We may earn a commission from links on this page.
Whether you loved Widow’s Bay from the moment Wyck cranked the hilariously warbly horror alarm in the first episode or you only fully bought in once Patricia was running down the road in her fabulously impractical sweater boots, we can all agree that the Apple TV horror comedy was the summer streaming surprise we all needed.
Somehow, this story of a seafaring island community beset by a growing, malevolent supernatural force was simultaneously laugh-out-loud funny and legitimately scary, a balance that’s rarely been done so well, and so consistently. If you’ve watched and rewatched the show (and burned through our suggestions for similar streaming series), there’s one more movie you should check out: John Carpenter’s 1980 classic The Fog.
Like Widow's Bay, The Fog's Antonio Bay is cursed
There is no Widow’s Bay without The Fog. While the show draws on a lot of horror influences, ranging from Scream-style slashers to everything Stephen King has ever published, the key element in Widow’s Bay is the community’s isolation and seafaring history. While it’s not nearly as funny as Widow’s Bay, The Fog has all the chilling, creepy vibe you could want, and the town of Antonio Bay, California is very similar to Widow’s Bay in many ways.
Just like Widow’s Bay, Antonio Bay is superficially a sleepy, economically-challenged town whose economy and local culture are defined by its relationship with the sea. Both towns are gearing up for improvement (Antonio Bay is preparing for its centennial celebration), and both towns are haunted by sins committed long ago. There’s a local priest who discovers an old journal that reveals the founding and success of the town were won via a nefarious bargain, and the bill is coming due. Sound familiar?
While there’s no doubt the callbacks to The Fog in Widow’s Bay are intentional, what really links the two films is the tone. The Fog has the same, er, foggy sense of dread, the same sense that something is coming and the only way to stop it from destroying the entire town is to make a sacrifice no one wants to make. Visually, you can easily imagine The Fog as an extended episode of Widow’s Bay—it’s all shadowed threats, lonely boats on the water, and weird townies being, er, weird (the quirky town and its residents will also give you streamalike vibes). The film doesn’t lean into the humor quite as much, but it is pretty funny at times, so you’ll definitely see where Widow’s Bay took inspiration from the movie. Stream The Fog on Kanopy or Plex or rent it on Prime Video.
More movies like Widow's Bay
Need more horror, comedy, and beachy, small-town stories? Here are a few more movies that catch at least some of that Widow’s Bay feeling.
Storm of the Century (1999)
The influence of Stephen King looms large over Widow’s Bay, and Storm of the Century is the closest of his works to the show in terms of theme and setting. Technically, this is a television miniseries, but at 4-1/2 hours, it’s really just a very long movie. In 1989, a powerful blizzard isolates the community on Little Tall Island, Maine, just as a mysterious stranger arrives. The stranger knows everyone’s darkest secrets, and causes havoc before presenting his reason for visiting Little Tall—and his demands for leaving without destroying the town. It’s ominous and stuffed with the same small-town desperation as Widow’s Bay. Stream Storm of the Century on Hulu.
Jaws (1975)
If island communities beset by monsters is your jam, go to the foundational film. Steven Spielberg’s 1975 movie not only defined the modern blockbuster, but it’s also a streamalike story of another sleepy island town, Amity Island (the movie was filmed on Martha's Vineyard). When an unusually large and aggressive shark begins killing people, the police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) wants to close the beaches—but the mayor argues that this will destroy the tourist season, leading to lots of shark-related mayhem. If that sounds a little familiar, it should. Rent Jaws on Prime Video.
The Wicker Man (1973)
If you want to immerse yourself in a strange, vaguely threatening island community that harbors a dark secret, watch The Wicker Man (the original, not Nic Cage’s delirious 2006 remake). When a police officer from the mainland travels to isolated Summerisle to investigate a report of a missing girl, he finds himself in an odd pagan community that doesn’t welcome him, but also doesn’t outright threaten him. But it’s all part of a plan, and as he explores the island, the darkness under its facade slowly envelopes him, leading to one of the most striking and horrifying final images of a film ever. Christopher Lee’s deranged performance as Lord Summerisle is like a photo negative of Matthew Rhys’ Tom Loftis, and is worth the price of admission by itself. Stream The Wicker Man on Kanopy or rent it on Prime Video.
The Frighteners (1996)
If it was the perfect balance between humor and horror that pulled you into Widow’s Bay, check out this often-overlooked 1996 film directed (and co-written) by Peter Jackson. Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox) gained the ability to perceive and interact with ghosts after a tragic accident that killed his wife. Consumed by guilt, Frank uses this power to con people into paying him to exorcise their homes after his ghostly buddies “haunt” them for a while. When a spectral figure dressed like the Grim Reaper begins killing people in ways that implicate Frank, he has to overcome his self-loathing and terror to save innocent lives. It combines a goofy sensibility with real scares in a way fans of the show will love. Rent The Frighteners on Prime Video.
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Another film that somehow manages to be both effortlessly hilarious and legitimately scary, Shaun of the Dead tracks a zombie outbreak in a sleepy section of London. Shaun (Simon Pegg) isn’t exactly excelling at life, but when the zombies come for the people he loves, he’s all in for the fight—just not always very good at it. Filled with callbacks, brick jokes, and genuinely affecting performances, there’s a reason this movie (and Edgar Wright’s entire so-called Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, actually) is a must-watch for both horror and comedy fans. Rent Shaun of the Dead on Prime Video.
