It’s a new month, which means Netflix is adding — and dropping — a ton of new content to its platform. In September, the streaming service is officially losing a highly-rated horror movie; subscribers now have until Sept. 30 to watch Insidious, a terrifying film about a family who thinks their house is haunted but soon discovers that it’s not their home that’s possessed. Netflix users who are interested in checking out the supernatural scare-fest have just over one month to do so before it leaves the streamer.
Insidious premiered in 2010, directed by James Wan (Aquaman) from a script by Leigh Whannell (The Invisible Man). Both men had previously launched the Saw franchise, which became a massively successful horror series in its own right. Starring Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye, Barbara Hershey, and Ty Simpkins, Insidious went on to be a big hit as well, earning nearly $100 million at the box office on a budget of less than $2 million. The film also received a fairly positive response from critics, with the Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus reading: “Aside from a shaky final act, Insidious is a very scary and very fun haunted house thrill ride.”
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A whole new horror franchise was sparked, as Insidious went on to spawn a sequel — Insidious: Chapter 2 in 2013 — and two prequels: Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015) and The Last Key (2018). Shaye is the only main cast member to appear in all four Insidious films, as she plays Elise Rainier a psychic who attempts to help those plagued by evil spirits. Whannell and Angus Sampson are also featured in each film, playing the supporting roles of Rainier’s paranormal investigation team.
The Insidious franchise is set to return, with an untitled sequel currently being in development. The script is being written by Scott Teems (Narcos: Mexico) from a story by Whannell. Interestingly, Wilson is reportedly on-board to direct the film, which is said to follow a Simpkins’ character from the first movie, a possessed child who is now grown-up and heading off to college. Simpkins will be reprising the role.
For anyone hopping on Netflix to add Insidious to your queue before it’s gone, there are a few other great horror films that you may want to check out. Right now, Netflix has the first two Conjuring films, The Ring, a few movies from the Underworld franchise, and both Strangers films. All of these will eventually be shuffled loose from Netflix’s digital coil, so stream them while you still can.
