For horror fans, August means we’re just two months away from October and the annual binge of classic favorites or long-overdue titles from our watchlist. Shudder remains the best place for a horror fix, whether you’re craving twisted tales of paranormal intrigue or some laughs with a well-constructed horror comedy.
For August 2025, Shudder is adding a few gems to its streaming lineup, along with new titles. The platform also continues its watch parties for those who want to hoot and holler or scream and squirm at their favorite movies with like-minded horror hounds. Below are our selections of the must-watch films, followed by a comprehensive list of all new titles arriving on the platform.
‘La Abuela’ (‘The Grandmother’) (2021)
An Underrated Spanish Gem Streaming on August 1
Susana, a young fashion model based in Paris, has her lavish life upended when she receives word that she must go to Madrid to care for her ailing grandmother, Pilar, who raised her after her parents’ deaths. A shell of her former self, Pilar is unable to communicate with Susana, and her increasingly bizarre and erratic behavior becomes difficult to manage. As Susana also starts to see visions of occult rituals, she slowly begins to piece together memories from her past and how they may be tied to her grandmother’s outburst, which she believes is connected with her nightmares.
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La Abuela presents a rather familiar story of occultism and body swapping, but its tense atmosphere and standout performances give the movie staying power. This is a lovely addition to the Shudder library for those who love foreign horror films, as it brings one of director Paco Plaza’s (REC, Sister Death, Veronica) lesser-known films to the platform. As with any Plaza film, audiences can expect some genuinely frightening moments, skillfully crafted with a mix of atmosphere and well-timed jump scares. La Abuela (The Grandmother) is streaming on August 1.
‘Gags the Clown’ (2019)
A Killer Clown Arrives on Shudder on August 4
Inspired by real-life creepy clown sightings in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Gags the Clown follows different groups as they investigate the possible reason behind the ominous figure’s appearance. Taking place throughout a single night, each group finds itself facing off against Gags, who seems to know how to tap into their innermost fears.
Tapping into the fear of clowns and utilizing found footage and a pseudo-documentary style to capture a single night of chaos, Gags the Clown creates a disturbing antagonist that will strike a nerve with those who have coulrophobia. Although not without flaws, the film’s inventive structure delivers genuine scares that should satisfy found footage fans and make its missteps easy to overlook. At a tight 89 minutes, the movie is also great to pair with a double feature, perhaps following it up with the entry below. Gags the Clown is streaming on August 4.
Release Date
March 2, 2019
Runtime
89 minutes
Director
Adam Krause
Producers
Robert Patrick Stern
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Tracy Perez
Chrissy Renard
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Lauren Ashley Carter
Heather Duprey
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Aaron Christensen
Charles Wright
‘Clown in a Cornfield’ (2025)
Bringing a Field of Screams on August 8
This Shudder original follows Quinn Maybrook (Katie Douglas), whose high school life is upended when her mother’s death forces her and her father to move to the declining small town of Kettle Springs, Missouri, during her senior year. With the town losing residents due to the recent closure of a corn syrup factory, tensions are high, and many of the kids bond over their precarious situation. As rumors of an image of the old mascot of the factory, Frendo, begin to pop up, a real-life killer bearing its resemblance starts to emerge and terrorizes Quinn and her newfound friends.
Clown in a Cornfield was a surprise hit at the box office, making a fair amount given the film’s limited budget. That said, the movie never feels low-budget, thanks to some spectacular practical effects that keep the kills highly over-the-top and entertaining, exactly what you want in a modern-day slasher. Eli Craig’s love letter to the genre, packed with campiness, thrills, scares, and gore, is easily the most anticipated addition to this month’s Shudder catalog. Clown in a Cornfield is streaming on August 8.
Release Date
May 9, 2025
Runtime
96 Minutes
Director
Eli Craig
Writers
Eli Craig, Adam Cesare, Carter Blanchard
Producers
Georges Bermann, Wyck Godfrey
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Aaron Abrams
Dr. Glenn Maybrook
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Katie Douglas
Quinn Maybrook
Every movie streaming on Shudder for August 2025:
- Urban Legend (1998) – Streaming August 1
- Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000) – Streaming August 1
- Venus (2022) – Streaming August 1
- La Abuela (2022) – Streaming August 1
- Gags the Clown (2019) – Streaming August 4
- All the Gods in the Sky (2019) – Streaming August 4
- Pelican Blood (2019) – Streaming August 4
- Clown in a Cornfield (2025) – Streaming August 8
- Never Have I Ever (2024) – Streaming August 11
- I Saw the Face of the Devil (2023) – Streaming August 11
- The Twin (2025) – Streaming August 29 – A new Shudder Original Film
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