Can you believe it’s August already? Me neither, but I’m happy to report it’s a great month for horror movies across the best streaming services.
Whether you’re after nineties classics or critically-acclaimed new releases, I’ve found seven of the best horror movies you can stream throughout the month. Oh, and there are clowns, lots of clowns.
If you’re planning a theater trip instead, don’t forget to check out our new movies roundup for the biggest and best titles coming this year.
Anaconda
When: August 1
Where: Netflix (US); Rent or buy (UK, AU)
If you’re scared of snakes, you might want to sit this one out. Or if you’re feeling brave, it’s now streaming on Netflix.
The iconic 1997 movie focuses on a documentary film crew in the Amazon rainforest that is led by a snake hunter. The hunter is looking for a giant, legendary green anaconda, and of course, nothing could possibly go wrong here.
With the right mix of action and horror, US audiences are in for a treat. Sadly, it’s not streaming in other territories right now.
Final Destination Bloodlines
When: August 1
Where: HBO Max (US); Rent or buy (UK, AU)
HBO Max remains an excellent place to find all the latest horror movies. Their newest addition is Final Destination Bloodlines, a sequel that has left fans seriously impressed.
Over the years, the franchise has seen mixed Rotten Tomatoes scores, and everyone has their own thoughts on which movie is the best. Currently, Bloodlines is the highest of the bunch with an impressive 93% on the Tomatometer.
Following on from the other plots, this one centers on a college student who is plagued by a violent and recurring nightmare. So she tries to stop the cycle of death and save her loved ones. Final Destination fans know this setup well, and you’re in for a grisly treat.
Happy Death Day
When: August 1
Where: Peacock (US); Netflix (UK); Stan (AU)
Time loop movies have been done to death (excuse the pun) after Groundhog Day, but Happy Death Day is a solid take on reliving the same day over and over.
Here, we follow a college student who is murdered on the night of her birthday, but begins to relive the day again and again. In an attempt to break the loop and get her life back, she uses these resets to try and track down the killer.
The sequel, Happy Death Day 2U, is just as good, but unfortunately, it’s not available to stream.
Killer Klowns From Outer Space
When: August 1
Where: Prime Video (US, UK); Paramount+ (AU)
The first of many clown movies this month is Killer Klowns from Outer Space, which is exactly what it says on the tin, really. This well-known sci-fi comedy horror is well worth your time, mashing up plenty of genres with highly entertaining results.
These aren’t just any clowns, as the title suggests, we’re dealing with extraterrestrials that look like clowns who descend on Earth. They invade a small town and begin kidnapping the locals, so they can harvest them for food.
This 80s horror was a huge box office success, and it’s well worth watching at home, too.
Gags the Clown
When: August 7
Where: Shudder (US); Prime Video (US, UK)
The second in our clown-filled horror recommendations this month is Gags the Clown. If clowns weren’t already horrifying enough, this one is found footage, which adds that extra layer of feeling uncomfortable. Cool.
In this movie, a clown roams the city streets at night, terrorizing the population. This prompts a local news reporter to try and find out his identity and put a stop to the madness.
Unfortunately, Gags has inspired a group of schoolkids to create trouble too, and there’s chaos around every corner. This is perfect if you want a gritty, realistic horror.
The Monkey
When: August 7
Where: Hulu (US); Rent or buy (UK, AU)
The Monkey is Osgood Perkins’ latest horror outing after his terrifying Nic Cage-led Longlegs, but this one has very different vibes.
Taking a darker comedy approach, The Monkey is based on a Stephen King short story and follows twin brothers whose lives are turned upside down by a cursed toy monkey that causes horrific deaths around them.
There’s a great cast here with Theo James playing the brothers, and Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, Adam Scott, and Perkins himself round out the cast.
Clown in a Cornfield
When: August 8
Where: Shudder (worldwide)
Finally, check out this other literally named clown movie. Clown in a Cornfield follows, er, a clown in a cornfield who emerges to target locals and “cleanse the town of its burdens”.
Unfortunately for protagonist Quinn and her father, they’ve just moved to this quiet town where they end up going head to head with this serial killer clown, who is on a rampage after the town has fallen on hard times.
Slasher movie fans should have a fun time with this one when it lands on August 8.
