Are you ready for a terrifying Halloween movie marathon? Look no further than Netflix’s spine-tingling selection of horror flicks that are guaranteed to make you scream. From supernatural thrillers to gory slashers, we’ve rounded up the 25 scariest movies currently streaming. Beware – you may need to sleep with the lights on after watching these…
1. The Conjuring (2013)
Director: James Wan
Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston
Based on the real-life case files of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Conjuring follows the couple as they try to help the Perron family, who are being terrorized by a malevolent presence in their farmhouse. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson shine as the Warrens, bringing gravitas and humanity to their roles. Director James Wan masterfully builds tension, using old-school scare tactics and practical effects to craft some of the most frightening sequences in recent memory, like the infamous clapping game scene. The Conjuring spawned a massive franchise, but the original remains the scariest of them all, thanks to its strong performances, chilling atmosphere, and terrifying antagonist in the form of the demonic witch Bathsheba.
2. Hereditary (2018)
Director: Ari Aster
Starring: Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd
Devastating family tragedy, unsettling seances, and a deeply disturbed child who makes eerie clicking noises with her tongue – Hereditary has all the ingredients for a harrowing horror movie that burrows deep under your skin. Toni Collette delivers a tour-de-force performance as Annie Graham, a miniatures artist grappling with grief, guilt, and increasingly strange happenings after her secretive mother dies. Ari Aster’s directorial debut is a slow-burn nightmare that builds to a shocking climax, filled with skin-crawling imagery that will linger in your mind long after the credits roll. From the nerve-jangling score to the dread-soaked cinematography, every element works together to create an oppressive sense of inescapable doom. Hereditary isn’t just scary – it’s emotionally shattering and profoundly disturbing on a primal level.
3. The Exorcist (1973)
Director: William Friedkin
Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, Jason Miller
Nearly five decades after its release, The Exorcist remains the gold standard for possession horror. When 12-year-old Regan MacNeil starts exhibiting bizarre behavior, her actress mother Chris turns to a priest for help, leading to an epic battle against the demon Pazuzu. From the ominous opening in Iraq to the misty streets of Georgetown, director William Friedkin creates an all-pervading atmosphere of dread, punctuated by shocking moments like Regan’s head-spinning and pea soup vomiting. But beyond the sensational scares, The Exorcist grapples with weighty themes of faith, doubt, and maternal devotion. The late Jason Miller is heartbreaking as the tortured Father Karras, and Linda Blair’s performance as Regan is one of the all-time great child actor turns. Controversial and cursed upon release, The Exorcist cast a demonic spell on the horror genre that can still be felt today.
4. The Shining (1980)
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy – and makes Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining a chilling study of isolation, madness, and paternal rage. Adapted from the Stephen King novel, the film follows Jack Torrance (an unhinged Jack Nicholson) as he takes a job as the winter caretaker of the remote Overlook Hotel, bringing along his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and psychic son Danny (Danny Lloyd). As cabin fever sets in, Jack becomes possessed by the evil spirits haunting the hotel, descending into violent insanity. Kubrick’s meticulous direction fills every frame with creeping unease, from the unsettling Steadicam shots of Danny riding his tricycle through the labyrinthine halls to the tidal waves of blood gushing out of the elevators. With its iconic axe-wielding climax and puzzling final shot, The Shining is a mesmerizing horror classic that invites endless interpretation and analysis.
5. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Director: Jonathan Demme
Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Ted Levine, Scott Glenn
“Hello, Clarice.” With those two words, Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter cemented his place as one of cinema’s most unforgettable villains. But he’s just one part of the dark, twisted tapestry woven by The Silence of the Lambs, Jonathan Demme’s Oscar-winning thriller. Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, an FBI trainee tasked with interviewing the incarcerated cannibal psychiatrist Lecter in order to catch another serial killer, the skin-suit-sewing Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). Foster and Hopkins are electric in their quid pro quo tête-à-têtes, while Demme ratchets up the suspense with his claustrophobic close-ups and unsettling POV shots. From its unnerving opening sequence with Clarice running through the woods to its unbearably tense climax in Buffalo Bill’s labyrinth, The Silence of the Lambs is a masterclass in psychological horror that will make your skin crawl.
