Top Horror Films: Nielsen’s Exclusive October Viewership Data

As the Halloween season envelops audiences in a shroud of suspense and fright, Nielsen has provided an exclusive look into the most-watched horror films over the past five Octobers, offering insights into audience preferences and viewing habits. The data, spanning from 2021 to the initial weeks of October 2025, reveals a fascinating landscape where both new releases and timeless classics vie for viewership, consistently drawing audiences in for their annual dose of cinematic terror. This comprehensive report, drawing from a panel of over 100,000 people and 75 million devices, underscores horror’s significant presence in the fall viewing schedule.

The Latest Screams: October 2025’s Top Terrors

Kicking off the Halloween season in October 2025, the sequel “M3GAN 2.0” emerged as the most-watched horror film during the first week (October 1-7). Despite its box office performance, the film garnered a substantial 115 million viewing minutes on Peacock, across both linear television and streaming platforms. Close behind, the original “Scream” (1996) showcased its enduring appeal, accumulating 113 million minutes watched across the Paramount Network, Showtime, and various streaming services.

The 2025 charts also featured a mix of other recent premieres and established classics. New horror titles for 2025 making the list included “Bring Her Back” at No. 3, “28 Years Later” at No. 4, and “Sinners” at No. 8. Demonstrating the genre’s deep roots, films like 1962’s “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” (No. 5) and 1990’s “Tremors” (No. 7) proved that older horror narratives continue to captivate viewers. The 2018 iteration of “Halloween” also secured a spot at No. 9 in 2025, accumulating 50 million viewing minutes on Hulu.

Enduring Frights: Recurring Favorites Across the Years

The Nielsen report highlights certain horror films that consistently reappear on the most-watched lists each October. “Scream” and “Halloween” (2018) are notable examples, being the only titles from the October 2025 chart that also featured in the 2021-2024 rankings. In 2021, “Scream” ranked No. 3 with 458 million minutes watched on AMC and IFC. The 2018 “Halloween” also demonstrated its lasting popularity, charting at No. 8 in 2021 with 362 million minutes on FX, again at No. 8 in 2024 with 370 million minutes across Netflix and Peacock, and as mentioned, at No. 9 in 2025.

Other films that have frequently resonated with audiences during the October period between 2021 and 2024 include:

• The original 1978 “Halloween,” “Thir13en Ghosts,” and “House of Wax,” all of which charted in both 2021 and 2022.
• “Hubie Halloween,” which appeared in the charts for 2022 and 2023.
• The 2023 remake of “Haunted Mansion,” charting in both 2023 and 2024.

Shifting Demographics in Horror Consumption

Nielsen’s analysis also delved into horror viewership patterns across different demographics, including Hispanic, Black, and Asian audiences, as well as six distinct age groups. Interestingly, a trend towards more homogenous viewing emerged over time. Between 2022 and 2024, there were no significant differences in the top-ranked horror films across racial lines. For example, “Curse of Bridge Hollow” was the No. 1 choice for Hispanic, Black, and Asian viewers in 2022, though it was second overall to “Halloween Ends”. In both 2023 and 2024, the top horror titles for these racial groups aligned with the overall most-watched films: “Haunted Mansion” in 2023 and “Don’t Move” in 2024.

However, 2021 presented a more diverse viewing landscape for racial demographics. Hispanic viewers primarily watched “I Am Legend,” Black viewers gravitated towards “Life,” and “Night Teeth” was the most-watched among Asian audiences. Of these, only “Night Teeth” managed to secure a spot in the overall Top 10 for 2021.

Similar patterns were observed across age groups. While 2021 saw five different top titles across the six age categories, this diversity decreased over subsequent years. In 2022 and 2024, three different top titles were observed, and by 2023, there was only one overarching top film across all age demographics, indicating a growing convergence in horror preferences during October.

The Growing Share of Horror in October Viewing

The report underscores the amplified role of horror films during the Halloween season. In October 2021, horror movies constituted 14.7% of all movie viewing, a figure that slightly dipped to 14.6% in 2022, before reaching a peak of 15.8% in 2024. For context, Nielsen’s sister company Gracenote measured that as of September 2025, outside of the Halloween season, horror typically accounts for 7.43% of movie viewership across major streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, Netflix, and Paramount+. This comparison highlights a significant surge in horror consumption specifically during October, nearly doubling its usual share.

Conclusion

Nielsen’s detailed report on horror film viewership over the last five Octobers provides compelling evidence of the genre’s enduring popularity and unique role during the Halloween season. From the immediate success of new releases like “M3GAN 2.0” to the consistent draw of classics such as “Scream” and “Halloween,” audiences demonstrate a clear appetite for frights. The data suggests that despite the ever-expanding volume of content, horror movies act as a powerful unifier, transcending some demographic divides and encouraging both the discovery of new narratives and the re-engagement with beloved, older films. This blend of novelty and nostalgia ensures that horror remains a central and growing component of autumnal entertainment.