Looking for a heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat thriller to watch tonight? Look no further than HBO Max, which boasts an impressive collection of suspenseful movies from master directors like Alfred Hitchcock, the Coen Brothers, and more. Whether you’re in the mood for a classic like North by Northwest or a modern psychological thriller like Gone Girl, HBO Max has you covered. Here are the 20 best suspense movies you can stream right now on HBO Max.
1. The 39 Steps (1935)
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Robert Donat, Madeleine Carroll
One of Alfred Hitchcock’s early thrillers, The 39 Steps established many of the tropes that would come to define the suspense genre. The story follows Richard Hannay (Robert Donat), an ordinary man who gets caught up in an international spy conspiracy after a mysterious woman is murdered in his apartment. As he goes on the run to clear his name, he becomes entangled with a beautiful blonde (Madeleine Carroll) while evading the police and enemy agents. The 39 Steps is a masterclass in building tension and excitement, with plenty of the “wrong man” twists that would become a Hitchcock signature.
2. North by Northwest (1959)
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason
Another Hitchcock classic, North by Northwest stars Cary Grant as a New York ad executive who is mistaken for a government agent by a group of spies. What follows is a breakneck cross-country chase full of iconic set pieces, like the famous crop duster sequence. Grant’s debonair charm is the perfect foil for the sinister James Mason, and Eva Marie Saint sizzles as his love interest. Stylish, funny, and endlessly thrilling, North by Northwest is the epitome of the suspense genre and a must-watch for any movie buff.
3. Chinatown (1974)
Directed by: Roman Polanski
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston
A neo-noir mystery set in 1930s Los Angeles, Chinatown stars Jack Nicholson as private eye Jake Gittes, who takes on a case involving adultery that spirals into a web of murder, corruption, and deceit. As he falls for the enigmatic Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) and butts heads with her sinister father (John Huston), Jake uncovers a vast conspiracy involving the city’s water supply. Directed with gritty realism by Roman Polanski and featuring an Oscar-winning script by Robert Towne, Chinatown is a dark, complex thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end.
4. Blood Simple (1984)
Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen
Starring: John Getz, Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya, M. Emmet Walsh
The Coen Brothers burst onto the scene with their debut feature Blood Simple, a stylish neo-noir about a Texas bar owner who hires a sleazy private detective to kill his wife and her lover. When the plan goes awry, the characters are caught in a tangled web of misunderstandings and double-crosses. Mixing dark humor with shocking violence, Blood Simple introduced the Coens’ signature blend of irony and suspense. It also features early roles for Frances McDormand and M. Emmet Walsh, who would go on to become frequent collaborators with the brothers.
5. Fatal Attraction (1987)
Directed by: Adrian Lyne
Starring: Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, Anne Archer
Fatal Attraction was a massive hit that struck a nerve with audiences and became a cultural touchstone. Michael Douglas stars as a married man who has a weekend fling with a woman (Glenn Close) who becomes obsessed with him and starts stalking his family. Close’s portrayal of the unhinged “other woman” was hugely influential, establishing a character archetype that’s still referenced today. While some elements of Fatal Attraction haven’t aged well, it remains a taut, provocative thriller about infidelity and its consequences.
6. Misery (1990)
Directed by: Rob Reiner
Starring: James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth
Based on a Stephen King novel, Misery is a claustrophobic psychological thriller about a famous novelist (James Caan) who is rescued from a car crash by his “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates). But Annie’s devotion soon turns into dangerous obsession as she holds the injured writer captive and forces him to write a new novel to her specifications. Kathy Bates won an Oscar for her chilling performance as Annie, one of cinema’s most iconic villains. Misery is a gripping two-hander that milks suspense from its simple but effective premise.
7. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Directed by: Jonathan Demme
Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn
The Silence of the Lambs swept the major categories at the Oscars, and it’s not hard to see why. Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, an FBI trainee tasked with interviewing the imprisoned cannibal psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to gain insight into the mind of a serial killer who is kidnapping and murdering young women. The cat-and-mouse game between Clarice and Lecter is endlessly fascinating, with Foster’s steely resolve playing off of Hopkins’ serpentine charm. Demme’s masterful direction ratchets up the tension as Clarice ventures into the dark heart of evil in her quest for justice. A true classic of the genre.
