27 Best Horror Movies on Netflix Right Now

We have brought Netflix listicles dedicated to different genres of horror films, such as slashers, erotic horror films, home invasion horror films, horror films based on true stories, and more. However, many of us might be more interested in watching just a good horror movie rather than opting for a certain kind of it. Needless to say, it is the organic scare, no matter the form, which we crave for. So, keeping that in mind, here are the best horror movies available to stream on Netflix.

27. The Deliverance (2024)

Directed by Lee Daniels, ‘The Deliverance’ follows the Jackson family, including Ebony and her three kids, who have just moved into their new home. Ebony’s past of alcohol abuse and violence on her children has distanced her from them. However, when inexplicable incidents start taking place inside the house, she is forced to face her own demons and those that seem to have taken hold of her kids.

Is all this due to the large hole in the basement? Featuring Andra Day, Glenn Close, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, ‘The Deliverance’ offers an entertaining take on exorcism horror while depicting family issues and how both can sometimes be connected. The film can be watched here.

26. Tarot (2024)

Based on the 1992 novel ‘Horrorscope’ by Nicholas Adams, ‘Tarot’ follows a group of college students whose game of tarot cards unleashes an evil that starts killing them one by one, based on the readings of the cards each of them received. Unbeknownst to them, the deck was cursed, and the only way to avoid death is to destroy it. Directed by Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg, the supernatural horror drama offers a new graphic take on the deadly game trope of the horror genre. The characters in the deck take real form, are effective in their appearance and motive, and add to the entertaining binge-watch. ‘Tarot’ can be streamed here.

25. Re/Member (2022)

‘Re/Member’ is a Japanese horror flick that centers on a group of high school students led by Asuka (Kanna Hashimoto), who are stuck in a time loop in their school. The same day repeats again and again until the kids find the eight scattered pieces of a dead student named Haruka, a victim of the murderous Red Person. Only after they find all the pieces will they break the loop and escape. Until then, the Red Person will keep killing them again and again in a most gruesome manner. Directed by Eiichiro Hasumi, ‘Re/Member’ does a pretty good job incorporating a time loop element in the horror narrative, accompanied by the sadistically fascinating deaths. You can watch it here.

24. Qorin (2022)

The Indonesian horror film centers on the doppelgangers theme that has been incorporated into a religion-based narrative. Set in the Rodiatul Jannah boarding school, an Islamic school for girls, the film revolves around three people: Zahra (Zulfa Maharani), a third-year student; Yolanda (Aghniny Haque), a newbie with her naughty antics; and Ustad Jaelani (Omar Daniel), the male principal. What binds these three together is Jaelani’s interest in the occult, which makes him manipulate his female students into performing a ritual that summons Qorin, a djinn. Subsequently, a curse befalls the school, and the girls realize that each of them has a demonic lookalike. Effective in its application of religion and horror, ‘Qorin’ is directed by Ginanti Rona. You can watch it here.

23. In the Tall Grass (2019)

Based on the novella co-written by Stephen King and Joe Hill, ‘In the Tall Grass’ follows a couple of siblings, Becky (Laysla De Oliveira), who is pregnant, and Cal (Avery Whitted), who venture into a labyrinth of tall grass after hearing a child’s cries. However, they get stuck in it and are unable to get out. It seems the grass is alive and making a fool out of the siblings, mocking them whenever they feel like they are about to find a way out. Becky is tired and can only take so much physical and mental strain. Soon, it is revealed that the father of her unborn child is also there. Altogether, ‘In the Tall Grass’ explores themes of time travel, insanity, and even incest. The cast also includes Patrick Wilson and Harrison Gilbertson. To find out if escaping the labyrinth is even possible, you can watch the film here.

22. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

The ninth installment of the eponymous cult classic franchise, ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,’ is a prequel to the 1974 film of the same name. Legendary slasher/killer Leatherface returns after 50 years for his latest killing spree, which includes a group of youngsters who have come to the Texas town of Harlow to renovate it. If you love old-school slashers, ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ is your go-to horror drama available on Netflix. It is directed by David Blue Garcia and stars Sarah Yarkin, Jacob Latimore, Elsie Fisher, and Nell Hudson as the new targets. To find out how many of them survive till the end, you can watch the film here.

21. Malevolent (2018)

Based on Eva Konstantopoulos’s novel ‘Hush,’ ‘Malevolent’ is directed by Olaf de Fleur Johannesson. It follows two siblings, Jackson (Ben Lloyd-Hughes) and Angela (Florence Pugh), who earn a living by pretending to be paranormal activists. When a real paranormal case in a foster home knocks on their door, they agree, only to realize that they are on the receiving end of the horrors of a malicious entity and the home’s horrific past involving the deaths of its children. It is not nerve-racking but scary enough to be enjoyable. ‘Malevolent’ can be streamed here.

20. Before I Wake (2016)

Directed by Mike Flanagan, ‘Before I Wake’ is a commendable dark fantasy horror flick that follows a couple, Mark (Thomas Jane) and Jessie (Kate Bosworth), who adopt 8-year-old Cody (Jacob Tremblay) after losing their biological son to drowning. However, the couple soon discovers that whatever Cody dreams in his sleep state becomes a reality. While initially, this allows Mark and Jessie to see their dead son, it starts causing harm soon enough until Jessie is forced to consider killing him. There sure has to be a way to help Cody, who is clearly undergoing a lot of pain due to his ability. Soon, it is revealed that there is trauma involved as well. Blending horror and grief nicely, ‘Before I Wake’ ranked 3rd in a list of the ten scariest Netflix original films by The Guardian. You can watch the film here.

19. Thanksgiving (2023)

Set in Plymouth, Massachusetts, ‘Thanksgiving’ centers on a group of people involved in a riot on Thanksgiving Day in Plymouth the previous year. Their past actions have caught up to them, as they are now on the radar of a murderous psychopath. With people dying one after another in the most gruesome ways, the cops wonder how to stop the killer. As for us, the viewers, it is the process of execution that makes the film true to its slasher genre, including beheading, impaling, freezing to death, burning in the oven, and more, all of which are shown in an explicit, gory and visceral manner. Directed by Eli Roth, the film stars Addison Rae (‘He’s All That’), Patrick Dempsey (‘Grey’s Anatomy’), Jalen Thomas Brooks, and Nell Verlaque. You can watch it here.

18. Coming Home in the Dark (2021)

‘Coming Home in the Dark’ has no ghosts, evil spirits, or malevolent forces. Rather, it proves that humans are the scariest of the lot. Directed by James Ashcroft, it centers on a family of four, Alan (Erik Thomson), his wife (Miriama McDowell), and two sons, who are “taken” by a couple of drifters, Mandrake (Daniel Gillies) and Tubs (Matthias Luafutu), during the family’s outing.

As the film proceeds, things get increasingly dark, brutal, and horrifying. To tell you how would be to ruin it, but all we can say is that there will be deaths. However, there’s more to Mandrake’s intent than just sadistic fun, which is connected to Alan’s past. The way the plot proceeds, culminating in a sharp climax, while grabbing your attention makes ‘Coming Home in the Dark’ a rare psychological horror. It is based on a 1995 short story by Owen Marshall. You can stream it here.

17. Kuyang (2024)

Directed by Yongki Ongestu, ‘Kuyang’ is a folk horror drama that centers on a married couple, Bimo (Dimas Aditya) and his pregnant Sriatun (Alyssa Abidin), whose arrival at a remote village in Borneo subjects them to supernatural and scary events. In the middle of all this is a creature known as Kuyang from Indonesian folklore. It is a flying head with innards that feeds on infants’ blood and new mothers. This time, it is out looking to feed on Sriatun’s unborn child. Appreciated for its authentic representation of Indonesian culture and the way it merges that with its story, ‘Kuyang’ is a worthy horror flick, especially for those who are into folklore. You can watch it here.

