Spooky Season Streaming Guide: What to Watch This Weekend Across Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+, and More

As the crisp autumn air settles in and "spooky season" officially takes over, major streaming platforms are pulling out all the stops to deliver an eclectic mix of terror, suspense, high-octane action, and nostalgia. Whether you are looking to dive deep into psychological horror, unpack a high-stakes political thriller, or revisit a beloved animated universe, the weekend lineup offers something for every type of viewer.

Senior entertainment reporters Tom Power and Lucy Buglass have curated the definitive weekend viewing guide, sorting through the noise to highlight what’s truly worth your screen time across Prime Video, Netflix, Peacock, Paramount+, Apple TV, and Disney+.

Main Facts: The Weekend’s Biggest Streaming Premieres

The streaming landscape is dominated this week by high-profile adaptations, star-studded thrillers, and long-awaited franchise expansions:

7 new movies and TV shows to watch on Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and more this weekend (October 9)

Prime Video delivers the first-ever television adaptation of Stephen King’s seminal horror novel Carrie, helmed by horror visionary Mike Flanagan and starring Summer H. Howell.
Netflix drops two major titles: Animals, a tense political kidnapping thriller directed by and starring Ben Affleck alongside Kerry Washington, and Below, a chilling creature feature set in a remote Newfoundland town.
Peacock debuts Steven Spielberg’s latest sci-fi venture, Disclosure Day, starring Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connell.
Paramount+ expands the beloved animated mythos with Avatar: Seven Havens, a sequel series created by franchise veterans Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.
Apple TV attempts to capture the magic of Mattel adaptations with Matchbox: The Movie, a high-octane action flick starring John Cena.
Disney+ caters to music fans with Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger, a revealing documentary directed by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight that features the first joint interview of estranged brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher in over 15 years.

Chronology and Platform Breakdown: What to Stream Now

1. Carrie (Prime Video)

The Premise: Stephen King’s classic tale of telekinesis, religious trauma, and high school cruelty has received several cinematic treatments over the decades, but this marks its maiden voyage as a television series. Summer H. Howell steps into the iconic role of Carrie White, a deeply isolated teenager tormented by relentless bullying.
The Modern Twist: Amazon’s eight-episode adaptation brings the narrative firmly into the digital age. Rather than focusing solely on traditional schoolyard cruelty, the series explores the insidious nature of modern social media and cyberbullying, tracing how a hyper-connected online environment ultimately pushes Carrie toward her catastrophic prom night breaking point.
The Verdict: With horror auteur Mike Flanagan involved, all eight episodes are available to stream immediately, making it an essential binge for horror enthusiasts looking to kick off the autumn season right.

2. Animals (Netflix)

The Premise: Ben Affleck steps behind the camera for his seventh directorial feature in Animals, a gritty and fast-paced thriller. Affleck stars as Mark Kimball, a prominent Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose carefully constructed political career implodes when his young son is abducted.
The Conflict: Left with only a few hours to secure a massive ransom, Kimball and his wife (played by Kerry Washington) are thrust into a waking nightmare. According to official synopses, Kimball is forced to make brutal, instinctual choices that threaten to completely fracture their marriage.
The Cast & Expectations: Rounded out by powerhouse performances from Gillian Anderson and Steven Yeun, early indicators suggest this star-studded thriller will keep audiences firmly on the edge of their seats.

3. Below (Netflix)

The Premise: For those leaning heavily into creature-feature horror, Netflix’s Below offers a chilling maritime mystery. Set in an isolated, windswept Newfoundland community, the town’s residents find themselves terrorized by an ancient, mysterious sea creature lurking just beneath the icy waves.
The Hero: Josh Hartnett stars as Calvin, a local fisherman who must step up to protect his fading community from an unseen aquatic threat.
The Warning: Viewers struggling with thalassophobia (a fear of deep water) may want to steer clear, as the atmospheric tension runs deep beneath the surface.

