When trying to find something to watch, simply opening Netflix can be a bit daunting. After all, there is a gigantic selection of titles to choose from, and if youre not 100% sure what you want to watch, you could spend hours trying to make a decision. If, however, youre currently feeling in the mood for the scares provided by a great horror film, were here to help you out.
Instead of making you open the streaming service, go through the genre tabs, and try to figure out something to watch, weve built this feature to highlight what is really the cream of the crop when it comes to the horror catalogue on Netflix. If youre looking for vampires, zombies, serial killers, and all other kinds of splatter entertainment currently available, youre in the right place so read on, and discover our 25 special selections!
Jonathan Levine's All the Boys Love Mandy Lane was a film that, years ago, audiences thought they might never see. The movie premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006, and followed that up with a brief festival run, but it wasn't actually until 2013 that it finally got a limited release. Now the movie is easily accessible to all Netflix subscribers, however, and fans can get freaked out watching Amber Heard try to survive in a more modern take on the slasher subgenre.
While there is a tendency for horror franchises to become truly terrible the longer they exist, that is weirdly not the case for the killer doll known as Chucky. Sure, there was a weird time when things got a bit too comedic for their own good, but the titles being made today are just as good as the original Childs Play and Childs Play 2. This definitely includes Don Mancini's Cult Of Chucky, which is not only a fun, scary horror feature, but a surprisingly great follow-up to 2013s Curse of Chucky.
Weirdly, the Friday The 13th franchise only has two titles on Netflix, and considering the other one is Jason Goes To Hell, this pick was pretty damn easy - not to mention the fact that James Isaacs Jason X is arguably the best movie in the entire series. While a lot of the other adventures of Jason Voorhees tend to blend together, this film is most definitely a standout, being the only one that is set in the future and has the iconic slasher doing his killing in space.
This isnt the case of picking the best title from a franchise, as none of the other Scream movies are currently available on Netflix, but at the same time Wes Cravens Scream 4 is a film that deserves a bit more recognition that it gets. No, its not as good as the first two in the series, and it does make some unfortunate choices in its third act, but it is at the same time a nice update from a meta perspective, and does have something to say about the current generation and modern horror.
Fans of the Final Destination features will be happy to know that the first three movies from the series are available on Netflix, but Im only singling out one title from various franchises, and the first film in this case is definitely the best (though Final Destination 2 has the best opening of all five titles). Its hard not to love both the premise and execution of this one, as its really a horror fans delight watching filmmakers design the most convoluted and creative ways to kill all of the characters.
There is no denying it: Robert Rodriguezs From Dusk Till Dawn is a weird movie. It starts as a violent crime thriller, but as it shifts its way into its second half it turns into a balls-to-the-wall, vampire-filled horror fest. Its kind of a jarring experience, but if youre game for it, its also a blast. Its honestly some of the best character work from George Clooneys early career, and a lot of fun to go with some bizarre and gory scares.
Jeremy Saulniers Green Room will sadly long be remembered as one of the last films to star Anton Yelchin before his untimely death in 2016, but even putting that aside the movie is one deserving of viewing simply because its absolutely incredible. The story centers on members of a punk band that find themselves in serious trouble when they witness a murder after a gig at a neo-Nazi club, and its the kind of filmmaking that has you clawing at the armrests. Not only is Yelchin brilliant, but there is also some great stuff from Patrick Stewart, Alia Shawkat, and Imogen Poots.
Cannibalism is one of those things that people generally dont like thinking about on a regular basis (for what are hopefully obvious reasons), and perhaps because of this there arent too many films on the subject. Julia Ducournaus Raw tackles it head-on, however, and the results are just as disturbing as you would hope. A French-language film, the plot finds a young vegetarian woman (Garance Marillier) undergo a seriously disturbing change when she goes through a horrific initiation ritual at her veterinary school specifically one that sees he start craving the taste of human flesh.
After establishing himself as a phenomenal music video director, David Finchers work in the feature business didnt start out so well, with a lot of messiness happening behind the scenes of Alien3, but thankfully he rebounded with Se7en, which is simply one of the best serial killer films ever, and features one of the best twists ever (and I say this fully recognizing the next two titles in this feature). Even knowing how it all ends, however, its still amazing to watch this one play out, following a pair of detectives (Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman) tracking a homicidal maniac taking inspiration from the seven deadly sins.
