“Fantastic films allow journeys into other, strange worlds. And queer literally means ‘odd’ or ‘different’—it embodies ‘the Other’—a different way of living, a different identity. Seen that way, the pairing fits quite well,” said Pierre-Yves Walder in 2022 in an interview. At the time, the director of the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) in Switzerland presented the series “Scream Queer” featuring a slate of eerie films.
Queer elements have always been part of fantastic cinema, Walder argues, but for decades they were either mostly implicit or dismissed. That began to change roughly twenty to thirty years ago, gradually and slowly, in tandem with rising social acceptance. “It started in underground films, moved into the art-house realm, and eventually reached the mainstream.” He views the 1980s as a transitional period. “There were queer characters, but they were often the evil, decadent killers.”
As Halloween 2025 approaches, here are a few (primarily gay) film and TV picks.
Les Lèvres rouges / Daughters of Darkness
For a long time, the vampire genre has been especially welcoming to queer audiences. The lesbian film classic is “Les Lèvres rouges” (Les Lèvres rouges) / “Daughters of Darkness” (1971), in which a female vampire targets young women. And Anne Rice began in 1976 with “Interview with the Vampire,” launching an entire novel series about gay vampires that is now being adapted for television—with an even more overtly queer edge than the books ever conveyed.
Direct link | Scene from “Daughters of Darkness”
Freaky
For Halloween, if you want queer-flavored scares, there is now a nearly overwhelming array of options. In many movies queer elements are only a secondary facet, but even that can pay off when well done. In “Freaky” (2020), for example, a male serial killer and a high school girl swap bodies after a cosmic accident, leading to wildly entertaining chaos. There’s a moment when the girl’s attractive would-be boyfriend confesses he’d love to kiss her now—happening right there, even though she’s still trapped in the killer’s bulky body. The heroine also has a gay best friend who stands up bravely for her.
Direct link | Scene from “Freaky”
Truth or Dare
In “Truth or Dare” (2018), a group of friends falls under a deadly curse. They are forced to keep playing the game Truth or Dare—and those who lie or refuse a dare die. Among the group is gay Brad, who is out to his friends but not to his homophobic father, a police officer. His queerness takes a relatively prominent role and is treated with unexpectedly sensitive and multilayered nuance.
Direct link | Trailer “Truth or Dare”
Candyman
In the acclaimed 2021 sequel to “Candyman,” a gay couple plays a prominent supporting role (and even survives). The focus remains on the chilling hook-hand legend Candyman, who is said to appear and kill if you stand before a mirror and say his name five times. And, as always, there are some who cannot resist trying it.
Direct link | Scene from “Candyman”
Psycho
A cornerstone of queer horror, Alfred Hitchcock’s masterwork “Psycho” (1960) remains brilliantly effective, even though its queer elements are often handled problematically (notably the trope of the deviant killer). The film still shines, and the fascination continues, in part because the real-life inspiration behind Hitchcock’s killer has spawned a Netflix series: “Monster: The Ed Gein Story,” with Charlie Hunnam in the lead (also known for his gay role in the iconic British series “Queer as Folk,” 1999).
Direct link | Scene from “Psycho”
Companion
In the futuristic thriller “Companion” (2025), a weekend getaway among friends goes off the rails, including a gay couple. The main character’s girlfriend is a sex robot who appears convincingly human—indeed, she believes she is a person. In reality, she is programmed, and her weekend’s primary mission is murder. When she realizes what’s going on, she develops an unexpected degree of autonomy. And even among the gay couple, not everything is as it seems at first glance.
Direct link | Trailer “Companion”
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
For its 50th anniversary, the queer cult classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (1975) deserves a mention. At the center of this zany musical filled with catchy tunes is a seductive alien scientist from the planet Transsexual, who enjoys wearing sexy women’s clothes, is attracted to men, and, in true Dr. Frankenstein fashion, creates a creature—a handsome man named Rocky.
Direct link | Scene from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”
Marry My Dead Body
Even in the ever-expanding Asian Boys’ Love genre, there’s plenty for Halloween. Not particularly scary, but fitting is the Taiwanese mystery-action-comedy “Marry My Dead Body” (2022), in which a very heterosexual cop unexpectedly finds himself married to a gay ghost—thanks to mysterious connections from a past life. After the initial shock, the cop discovers the supernatural partner’s abilities can be quite handy.
Direct link | Trailer “Marry My Dead Body”
Hellbent
Among the gayest slasher films ever made is certainly “Hellbent” (2004), where a string of handsome, scantily clad gay men meet their end at the hands of a well-built killer in a devil mask. And all of this, of course, on Halloween. The film isn’t a masterpiece, but it’s a charming attempt to adapt a classic horror genre for a gay audience.
Direct link | Trailer “Hellbent”
Halloween Kills
The Halloween horror franchise is the quintessential example of the genre, with Michael Myers continuing his spree each Halloween since 1978. There are now 13 films, and rumors point to a TV series in the works. In “Halloween Kills” (2021), there’s for the first time a gay couple who move into the very house where Michael once lived and began his killing spree. Will this pairing work out, or is trouble inevitable?
Direct link | Scene from “Halloween Kills”
