If you need even more evidence of horror’s continued dominance, no matter the time of year, look to streaming services at the start of every month. Each month brings a plethora of new additions to streaming libraries across all platforms, from Netflix to Tubi. That means an insane selection of all styles and types of horror available at our fingertips.
The downside is that it can make choosing the perfect horror movie to watch an overwhelming process. If you get stuck scrolling for hours searching for a good watch on Netflix, we’re here to help. Here are the best Netflix horror movies you can stream right now, from folk horror to existential nightmares to inventive creature features and beyond.
Apostle
Writer/Director Gareth Evans brings the bone-crunching brutality of The Raid and The Raid 2 to his period folk horror film. The Guest’s Dan Stevens stars as Thomas, a man who travels to a remote island in 1905 to infiltrate the cult that’s kidnapped his sister for ransom. The cult leaders claim that the barren island was made fertile through blood sacrifice, and in his quest, Thomas learns the grim truth behind those sacrifices. The twists and visceral violence make for a gripping, gory final act with torrential bloodletting. Apostle is a slow burn that embraces its mysteries, but the journey is worth taking.
The Babysitter
In The Babysitter, bullied twelve-year-old Cole Johnson (Suitable Flesh‘s Judah Lewis) bonds with his cool babysitter Bee (Samara Weaving), but their fun goes awry when he sneaks out of his room and witnesses a Satanic sacrifice. It turns out that Bee and her bubbly popular-type pals are into Satanism and murder, and they’re willing to kill to keep their secret from getting out. McG’s horror-comedy brings the laughs and charm thanks to a scene-stealing performance from Weaving.
Backcountry
Alex and Jenn quickly find they’re in way over their heads when they decide to leave the city behind and try their hand at camping. But the more Alex insists on bringing Jenn to his favorite spot nestled deep within the wilderness, the more evident it becomes that he’s gotten them lost. Much of Pyewacket director Adam MacDonald’s feature debut plays like an intense survival thriller, with tensions between the pair rising as their supplies dwindle. There may or may not be a predatory man lurking nearby, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the territorial black bear. There are bear attack movies, and then there’s this one, which delivers the most vicious attack sequence of all time. It’s more than worth the wait getting there.
Blood Red Sky
Nadja (Peri Baumeister) and her ten-year-old son, Elias (Carl Anton Koch), board a flight from Germany to New York. She’s very ill and hopes the doctor in New York can cure her illness with an experimental transfusion. Violent terrorists hijack the flight straight away, putting their lives at risk. When a particularly sadistic terrorist causes harm, it unleashes Nadja’s inner monster. A beating heart of familial love pumps through the veins of this intense horror-thriller with a vicious take on vampire lore. High-altitude thrills bring intensity, while character development and pathos instill rooting interest. It makes for a compelling action-horror movie.
Cam
Alice (Madeline Brewer) works as an online cam girl, and she’s obsessed with her ranking on the cam site. The higher her ranking goes, the more it draws unwanted attention, and Alice soon finds herself replaced on her own show with a doppelganger. Cam uses the horror thriller premise to examine the life of a sex worker; Alice’s career ambition is directly at odds with the shame it brings to her family and how she tries to spare them from it by keeping them in the dark. It only compounds her danger when the doppelganger enters the equation in director Daniel Goldhaber’s engaging thriller.
Crimson Peak
Guillermo del Toro, the lover and champion of monsters, provides his take on the Gothic romance. Del Toro subverts many tropes by making the lead the heroine of her own story and twisting the love triangle. Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) accompanies her new husband to his derelict mansion and finds herself in grave danger. Look for Javier Botet and Doug Jones as some of the mansion’s ghostly residents, but here they’re the benign, creepy sort that serve as warnings. Also look for one of the genre’s most twisted romances at the center of the horror.
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Director Zack Snyder and writer James Gunn hit the ground running, literally, in this intense update on George A. Romero’s classic zombie feature. It begins with a subtle bite victim in a hospital and escalates with the world in flames the next morning. It’s fast and unrelenting. Also fast and unrelenting? The zombies. From the vicious death of main character Ana’s husband to his near-instant turn, Dawn of the Dead ushered in a faster, meaner brand of zombie.
The Fear Street Trilogy
FEAR STREET PART 1: 1994 – (Pictured) MAYA HAWKE as HEATHER. Cr: Netflix © 2021
Director Leigh Janiak helms a trio of slashers based on R.L. Stine’s popular YA book series, with each entry largely set in different eras. That ultimately means that each installment will vary based on preferences, whether you’re into ’90s nostalgia, bloodier ’70s slasher fare, or a witchy rewind all the way to 1666. With style and a likable cast, it’s no wonder that the Fear Street trilogy was the summer event of 2021.
Gerald’s Game
Jessie (Carla Gugino) winds up handcuffed to a bed and left stranded entirely when her husband Gerald (Bruce Greenwood) dies of a heart attack in an attempt to spice up their marriage. The visceral fight for survival forces Jessie to look within and confront her past, including the harrowing event that took place during a solar eclipse in childhood. Mike Flanagan brings the horror and pathos in spades, building to a gruesome finale. Flanagan fearlessly adapts the Stephen King novel once considered unfilmable, solidifying his reputation as a master of King horror in the process.
His House
His House: Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù as Bol Majur. Cr. Aidan Monaghan/NETFLIX © 2020
Husband-and-wife Sudanese refugees Bol (Sope Dirisu) and Rial (Wunmi Mosaku) have been through more than most endure in a lifetime. They’ve fled their war-torn village, crossed the ocean, survived a degrading stint in a U.K. detention facility, and finally been granted an opportunity for housing in their new country. The home may be roomy, but they face hostility in and outside its moldy walls. Remi Weekes’s feature debut transforms the refugee experience into a petrifying horror film with expertly crafted scares. For all the existential terror Bol and Rial face in their new lives, the director also keeps a firm grip on the supernatural.
The House
Netflix’s stop-motion animated anthology weaves together three creepy tales tethered to one house. The segments span time and tone, telling of a low-income family, an anxious developer, and a fed-up landlady who all become tied to the same mysterious house. Daughter Mabel (Mia Goth) navigates a mounting house of horrors as her parents lose themselves to newly acquired luxury in the first story. The second sees unwanted pests swarming and waylaying a developer’s plans, while the third segment closes the darkly comedic and unsettling anthology on an uplifting note amid an isolated dystopia. The House occasionally unnerves but always taps into deep-seated dread.
It (2017)
Revolving solely around the childhood experiences of the Loser’s Club with the evil simply dubbed It, director Andy Muschietti made a very different version of King’s novel than the 1990 made-for-TV mini-series and updated the setting to the ‘80s. The result was a critical success and a box office juggernaut. Not only did it become one of horror’s all-time most profitable films, but one of the biggest box office earners across the board for 2017.
It Follows
After Jay (Maika Monroe) sleeps with her date, he confesses he’s passed on a supernatural affliction through their sexual encounter. One that will relentlessly pursue her until she dies; or if the curse spreads far enough to keep her out of its direct path. The mysterious entity can look like anyone, and only the afflicted can see it. This begins a feature-length chase steeped in paranoia; Jay can’t stop running for any lengthy period, and danger lurks everywhere. With no respite from potential death, It Follows maintains a near-perfect level of suspense. Will the upcoming sequel, They Follow, offer the same level of tension and terror?
It’s Alive
Written, directed, and produced by Larry Cohen, It’s Alive ranks among the more recognizable titles from the auteur. Set in Los Angeles, the Davis’ are expecting their second child. When the due date arrives, their baby is revealed to be monstrous with fangs and a penchant for homicide. Despite the doctor doing his best to snuff out the baby’s life, it escapes and the hunt begins to find the murderous infant. This unique blend of schlock horror meets relevant commentary is pure Cohen. In this case, it’s a reflection on how a baby’s environment has a direct effect on its outcome. But it’s also a fun creature feature with effects by Rick Baker.
Love and Monsters
Seven years after a monster apocalypse decimated the population, the survivors retreated into secluded communities hidden away from the surface world. Lovelorn Joel (Dylan O’Brien) decides to leave the diminishing safety of his bunker and trek miles to reunite with his high school sweetheart. He’ll encounter friends and gigantic foes along the way. It’s a big spectacle kaiju adventure, with horror, comedy, and plenty of heart. The creatures are creative and well done, but canine pal Boy threatens to upstage them all. If you’re in the mood for lighter thrills, this charming creature feature will do the trick.
Malignant
James Wan’s ‘Malignant’
Channeling the spectacle of late ’90s Dark Castle, the opening sequence sets up an outlandish plot that feels lifted from the ’90s both in tone and bloodletting, signaling a wild ride ahead where you’re on its outrageous wavelength, or you’re not. It’s a relentlessly entertaining riot, from the prison cell massacre featuring a mullet-wearing Zoë Bell to Maddie Hasson’s doe-eyed line delivery of “You’re adopted?!” Director James Wan and screenwriter Akela Cooper delivered a breath of fresh air, and the movie’s wild reception also solidifies its spot here.
May The Devil Take You
From Timo Tjahjanto, the director behind the gory “Safe Haven” segment in V/H/S/2, comes another gore-filled flick in the vein of The Evil Dead franchise. When her father mysteriously falls into a coma, Alfie and her step-family travel to his old villa for answers, uncovering a supernatural pact. When demonic forces come to collect, it’s up to Alfie to find a way to pay the debt without losing lives in the process. Tjahjanto wears his horror influences on his sleeves here, putting his characters through the splatter-fueled wringer by way of visceral occult violence.
Missing
This twisty screenlife thriller tracks June’s (Storm Reid) search for answers when her mother (Nia Long) goes missing on vacation. June creatively uses all the latest technology at her fingertips to try and find Mom from thousands of miles away, but the more she digs, the more unsettling questions she uncovers. Written and directed by Will Merrick and Nick Johnson, Missing moves at a breakneck pace and keeps you guessing.
No One Gets Out Alive
NO ONE GETS OUT ALIVE. Cristina Rodlo as Ambar, in NO ONE GETS OUT ALIVE. Cr. Teddy Cavendish/Netflix © 2021
Fans of David Bruckner’s The Ritual, also streaming on Netflix, shouldn’t skip this one. Santiago Menghini’s feature debut toys with haunted house tropes to deliver a thrilling subversion that builds into an unforgettable finale and leaves you begging for more from author Adam Nevill’s box of horror. Ambar (Cristina Rodlo) finds herself trapped in a nightmare when she discovers her boarding house is a literal house of horrors. What begins as a standard haunter shifts gears into an entirely different subgenre to an exhilarating degree.
The Perfection
This Netflix gem feels like a few different subgenres rolled into one twisty horror thriller, and that unpredictability makes for a wild ride. The setup is simple; former music prodigy Charlotte (Get Out’s Allison Williams) returns to her past school and befriends new star pupil Elizabeth (Logan Browning), sending both down a path of shocking destruction. A little bit Martyrs, Oldboy, and more, this pick is for those that like their horror on the more deliciously outlandish side.
The Platform
A grisly Netflix original that centers around a strange, vertical prison facility with one cell per floor and two inmates per cell. Every day, food is lowered through the levels via a platform, with the inmates only allowed to eat whatever is left on the platform for a fixed period. Every month, the inmates are randomly reassigned to a new floor. Those at the top level feast in luxury while those many floors down starve or worse. There’s no subtlety to this film’s overt metaphor, but that doesn’t make it less effective. Things get brutal and repulsive. With a sequel on the way, now’s a great time to watch.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
On Halloween 1968, Stella (Zoe Margaret Colletti) and her two friends meet drifter Ramon (Michael Garza) while fleeing bullies. They invite Ramon to explore a local haunted house, where Stella discovers a mysterious book containing horror stories that seem to write themselves in real-time. Director André Øvredal brings the nightmarish illustrations by Stephen Gammell and stories by Alvin Schwartz to life. Harold the scarecrow, the Pale Lady, the Big Toe corpse (Javier Botet), and the Jangly Man (Troy James) terrorize Mill Valley’s teens in this recent Halloween treat.
Silent Hill
In this film adaptation of the popular video game, Rose (Radha Mitchell) takes her adoptive daughter Sharon (Jodelle Ferland) to Silent Hill’s mysterious town for the truth of Sharon’s troubled past. One car crash later, Sharon is missing, and the area is blanketed in a thick fog inhabited by monsters. Rose will have to fight both the monsters and the town’s fanatical cult to get her daughter back. It’s a visually impressive adaptation full of extraordinary creatures and gore. The cast is stacked as well; Alice Krige continues to nail the terrifying villainess role. All you need to know is two words: Pyramid Head. With a sequel currently in the works from Silent Hill director Christophe Gans, a rewatch may very well be in order.
The Strangers
From the outset, Bryan Bertino’s debut establishes a somber tone. It isn’t a happy couple in love at the center of this home invasion horror movie, but one reaching critical mass. Enter the three masked strangers. The eerie way they lurk in the background sends chills down your spine, but not as much as their motive: “Because you were home.” There’s no glimmer of hope for James and Kristen (Scott Speedman and Liv Tyler), and no identities for the killers either. Not much is scarier than knowing they’re still free to slay again. And they will. With a new trilogy on the way from Renny Harlin, there’s no time like the present for a revisit.
The Trip
Spouses Lisa (Noomi Rapace) and Lars (Aksel Hennie) head to a remote family cabin to reconnect, neither aware that the other is plotting murder. Just as their murder plans begin, a more significant threat arrives in the form of escaped convicts. It’s marriage counseling in its most violent, splatstick form, directed and co-written by Tommy Wirkola (Dead Snow, Violent Night). Rapace is having a blast as the murderous wife who constantly outsmarts those around her. She takes as much of a beating as she doles out. In other words, The Trip is as mean as it is entertaining.
Train to Busan
Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, this movie follows a workaholic, divorced dad on a train to Busan to bring his estranged daughter to her mother for her birthday. Their plans are derailed by a zombie outbreak, forcing the passengers to band together to survive. Yeon Sang-ho changes up the zombie tropes, but what makes this film special is the way it tugs at your heartstrings. It’s not just the dad bonding with and protecting his daughter that infuses this high paced film with emotional depth, but some of the other memorable passengers as well.
Under the Shadow
Babak Anvari’s feature debut gives a compelling spin on the Djinn. Set in a war-torn Tehran in the late ’80s, Under the Shadow follows Shideh (Narges Rashidi) as she attempts to raise her strong-willed daughter Dorsa (Avin Manshadi) and restart her medical school education after her political activism got her banned. Anvari instills oppressive dread even before the supernatural entity latches on to Dorsa. Under the Shadow’s unique perspective, atmospheric horror and exquisite scare-crafting make this underseen gem a must-watch.
Veronica
Inspired by true events, Veronica tells of a teen girl in Madrid that’s besieged by an evil presence after playing with an Ouija board with friends during school. REC‘s Paco Plaza once again proves his knack for atmosphere and scares, and the cast is wholly endearing (Ivan Chavero wins horror’s cutest kid award as the adorable Antonito). While it’s initial debut on Netflix came loaded with a reputation for terrifying viewers, Veronica isn’t actually the scariest film ever made. But it is a solid entry in 2018’s roster of horror with a few potent chills. Make it a double feature with prequel movie Sister Death, also available to stream now.
The Wailing
A mysterious stranger’s arrival creates suspicion among the residents of a rural village, which becomes full-blown paranoia when a sickness starts to spread. The illness seems to render the afflicted homicidal, without reason. The stakes get personal for the investigating officer when his daughter falls ill, too, and he looks to a shaman for answers. The tension builds gradually as it infuses several different horror tropes in this unique tale. Look for murder, exorcisms, and great evil to highlight its messaging.
X
Set in 1979, Texas, a group of aspiring adult filmmakers load up in a van and drive from Houston to the boonies for their production. It quickly devolves into a fucked up horror picture when things spiral out of control. The lean, straightforward narrative gets straight to the goods and never wastes time on heavy exposition. It’s all in the little details and the talented cast making these characters feel lived-in with a shared history. X demonstrates why Ti West should be given full reign to go full throttle on deranged, savage, and intense horror comedies more often.
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