Theres an unfortunate overall lack of great zombie movies featured on Netflix, but at the very least the presence of Yeon Sang-hos Train To Busan makes up for some of that. This is easily one of the best modern examples of the subgenre, choosing a fascinating and truly scary location for its characters to be in during the outbreak of a deadly virus that turns people into mindless monsters (its in the title). There was a point in recent history where Hollywood did its best to totally exhaust audiences with zombie stories, but this one still manages to feel fresh.
Few period horror films are quite as transportive as Robert Eggers The Witch, which throws audiences back to 17th century New England for a hyper-disturbing ride. A family is forced to make it on their own after being cast out of their community, and while living on the edge of a dark wood they find themselves plagued upon by an evil witch. This definitely isnt a movie about jump scares, but it is nightmarish all the same, and one of the best examples of the genre in the young 21st century.
Netflix has begun forging relationships with a lot of great directors, and Mike Flanagan can be counted among them. The filmmaker is notably the showrunner of the original series The Haunting Of Hill House, but the streaming service also hosts a number of his fantastic films. Before I Wake is a great example of his talent, creating a literal nightmare parenting scenario when a mom and dad (Kate Bosworth and Tom Jane) realize that the dreams of their son (Jacob Tremblay) are manifesting in reality as he sleeps.
Breaking out with his massive hit Saw, James Wan has become one of the most significant voices in the world of modern horror, and one could argue that The Conjuring is the best film hes made to date in the genre. The film that launched the uber-successful franchise, the premise seems entirely basic two paranormal investigators (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) investigate mysterious happenings in a country house but what makes it sing is gorgeous cinematography, fantastic performances, and some truly terrifying set pieces.
Primarily thanks to his Batman movies, Joel Schumacher's legacy in Hollywood isn't entirely fantastic, but Flatliners remains an easy movie to defend - particularly just for the 1990-ness of it. It's a star-studded cast including Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, Julia Roberts, Oliver Platt and William Baldwin carrying out experiments with death, and it features not only some cool, creative ideas, but some nice occasional scares.
M. Night Shyamalans career has definitely been a mixed bag most recently highlighted by the release of Glass but the title from his filmography that audiences will always largely agree on is The Sixth Sense. Even beyond having what is considered one of the greatest twists in modern cinema, its really a beautiful, dark, and understated feature that shines in large part to the performances from Bruce Willis and young Haley Joel Osment. Even after all this time, one cant argue with why Shyamalans star initially rose like it did.
Martin Scorsese is one of the greatest filmmakers to ever live, and while he isnt exactly known for his work in the horror genre, hes still made some very scary films. The most recent was Shutter Island, but arguably his best is Cape Fear: a remake of J. Lee Thompsons 1962 film that stars Robert De Niro as the terrifying Max Cady a psychopath who, after getting out of prison, executes a plan to stalk and kill the defense attorney (Nick Nolte) who he blames for getting him incarcerated.
Weve already mentioned Stephen King once in this feature, but Christine is a two-fer when it comes to horror icons, what with it being directed by the legendary John Carpenter. This is definitely one of the most well-known stories in the King canon, telling the story of an evil car that is not only practically indestructible and kills anyone it doesnt like, but fully corrupts its owner.
Like Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg is a legendary director who hasnt spent much time in the horror genre, but what he has contributed is some of the best stuff of all time. Jaws is an absolute masterpiece, built with not only some of the greatest sequences in cinema history, but also some of the greatest single shots. This epic battle of man vs. shark is a tale that will be remembered and regarded for centuries and being available on Netflix will only help that happen.
Speaking of Steven Spielberg, Poltergeist is arguably his second best contribution to the genre the filmmaker has made, with the debate about who directed it still without a truly definitive answer. Putting that aside, this movie is one of the best examples of 20th century horror out there, with images from the killer tree to the living clown doll that will haunt the minds of audiences forever.
