After exploding onto the scene in 2016, Stranger Things became an instant TV staple and made young actors like Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, and Caleb McLaughlin some of the most beloved in television, even still in 2023. Made up of scary, supernatural thrills, the Stranger Things ensemble has since proved that they have what it takes to do the horror genre right. Being a Netflix original show (and one of its most successful at that) means that many of the Stranger Things actors have been asked back for other horror projects as well. Other Netflix horror favorites like the Fear Street trilogy and Velvet Buzzsaw feature some of our favorite Stranger Things faces. While some horror projects are stronger than others, there is no doubt that our favorite Hawkins residents are still reasons to watch.

RELATED: ‘Stranger Things’ Play Teaser Video Takes Fans Back to the Beginning

‘Fear Street’ and ‘Eli’ Both Star Sadie Sink

Fear Street took the summer of 2021 by storm for Netflix subscribers after the streaming service released three different films in the series over three weeks. Directed by Leigh Janiak, Fear Street was adapted from the book series by R.L. Stine and follows the curse of a witch and its impact on the surrounding towns, zeroing in on tragedies from the years 1994, 1978, and 1666. Taking inspiration from horror staples like Friday the 13th and Scream, the Fear Street installments remain one of the most compelling and entertaining horror films on Netflix.

The trilogy features not one, but two Stranger Things stars. Maya Hawke, who portrays Robin in Stranger Things, plays the Casey Becker of Fear Street with her cameo in Part One: 1994. Her scene is brief but impactful, with its shocking brutality in the neon lights of a ’90s mall setting the tone for the rest of the series. Part Two: 1978 features Sadie Sink, who stars in Stranger Things as the beloved Max Mayfield. Sink plays outcast Ziggy Berman, who finds herself in a nightmare at her summer camp. Sink successfully carries the film with strength and charisma, with her performance being the most memorable part of the film. With the Fear Street films encompassing classic slasher tropes, similar to how Stranger Things takes inspiration from Stephen King’s stories like Carrie and Stand by Me, Hawke and Sink were obvious choices for these riveting slashers.

Another horror film that features Sink is Eli, a story of a young boy (Charlie Shotwell) who is kept quarantined in a facility due to his rare, unknown disease. Sink plays the critical role of Haley, a child being kept in the facility who reveals the disturbing past of the disease to Eli, and how no child has survived its treatment. Haley has the same sarcasm and intelligence that Max has, making her time on screen that much more enjoyable. Her expositional role also makes the film’s dark reveal at the end more satisfying, as she is one of the few who make it out of the film alive.

Noah Schnapp Plays Opposite Adam Sandler in ‘Hubie Halloween’

Will Byers is the one who started it all in Stranger Things, and actor Noah Schnapp plays another small-town teen in Adam Sandler’s Hubie Halloween. The horror/comedy follows a deli worker (Sandler), who is constantly ridiculed by most people around him, as he finds himself responsible for saving his town of Salem on Halloween. Schnapp plays Tommy, the son of Violet (Julie Bowen) and one of the few who do not mock Hubie.

Simultaneously corny and enjoyable, Hubie Halloween’s biggest appeal lies in its stacked cast, which includes Kevin James, Ray Liotta, June Squibb, Steve Buscemi, and Maya Rudolph. The film also includes many fun cameos of Disney and Nickelodeon alumni from years past, like Karan Brar, China Anne McClain, Bradley Steven Perry, and many more. Schnapp’s character leads the young people in the film with classic teenage awkwardness, this time without the Mind Flayer and the Demogorgon. While the film is not much different from other Adam Sandler films and is not exactly scary, the small-town Halloween atmosphere gives it a level of charm that makes Hubie Halloween a fun watch.

David Harbour Gets Spooky in ‘We Have a Ghost’
Image via Netflix

We Have a Ghost, a Netflix comedy horror, is a supernatural story for the family that stars none other than David Harbour, who portrays the stubborn and family-oriented Jim Hopper in Stranger Things. The film, also starring Anthony Mackie and Jennifer Coolidge, follows a family that is forced into adventure after a video they took of a ghost in their attic goes viral online. Harbour acts in a role that is a far cry from Chief Hopper, playing a ghost named Ernest in this adaptation of Geoff Manuagh’s short story. While the film was forgettable in the eyes of critics, Harbour is entertaining as always in the role, which barely has any speaking lines, and he appears to be having the time of his life with it.

Priah Ferguson Plays Marlon Wayans’ Daughter in ‘The Curse of Bridge Hallow’

Priah Ferguson’s Erica Sinclair has only become a main part of Stranger Things in recent seasons, but it is hard to remember what the series was like before then. In The Curse of Bridge Hallow, Ferguson stars as another teenager fighting supernatural evil alongside her father, played by the underrated Marlon Wayans. The two strong performers as a duo are a force, and Ferguson displays a lot of wit. The film also features many callbacks to horror classics like Killer Klowns from Outer Space. Despite critics saying the film is often unsure of what it wants to be throughout its runtime, Wayans’ past in horror/comedy classics and Ferguson’s comedic timing in Stranger Things make for a perfect pairing. Hopefully, the two will get the chance to appear on-screen together again in the future.

Natalie Dyer’s Horror Movies on Netflix Are More Psychological

Things Heard and Seen is a ghost story adapted from the novel All Things Cease to Appear by Elizabeth Brundage. Starring Amanda Seyfried and James Norton, the film follows a family after they move to upstate New York as they experience obstacles and betrayals in real life, as well as supernatural happenings in their new home. Natalia Dyer, who is the resourceful Nancy Wheeler, plays college student Willis, who is as forward as Nancy, but a little more free-spirited. Norton’s character eventually starts an affair with her, one of many catalysts that lead to a heartbreaking death. Dyer’s role is minor but crucial and memorable in a film that unfortunately falls flat, especially in the horror department. However, if you enjoy watching Nancy outsmart everyone in Stranger Things, odds are you will enjoy watching Dyer bring Willis to life.

Another Netflix horror that features Dyer is Velvet Buzzsaw. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, and Toni Collette, the film follows a group of people involved in the art world as they learn the hard way that life truly does imitate art, getting brutally picked off one by one. As for Dyer, she gained the opportunity for a more comedic character in Velvet Buzzsaw. She plays Coco, an assistant who cannot keep a boss because they all end up dying. The film is a satire, horror, and dark comedy all at once, and is one of the stronger horror films done by Netflix. Velvet Buzzsaw comments on art and capitalism, the commodification of works made by the deceased, and what it means to pick money over genuine artistic expression. Each kill is symbolic and individual to each character, and the murderous, unseen force only spares those who appreciate art for its actual beauty, not for its monetary value. While there are moments of pretentiousness, the film is both successful and memorable in the ways it gets its point across.