One of our favourite Halloween activities is getting cozied up with some friends and watching scary movies!
It’s the perfect way to get yourself into the Halloween spirit and an even better excuse to enjoy your favorite snacks.
You may already know, but Victoria is considered to be one of the most haunted places in the Pacific Northwest—so, choosing it as a movie backdrop just makes sense!
To keep you from scrolling aimlessly through your favourite streaming service, we’ve compiled the list of must-sees for you!
All of these films have scenes shot in Greater Victoria—see if you can recognize them.
Without further ado, here’s 10 scary movies and TV shows filmed in and around Victoria:
The Boy (2016)
With the lavish and daunting backdrop of Craigdarroch Castle, we are transported into a world of luxury, mystery, and something incredibly disturbing.
Assuming she is taking the roll of a nanny, Lauren Cohan’s character takes a job for a wealthy family, only to discover their ‘son’ is a doll.
Haunted by the presence of this doll, Cohan must try and pretend like everything she’s experiencing is normal as the activity slowly ramps up and things get weirder.
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.
The Fog (2005)
Starring Selma Blair, Maggie Grace, and Tom Welling, this remake of the 1980’s John Carpenter ghostly tale brings us to a small coastal town that has been engulfed by a suspicious fog bank.
Only it doesn’t act like ordinary fog—it goes against the wind and carries the lost souls of a shipwreck who are out to cause destruction and fear.
It used Cowichan Bay and Tofino instead of the originals California filming locations for some of their haunting locations!
Did we miss any of your favourites? Let us know!
