Mike Flanagan Shares His Favorite Nineties Horror Movies Including ‘Candyman’ and ‘Ghostwatch’
Few filmmakers are as synonymous with modern horror as Mike Flanagan. The mastermind behind ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ has built a reputation over the years as both a passionate fan of the genre and a highly respected storyteller.
This Halloween season, he is sharing his love for horror directly with fans. Tumblr is currently featuring a 31-film HalloWatchlist curated by Flanagan, with new selections of his all-time favorite scary movies released every Monday throughout October. Each title is accompanied by a few words from him and a piece of fan art.
The latest installment, which dropped on October 19, focuses on the 1990s and is filled with cult classics and hidden gems. Flanagan selected six films: ‘The Exorcist III’, ‘Jacob’s Ladder’, ‘Candyman’, ‘Ghostwatch’, ‘Wes Craven’s New Nightmare’, and ‘In the Mouth of Madness’. This list avoids the typical blockbusters, instead favoring films that evoke dread, feature mind-bending visuals, and explore horror that turns in on itself.
Mike Flanagan has recommended six of his favorite 1990s horror movies. The list includes: Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, Candyman, Ghostwatch, In the Mouth of Madness, Jacob’s Ladder, The Exorcist III. Source: Tumblr https://t.co/mV0e2Qbv6J
— Bloody Disgusting (@BDisgusting) October 21, 2026
Two of the selections kick off the decade. ‘The Exorcist III’, released in 1990, is praised by Flanagan as a “wildly underrated sequel,” highlighting its performances and one of the best scares in horror history. ‘Jacob’s Ladder’, also from 1990, is characterized as mind-bending existential horror with unforgettable imagery and a final act that has sparked discussions for decades.
From 1992, he includes ‘Candyman’, which he regards as one of the finest examples of urban folklore. Alongside it is ‘Ghostwatch’, a BBC Halloween special presented as a live investigation of a haunted house in suburban London. His advice for anyone who hasn’t seen it is straightforward: “read nothing about it.”
The decade wraps up with two selections from 1994, both exploring horror that turns in on itself. ‘Wes Craven’s New Nightmare’ is lauded for deconstructing the franchise Craven created prior to the ‘Scream’ era, while ‘In the Mouth of Madness’ is described as John Carpenter’s apocalyptic masterpiece and one of the decade’s most underrated films. All of these insights were shared in the Tumblr post that unveiled the list.
When looking at the six films together, a common theme emerges. Many of the selections revolve around narratives that escape the control of their creators, whether it’s a fictional show that merges with reality, a franchise that implodes, or a book that reshapes the world around it. This concept resonates throughout much of Flanagan’s own work, including his eight-episode adaptation of ‘Carrie’ for Prime Video.
‘Ghostwatch’ stands out as the most unconventional choice on the list, and it aligns perfectly with the evolution of horror. Its faux-live format is a style that contemporary horror continues to borrow.
This list arrives at a significant moment for the filmmaker. ‘Clayface’, a DC Studios body horror film based on a script he penned, is set to hit theaters on October 23. Flanagan has emphasized that the completed film belongs to director James Watkins and has mentioned he hasn’t even seen it yet.
He also has ‘The Exorcist: Martyrs’ on the horizon, which he claims is the scariest film he has ever made. During Blumhouse’s New York Comic Con panel, he highlighted ‘The Exorcist III’ as one of the most underrated and overlooked films in the franchise, noting its relevance during the development of the new movie. This makes his choice to include it on this list particularly fitting.
Flanagan’s admiration for ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ is well-known. He has expressed a desire to take on the Freddy Krueger franchise someday, making the inclusion of ‘Wes Craven’s New Nightmare’ a natural choice.
Tumblr has already showcased Flanagan’s picks from the 1960s and 1970s, which feature titles like ‘The Exorcist’, ‘Don’t Look Now’, and ‘Kwaidan’, along with his selections from the 1980s, including ‘The Shining’, ‘The Thing’, and ‘Hellraiser’. The 2000s are next, and Tumblr has hinted that they are “thirsty.”
If you’re looking for a Halloween watchlist curated by one of horror’s biggest enthusiasts, this is an excellent starting point. Most of the selections emphasize atmosphere and dread rather than gore, aligning with Flanagan’s personal taste.
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