Southern California is gearing up for another Halloween season, bringing with it a mix of screams, cinema, and a few unexpected thrills. While some events cater to families, a substantial number of Los Angeles happenings are designed for those seeking more intense or adult-focused frights.
Universal Studios Hollywood has already transformed for its Halloween Horror Nights, featuring haunted houses inspired by “Stranger Things 5,” “Hellraiser,” “Evil Dead Burn,” and Ozzy Osbourne. A new “Sinners” attraction transports guests to a 1930s Mississippi club, where they must survive vampires and warring factions. The Terror Tram promises encounters with Art the Clown dressed as Santa Claus. The event runs on select evenings from September 3 to November 1.
For classic horror fans, Cinespia is back at Hollywood Forever Cemetery this October. Screenings include Tim Burton’s “Corpse Bride,” a 50th-anniversary showing of “Carrie,” and “Jennifer’s Body,” culminating in John Carpenter’s “The Thing” on Halloween night. Each event features DJ sets and a free themed photo booth. The Academy Museum is also exploring horror with an exhibition that asks, “Why do horror films matter so deeply to so many?” The show delves into horror tropes across six subcategories—gothic, psychological, science, slasher, religion, and ghosts—with re-creations of iconic settings and a look at storytelling from “Frankenstein” to “Get Out.”
The Queen Mary, known for its own history, is hosting Dark Harbor for its 13th anniversary. This haunted attraction utilizes the ship’s dark confines with fog, mazes, and roaming monsters. New this year is the “Shipwrecked: Brace for Impact” maze, alongside carnival rides like Alien Abduction. Guests can also find secret speakeasies. Meanwhile, Griffith Park’s annual hayride is transforming into the fictitious 1980s town of Midnight Falls, where a witch has summoned spirits. This year introduces the “Fallen Angel” maze and offers alcohol at themed bars.
For those preferring live entertainment, My Chemical Romance will return to the Hollywood Bowl next October for five shows, including one on Halloween night. The band will play “The Black Parade” album in full for its 20th anniversary. Comedian and horror buff Jon Schnitzer, known for his immersive experiences for Tim Burton and Barack Obama, is bringing his “Something Spooky” show to Dynasty Typewriter, promising laughs and screams with a scary family story.
The Los Angeles Conservancy’s fall screenings at the historic Million Dollar Theater in DTLA include a matinee of “Clue” and Stephen King's “The Shining.” Street Food Cinema will turn Heritage Square Museum into a “spooky, cinematic playground” with double features, Victorian home tours, and adult trick-or-treating. For a more interactive theatrical experience, the Drunk Shakespeare Society presents “Drunk Dracula” at the Hotel Cafe, where one actor takes five shots before performing. Finally, the Delusion immersive horror event returns to the Beckett Manion in West Adams with “Den of the Mosquito,” a 1920s New Orleans brothel setting promising extensive interactivity from September 17 through November 8. Tickets for this experience start at $143.
