IFC FilmsGood Boy is quickly becoming one of the most viral horror movies of the year, and if you’re brave enough to watch it, there’s one streaming platform you need to sign up for.
Some of the best horror movies of all time are haunted house stories; The Shining, The Orphanage, The Conjuring, Paranormal Activity, and The Haunting of Hill House (it’s a horror TV show but it’s too good not to mention), among many others.
However, they all have one thing in common: they unfold from the POV of a human character. Good Boy takes place from the perspective of a dog, Indy, who senses a dangerous presence in his owner’s new countryside home.
It is an intriguing, anxiety-inducing premise that’s immediately captured social media’s attention, and it won’t be long until you get to watch it.
How to stream Good Boy
Good Boy will be exclusively available to stream via Shudder from October 10, 2025.
The movie is set to premiere in US cinemas on October 3, before rolling out into international territories like the UK on October 10, at which point it’ll be available to stream.
It debuted at SXSW Film Festival earlier this year – where it received rave reactions and reviews – before Shudder acquired it in May. It currently holds a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics calling it “devastating” and “heartbreaking.”
“It so perfectly captures the rhythms of grief – the helplessness, the bargaining, the confusion – in ways that’ll leave you reaching for the tissues,” RogerEbert.com’s Clint Worthington wrote.
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IndieWire’s Rafael Motamayor also called it “one of the year’s scariest movies, albeit one that also doubles as an emotional and moving tribute to the emotional bond between people and their four-legged friends.”
What is Good Boy about?
IFC FilmsGood Boy, directed by Ben Leonberg (and starring his own dog, Indy), revolves around a dog who moves to a “rural family home with his owner Todd, only to discover supernatural forces lurking in the shadows.”
“As dark entities threaten his human companion, the brave pup must fight to protect the one he loves most,” the synopsis adds.
Leonberg, who filmed the movie in 400 days spread across three years, told THR’s Heat Vision: “Do you ever wonder why your dog stares at empty corners, barks for no reason, or refuses to go into the basement? Good Boy is the story of a dog who sees everything that goes bump in the night. No talking pets, just terrifying scares.”
He also told Daily Dead that it’s been “really fun” seeing the film with a crowd, and even people who love dogs have come out of it enjoying it.
“You can tell they’re clearly not into horror, and the movie has affected them. People seem to genuinely find the [movie] very effective, and then they want to talk about their relationship with their dog, so that’s been amazing,” he said.
Until it hits Shudder, check out what else is dropping this year with our 2025 movie calendar.
