What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedPoltergeist
Tobe Hooper · Film · 1982
If you loved Poltergeist, start with Stranger Things (Ross Duffer, 2016) — a series from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Poltergeist across media.
If Poltergeist hooked you, it is because you crave stories where the safety of domestic life is breached by supernatural forces.
Start with the source
Inspired by
Stranger Things
Ross Duffer · Series · 2016
Books on the same thread
Ghost Story
Peter Straub · Book · 1979
Shares a thread with Poltergeist: Supernatural Horror.
Like the Freelings in Poltergeist, the characters here face a haunting that stems from past secrets, proving that your home is never as safe as you believe it to be.
The Haunting of Hill House
Shirley Jackson · Book · 1987
Shares 2 threads with Poltergeist: Supernatural Horror, Haunted House.
This story mirrors the claustrophobic dread found in Poltergeist, focusing on a group of researchers who realize their investigation into the unknown has trapped them inside a malevolent structure.
The Exorcist
William Peter Blatty · Book · 1971
Explores: Good vs. Evil, Demonic Possession, Loss of Innocence.
The terror of seeing an innocent child targeted by otherworldly entities in Poltergeist finds a much darker, more intense manifestation in this classic tale of demonic possession and spiritual warfare.
Fear Street
R. L. Stine · Book · 1989
Explores: Teen Angst, Small Town Secrets, Supernatural Curse.
This selection captures the small-town suspense and supernatural incursions that defined Poltergeist, centering on the unsettling realization that your own neighborhood can hide a lethal and vengeful dark side.
Series on the same thread
Stranger Things
Ross Duffer · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with Poltergeist: Supernatural Horror.
If the family-under-threat dynamic of Poltergeist resonated with you, this mystery will satisfy your need for tales where local secrets and supernatural portals disrupt the lives of ordinary people.
Beetlejuice
Tim Burton · Series · 1989
Explores: Death Positivity, Friendship, Outsiders.
While Poltergeist highlights the terror of the afterlife, this provides a comedic spin on the same themes, exploring the boundary between our world and the realm of the dead.
Twin Peaks
Mark Frost · Series · 1990
Explores: Small Town Secrets, Doppelgangers, Good vs Evil.
This series expands on the paranormal investigation elements of Poltergeist, dragging you into a web of surreal mystery where the line between the living and the dead constantly blurs.
Supernatural
Eric Kripke · Series · 2005
Explores: Brotherhood, Good vs Evil, Apocalypse.
The battle against demonic entities that anchored Poltergeist serves as the primary engine here, following brothers who hunt the same dark forces that once threatened the Freeling family home.
Podcasts on the same thread
Encuentro Paranormal Podcast
Podcast
Explores: paranormal events, ghost encounters, supernatural experiences.
These accounts of real-life ghost encounters echo the genuine fear of paranormal activity in Poltergeist, grounding the supernatural in the same domestic settings you find so unsettlingly familiar.
MALIKMATA
Podcast
Shares a thread with Poltergeist: Supernatural Horror.
These stories tap into the same primal fear of the unknown that defined Poltergeist, using folklore and cultural myths to illustrate how easily supernatural entities can invade your daily life.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Poltergeist considered the primary inspiration for the television series Stranger Things?
While Stranger Things shares thematic similarities with Poltergeist, such as suburban families facing paranormal portals and missing children, the series is an original creation. Both works explore the concept of a home becoming a gateway to another dimension where loved ones must be rescued.
Does Poltergeist feature a plot involving a family trying to rescue a daughter from the other side?
Yes, Poltergeist centers on the Freeling family whose suburban home becomes the site of intense paranormal activity. A portal to the other side opens within the house, forcing the family to seek professional help to cross over and rescue their daughter from the supernatural realm.
How does the paranormal activity in Poltergeist compare to the events in Stranger Things?
Poltergeist focuses on a specific suburban home experiencing hauntings that lead to a portal. Similarly, Stranger Things depicts a community dealing with interdimensional threats. Both titles feature families navigating the dangers of a supernatural other side to recover a child taken by these forces.
Should I watch Poltergeist if I enjoyed the portal themes in Stranger Things?
If you enjoyed the themes of portals and missing children in Stranger Things, Poltergeist is a suitable choice. The 1982 film established the narrative structure of a suburban home becoming a gateway to another side, requiring the family to enter that dimension to save their daughter.