6. The Babadook (2014)
Director: Jennifer Kent
Starring: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Daniel Henshall
Grief, motherhood, and a pop-up storybook monster collide in Jennifer Kent’s haunting directorial debut The Babadook. Amelia (an astonishing Essie Davis) is a single mother struggling to raise her troubled 6-year-old son Samuel (Noah Wiseman) after the death of her husband. When a sinister children’s book called “Mister Babadook” appears in their home, a terrifying presence begins to torment the family, preying on Amelia’s deteriorating mental state. Kent uses the Babadook as a potent metaphor for the all-consuming power of unresolved grief, crafting a emotionally resonant and genuinely frightening film that feels like a twisted fairy tale. The monster itself is a feat of lo-fi practical effects, a spindly silhouette with a towering top hat and razor-sharp talons. But the real horror comes from Amelia’s slow unraveling, as repressed resentment and exhaustion push her to the brink. The Babadook is a modern horror classic that cuts deep.
7. It Follows (2014)
Director: David Robert Mitchell
Starring: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary
A malevolent entity that can look like anyone, passed from victim to victim through sexual intercourse, relentlessly stalking its prey at a walking pace – the premise of It Follows is the stuff of nightmares, tapping into primal fears of vulnerability, paranoia, and teenage anxiety. After a seemingly innocent hookup, 19-year-old Jay (Maika Monroe) finds herself cursed by a shape-shifting monster that only she and her previous partners can see. David Robert Mitchell’s stylish indie horror gem is a master class in slow-burn tension, using wide shots and a synth-heavy score to create an atmosphere of inescapable dread. The monster’s slow, deliberate pursuit is utterly chilling, always getting closer no matter how far Jay runs. It Follows breathes new life into the “final girl” trope, crafting a heroine who fights back against the curse while grappling with the trauma of her assault.
8. The Descent (2005)
Director: Neil Marshall
Starring: Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder
Claustrophobia and creature feature collide in The Descent, Neil Marshall’s nerve-shredding horror film about a group of female friends who become trapped in an uncharted cave system, only to discover they are not alone. The first half is a white-knuckle exercise in confinement, as the women navigate narrow tunnels and treacherous chasms, the threat of cave-ins and drowning ever-present. But when the blind, flesh-eating humanoid crawlers attack, The Descent kicks into high gear, delivering gory, visceral thrills as the women fight for survival. Shauna Macdonald anchors the film as Sarah, a woman grappling with a devastating personal tragedy, her arc taking on mythic dimensions in the blood-soaked climax. With its all-female cast and evocative use of the cave setting as a metaphor for grief and rebirth, The Descent is a smart, scary subterranean nightmare.
9. The Ritual (2017)
Director: David Bruckner
Starring: Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James-Collier, Sam Troughton
Four friends hiking through the Swedish wilderness as a tribute to their dead mate – what could go wrong? Everything, it turns out, in David Bruckner’s The Ritual, a folk horror film that starts as a tale of male bonding gone awry before taking a hard left turn into pagan nightmare territory. Rafe Spall is excellent as Luke, wracked with guilt over his failure to prevent his friend’s senseless murder in a liquor store robbery. As the men become lost in the forest, strange runes and sacrificed animals hint at an ancient evil lurking among the trees. Bruckner creates an oppressive atmosphere of isolation and paranoia, the verdant landscape turning increasingly hostile. The film’s final act unveils a mythological monstrosity that is pure nightmare fuel, a towering goat-headed abomination that would make even a black metal band shudder.
10. Sinister (2012)
Director: Scott Derrickson
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, Fred Thompson, James Ransone
Sinister is a movie that will make you want to burn your home movies and never go in the attic again. Ethan Hawke stars as Ellison Oswalt, a true crime writer who moves his family into a house where the previous occupants were brutally murdered, hoping to use the case as fodder for his new book. But when he discovers a box of Super 8 snuff films in the attic depicting other families being killed in ritualistic fashion, Ellison becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth, putting his own family in the crosshairs of a demonic entity known as Bughuul. Director Scott Derrickson wrings unbearable tension out of the grainy home movie footage, each reel unveiling a new nightmare. Sinister taps into the primal fear that the things we watch can somehow watch us back, crafting a modern urban legend that will make you sleep with the lights on.
11. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)
Director: André Øvredal
Starring: Brian Cox, Emile Hirsch, Ophelia Lovibond, Michael McElhatton
A stormy night, an unidentified female corpse, and a father-son mortician team – The Autopsy of Jane Doe has all the ingredients for a skin-crawling chamber piece of horror. Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch star as Tommy and Austin Tilden, tasked with performing an autopsy on a Jane Doe found half-buried at a crime scene. As they begin to examine the body, they uncover increasingly bizarre clues that hint at a supernatural cause of death. Norwegian director André Øvredal creates a claustrophobic sense of dread within the confines of the morgue, using sound design and practical effects to ratchet up the tension. The interplay between Cox and Hirsch grounds the film emotionally, even as the mystery of Jane Doe’s origins takes a terrifying turn. With its high-concept premise and gory set pieces, The Autopsy of Jane Doe is a clever, creepy corker.
