Which horror movie is most popular in your state

Spooky season is once again upon us! For many, nothing beats curling up on the sofa to watch the latest spine-tingling movie releases or perhaps a timeless creepy classic. But amid the chills, one question lingers–is it too early for a Christmas movie?

Surprisingly, in some states, it appears not. Can you guess which horror movie is casting a spell over your state this Halloween?

Here at Comparitech, we’ve compiled a list of the most popular horror movies by state (based on what’s been the hottest topic on Google Trends over the past year) to see what people are finding most spooktacular.

Which Halloween movie is most popular in your state

Creepy new movie releases take the majority of states by storm

It seems movie fanatics are on the hunt for bigger and better thrills this October. Our research uncovered that 82 percent of states are choosing a modern fright film over a timeless terror this year.

Can you handle the unknown with these spooky new releases?

  • Evil Dead Rise (2023): By far the most popular movie this year (top-rated across 19 states), Evil Dead Rise follows the twisted tale of two estranged sisters who put family reunions aside in order to fight for survival against flesh-possessing demons.
  • M3GAN (2022): A further 11 states are enjoying the first installment of M3GAN. When a woman receives an artificially intelligent doll, it becomes her sinister obsession. The doll’s behavior soon turns sour and the woman must uncover dark secrets to protect herself. The second installment of M3GAN has already been announced for January 2025.
  • Talk to Me (2022): With a high IMDb rating of 7.2, Talk to Me sees linguist Claire discover an antique telephone that can communicate with the past. She forms a bond with a stranger from another era, which unravels their lives. This movie proves to be the most popular option across the US as a whole.
  • Skinamarink (2022): People in Michigan, Minnesota, and Montana are all after the 2022 thriller, Skinamarink, which sees a group of friends on a camping trip stumble upon an abandoned, sinister factory. Their curiosity triggers a nightmarish sequence of events, forcing them to confront their deepest fears and unravel dark town secrets.

How the Grinch Stole Halloween…

Not quite the frightening plot twist you were hoping for. But How the Grinch Stole Christmas ranks top of the fright night watchlists in the states of Arkansas, Kansas, and Nebraska. 

Who better to light up your screens this Halloween than, Jim Carrey as the Grinch? In this beloved holiday tale by Dr. Seuss, the Grinch plans to destroy anything associated with Christmas. Whether or not you think How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a Halloween movie, here are a few more options if you’re not quite satisfied or ready to get in the Christmas spirit just yet.

Halloween movie royalty as seen in these states  

While the aforementioned movies are a popular choice for their new and unexpected storylines, nothing quite matches the allure of scary movie royalty to quicken your pulse this Halloween.

  • Alaska and Vermont for The Conjuring (2013): With an IMDb rating of 7.5, this is the highest-rated movie on the list. The first installment of The Conjuring is based on actual events. Paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren, are confronted with otherworldly beings terrorizing a family’s farmhouse. As they battle the supernatural forces, the Warrens uncover a dark history of the house and face a chilling showdown with evil that will leave you on the edge of your seat. 
  • Maine, North Dakota, and Wyoming for Insidious (2010): These three states are also seeking a bit of paranormal activity. Insidious sees a family’s quest to save their son’s life after he mysteriously falls into a coma. They enlist the help of paranormal experts who uncover a realm of terrifying, unearthly entities. The family must confront their fears and navigate the supernatural to rescue their son. 
  • Hawaii for Orphan (2009): The top choice for residents of Hawaii is Orphan in which a couple adopts a 9-year-old girl with a mysterious past. As disturbing events unfold, they unravel the terrifying truth about their new daughter, leading to a shocking revelation. 
  • Rhode Island for Scary Movie (2000): The oldest movie on our list, Scary Movie is arguably one of the most must-see flicks for would-be horror fans. Widely known for its hilarious yet freaky parodies of popular scary movies, it sees a group of clueless teenagers trying to uncover the identity of a masked killer while navigating a series of funny and bizarre scenarios. 

Methodology

Using Google Trends to search for the film genre “horror” in each state, we looked to see which movie was a rising topic in the related topics section. Rising topics are the top related search terms users looking at horror movies also searched for over the past year and saw the biggest influx in searches during that period. The top result for each state was the designated movie for that state. In some cases, a movie franchise may have appeared on top, e.g. “Evil Dead – film series” but we only noted the title when it was a specific film.