Welcome to October, the month when we revel in the eerie and mysterious. Halloween is on the horizon, and we’ve got a thrilling lineup of horror and thriller movies released in 2023 that are sure to send shivers down your spine. What makes these films even more exceptional is that they celebrate the often-underappreciated talent of Black and Brown actors, directors, and writers in the world of horror and thriller cinema.
While the horror genre has always been a source of spine-tingling excitement, it’s also an arena where Black creativity has sometimes been overlooked. In our selection, you’ll find a diverse range of narratives, from psychological thrillers to supernatural horrors, including fresh faces taking on re-imagined stories in franchise films.
READ: Countdown to Halloween: 31 Best Movies to Watch All October Long
As we anticipate Halloween and journey through this month, we invite you to watch all these films included in our selection of horror/thriller movies released in 2023. Prepare to be thrilled, entertained, and, above all, to appreciate the rich and often overlooked creativity of Black and Brown voices in the world of cinematic suspense.
Oracle
The storyline revolves around a young woman who accepts a job on a property with a traumatic past. Upon her arrival, she soon realizes that the nightmares of her childhood are connected to the evil lurking within the house.
Angry Black Girl and Her Monster
It explores the idea that death is a disease that can be cured, through the story of Vicaria, a brilliant teenager who embarks on a dangerous journey to bring her murdered brother back to life.
Where to Watch: AMC+, YouTube The Roku Channel
Jagged Mind
The Psychological horror/thriller follows a woman plagued by blackouts and strange visions discovers she’s stuck in a series of time loops, possibly related to her mysterious new girlfriend.
Where to Watch: Hulu
The Strays
Neve (Ashley Madekwe) is a biracial upper-class woman leading an idyllic life with her family. As a socialite in her community and the deputy headmistress of a private school, Neve’s privileged life is jeopardized when her troubled past resurfaces to undermine everything she has built.
Where to Watch: Netflix
M3Gan
Written by Akela Cooper, M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a lifelike doll that’s programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally. Designed by Gemma, a brilliant roboticist, M3GAN can listen, watch and learn as it plays the role of friend and teacher, playmate and protector. When Gemma becomes the unexpected caretaker of her 8-year-old niece, she decides to give the girl an M3GAN prototype, a decision that leads to unimaginable consequences.
Where to Watch: Prime Video
The Mill
Howery portrays Joe, a rising star at Mallard, a mega-corporation even more influential than Amazon and Apple combined. However, Joe’s life takes a harrowing turn when he wakes up in an open-air prison cell, devoid of any memory of his arrival. Strangely, this prison cell centers around an archaic grist mill. Surrounded by mysterious screams in the dark and whispers from unseen inmates, Joe comes to a chilling realization: Mallard operates this prison, and he is part of some sinister “Advanced Career Training” program. Accused of underperforming, Joe must operate the grist mill daily to meet a quota or face dire consequences.
Where to Watch: Hulu, Oct 9
Fear
In this psychological horror film, a group of friends gather for a much-needed weekend getaway at a remote and historic hotel. Celebration turns into terror as one by one, each guest faces their own worst fear.
Where to Watch: Starz
Talk to Me
When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits with an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill and high-stakes party game — until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.
Where to Watch: In theaters/VOD
The Exorcist: Believer
When his daughter, Angela (Lidya Jewett), and her friend Katherine, show signs of demonic possession, it unleashes a chain of events that forces single father Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom) to confront the nadir of evil. Terrified and desperate, he seeks out Chris MacNeil, the only person alive who’s witnessed anything like it before.
Where to Watch: In theaters (OCT 6)
The Nun II
Written by Akela Cooper and starring Storm Reid, The Nun II is the sequel to the 2018 supernaturel horror. Set in 1956 France, a priest is violently murdered, and Sister Irene begins to investigate. She once again comes face-to-face with a powerful evil.
Where to Watch: In theaters
The Last Voyage of the Demeter
Led by Corey Hawkins, the crew of the merchant ship Demeter attempts to survive the ocean voyage from Carpathia to London as they are stalked each night by a merciless presence onboard the ship.
Where to Watch: VOD
The Reading
Emma Leeden details the loss of her family in her new book “Invasion.” To generate press, she agrees to a staged reading by Sky Brown in her fortified home. But Sky’s spiritual connection is real and evil emerges in a house they can’t get out of.
Where to Watch: BET Plus
Malum
A rookie cop (Jessica Sula) takes the last shift at a decommissioned police station where members of a cult committed suicide years prior. When she begins experiencing paranormal occurrences throughout the night, she begins to uncover the truth about the cult and its connection to her family’s past.
Where to Watch: VOD
Comedy/Horror
We Have a Ghost
The discovery that their house is haunted by a ghost named Ernest makes Kevin’s family a social media sensation. But when Kevin and Ernest get to the bottom of the mystery of Ernest’s past, they become targets of the CIA.
Where to Watch: Netflix
The Haunted Mansion
Directed by Justin Simien, w woman and her son enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters.
Where to Watch: Disney+
The Blackening
The Blackening centers around a group of Black friends who reunite for a Juneteenth weekend getaway only to find themselves trapped in a remote cabin with a twisted killer. Forced to play by his rules, the friends soon realize this ain’t no motherf****** game. The Blackening skewers genre tropes and poses the sardonic question: if the entire cast of a horror movie is Black, who dies first?
Where to Watch: Hulu
Message From the Founder (Me):
As a one-person team working hard to create quality content and celebrate the beauty and diversity of Black culture, I rely on the support of people like you. If you believe in what Blex Media stands for and enjoy the content I produce, please consider donating a cup of coffee. Your contribution helps me keep the site running will enable me to expand my team and improve Blex’s platform. Thank you for being a part of the Blex community!
-Sharifa