Behind The Monsters Trailer: Shudder's Doc Series Slices Into Horror History

Some monsters make the journey from horror villain to cultural icon look easy, so Shudder is scoping them out. The new docu-series "Behind The Monsters" delves into horror's most famous villains, chatting with the creatives who helped shape them and tracing each terrifying rise to fame. So, if you've spent hours upon hours watching Michael Myers hunt down his victims, or ever delighted in a chilling Freddy Kreuger nightmare, this might be exactly what you need in your life.

Check out the new trailer for "Behind the Monsters" below!

This sneak peek of "Behind the Monsters" features some very unsettling footage. I'm not talking about the faceless, knife-wielding Chucky doll — the bigger scare is the two teens chanting "Candyman" into a mirror. It's like they learned nothing from the movie! 

As promised, the series delves into six modern horror icons and their origins, offering extra insight from interviews, and looking back on their lasting legacies. Hardcore horror fans won't be too bit surprised by the lineup: Candyman, Chucky, Jason Vorhees, Michael Myers, Freddy Kreuger, and Pinhead.

While they've each received their fair share of deep-dives and "making of" specials, their legacies have only grown grander. Chucky and Candyman have new iterations as recent as this year, while Michael Myers was always lurking in the shadows. As their popularity grows, so does fan curiosity.

"Behind the Monsters" looks at the creation and inspiration for each of these six serial killers. While there may be some details you already know, there's always more to learn. The docuseries features interviews with the writers, directors, and stars behind the characters, while also pulling in horror experts and fans for alternate perspectives. Here's a closer look at the episode breakdowns:

CANDYMAN, featuring interviews with the original Candyman (1992) director Bernard Rose and stars Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen; Candyman (2021) Director Nia DaCosta; and Horror Noire's Tananarive Due, among others.

CHUCKY, with interviews with Child's Play (1988) Creator/Writer Don Mancini, Director Tom Holland and star Catherine Hicks, along with the voice of Chucky, Brad Dourif, among others.

JASON VOORHEES, including interviews with Kane Hodder, actor/stuntman from Friday the 13th Parts VII & VIII, Jason Goes to Hell and Jason X, and Tom Savini, special effects creator on Friday the 13th Parts I & IV, among others.

MICHAEL MYERS, featuring interviews with actor Nick Castle from Halloween and the new Halloween films from Blumhouse, as well as Halloween (2018) stunt actor James Jude Courtney, among others.

FREDDY KRUEGER, including interviews with A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994) stars Heather Langenkamp and Lin Shaye, as well as Special Effects Designer Jim Doyle, among others.

PINHEAD, including an interview with Hellraiser actor Doug Bradley and others.

Naturally, "Behind The Monsters" arrives just in time for Halloween, premiering its first episode on Shudder on October 26, 2021. The following 5 episodes air weekly.