Creepiest Movie and TV Series of 2022

Tim Burton’s Wednesday follows the oddly macabre Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) as she navigates the complicated life of a teenager at Nevermore Academy, keeping up with her usual creepy antics. As she attends the gothic-clad high school, she learns the full extent of her psychic powers and intends to solve the town’s mysterious killing sprees while delving into her own Addams family history. Wednesday will be released on Netflix Nov. 23.

Horror legend Nick Castle returns to the big screen as Michael Myers to bring us the final installment in the Halloween saga. Myers, the quiet psychotic evil from 1978, comes back…again… to torment Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her granddaughter, Allyson (Andi Matichak) after the town descends into chaos over the wrongful death of a child. Halloween Ends was released in theaters on Oct. 14 and is available for pay to stream on Peacock. 

Brad Dourif has been the voice of Chucky throughout the entire franchise and continues to do so for season 2 of Chucky. On the show, Chucky has voodoo on his side, which won't allow him to die, as he has replicated his soul into multiple dolls in order to torment Andy and Jennifer Tilly's character, Tiffany from the original Child's Play and Bride of Chucky, respectively, as well three teens that are trapped at a religious boarding school. Chucky season 2 was released on Oct. 5 and is streaming on Peacock and YouTube TV.

Smile chronicles the life of Professor Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon), who witnesses the suicide of one of her patients after they claimed to be the only one that could see a demon that mutates the faces of the people around her into a sadistic and vicious smile. As Rose begins to experience the full extent of this demonic possession, she learns that making a horrific decision is the only way to end the terror. Smile was released in theaters on Sept. 30.

In the new Hellraiser, Jamie Clayton plays a Cenobite, a supernatural being who takes anyone away who cracks the code for this ancient puzzle box. Cenobites used to be people who that once cracked the code to the puzzle, but they have become demons or angels – depending on the way you look at it – taking away whoever dares to give the puzzle box a go. Hellraiser premiered on Sept. 28 and is now streaming on Hulu.

Bill Skarsgård plays Keith in Barbarian, a stranger staying in an Airbnb. It's raining and late at night when Tess arrives at her Airbnb and realizes that Keith is there already. Against her gut feeling, she stays the night anyway and things start to get weird when Keith suspiciously disappears in the middle of the night. Tess finds a secret door in the basement where she discovers Keith crawling on the floor. The nightmare doesn't end when Keith is dragged away in the dark tunnel through the basement. Barbarian was released on Sept. 9 and will begin streaming on HBO on Oct. 25.

Thomas Doherty plays Walter De Ville in The Invitation, a rich and charming gentleman who tries to trick Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel) into marrying him for more evil reasons. De Ville wants to host a big party for his guests, but it ends up being more than it seems. Evie finds out that not everyone is who they appear to be and that the party is much more of a ritual than a lavish event. The Invitation premiered on Aug. 26 and you can pay to stream. 

Jordan Peele helmed Nope, an American neo-Western science fiction horror film that has twists and humor to break up the frights. The film follows what appears to be a UFO terrorizing OJ and Emerald Haywood (Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer), but is actually something much more frightening and hungry. Nope was released on July 22 and is available to purchase to stream. 

Director Alex Garland pushes the envelope of our perception of what a creepy horror villain can look like as he puts Harper Marlowe (Jessie Buckley) against a countryside town filled with men, played by Rory Kinnear, that all look strangely similar. Her holiday goes awry as the men begin to change and become something much more sinister. Men was released on May 20 and is available for pay to stream.

Mia Goth plays a dual role in Ti West’s X – a thrill ride blast from the past set in 1979 Texas. MaXXXine (Goth) and her castmates are a young group of filmmakers who are bent on making it big in the pornographic film industry, but plans are unpinned when the elderly owners of the dilapidated ranch witness filming in action. After seeing the indecent act, Pearl (Goth) makes sure that the group is punished for their sin. X was released on March 18 and is now available to stream on Showtime. 

Sebastian Stan appears to be an attractive single guy who’s ready to date, but is actually a sadistic cannibal who lures women in by playing all the right cards before he invites them on a weekend getaway. Fresh was released on March 4 and is streaming on Hulu.

Keeping true to the original, but adding modern elements, Paramount Pictures’ Scream begins with the iconic Ghostface Killer texting Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) and unlocking the doors of her parents' smart home while they are away. This classic slasher then reveals the next victim of his most recent reign of terror, her boyfriend, who is tied to a chair just outside her home. A terrified Tara proceeds to answer trivia about horror movies in an attempt to save her loved one, but his fate has already been sealed. Scream released Jan.14 is now streaming on Showtime.