8. The Fugitive (1993)
Directed by: Andrew Davis
Starring: Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, Sela Ward
Harrison Ford stars as Dr. Richard Kimble, a surgeon wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife. After escaping from custody, Kimble sets out to find the real killer while being pursued by a determined U.S. Marshal (Tommy Lee Jones in an Oscar-winning performance). The Fugitive is a propulsive thriller with a series of exhilarating set pieces, including a death-defying leap from a dam and a climactic fight on a rooftop. But it’s also a surprisingly emotional story about a man seeking to clear his name and avenge his wife’s death. A rare blockbuster that delivers both thrills and substance.
9. Se7en (1995)
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey
One of the most disturbing thrillers ever made, David Fincher’s Se7en follows two detectives (Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman) on the trail of a serial killer who is staging elaborate murders based on the seven deadly sins. As the detectives race against time to catch the killer, they descend into a nightmarish underworld of depravity and violence. With its grim atmosphere, shocking twists, and haunting ending, Se7en is a relentlessly dark and unsettling film that gets under your skin and stays there. Not for the faint of heart, but a must-see for fans of psychological suspense.
10. L.A. Confidential (1997)
Directed by: Curtis Hanson
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger
A sprawling crime epic set in 1950s Los Angeles, L.A. Confidential weaves together multiple storylines involving corrupt cops, vicious gangsters, and Hollywood scandal. Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, and Guy Pearce star as three very different police officers who join forces to unravel a vast conspiracy of murder and corruption that goes all the way to the top. With its labyrinthine plot, colorful characters, and impeccable period detail, L.A. Confidential is a neo-noir masterpiece that rewards repeat viewings. It’s also a riveting thriller full of shocking violence and moral ambiguity.
11. Memento (2000)
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano
Christopher Nolan’s breakthrough film is a mind-bending thriller told in reverse chronological order. Guy Pearce stars as Leonard, a man with anterograde amnesia who is searching for his wife’s killer using a system of Polaroids and tattoos to jog his faulty memory. As the story unfolds backwards, we gradually learn more about Leonard’s past and the true nature of his quest. Memento is a dazzling puzzle box of a movie, one that demands active engagement from the viewer to piece together its fractured narrative. But it’s also a profound meditation on grief, guilt, and the unreliability of memory.
12. Mulholland Drive (2001)
Directed by: David Lynch
Starring: Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, Justin Theroux
David Lynch’s surreal neo-noir is a fever dream of a movie, one that resists easy interpretation but exerts a hypnotic pull. Naomi Watts stars as Betty, a wide-eyed aspiring actress who arrives in Los Angeles and befriends an amnesiac woman (Laura Harring) hiding from mysterious pursuers. As their relationship deepens, reality begins to warp and fragment in disorienting ways. Mulholland Drive is a hallucinatory journey into the dark side of Hollywood, one that blurs the lines between dreams and reality, love and obsession. It’s a challenging film, but one that rewards surrender to its strange, unsettling beauty.
13. Zodiac (2007)
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr.
David Fincher’s meticulous true-crime thriller follows the decades-long hunt for the Zodiac Killer, a serial murderer who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Robert Graysmith, a cartoonist who becomes obsessed with the case, while Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr. play the detectives tasked with solving the crimes. Zodiac is a procedural that immerses you in the painstaking details of the investigation, from the analysis of cryptic letters to the chasing of false leads. But it’s also a haunting meditation on the toll that unsolved mysteries can take on those who pursue them.
14. No Country for Old Men (2007)
Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin
The Coen Brothers’ adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel is a bleak, brutal thriller set in the desolate landscape of West Texas. Josh Brolin stars as Llewelyn Moss, a hunter who stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong and makes off with a suitcase full of cash. Hot on his trail is Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), a relentless hitman with a bizarre moral code. Tommy Lee Jones co-stars as the world-weary sheriff trying to make sense of the carnage. With its sparse dialogue, sudden bursts of violence, and existential themes, No Country for Old Men is a masterful exercise in slow-burn suspense.