The horror genre has never classically gotten a lot of respect when it comes to award season, especially the Oscars, but Jonathan Demmes The Silence Of The Lambs is an extreme exception. The iconic story of an FBI agent (Jodie Foster) turning to a psychopath (Anthony Hopkins) for advice while trying to hunt down a serial killer, the film is one of only three movies to win the Big Five at the Academy Awards and in retrospect, the prizes are definitely well-deserved.
When talking about horror, Stephen King is always a great place to start. 1922 is an adaptation of one of his lesser-known stories, but has a dark and disturbing yarn to spin, with Tom Jane starring as a farmer who conspires with his son to kill his wife as part of a financial scheme. Terrible actions tend to have terrible consequences, however, and those discovered here are very much of the unexpected variety.
Gareth Evans really blew audiences away with his breakout films The Raid and The Raid 2, but after considering The Raid 3 he instead decided to make a genre switch and try out a bit of cult horror with Apostle. A Netflix original release, the 1905-set story follows a criminal (Dan Stevens) as he covertly travels to a remote island with the hopes of rescuing his sister from a dangerous cult. He gains access pretending to be a follower, but is in no way ready for the realities of whats going on behind closed doors and underground.
Cam girl culture is not a world that many filmmakers have tackled, but Daniel Goldhabers Cam takes it on with an awesome horror bent. It centers on an ambitious young woman (Madeline Brewer) who is excited to be gaining popularity as a cam girl star, but finds herself deeply disturbed when she discovers that a doppelganger has taken over her channel.
Weve arrived at Stephen King adaptation number three, and Mike Flanagan film number two! Geralds Game is based on a straight-forward premise centering on a woman (Carla Gugino) who is handcuffed to her bed by her husband (Bruce Greenwood) during a romantic retreat, and then left struggling to survive when he dies from a heart attack but its also one of the most tense movies released in recent years. Despite spending the bulk of her screen time in one spot, Gugino, who has always been a phenomenal talent, delivers one of the best performances of her career, and drives home a fantastic message about the power of inner-strength.
Yup, its time for another Mike Flanagan entry! (and sadly the last) While Netflix also has Bryan Bertinos The Strangers available to stream, Hush is a vastly superior home invasion film that actually has something new to add to the subgenre. What makes this one particularly different is that its protagonist (Kate Siegel) is deaf, which inspires the unnamed killer (John Gallagher Jr.) to actually be somehow even more sadistic and cruel than your typical homicidal home invader. Its a movie that will have you jumping out of your skin, and further proof of Flanagans extreme talent.
So what do you plan on streaming the next time you open Netflix? Hit the comments section below with your favorites!
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The Best Scary Horror Movies On Netflix Now In 2019
- Blumhouse to Return Insidious and Other Titles to Theaters for Halfway to Halloween Fest - Hollywood Reporter - March 16th, 2024
- Every Movie In The Wrong Turn Franchise Ranked - SlashFilm - March 16th, 2024
- Blumhouse Celebrating 'Halfway to Halloween' With Five Horror Movies Returning to 100 AMC Movie Theaters - Bloody Disgusting - March 16th, 2024
- DeWanda Wise Sings Creepy Theme Of New Horror Film: 'Imaginary' - The Root - March 16th, 2024
- Hostel: Part II (2007) WTF Happened to This Horror Movie? - JoBlo.com - March 16th, 2024
- New LEPRECHAUN Movie Will Be Funny, Scary And Full Of Practical Effects - FANGORIA - March 16th, 2024
- Blumhouse Celebrating Halfway to Halloween With Five Horror Movies Returning to 100 AMC Movie Theaters - IMDb - March 16th, 2024
