Streaming giants compete for Halloween dominance at TIFF

At the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), major streaming platforms including Amazon, Netflix, Peacock, and AMC are competing to dominate the Halloween season with new horror-adjacent content. This shift signals a transition toward ‘prestige streaming,’ where high-budget productions utilize advanced visual effects and immersive sound technology to compete with traditional cinema.

Amazon is highlighting a new series adaptation of Stephen King’s ‘Carrie,’ directed by Mike Flanagan. Flanagan, previously known for his horror work at Netflix, is bringing a modernized version of the story to Prime Video, featuring themes of cyberbullying and expanded character development. The strategic use of major film festivals to preview these series aims to increase subscriber retention and elevate the perceived value of streaming services through ‘eventized’ content releases.