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Halloween 2022 is one of the most anticipated dates this year, owing to the increased number of horror releases. While the horror genre has shifted from jump scares to slow-burn horror, as evidenced by the television series The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor, horror film franchises with over-the-top music and jump scares continue to exist.
The Halloween franchise is one of the most successful horror and slasher franchises to emerge from Hollywood, making it an ideal binge watch this Halloween 2022. So far, there have been 12 films in the franchise, with the 13th film, Halloween Ends, set to be released in theatres and on Peacock simultaneously on Friday, October 14, 2022.
While Midnight Mass, Hush, The Conjuring, and Insidious are among the most popular modern horror shows and movies, Halloween 2022 calls for some long-running film franchises that fans have loved for decades.
Here's a list of horror film franchises to watch this Halloween 2022.
5 horror movie series to watch this Halloween 2022
1) A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Nightmare on Elm Street is a masterful slasher horror film that paved the way for both genres for decades to come. A Nightmare on Elm Street, the first film in the franchise, was released in 1984.
A Nightmare on Elm Street's treatment of the lines between dreams and reality, societal moral standards, and vengeance is philosophically rooted. These themes pervade all nine films and find resonance in each new character introduced in the franchise. The antagonistic character, Freddy Krueger, appears in all of the films, making him a pop culture icon among horror fans.
The film shares many similarities with the first film in the Halloween franchise in terms of horror tropes. The franchise has nine films in total, the most recent of which was released in 2010. A must watch for Halloween 2022.
2) Evil Dead
With only four films, Evil Dead is a relatively short franchise, but its impact on the genre was just as strong as the other franchises. The plot revolves around five college students who, while on vacation, play a tape that summons demonic spirits. When four of the friends become possessed by evil, the fifth is forced to witness the carnage while attempting to flee the gore.
The first Evil Dead was released in 1982 and directed by Sam Raimi. The film was critically and commercially successful upon its initial release, and it went on to become a genre classic among fans. Evil Dead also introduced some novel tropes that were widely adopted by subsequent horror films.
While the franchise has four films, not all of them are consistent because some were also made into black comedies.
3) Scream
Despite being a slasher film rather than a horror film, Scream, inspired a slew of well-made horror films. The mask of the killer in Scream became a popular image in modern culture because it was inspired by Edvard Munch's painting The Scream.
The first film, released in 1996, was the highest-grossing slasher film of all time. It remained that way until 2018, surviving the test of time. The first film follows Sidney, who is haunted by a masked killer and seeks police assistance when the killer, known as Ghostface, refuses to back down. The franchise consists of five films, as well as a television show based on the story.
4) Candyman
Candyman is based on the legend of an artist who was murdered. Candyman, unlike the other films on this list, did not achieve commercial success right away. However, the original film aged like fine wine over time.
Candyman was adapted into four films, the most recent of which was released in 2021. However, none of the sequels achieved the same cult status as the original. Candyman, the first film, was released in 1992 and follows Helen, who is intrigued by the Candyman legend and ends up summoning him.
The film was directed by Bernard Rose and stars Tony Todd in the lead. The Candyman is an intriguing take on the age-old urban legend, making it a fun watch for Halloween 2022.
5) Halloween
Halloween is another film franchise that forever altered the horror genre. The first film was released in 1978 and is credited with inspiring the majority of the other franchises on the list. A Nightmare on Elm Street, in particular, is heavily influenced by the Halloween franchise.
The film starred Jamie Lee Curtis, who went on to earn the name of 'Scream Queen', owing to her roles in slasher films. Halloween was Curtis' first film. She starred in six other films from the franchise, all of them being a perfect pick for this Halloween 2022.
The franchise follows Michael Myers, who escapes from a mental institution after murdering his sister at the age of six to stalk a babysitter named Laurie Strode. Halloween Ends, the thirteenth film in the franchise, delves into her life as a grandmother who is still terrified of Myers.
Halloween Ends will be released in theaters and on Peacock, on Saturday, October 14, ahead of Halloween 2022.