12. Creep (2014)
Director: Patrick Brice
Starring: Mark Duplass, Patrick Brice
Found footage gets a shot in the arm with Creep, a darkly funny and deeply unsettling two-hander that plays like a mumblecore horror film. Director Patrick Brice also stars as Aaron, a videographer hired by the enigmatic Josef (a revelatory Mark Duplass) to document his life for his unborn child, as he claims to be dying of cancer. But as Aaron spends more time with Josef, he begins to suspect that his new friend’s intentions are far more sinister than they appear. Shot on a shoestring budget, Creep wrings maximum tension out of its simple setup, with Duplass delivering a mesmerizing performance as the titular weirdo, oscillating between disarming charm and barely-concealed menace. The film’s final act is a masterclass in slow-burn suspense, building to a skin-crawling climax that will make you think twice about answering any more Craigslist ads.
13. Hush (2016)
Director: Mike Flanagan
Starring: Kate Siegel, John Gallagher Jr., Michael Trucco, Samantha Sloyan
Home invasion thrillers are a dime a dozen, but Hush puts a clever spin on the formula by making its heroine deaf and mute. Kate Siegel stars as Maddie, a writer living a solitary life in the woods, who becomes the target of a masked killer (John Gallagher Jr.). Unable to hear her attacker’s movements or call out for help, Maddie must rely on her wits and survival instincts to fight back. Director Mike Flanagan (who co-wrote the script with Siegel) makes inventive use of sound design to put the audience in Maddie’s headspace, stripping away the usual auditory cues and ramping up the tension. Siegel is fantastic as the resourceful Maddie, conveying volumes with just her expressive face and body language. Hush is a lean, mean, heart-pounding thriller that will make you want to double-check your locks.
14. The Invitation (2015)
Director: Karyn Kusama
Starring: Logan Marshall-Green, Tammy Blanchard, Michiel Huisman, Emayatzy Corinealdi
Grief, cults, and gaslighting collide in The Invitation, Karyn Kusama’s slow-burn psychological thriller about a dinner party from hell. Logan Marshall-Green stars as Will, a man still reeling from the death of his young son, who reluctantly accepts an invitation to a gathering at his ex-wife Eden’s (Tammy Blanchard) house, along with her new husband David (Michiel Huisman). As the night wears on, Will becomes increasingly convinced that something is amiss with Eden and David’s New Age group of friends, even as his own grip on reality seems to fray. Kusama creates an atmosphere of simmering paranoia and dread, using the confined setting of the house to ratchet up the tension. The film’s final act is a white-knuckle descent into madness, as the true nature of the gathering is revealed in bloody fashion. The Invitation is a masterful exercise in sustained unease, a horror film that gets under your skin and stays there.
15. The Wailing (2016)
Director: Na Hong-jin
Starring: Kwak Do-won, Hwang Jung-min, Chun Woo-hee, Jun Kunimura
A ancient demon, a mysterious Japanese stranger, and a bumbling cop – these are the key ingredients of The Wailing, Na Hong-jin’s sprawling, operatic horror epic. Set in a small Korean village beset by a string of gruesome murders and a mysterious illness, the film follows police officer Jong-goo (Kwak Do-won) as he investigates the crimes, which seem to be linked to the arrival of a reclusive Japanese man (Jun Kunimura). As Jong-goo delves deeper into the case, he becomes entangled in a web of shamanism, possession, and ancient evil that threatens to consume him and his family. Na Hong-jin’s masterful direction creates an atmosphere of suffocating dread, punctuated by bursts of shocking violence and dark humor. The film’s 156-minute runtime allows for a slow-burn buildup, as the mystery unfolds and the stakes become increasingly apocalyptic. With its complex mythology, jaw-dropping set pieces, and haunting imagery, The Wailing is a horror film that demands to be experienced on the biggest screen possible.