- The Horror Nail-Biter On Max With A Controversial Ending - Giant Freakin Robot - March 16th, 2024
- "Says the person who was in Madame Web": Sydney Sweeney is Getting Skewered for Saying Modern Horror Movies ... - FandomWire - March 16th, 2024
- First trailer for horror movie reboot The Crow features an unrecognizable Bill Skarsgrd on a bloody mission of revenge - Gamesradar - March 16th, 2024
- You'll Never Find Me Is Unforgettable Horror, See The Terror In Action - Giant Freakin Robot - March 16th, 2024
- The First Omen star has seen all of your internet theories about the horror movie prequel and, well, they're all wrong - Gamesradar - March 16th, 2024
- Sltface take on horror movies with their new single, 'Final Grl' - Dork Magazine - March 16th, 2024
- From 'Five Nights at Freddy's' to 'Imaginary': Why Blumhouse loves PG-13 horror - theday.com - March 16th, 2024
- The First Omen's Big Death Reveal Really Doesn't Bode Well For The Prequel - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- 20 Scariest Horror Movies to Come Out in the Last 5 Years - MovieWeb - March 16th, 2024
- 'The Animal Kingdom' Exclusive Clip Previews the Gnarly Body Horror of Magnet's New Movie - Bloody Disgusting - March 16th, 2024
- 'Oddity' Review: This Supernatural Horror Film Will Tear You To Pieces | SXSW 2024 - Collider - March 16th, 2024
- "Marketing is failing this movie tremendously": David Dastmalchian's Late Night With the Devil Dubbed as One of the ... - FandomWire - March 16th, 2024
- STOPMOTION is a handcrafted tale of beauty and horror - Moviejawn - March 16th, 2024
- Horror Lovers Will Love this Dining Spot in Texas - klaq.com - March 8th, 2024
- Is Late Night With The Devil Based On A True Story? - Screen Rant - March 8th, 2024
- Kooky King: 6 of the Weirdest Stephen King Film Adaptations - Nightmare on Film Street - March 8th, 2024
- The Unknown, the Viral Willy Wonka Experience Villain, Is Already Getting Their Own Horror Movie - IGN - March 8th, 2024
- 13 Original Horror Movies We Can't Wait to See in 2024 - Screen Rant - March 8th, 2024
- From 'Imaginary' to 'Five Nights at Freddy's.' Why Blumhouse loves PG-13 horror - Los Angeles Times - March 8th, 2024
- Imaginary Movie Review: M3gan Meets The Boogeyman - Mama's Geeky - March 8th, 2024
- Christopher Nolan Originally Conceived Inception As A Horror Movie - SlashFilm - March 8th, 2024
- 'Whalefall' Movie in the Works From 'No One Will Save You' Director Brian Duffield - The Mary Sue - March 8th, 2024
- Horror Movie Based On THE UNKNOWN From Glasgow's WILLY WONKA Experience In The Works Horror Movie ... - CBM (Comic Book Movie) - March 8th, 2024
- Horrifying 'Late Night With The Devil' Trailer Released - Outkick - March 8th, 2024
- Imaginary review: M3GAN, take the wheel - Dexerto - March 8th, 2024
- The Unknown: Horror Movie Based on Unofficial Willy Wonka Experience Is in the Works - ComingSoon.net - March 8th, 2024
- Imaginary Film Review: Light on Frights - Loud And Clear Reviews - March 8th, 2024
- Dead Mail Directors on Their '80s Horror Influences - MovieWeb - March 8th, 2024
- HORROR BEAT: Blumhouse offers a non-update on the future of THE EXORCIST - Comics Beat - March 8th, 2024
- And the Oscar for best picture doesn't go to ... horror! - NPR - March 8th, 2024
- Shaitaan OTT Release: When And Where To Watch R Madhavan And Ajay Devgn Starrer Horror Thriller Film - Indiatimes.com - March 8th, 2024
- The 'Wonka Experience' Is Being Turned Into A Horror Movie - UPROXX - March 8th, 2024
- 8 new horror movies on Netflix, Max, Shudder and more in March 2024 - TechRadar - March 8th, 2024
- 10 Horror Movies More Deserving of the Best Picture Oscar Than the Winner - Collider - February 28th, 2024
- The Horror Movie That Inspired 'The Shining' Actually Scared Stephen King - Collider - February 28th, 2024
- 10 Most Anticipated Movies Of March 2024 (According To Real Data) - IMDb - February 28th, 2024
