As Halloween season approaches, it’s the perfect time to curl up with some spine-tingling movies that take you on a chilling ride.
For residents and visitors of Vancouver Island, there’s an added thrill in watching horror films shot right in your backyard. With rugged landscapes and eerie atmosphere have been the perfect backdrop for many spine-chilling films.
From dense forests to isolated coastlines, the island’s natural beauty has doubled as a haunted playground for filmmakers.
Here’s a list of scary movies filmed on Vancouver Island that are sure to send shivers down your spine:
The Boy (2016)
This psychological horror film starring Lauren Cohan, known for The Walking Dead, was partially filmed at the historic Craigdarroch Castle.
The castle’s Gothic architecture perfectly suited the creepy mansion in which much of the film’s suspense unfolds.
The eerie isolation and vast estate set the stage for an unsettling story about a seemingly lifelike doll with a dark secret.
Final Destination 2 (2003)
Final Destination 2 brought its chilling curse to Vancouver Island.
The highway crash scene, one of the most iconic and terrifying sequences in horror history, was filmed along the Island Highway near Campbell River.
Some additional scenes were shot around Victoria, including scenes involving eerily empty streets and a tense hospital chase.
The Uninvited (2009)
This psychological thriller/horror starring Emily Browning and Elizabeth Banks was filmed in various locations on Vancouver Island, with the town of Sooke featuring prominently.
The film’s remote coastal setting amplifies the sense of isolation and tension as two sisters struggle with unsettling visions and a sinister force threatening their family.
The 13th Warrior (1999)
Though The 13th Warrior isn’t strictly a horror movie, it features plenty of dark, suspenseful, and intense moments.
The film’s battle scenes and mysterious undertones were shot in the misty forests and rocky shores near Tofino and Campbell River.
The island’s rugged wilderness adds a foreboding atmosphere that heightens the tension in this action-packed horror-adjacent film.
The Fog (2005)
A remake of John Carpenter’s classic, The Fog takes place in a small coastal town haunted by mysterious entities lurking in the mist.
This supernatural thriller was shot around the Cowichan Valley and Ladysmith on Vancouver Island. The fog-draped locations, from harbours to town streets, created a perfectly spooky atmosphere for the ghostly tale.
Devil in the Dark (2017)
This indie horror film follows two estranged brothers who embark on a hunting trip deep in the wilderness of Vancouver Island.
What begins as a bonding trip quickly turns sinister as they realize they are being stalked by something in the forest.
The island’s dense forests and rugged terrain play a critical role in creating the film’s eerie, claustrophobic atmosphere.
Brahms: The Boy 2 (2020)
This is a sequel to The Boy (2016) and follows the lives of a young family who move to the Heelshire Mansion—a.k.a. Craigdarroch Castle. There, their young son finds an eerily life-like doll named Brahms and soon makes friends with it. Starring Katie Holmes, Christopher Convery, and Owain Yeoman!
The Changeling (1980)
Classified as a ‘near cult classic,’ this is one of the greatest horror movies of its time and touches on numerous elements of fear such as jump scares, suspense, and paranormal activity.
It’s set in a haunted mansion—a mansion you may recognize as Colwood’s Hatley Castle—which is owned by the Senator.
He begins experiencing a lot of troubling circumstances within the home as a spirit tries desperately, and violently, to communicate.
The Poltergeist: Legacy (1996-1999)
Another great use of Colwood’s Hatley Castle, This mid 90s series based on the iconic film The Poltergeist: Legacy, filmed an episode in 1996 titled “The Legacy”.
It’s an absolute must for fans of occult stories!
Ripper (2001)
If you’re one for true crime, then this early 2000s horror movie is for you!
This lesser-known film following the survivor of a massacre who studies serial killers and then finds herself hunted by a Jack The Ripper copycat was shot entirely in Victoria.
In particular, it featured—yep, you guessed it—Hatley Castle!
Final Destination (2000)
Death stalks Devon Sawa and friends in this frightful story of not being able to escape one’s destiny. The death of the main character happens near Bastion Square, which is also believed to be haunted IRL!
Scary Movie (2000)
This horror film spoof that pokes fun at late 90s pop culture references and classic horror films was shot around the city, most notably at Victoria High School.
The Girl in the Photographs (2015)
Not for the lighthearted, The Girl in the Photographs is about a woman who begins receiving images from a killer’s gruesome murders and must figure out who they are and why they’re sending her these photos.
This indie film used Wellburn’s Market as both an indoor and outdoor shooting location for one of the main character’s jobs at a grocery store.
Lake Placid
Before 2019’s Alligator horror film Crawl, there was another film that kept people from getting into the water (outside of Jaws).
The New York lake in this film was actually Shawnigan Lake, which thankfully is alligator free in real life.
Did we miss any of your favourites? Let us know!
