with as many of my friends as I can assemble.” Starring Ashley Wisdom, Rachel Alig, Alice Tate), Kayden Kross , Scotch Hopkins, Sean Kanan and Natalia Borowsky. Directed by Glenn Danzig. A SHUDDER EXCLUSIVE. (Also available on Shudder Canada, Shudder UK and Shudder ANZ.)

SCARE ME — October 1

Sundance 2020 Official Selection. During a power outage, two strangers tell scary stories. The more Fred and Fanny commit to their tales, the more the stories come to life in the dark of a Catskills cabin. The horrors of reality manifest when Fred confronts his ultimate fear: Fanny may be the better storyteller. Starring Aya Cash, Josh Ruben and Chris Redd. Directed by Josh Ruben. A SHUDDER ORIGINAL. (Also available on Shudder Canada, Shudder UK and Shudder ANZ.)

THE VINCENT PRICE COLLECTION — available October 1

Terror, thy name is Price! In film history, few actors have been as closely associated with horror as Vincent Price, and for good reason. Price presented a unique brand of intelligence and refinement underscored with a delight in the macabre and a touch of madness. This Halloween, we are thrilled (and
chilled) to present five classic films starring “the Merchant of Menace.” Featuring three of Price’s acclaimed Edgar Allan Poe films directed by Roger Corman – House of Usher, The Masque of the Red Death, and The Tomb of Ligeia – along with Theater of Blood (co-starring Diana Rigg) and The Monster Club (premiering Oct. 5) with John Carradine and Donald Pleasance. (Also available on Shudder Canada.)

‘REVENGE OF THE GHOUL LOG’ — October 1

The “Ghoul Log” is Halloween’s answer to the Christmas Yule Log: a 24/7 streaming jack-o’-lantern providing the perfect ambience for all your Halloween festivities. Fan favorites The Ghoul Log and Return of the Ghoul Log are back, along with a spooky new edition for 2020.

THE CLEANSING HOUR — October 8

Max and Drew are millennial entrepreneurs who’ve made themselves famous with a webcast they created called “The Cleansing Hour,” which streams live exorcisms. The catch? Each ceremony is elaborately staged to look real in order to dupe their global audience—until today, when today’s subject, Drew’s fiancé, actually turns out to be possessed. Starring Ryan Guzman, Kyle Gallner, Alix Angelis. Directed by Damien LeVeck. A SHUDDER ORIGINAL. (Also available on Shudder Canada, Shudder UK and Shudder ANZ.)

THE MORTUARY COLLECTION — October 15

A young drifter applies for a job at the local mortuary and meets an eccentric mortician who chronicles the strange history of the town through a series of twisted tales, each more terrifying than the last. Starring Clancy Brown, Caitlin Custer, Barak Hardley, Christine Kilmer and Jacob Elordi. Directed by Ryan Spindell. A SHUDDER ORIGINAL. (Also available on Shudder Canada, Shudder UK and Shudder ANZ.)

32 MALASANA STREET — October 22

It’s 1976. The Olmedo family has left the countryside for a new life in Madrid. But their new home becomes a house of horrors in this hit supernatural thriller based on actual paranormal events. Starring Begoña Vargas, Iván Marcos, Bea Segura, Sergio Castellanos, José Luis de Madariaga, Iván Renedo, Javier Botet. Directed by Alberto Pintó. A SHUDDER EXCLUSIVE. (Also available on Shudder Canada, Shudder UK and Shudder ANZ.)

JOE BOB HALLOWEEN 2020 SPECIAL (working title) — October 23 at 9pm ET

In what has become an annual tradition, iconic horror host and exploitation movie expert Joe Bob Briggs returns with a special The Last Drive-In double feature just in time for Halloween, premiering live on the Shudder TV feed. You’ll have to tune in to find out what movies Joe Bob has selected, but you can count on something scary and perfect for the season.

MAY THE DEVIL TAKE YOU TOO — October 29

Timo Tjahjanto has made a name for himself as one of the world’s most exciting horror directors, with standout segments in anthology films The ABCs of Death and V/H/S/ 2, and features like supernatural thrill ride May the Devil Take You and action extravaganza The Night Comes for Us. Now Tjahjanto returns with a sequel to his unforgettable 2018 hit. Two years after escaping from demonic terror, a young woman is still haunted by unnatural visions. The dangers that await her and her friends are increasingly threatening: the figure of darkness rises to take their lives. Starring Chelsea Islan, Widika Sidmore, Baskara Mahendra and Hadijah Shahab. Directed by Timo Tjahjanto. A SHUDDER ORIGINAL. (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK.)

HALLOWEEN HOTLINE — Every Friday in October

For the second year in a row, Shudder’s head curator, Samuel Zimmerman, will be offering callers live, personalized picks for what to watch. Movie lovers from around the world are invited to call Sam (via a new number to be announced) every Friday in October from 3-4pm ET and tell him about their mood or taste. From that information, Sam will use his horror knowledge to pick films from Shudder’s vast library custom-suited for them. (Read a recap of last year’s hotline recommendations.) We can’t promise every call will be answered, but Sam will get to as many as he can during each hour. While the recommendations are provided for free, please note that normal phone and long-distance charges may apply.

For more Halloween news, follow @HalloweenDaily.

Matt Artz

Founded Halloween Daily News in 2012 and the Halloween International Film Festival in 2016. Professional writer/journalist/photographer since 2000.