Dark and Dreary

A roundup of Halloween-worthy movies and video games set in the Pacific Northwest

Seattle’s foggy streets, dark waters, and eerie atmosphere have long inspired horror classics like The Ring.

There’s a reason horror loves the Pacific Northwest — Seattle’s gloom turns every downtown street and quiet suburb into a scene from a thriller. From the dark, hidden passageways of the Underground to ferry rides one fog bank away from a nightmare, here’s your guide to locally filmed scary movies and video games:

The Night Strangler (1973)

Look for: The Space Needle, Seattle Underground
Kolchak’s hunt through Seattle’s Underground adds local chills as the Seattle reporter takes on this perfect ’70s thriller.

The Changeling (1980)

Look for: UW campus, downtown Seattle
Ghosts, a Victorian mansion, and Seattle’s gothic vibe make this haunted classic unforgettable. Are you brave enough to watch it alone?

War Games (1983)

Look for: UW, Boeing Field
Not quite horror, but pre-Ferris Bueller Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, Seattle, and Cold War paranoia deliver serious dread.

Fire Walk with Me (1992)

Look for: Boren Avenue
David Lynch goes all-out eerie in this Twin Peaks prequel, with Seattle shadows adding to the weird.

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle (1992)

Look for: Magnolia, Tacoma
A “perfect” nanny, a Seattle mansion, and suspense so thick you’ll double-check the locks.

The Vanishing (1993)

Look for: Pike Place Market
It’s hard to believe The Dude could play a villain, but Jeff Bridges nails the role of Barney Cousins, a kidnapper with a dark obsession. Let’s just say this version of Bridges won’t abide by much at all.

Fear (1996)

Look for: Duwamish Head, Mercer Island parks
Mark Wahlberg as the sweaty, obsessive boyfriend who turns Seattle’s suburbs into his personal horror show.

Practical Magic (1998)

Look for: Whidbey Island
Not exactly horror, but Whidbey Island’s witchy charm makes it ripe for a Halloween re-watch.

The Ring (2002)

Look for: Whidbey Island, downtown Seattle, Quinault ferry
Foggy ferry rides, a cursed videotape, and a CGI horse who’s not sticking around — Seattle’s freaky atmosphere hits hard.

Rose Red (2002)

Look for: Magnuson Park
Stephen King’s Seattle mansion thriller gives Magnuson Park the best King twist.

Cthulhu (2007)

Look for: Pike Place Market
Lovecraftian horror — Pike Place Market adds the Seattle spook.

Alan Wake (2010)

Creepy Pacific Northwest forests and shadowy towns set the stage for this scary, atmospheric video game. I dare you to play alone.

A person stands in a dark and dreary forested area at night, clutching a flashlight and a firearm.

The Last of Us Part 2 (2020)

Look for: Space Needle, Seattle Convention Center, Pioneer Square, Great Wheel, King Street Station clock tower
Post-apocalyptic Seattle in this video game— rainy, overgrown, and eerie (yes, even Capitol Hill’s rainbow crosswalks make an appearance).