We’re creeping closer to Halloween, but while you might expect that to mean an increase in the number of spooky season shows and movies coming to streaming, that’s not really the case. To be sure, there’s already plenty of horror content on all your favorite streaming platforms, but any additions to the various streaming libraries have largely already been handled.
This week’s theme is actually animation, as several different animated series and films are debuting this week, alongside the return of some popular streaming series and a movie about one of the greatest men to ever make movies.
Splinter Cell: Deathwatch – October 14 (Netflix)
It has been far too long since the video game world has seen a new entry in the Splinter Cell franchise, so fans of covert agent Sam Fisher will have to make due with a new animated series available with a Netflix subscription. The good news is the series is produced by John Wick creator Darek Kolstad, and stars Liev Schreiber as the voice of Fisher, so the chances this one will be good are pretty solid.
Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy – October 16 (Peacock)
In what appears to be Peacock’s answer to Netflix’s popular Monster series of true crime dramas, we have Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy. Michael Chernus stars as Gacy, but the series appears to primarily be mostly about the aftermath of Gacy’s killings, giving a greater focus on the man’s victims than on the man himself.
The Diplomat, Season 3 – October 16 (Netflix)
The Diplomat, Netflix’s political drama starring Kari Russell, gained a little bit of TV political clout in Season 2 when West Wing star Allison Janney joined the show as the Vice President. Season 3 will up the ante by introducing Bradley Whitford as the new President’s husband. The reuniting of the castmates will likely only be a small part of what is sure to be another season of political intrigue.
The Twits – October 17 (Netflix)
Netflix has been making itself a force in animated films over the last several years, which has earned it Oscar recognition and critical praise. Its newest animated film, The Twits, takes Roald Dahl’s characters on an original adventure. Phil Johnston, writer of Zootopia and director of Ralph Breaks the Internet, handles both duties here for a film that includes Natalie Portman and Emilia Clarke among its voice cast.
Marvel’s Spidey and Iron Man: Avengers Team-Up – October 17 (Disney+)
Spidey and his Amazing Friends is a hit Disney Junior series that imagines Peter Parker, Miles Morales, and Gwen Stacy as a trio of Spider-Man-powered heroes who are also about nine years old. A similar companion series based on Iron Man recently debuted, and in a new crossover special, all of them, alongside pint-sized Hulk, Black Panther, and more, will team up thanks to your Disney+ subscription. It’s basically Avengers: Endgame for kids who are too young to watch Avengers: Endgame.
Mr. Scorsese – October 17 (Apple TV+)
Martin Scorsese has given some of the greatest movies ever made, so it’s only fitting that he get a movie of his own. Mr. Scorsese will trace the Oscar-winning director’s life from childhood through to the modern day and will include interviews with his many friends and collaborators, like Robert De Niro, Margot Robbie, and Steven Spielberg.
If you were looking for new horror to enjoy in October, stay tuned because next week will give us one of the month’s biggest news releases with HBO Max’s new IT series, Welcome to Derry. Come back next week for more info on it and everything else new to streaming.