15. Gone Girl (2014)
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris
Based on the bestselling novel by Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl is a twisted marital thriller full of shocking twists and dark humor. Ben Affleck stars as Nick Dunne, a man who becomes the prime suspect when his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) disappears on their fifth wedding anniversary. As the police investigation unfolds and the media circus intensifies, secrets from the couple’s past begin to emerge. Fincher’s icy precision is the perfect match for Flynn’s cynical view of marriage and gender roles, and Pike delivers a star-making performance as the enigmatic Amy. Gone Girl keeps you guessing until the very end.
16. Nightcrawler (2014)
Directed by: Dan Gilroy
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed
Jake Gyllenhaal gives a career-best performance in this dark satire of the modern media landscape. He plays Lou Bloom, a ambitious but unhinged young man who stumbles into the world of freelance crime journalism in Los Angeles. As he becomes more successful at capturing grisly footage of accidents and murders, Lou’s behavior grows increasingly sociopathic. With its biting commentary on the 24-hour news cycle and the public’s appetite for sensationalism, Nightcrawler is a thought-provoking thriller that also works as a character study of a fascinating monster.
17. A Quiet Place (2018)
Directed by: John Krasinski
Starring: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds
A Quiet Place is a lean, mean horror-thriller that wrings maximum suspense out of a simple premise. In a post-apocalyptic world overrun by blind monsters with super-sensitive hearing, a family must live in near-total silence to avoid being detected and killed. Director/star John Krasinski creates an atmosphere of unbearable tension through the use of sound (or lack thereof), and the performances by real-life couple Krasinski and Emily Blunt add emotional heft to the scares. A Quiet Place is a masterclass in less-is-more filmmaking.
18. Uncut Gems (2019)
Directed by: Josh and Benny Safdie
Starring: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett
The Safdie Brothers’ adrenaline-fueled thriller stars Adam Sandler in a rare dramatic role as Howard Ratner, a fast-talking New York City jeweler and gambling addict who makes a series of increasingly risky bets in pursuit of the big score. As Howard juggles his debts, his family life, and his various schemes, the walls start closing in on him in nerve-wracking fashion. Uncut Gems is a jittery, anxiety-inducing ride that never lets up, with Sandler’s live-wire performance at its center. It’s a portrait of a man addicted to the rush of living on the edge, even as it threatens to destroy him.
19. Bad Education (2020)
Directed by: Cory Finley
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Allison Janney, Geraldine Viswanathan
Based on a true story, Bad Education stars Hugh Jackman as Frank Tassone, a beloved superintendent of a Long Island school district who is secretly embezzling millions of dollars from the budget. As a student journalist (Geraldine Viswanathan) starts digging into the district’s finances, Frank’s world begins to unravel. Jackman gives one of his best performances as a charming sociopath, and Allison Janney is equally good as his enabling assistant. Bad Education is a smart, darkly funny thriller that also serves as a damning indictment of America’s education system.
20. The Little Things (2021)
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
Starring: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto
A throwback to the gritty crime thrillers of the 1990s, The Little Things stars Denzel Washington as a burned-out deputy sheriff who teams up with a hotshot LAPD detective (Rami Malek) to hunt a serial killer. As they zero in on their prime suspect (Jared Leto), the two lawmen are forced to confront their own dark pasts. Washington and Malek make for an engaging odd couple, and Leto is suitably creepy as the maybe-murderer. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, The Little Things is a solid, atmospheric thriller with strong performances and a satisfying payoff.
From classic Hitchcock to modern masterpieces, HBO Max boasts an impressive array of suspense movies that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Whether you’re in the mood for a psychological slow-burn or a pulse-pounding action-thriller, there’s something for every taste. So dim the lights, grab some popcorn, and prepare to be thrilled by the best suspense movies on HBO Max.
