Not only is this a golden age of new horror properties on the big screen, but a ton of classic franchises are getting remakes, reboots and legacy sequels. Hollywood has trotted out fresh takes on old favorites since the days of the Universal Monsters, but it’s remarkable how many of these rebrands are actually fantastic. With “The Exorcist: Believer” and “Pet Sematary: Bloodlines” out this month, here are the best ones to watch this Halloween season on Hulu, Max and more.

‘It Parts 1 and 2’ (2017, 2019)

2017年,两部电影来了out that breathed new life into the horror genre. One was director Jordan Peele’s “Get Out,” which would set the standard for original, high-concept movies. The second was director Andy Muschietti’s remake of Stephen King’s “It,” and every reboot since has been chasing its shadow.

This new version of “It” leans into 1980s nostalgia. Seven kids take on an eldritch horror manifesting as Pennywise the killer clown (Bill Skarsgård). Released in two parts, the film gambled that audiences were ready for a horror epic. Audiences responded by making it the highest-grossing horror film of all time (unadjusted for inflation). Skarsgård’s take on Pennywise has overshadowed even the Tim Curry original, cementing him as a generation-defining monster.

Watch it:Streaming now on Max.

‘The Invisible Man’ (2020)

Universal Pictures tried to make its own version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with monster properties, but it never took off. The studio’s remake of the classic 1933 film “The Invisible Man,” however, was remarkable.

2020’s versionis a riveting psychological horror film about a woman (Elisabeth Moss) who leaves her abusive boyfriend (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), a wealthy scientist who experiments with optics. Unbeknownst to her, he has developed a revolutionary suit that makes him invisible, which he uses to stalk and gaslight her. Directed by Leigh Whannell (“Insidious”), the movie adds a feminist touch to the narrative while also going back to the original H.G. Wells novel for the eponymous character. Jackson-Cohen’s take on Griffin is coldly psychopathic, meshing modern techbro aesthetics with classic monster malevolence.

Watch it:Streaming on Max.

‘Evil Dead Rise’ (2023)

Director Sam Raimi’s “Evil Dead” franchise has had a weird existence. Straddling the line between horror and comedy, it often moves back and forth between the two genres with varying degrees of success.

Whether “Evil Dead Rise” is a sequel or reboot is open to interpretation, but it’s inarguably the scariest “Evil Dead” film since “Dead by Dawn.” A newly pregnant guitar tech (Lily Sullivan) goes to visit her sister’s (Alyssa Sutherland) family in their apartment. Down in the building’s basement, Beth’s nephew (Danny Morgan) accidentally unleashes the forces of hell thanks to a tape recording of a demonic text.

Director Lee Cronin maintains the series’ penchant for slapstick horror and surreal scares, but the real star is Sutherland. Her turn as a “deadite” is terrifying, thanks to a combination of incredible makeup effects and a fake sweetness the demon exudes to trick its victims.

Watch it:Streaming on Hulu.

‘Interview With the Vampire’ (2022)

Considering AMC reinvented horror television with “The Walking Dead,” it’s hardly surprising their remake of “Interview With the Vampire” was excellent. Created with the direct input of original author Anne Rice (who served as executive producer alongside her son Christopher), this version took the queer subtext of the original movie and made it just plain text, bolded and underlined.

Louis (Jacob Anderson) is a century-old vampire who records his memoirs with journalist Daniel (Eric Bogosian), who is suffering from Parkinson’s. Over seven episodes, Louis talks about being turned by the vampire Lestat (Sam Reid), their love affair, and their adopted bloodsucking daughter Claudia (Bailey Bass). The show is appropriately bloody, with some jaw-dropping scenes of gore and murder. It also touches on themes of bigotry, familial abuse, and mortality, maintaining the romantic pathos that defined director Neil Jordan’s 1994 film version.

Watch it:Streaming on AMC+.

‘Candyman’ (2021)

Of all the modern reboots of horror films, “Candyman” feels the timeliest. A direct sequel to the 1992 original starring Tony Todd as the titular killer, “Candyman” brings the legend back to life for a post-George Floyd world. This time, a visual artist named Anthony (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) becomes obsessed with the ghost story of Candyman, a hook-handed specter who kills people that say his name five times in a mirror.

Co-written by Jordan Peele and directed by Nia DaCosta, all the grittiness of the classic slasher is there. However, the character of Candyman has become a revolving series of urban legends centered around racist killings of Black men, turning one wraith into a hive of them. The film is dreamlike and gory, but also paints a picture of a tragic monster who is justifiably filled with rage over needless deaths. It’s a master class in how to reboot a film for a new era that other directors would be wise to study.

Watch it:流媒体在孔雀。

Jef Rouner is a freelance writer.