16. The Bridge Curse: Ritual (2023)

Directed by Lester Shih, ‘The Bridge Curse: Ritual’ is a sequel to the Taiwanese film ‘The Bridge Curse’ (2020). It follows a group of students who go to the reportedly haunted Yangminshan Chinese Culture University to test their new mobile augmented reality (AR) horror game. However, when one of the members tries to carry out a ritual that will bring his brother out of a coma, augmented reality and reality start to merge. Soon, a security guard appears, telling them that ghosts and humans get stuck in a loop inside the building. To find out whether the students can escape from the loop, you can watch ‘The Bridge Curse: Ritual’ here.

15. Veronica (2017)

The Spanish horror drama is directed by Paco Plaza and centers on 15-year-old Veronica (Sandra Escacena), whose interest in speaking to her father’s spirit via an Ouija board takes an unexpected turn. A connection is established but it soon becomes clear that it’s not her father but a demon that has made its way inside her, taking her to the limits of possession and even harming her younger brothers. She is forced to reach out to a nun, Hermana Muerte (‘Sister Death’), who can help her get rid of the demon through rituals and dark arts.

An unexpected/tragic ending awaits Veronica and the viewers. What makes the film further intriguing is that it is based on a true incident that took place in 1991 in Vallecas, Madrid, wherein an 18-year-old girl named Estefania Gutierrez Lazaro (1973-1991) underwent paranormal torture after a botched séance. Escacena won the Best New Actress award at the 73rd CEC Medals for her titular part. You can watch ‘Veronica’ here.

14. Sister Death (2023)

The Paco Plaza directorial is a sequel to ‘Veronica’ and traces the origins of Narcisa, AKA Sister Death, before she became a sister and later met Veronica. The film is set in 1939 and follows young Narcisa (Aria Bedmar) as she joins a convent-turned-school-for-girls as a novice and soon starts experiencing nightmares and supernatural phenomena. These lead her to dig up the tragic past of the convent, thereby discovering the curse that has befallen it and is connected to the tragic suicide of a nun during the Spanish Civil War. Appreciated for its gothic nature and good storytelling and execution, ‘Sister Death’ is a worthy successor to ‘Veronica.’ You can watch ‘Sister Death’ here.

13. Death Whisperer (2023)

Directed by Taweewat Wantha, The Thai supernatural horror flick is based on Krittanon’s novel ‘Tee Yod.’ Set in 1972 in Kanchanaburi province, the film follows a Thai-Chinese farmer family, one of whose daughters falls badly ill after having a supernatural experience under a bamboo tree. As supernatural occurrences increase, including strange whispers, the family realizes that something evil has made its way into their lives, one that appears in the form of a long-haired woman with a creepy smile. It is up to the elder brother to end the trauma but that’s only after he finds its source. A must-watch for superstitious horror lovers, ‘Death Whisperer’ is scary in a very organic manner, bringing together storytelling, horror elements, and characters effectively. You can watch it here.

12. The Babadook (2014)

‘The Babadook’ is an underrated psychological horror flick that is also emotionally painful. Based on Jennifer Kent’s 2005 short film ‘Monster,’ the film explores a complex mother-son dynamic struggling to cope with a traumatic tragedy. What makes things worse is that an evil entity, known as Mister Babadook, has made its way out of the kid’s pop-up book and inside their gloomy household. Whether it’s feeding off their depressed mental states, we do not know but it clearly means harm through hallucinations and even possession. Equally excruciating and scary, ‘The Babadook’ received six nominations at the 4th AACTA Awards (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards), winning three. It is directed by Kent and stars Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman. You can watch it here.

