What Is Hooptober?

Hooptober is an annual horror movie challenge that takes place on Letterboxd. Every year, from September 15 to October 31, participants aim to watch 31 films meeting specific criteria set by the challenge’s creator, Letterboxd user Cinemonster. The challenge is named after Tobe Hooper, who directed many horror films, most notably The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Hooptober 12 Rules

The rules for 2025’s Hooptober (Hooptober 12), are as follows.

You must watch 31 horror films from at least six countries (other than Italy or the U.S.) and nine decades, including:

• 5 zombie films
• 3 cult or conspiracy horror films
• 1 horror film from a Black director with a Black lead
• 1 horror film from a Mexican or Central American director
• 1 Canadian horror film
• 1 former Soviet state horror film (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan)
• 1 the most popular horror film from the 1940s you haven’t seen and can access
• 2 post-apocalyptic horror films
• 1 horror film with dreams or a dream as part of the plot
• 1 “the animals are pissed at us” horror film
• 1 silent horror film
• 4 horror films based on novels
• 1 horror film from this list you haven’t seen
• 1 horror film written by Ernesto Gastaldi
• 1 horror film from 1932
• The Wizard of Oz (1939)
• 1 Tobe Hooper film (there must always be a Hooper film)

Participants are encouraged use the tag Hooptober12 on Letterboxd so they can follow along with each other’s reviews and lists.

How Did Hooptober Start?

Hooptober began in 2014 when horror enthusiast David Hood, inspired by moving into a spooky house and the 4K release of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, devised a more manageable alternative to the usual “31 films in 31 days” challenge — one that helped clear his watchlist while staying flexible enough to not feel like homework. Each year, he sets the rules by looking at current trends, cultural moments, and blind spots in the genre.

You can view past Hooptober challenges here.