16. Under the Shadow (2016)
Director: Babak Anvari
Starring: Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi, Bobby Naderi, Ray Haratian
Set during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s, Under the Shadow is a haunting allegory for the oppression of women under a fundamentalist regime, wrapped in a chilling ghost story. Narges Rashidi stars as Shideh, a former medical student barred from continuing her studies due to her political activism. When her husband is drafted to the front lines, Shideh is left alone with her young daughter Dorsa (Avin Manshadi) in their Tehran apartment, as missile strikes rain down on the city. But there is an even greater threat lurking within the building, as a malevolent djinn begins to torment Shideh and Dorsa. Director Babak Anvari uses the supernatural elements as a metaphor for the invisible forces that constrain women’s lives, from the strict dress codes to the constant threat of violence. With its slow-burn tension, political subtext, and creepy child in peril, Under the Shadow is a modern horror classic that will haunt you long after the credits roll.
17. The Perfection (2018)
Director: Richard Shepard
Starring: Allison Williams, Logan Browning, Steven Weber, Alaina Huffman
A twisty, trashy, and utterly demented thriller, The Perfection is the kind of movie that dares you to keep watching, even as it ventures into increasingly gonzo territory. Allison Williams stars as Charlotte, a former cello prodigy who returns to the prestigious music academy where she trained, only to become obsessed with the school’s new star pupil, Lizzie (Logan Browning). What starts as a steamy sapphic romance soon takes a dark turn, as Charlotte and Lizzie embark on a revenge mission against the academy’s predatory headmaster (Steven Weber). To say more would spoil the film’s many wild surprises, but suffice it to say that The Perfection is not for the faint of heart, featuring graphic violence, body horror, and a particularly nasty case of bugs under the skin. But for those willing to go along for the ride, the film is a giddy, gory delight, anchored by Williams and Browning’s committed performances and director Richard Shepard’s gleeful disregard for good taste. The Perfection is a midnight movie for the streaming age, a lurid fever dream that will leave you equal parts exhilarated and queasy.
18. Cam (2018)
Director: Daniel Goldhaber
Starring: Madeline Brewer, Patch Darragh, Melora Walters, Devin Druid
In the age of deepfakes and digital doppelgangers, Cam feels like a prescient horror film for our times. Madeline Brewer stars as Alice, a camgirl who performs under the name “Lola” on a popular adult website. Alice is ambitious and savvy, always looking for ways to boost her rankings and keep her fans engaged. But when she wakes up one day to find that she has been replaced on her show by an exact replica of herself, Alice’s life begins to unravel in horrifying ways. Director Daniel Goldhaber and screenwriter Isa Mazzei (a former camgirl herself) create a vivid, neon-soaked world that feels authentic to the camming industry, while using the doppelganger conceit to explore themes of identity, exploitation, and the blurry line between fantasy and reality. Brewer is fantastic as Alice, capturing the character’s mix of vulnerability and steely determination as she fights to reclaim her identity from her digital double. Cam is a smart, stylish, and genuinely unsettling horror film that will make you think twice about your online persona.
19. The Platform (2019)
Director: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
Starring: Ivan Massagué, Zorion Eguileor, Antonia San Juan, Emilio Buale
A dystopian thriller with a wicked sense of humor, The Platform is a scathing indictment of capitalism and class inequality, set within a towering vertical prison where food is literally the currency of survival. Ivan Massagué stars as Goreng, a new inmate who wakes up on level 48 of the prison, where a platform laden with food descends from above, stopping at each level for a limited time before moving down to the next. Those on the upper levels feast, while those below starve. As Goreng descends deeper into the prison, he becomes embroiled in a desperate struggle for survival and a battle against the system itself. Director Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia creates a claustrophobic, grimy world that feels all too plausible, a brutal metaphor for the way that resources are hoarded by the wealthy while the poor are left to fight over scraps. With its visceral violence, dark humor, and provocative ideas, The Platform is a horror film that will leave you hungry for change.
20. His House (2020)
Director: Remi Weekes
Starring: Wunmi Mosaku, Sope Dirisu, Matt Smith, Javier Botet
A haunted house story with a powerful political message, His House follows a refugee couple from South Sudan as they try to start a new life in a dilapidated council house in London, only to find that they have not escaped the horrors of their past. Wunmi Mosaku and Sope Dirisu are heartbreaking as Rial and Bol, two survivors of unimaginable trauma who are now faced with a new kind of terror in the form of the malevolent spirits that inhabit their new home. As Rial and Bol try to navigate the bureaucracy of the asylum system and the hostility of their new neighbors, they must also confront the ghosts of their own guilt and grief. Director Remi Weekes uses the haunted house trope as a powerful metaphor for the refugee experience, the idea that trauma can follow you no matter how far you run. With its strong performances, striking visuals, and thought-provoking themes, His House is a horror film that will haunt you long after the credits roll.
