If you loved
Poltergeist
Tobe Hooper · Film · 1982
What hooked you in Poltergeist was the way a domestic sanctuary becomes a terrifying battleground for protecting a vulnerable family member.
Start with the source
Inspired by
Stranger Things
Ross Duffer · Series · 2016
Books on the same thread
The Possessed
Lisa J. Smith · Book · 1995
Much like the Freelings in Poltergeist, these teenagers must harness psychic abilities to survive a malevolent house that threatens to consume them during their desperate search for safety.
The Exorcist
William Peter Blatty · Book · 1971
If the spiritual warfare of Poltergeist left you unsettled, this novel offers a deeper dive into the harrowing struggle to reclaim a child from a demonic force.
The Haunting of Hill House
Shirley Jackson · Book · 1987
This classic captures the same unsettling atmosphere of a home turned hostile that defined Poltergeist, focusing on how a physical space can psychologically dismantle those who dare inhabit it.
The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity
William P. Young, Wayne Jacobsen, Brad Cummings · Book · 2009
While Poltergeist uses the supernatural to explore family trauma, this story mirrors the intense grief and the harrowing quest to find a missing daughter after a tragic abduction.
Series on the same thread
The Haunting of Hill House
Mike Flanagan · Series · 2018
This series mirrors the family-centric horror of Poltergeist, emphasizing how the terrifying memories of a childhood home continue to haunt and fracture family members long after they leave.
Stranger Things
Ross Duffer · Series · 2016
This series captures the suburban paranoia of Poltergeist, where a small town is forced to confront government conspiracies and otherworldly portals while desperately searching for a missing boy.
The Exorcist
Jeremy Slater · Series · 2016
Like the spiritual intervention seen in Poltergeist, this show centers on the high-stakes battle between faith and evil as priests attempt to save a family from demonic possession.
Secrets of Sulphur Springs
Tracey Thomson · Series · 2021
Fans of the haunted suburban home in Poltergeist will appreciate this mystery, where a family moves into a new property only to discover it hides dangerous, long-buried supernatural secrets.
Podcasts on the same thread
To Live and Die in LA
Tenderfoot TV & Audacy · Podcast · 2023
This investigation into a missing person echoes the desperate parental search found in Poltergeist, proving that the most terrifying mysteries often occur in the places we call home.
Monsters Among Us
Derek Hayes | Audioboom Studios · Podcast · 2026
If the paranormal investigation aspect of Poltergeist kept you on edge, these raw, first-hand accounts of unexplained phenomena will provide the same chilling sense of an encroaching supernatural world.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Poltergeist considered a source of inspiration for Stranger Things?
Yes, Stranger Things draws significant inspiration from Poltergeist. Both stories feature suburban settings where paranormal activity leads to the abduction of a child into an alternate dimension, forcing the families to seek assistance to rescue their loved ones from the other side.
What is the primary plot of the 1982 film Poltergeist?
Poltergeist follows the Freelings, a family whose suburban home becomes the epicenter of intense paranormal activity. A portal to the other side opens within the house, resulting in their daughter being taken. The family must then work with experts to cross over and retrieve her.
Does Stranger Things share the same supernatural premise as Poltergeist?
Stranger Things shares core narrative elements with Poltergeist. In both works, the disruption of a peaceful suburban environment by a portal to another realm serves as the primary catalyst for the plot, specifically centering on the disappearance of a child and the subsequent rescue mission.
Should I watch Poltergeist if I enjoyed the supernatural themes in Stranger Things?
If you enjoyed the supernatural themes in Stranger Things, you should watch Poltergeist. It establishes the foundational trope of a suburban home serving as a gateway to a dangerous paranormal dimension, which directly influences the investigative and rescue-oriented plot structure seen in the television series.