- 10 Best Classic Horror Movies with No Oscar Nominations - Collider - February 28th, 2024
- THE WATCHERS Trailer Puts Voyeuristic Creatures in the Irish Woods - Nerdist - February 28th, 2024
- Christopher Nolan Originally Conceived 'Inception' as a Horror Film - IMDb - February 28th, 2024
- The Watchers trailer: Dakota Fanning is stalked by the unknown - BGR - February 28th, 2024
- This Czech Horror Film Turns the Terror of 'The Zone of Interest' Into Weird Comedy - Collider - February 28th, 2024
- The Jennifer Lopez Horror Movie That's More Interesting Than It Seems - Collider - February 28th, 2024
- This '90s Kids Movie Is the Grossest Flick of All-Time - Collider - February 28th, 2024
- Eli Roth's Big 2024 Movie Couldn't Be More Different Than His Thanksgiving Horror Hit - Screen Rant - February 28th, 2024
- How The Butterfly Effect with Ashton Kutcher filled a void in US cinema - Post Magazine - February 28th, 2024
- 'Stopmotion' Review This Hand-Crafted Horror Film Is One of a Kind - Collider - February 28th, 2024
- 10 Tasty Horror Movies (Including Thanksgiving) Streaming on Netflix - Gizmodo - February 28th, 2024
- They Did the Mash, They Did the Monster Mash: 10 Epic Horror Crossovers You Can't Miss! - Nightmare on Film Street - February 28th, 2024
- 20 movies that mostly take place in one location - Yardbarker - February 28th, 2024
- Scream: What Happened To Jenna Ortega's Character? - GameRant - February 28th, 2024
- One of 2024's most anticipated horror sequels finally gets a promising update, as director teases "weird idea" for fourth ... - Gamesradar - February 28th, 2024
- DYK This Christopher Nolan Classic Was Conceived As A Horror Film? - Republic World - February 28th, 2024
- New Paranormal Activity Video Game Revealed by the Mortuary Assistant Team - Beebom - February 28th, 2024
- 10 Best Cult Classics of the 1970s, Ranked - Collider - February 19th, 2024
- 51 Best Horror Movies Of All Time That Are Suitably Spooky - GLAMOUR UK - February 19th, 2024
- M. Night Shyamalan's Horror Movie From 8 Years Ago Is More Impressive Based On Its Budget Record - Screen Rant - February 19th, 2024
- 10 Horror Movie Monsters That Were Way Scarier Without CGI - Screen Rant - February 19th, 2024
- 10 Most Anticipated Horror Movies Releasing in 2024 - IMDb - February 19th, 2024
- Top 30 best horror movies of all time - Dexerto - February 19th, 2024
- Sting Trailer Releases Spider Movie into the Horror Comedy World - MovieWeb - February 19th, 2024
- Trailer For The Survival Horror Movie THE WOODS ARE REAL GeekTyrant - GeekTyrant - February 19th, 2024
- The horror movies that inspired Emerald Fennell's 'Saltburn' - Far Out Magazine - February 19th, 2024
- 15 Best Body Horror Movies of All Time, Ranked - MovieWeb - February 19th, 2024
- Hunter Schafer Responds To Scream Queen Compliment As Horror Debut Cuckoo Premieres In Berlin: I Love Horror Movies and Screaming Is Really Fun -... - February 19th, 2024
- The Horror Movie That Terrified Martin Scorsese and Guillermo del Toro - Collider - February 19th, 2024
- Where To Watch Thanksgiving On Streaming - Screen Rant - February 19th, 2024
- The Correct Order To Watch The Amityville Horror Movies - SlashFilm - February 19th, 2024
- New Jordan Peele movie set to be released in 2025 - Dexerto - February 19th, 2024
- The real-life haunting of Ti West and 'The Innkeepers' - Far Out Magazine - February 19th, 2024
- Trailer For Werewolf Film Blackout Puts The Monster Front & Center - 411mania.com - February 19th, 2024
- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Had the Production From a Nightmare - IMDb - February 19th, 2024
- 65 Years Ago, a Legendary Director Invented a Terrifying New Trick And Launched a Trendy Gimmick - Inverse - February 19th, 2024
- Cuckoo Review: Hunter Schafer and Dan Stevens Keep You Glued Even When This Reproductive Horror Careens Off the Rails - Hollywood Reporter - February 19th, 2024
Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero