7 Horror Movies to Watch on Hulu This Weekend (May 8th)

When the world feels like a scary place, some people will choose to consume as much lighthearted content as possible to distract them from their fears, while horror fans know how much of a relief it can be to tune in to a much more horrifying narrative to take comfort in immensely intense storylines to offer catharsis from our real-world stress. Even if relieving stress isn’t something you require, with the number of public spaces currently closed, plenty of us are finding ourselves with hours of free time and we’ll likely be turning to our favorite streaming services this weekend to keep us entertained.

Luckily, Hulu has a number of exciting genre films to check out, including genre classics that are worth a revisit and under-seen indie hits that might have flown under subscribers’ radars.

Scroll down to see some of our picks for what to watch on Hulu this weekend and hit up Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to share your own recommendations and thoughts about the films!

Texas Chainsaw (2013)

Leatherface first debuted in 1974 with The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, with this 2013 installment into the franchise set to be a direct sequel to that film.

When a young woman finds out that a distant relative has passed away and left her a house, she enlists some friends to accompany her on an expedition to learn more about the estate, only to discover she’s taking on more than just a home when she arrives, as she also adopts a connection to the twisted, chainsaw-wielding killer.

While it might not be the strongest entry into the franchise, it marked the last big-screen outing of Leatherface, while also cementing star Alexandra Daddario as an actress who can elevate even the most absurd of horror movies.

Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)

Set in 1988, two young girls live with their mom and her boyfriend, a videographer who is happy to test out new equipment. After discovering that he captured dust falling on a seemingly invisible figure, the boyfriend begins filming things all around the house. Additionally, the two young girls have begun engaging with an imaginary friend named “Toby,” with their strange behavior making the boyfriend feel disconnected from the girls. The disconnect between the boyfriend and the girls is only the beginning of the family’s troubles, as a mysterious symbol drawn in the girls’ closet leads to the discovery of Toby’s true origins and sets these girls down a demonic path.

In addition to the fresh and effective scares, the film also gives an interesting explanation for the events that would occur further down the timeline. The found-footage format also offered a new interpretation of these story elements, which aren’t often explored in realities like the one presented in the Paranormal Activity films.

Pet Sematary (2019)

The first adaptation of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary has a number of memorable components, though it also possessed qualities that didn’t entirely age well over time. Luckily, this new take on the material made a welcome update to the original adaptation’s shortcomings.

After a family relocates to a small town in Maine, they discover that a local pet cemetery sees more activity than they were expecting, which coincided with the bizarre resurrection of their cat Church. When tragedy strikes the family, they find the opportunity to bring back their child by burying them in the cemetary, only to realize that sometimes dead is better.

Friday the 13th:The Final Chapter (1984)

After the debut of the first Friday the 13th in 1980, the series saw diminishing returns with each sequel, which is why this entry was truly intended to serve as a “Final Chapter.” However, with the filmmaking team pulling out all the stops to deliver a compelling experience, this chapter wasn’t so final after all, as it managed to revive interest in the property.

As is the case with many Friday the 13th films, this entry sees a group of teens heading out on what they expect to be a remote vacation, only for their proximity to Crystal Lake to result in multiple fatal run-ins with Jason Voorhees.

The filmmakers were so committed to this film being the final chapter that Tommy Jarvis gave Jason a brutal assault to his head, with the next film instead following Tommy’s exploits, due to Jason’s seeming “death.” Of course, this didn’t have the magic the filmmakers intended, with the next chapter reviving Voorhees in his true form.

The Lodge (2020)

After being purchased at last year’s Sundance Film Festival, The Lodge has finally been made available to the public to frighten its audiences with this paranoia-driven descent into madness.

The Lodge follows a family who retreat to their remote winter cabin over the holidays. When the father (Richard Armitage) is forced to abruptly depart for work, he leaves his children, Aidan (IT‘s Jaeden Martell) and Mia (Lia McHugh) in the care of his new girlfriend, Grace (Riley Keough). Isolated and alone, a blizzard traps them inside the lodge as terrifying events summon specters from Grace’s dark past.

Given how many people around the world are holed up in their own homes, this film will make you realize your situation could be much worse.

Digging Up the Marrow (2015)

From director Adam Green, Digging Up the Marrow deviated from the successes of his horror-comedies in the Hatchet franchise and instead found a fresh take on a creature feature.

Starring as himself in a mockumentary, the film sees Green being contacted by a detective who claims he has proof that monsters really exist. Understandably, Green doubts these claims, only for his investigation to unearth all manner of abominations.

Despite not being a slasher-style experience like Hatchet, the film features plenty of comedy, due in large part to Green’s disbelief of the situation. What truly sells the experience are the creature designs from Alex Pardee, who manages to find ways to craft unsettling creatures that are the things of nightmares.

The Conjuring (2013)

Filmmaker James Wan took what he learned on films like Saw, Dead Silence, and Insidious and applied them to a more traditional haunted house movie, which will go down as one of the most successful forays in the horror genre of the decade.

Paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) offer their services to a family who is encountering unexplained events. As the duo delves into the history of the family’s home, they uncover a nefarious past that refuses to let the family have peace.

The structure is pretty traditional for the genre, though Wan’s directorial style makes the concept feel fresh, with this film inspiring a sequel and three spin-off films to-date. See where it all started by checking out the original chapter.