4. Disclosure Day (Peacock)

The Premise: Steven Spielberg is universally recognized as the master of cinematic wonder and alien-based storytelling, making his latest sci-fi venture, Disclosure Day, one of the most anticipated releases of the month. Starring Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connell, the film lands on Peacock with massive expectations.
The Critical Reception: Unfortunately, initial viewer and critical response has been deeply polarized. Reviewers have noted that despite Spielberg’s storied history with extraterrestrial narratives, Disclosure Day struggles to offer anything genuinely original or intellectually engaging, prompting many to suggest revisiting classics like E.T. or Close Encounters of the Third Kind instead.

5. Avatar: Seven Havens (Paramount+)

The Premise: Hot on the heels of Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender’s debut on Paramount+, franchise faithfuls are being treated to an entirely new chapter with Avatar: Seven Havens.
The Creators & Lore: Developed by franchise architects Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, Seven Havens acts as a direct continuation following the conclusion of the original animated series and The Legend of Korra. The plot centers on Pavi, who discovers she is the reincarnation of Avatar Korra. Alongside her long-lost twin sister Nisha, Pavi must navigate strange, forgotten origins to save a fragile pillar of civilization.

6. Matchbox: The Movie (Apple TV)

The Premise: Capitalizing on the billion-dollar trend of toy-to-screen adaptations ignited by Margot Robbie’s Barbie, Apple TV is jumping into the fray with Matchbox: The Movie.
The Plot: John Cena stars as Sean Walker, an ex-soldier and spy who reunites with old childhood friends, only to be drugged and abducted by a shadowy faction hunting for a lost nuclear warhead. Framed by the CIA for the weapon’s theft, Walker and his crew must re-steal the bomb to clear their names.
The Expectations: While marketed as a high-concept popcorn blockbuster, early industry buzz suggests this straight-to-streaming action romp may face an uphill battle to capture the cultural phenomenon status of its Mattel predecessor.

7. Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger (Disney+)

The Premise: For music lovers who missed out on the scramble for tickets to Oasis’s massive 2025 reunion tour, Disney+ is offering the next best thing with Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger.
The Content: Directed by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, the documentary offers an unfiltered look at the legendary Britpop band. It features never-before-seen rehearsals, backstage chaos, live concert footage, and—most importantly—the first joint interview between estranged brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher in over 15 years. It stands as an essential historical document for rock music fans.

Supporting Data and Industry Context

The strategy deployed by streaming platforms this weekend highlights several ongoing trends in the entertainment industry:

The IP Economy: Nearly every major release this weekend relies on pre-existing intellectual property—whether it is Stephen King’s literary classic Carrie, Mattel’s toy line Matchbox, the Avatar animated universe, or the legendary legacy of rock band Oasis.
Pre-Halloween Counter-Programming: While platforms like Prime Video and Netflix lean heavily into traditional horror (Carrie, Below), services like Apple TV and Peacock are relying on high-octane action and sci-fi names to capture viewers who prefer adrenaline over scares.
The Prestige Television Model: Mike Flanagan’s transition of Carrie into an episodic format reflects a growing preference among streamers to expand short-form horror stories into multi-episode character studies, allowing for deeper exploration of social themes like modern bullying.

Official Responses and Creative Insights

Creators and cast members have been vocal about the unique challenges of bringing these massive projects to life:

On Carrie: Director Mike Flanagan and star Summer H. Howell emphasized the necessity of updating the story’s themes. By anchoring the narrative in contemporary social media culture, the creative team aimed to reflect the inescapable nature of modern adolescent cruelty, where isolation follows a teenager right into their own home via their smartphone.
On Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger: Director Steven Knight noted that capturing the dynamic between Liam and Noel Gallagher required striking a delicate balance between celebrating their monumental musical achievements and addressing the deeply human friction that drove them apart for a decade and a half.

Implications for the Streaming Market

As the fourth quarter kicks off, the performance of these high-profile titles will heavily dictate streaming subscription retention strategies heading into the holiday season.

The mixed early reception of legacy-driven projects like Spielberg’s Disclosure Day versus the high anticipation surrounding auteur-driven horror adaptations like Carrie demonstrates that modern audiences are increasingly discerning. Brand recognition alone is no longer a guaranteed golden ticket; execution, tonal clarity, and fresh narrative angles remain paramount as viewers weigh their subscription dollars against an ever-expanding array of entertainment choices.