21. The Witch (2015)
Director: Robert Eggers
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw
A slow-burn period piece that feels like a Puritan’s nightmare come to life, The Witch is a masterful exercise in atmospheric dread. Set in 1630s New England, the film follows a family of settlers who are banished from their village and forced to make a new life on the edge of a dark forest. As strange and terrifying events begin to befall the family, they become convinced that a witch is living among them, sowing discord and tempting them into sin. Anya Taylor-Joy gives a breakout performance as Thomasin, the eldest daughter who becomes the target of her family’s paranoia and suspicion. Director Robert Eggers creates a sense of suffocating unease through his meticulous attention to historical detail, from the authentic dialect to the hand-stitched costumes. With its creepy goat, unsettling score, and haunting final shot, The Witch is a horror film that will make you believe in the power of the dark side.
22. Green Room (2015)
Director: Jeremy Saulnier
Starring: Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Patrick Stewart, Alia Shawkat
A punk rock thriller with a nasty edge, Green Room follows a struggling band who find themselves trapped in a remote neo-Nazi skinhead bar after witnessing a murder. Anton Yelchin leads the cast as Pat, the band’s bassist who must fight for survival against the bar’s ruthless owner, Darcy (a chilling Patrick Stewart), and his army of white supremacist goons. Director Jeremy Saulnier creates a claustrophobic sense of tension as the band barricades themselves in the green room, using whatever weapons they can find to fend off the attackers. With its gritty violence, dark humor, and pulse-pounding soundtrack, Green Room is a horror film that feels like a mosh pit come to life, a brutal and uncompromising vision of a world where the only way out is through.
23. Apostle (2018)
Director: Gareth Evans
Starring: Dan Stevens, Lucy Boynton, Mark Lewis Jones, Michael Sheen
From the director of The Raid comes Apostle, a slow-burn folk horror film that builds to a bloody and bizarre climax. Dan Stevens stars as Thomas Richardson, a man who travels to a remote island off the coast of Wales to rescue his sister from a mysterious cult led by the charismatic Prophet Malcolm (Michael Sheen). As Thomas infiltrates the cult and uncovers its dark secrets, he becomes embroiled in a battle against an ancient evil that demands blood sacrifice. Director Gareth Evans brings his signature flair for visceral action to the horror genre, creating a sense of creeping dread that explodes into gory mayhem in the film’s final act. With its lush cinematography, unsettling sound design, and committed performances, Apostle is a horror film that will make you believe in the power of cult cinema.
24. The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015)
Director: Oz Perkins
Starring: Emma Roberts, Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Boynton, James Remar
A chilling and atmospheric slow-burn horror film, The Blackcoat’s Daughter follows two girls who are left alone at their boarding school over winter break, only to become ensnared in a sinister plot involving demonic possession and murder. Emma Roberts and Kiernan Shipka give haunting performances as the two girls, while Lucy Boynton plays a mysterious hitchhiker whose story intersects with theirs in unexpected ways. Director Oz Perkins creates a sense of creeping unease through his use of slow zooms, unsettling sound design, and eerie visuals, building to a shocking and devastating climax. With its non-linear structure, dreamlike atmosphere, and haunting final shot, The Blackcoat’s Daughter is a horror film that will leave you questioning what is real and what is nightmare.
25. The Void (2016)
Directors: Jeremy Gillespie, Steven Kostanski
Starring: Aaron Poole, Kenneth Welsh, Daniel Fathers, Kathleen Munroe
A love letter to the practical effects-driven horror films of the 1980s, The Void is a gory and surreal journey into the unknown. Aaron Poole stars as Daniel Carter, a small-town police officer who becomes trapped in a hospital that is besieged by a group of hooded cultists. As the hospital staff and patients fight for survival, they begin to realize that the cultists are the least of their worries, as a portal to another dimension opens up and unleashes unspeakable horrors. Directors Jeremy Gillespie and Steven Kostanski use a mix of practical effects and CGI to create a sense of cosmic dread, with tentacled monsters and grotesque transformations that recall the work of John Carpenter and H.P. Lovecraft. With its breakneck pacing, gruesome set pieces, and mind-bending finale, The Void is a horror film that will leave you reeling.
So there you have it – 25 of the scariest horror movies currently streaming on Netflix. From supernatural thrillers to gory slashers, psychological mind-benders to creature features, there’s something here to keep you up at night and make you check under the bed. So grab some popcorn, turn off the lights, and get ready to scream – these films are not for the faint of heart. Happy Halloween, and sweet dreams…if you can still have them after watching these terrifying tales.