11. Gerald’s Game (2017)

Directed by Mike Flanagan, ‘Gerald’s Game’ is an underrated horror flick that can be addressed as a home invasion horror movie. We follow a married couple, Jessie (Carla Gugino) and Gerald (Bruce Greenwood), who arrive at a secluded house for a weekend retreat, their motive being to spice up their romance and sex life. However, what begins as an erotica with handcuffs soon becomes a horror show as Gerald dies while Jessie is handcuffed to the bed.

Slowly, things start getting weird and scary as she sees different entities entering the room, including a hungry stray dog, a man made of moonlight, and an obscure dark figure. To make things more complicated, all these are underscored by Jessie’s hallucinations, old memories, and reality. Based on Stephen King’s 1992 novel, ‘Gerald’s Game’ is gory, psychologically scary, sexual, and intriguing. You can watch it here.

10. The Nun (2018)

‘The Nun’ is set within ‘The Conjuring’ universe and is the spiritual spin-off of ‘The Conjuring 2’ (2016), where we first see the titular dark entity, AKA Valak. Directed by Corin Hardy, this film takes us back in time and shows how Valak came to be. It is set in a monastery in 1950s Romania that has been struck by the tragic suicide of a nun. Father Burke (Demián Bichir) and Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) come down from the Vatican to investigate the case. Soon, they find themselves fighting a demonic force (Valak) that takes the form of a nun, perhaps to mock God. So, Burke and Irene will need something godly to defeat it. The demon Valak is based on reality and inspired by one that haunted clairvoyant Lorraine Warren’s home. You can watch ‘The Nun’ here.

9. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)

‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ is directed by André Øvredal and based on the eponymous book series by Alvin Schwartz. It follows five teens who come across a notebook written by a notorious girl named Sarah Bellows. This happens during their fun-filled refuge in the “haunted” home of the Bellows in the small fictional town of Mill Valley, Pennsylvania, on the eve of Halloween 1968. However, things soon take a dark turn after one of them, who brought the notebook home, realizes that it foretells horrifying events. These events include a scarecrow, a corpse searching for a missing toe, spiders, and a phantom, among other scary stuff. Custom-made for younger viewers and blending fun and horror, ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ has its creepy moments. The film stars Zoe Colletti, Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur, Austin Abrams, and Natalie Ganzhorn, all of whom play the teens. You can watch it here.

8. 1922 (2017)

‘1922’ is set in 1920s rural Nebraska and centers on the James family, comprising Wilfred (Thomas Jane), his wife Arlette (Molly Parker), and their 14-year-old son, Henry (Dylan Schmid). After manipulating Henry to kill Arlette for personal gain, Wilfred slowly descends into isolation and insanity. Meanwhile, Henry leaves with his girlfriend. Soon, rats infest Wilfred’s house, serving as a reminder of Arlette’s corpse, fed upon by the rodents. The truth about the fate of Henry and his girlfriend further adds to his mental instability until he realizes that there is no escaping the ratatouille-style punishment for his actions. Based on Stephen King’s 2010 novella, ‘1922’ is a peculiarly satisfying watch. You can stream it here.

7. The Ritual (2017)

The British horror film centers on four college friends hiking in the Swedish forest to honor their dead friend’s memory. They soon encounter a scary, uncontacted tribe of ruthless cannibals who start killing them one by one. The sacrifice of these boys to Moder, a jötunn (a god-like entity in Greek mythology), is supposed to grant the tribespeople immortality. While the depiction of the killings is horrifying, what adds to the film’s overall effect is that it is partially based on the Yuba County Five case of 1978. As per reports, five guys from Cuba went to see a basketball match in Chico on February 24 but never returned. Four of their corpses, which had almost turned to bones, were found many months later while the body of the fifth boy was never found. The film also borrows parts from Adam Nevill’s 2011 eponymous novel that won the 2012 August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel. You can watch ‘The Ritual’ here.

6. Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)

A satisfying prequel to the 2014 film ‘Ouija,’ ‘Ouija: Origin of Evil’ is directed by Mike Flanagan. Set in 1960s Los Angeles, the film follows Alice (Elizabeth Reaser), who “brings peace” to the family members of the souls departed with her fake séance business. She is assisted by her daughters Lina (Annalise Basso), the elder one, and Doris (Lulu Wilson), the younger one. However, when Alice introduces an Ouija board into their game, it responds, much to the surprise of the three girls. While it doesn’t affect Alice and Lina, Doris becomes possessed by a creepy, merciless entity unbeknownst to them. What follows is the wrath of the entity on Lina and Doris as they reach out to Father Tom (Henry Thomas), who might be able to find some answers. To find out whether he is successful and if Doris is saved, you can watch ‘Ouija: Origin of Evil’ here.

5. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

How bad can an autopsy go? ‘The Autopsy of Jane Doe’ is another André Øvredal directorial that answers this question in a most perfectly horrific manner. We have Austin (Emile Hirsch) and his father, Tommy (Brian Cox), both coroners, who are provided with the corpse of a Jane Doe (a name used to address a corpse whose identity is unknown) whose cause of death needs to be determined. As the duo begins working, they are baffled as the body seems to be killed long ago, recently, and alive too. Full of weird symbols and signs inside out, the corpse starts taking a toll on the two coroners, pushing their sanity to the limits. Supernatural in all its glory, ‘The Autopsy of Jane Doe’ is reputed for its creepiness and disturbing nature. You can watch it here.

4. Apostle (2018)

Directed by Gareth Evans, ‘Apostle’ is one of the best folk horror films on the platform. It is set in the early twentieth century and follows Thomas Richardson (Dan Stevens) as he tries to rescue his sister (Elen Rhys), who has been kidnapped by a secret cult and brought to a remote Welsh island for a blood sacrifice. The only way for him to save her is to infiltrate the cult as one of its own. He soon discovers the brutal rituals carried out to please a Goddess and realizes that time is running out. Incorporating themes of faith, fertility, and man’s relationship with nature, among other stuff, ‘Apostle’ carves a scary portrayal of cult culture underscored by brilliant visuals. You can watch the film here.

3. The Wailing (2016)

Another spine-chilling folk horror flick, ‘The Wailing’ is a South Korean venture directed by Na Hong-jin. Starring Kwak Do-won as police officer Jong-Goo, the film revolves around a string of murders that have rocked the Goksung village to its core. For some, this is the result of a spreading illness; for others, it is the curse of an evil man living in the mountains. With goat heads and photographs of dead victims as evidence, Jong-Goo finds himself stuck in the middle of a supernatural investigation, the latest victim being his own daughter, who also seems to be cursed. Can a shaman help him save her? Winner of five Blue Dragon Film Awards, ‘The Wailing’ is unskippable. You can watch it here.

2. The Conjuring (2013)

The film that revamped Hollywood horror, making viewers test their screaming limits, ‘The Conjuring’ became a phenomenon when it dropped. Directed by James Wan, the film follows the Perron family (husband (Ron Livingston), wife (Lili Taylor), and their five daughters), who move into their new farmhouse in Rhode Island, only to be tormented by something evil. They reach out to real-life demonologists Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga), who dig into the house’s past and come across a witch’s curse that is taking its toll on the family. They need to find a way to rid the family of the malevolent spirit before it can cause any harm like it has in the past. Winner of the Best Horror Film at the Saturn Awards and the Empire Awards, among other accolades, ‘The Conjuring’ is a must-watch for horror lovers. You can stream it here.

1. Incantation (2022)

The top contender for this list is the Kevin Ko-directed Taiwanese folk horror drama. The film centers on a woman named Li Ronan (Hsuan-yen Tsai) whose endeavor to film the ritual of a recluse cult dedicated to their deity, Mother Buddha, leads to a curse on her little daughter whose health is speedily deteriorating. Now, she has to find a way to lift that curse, even if it means going back to the ritual’s main source, i.e., the tunnel that leads to the deity’s altar. She even asks the viewers to chant an incantation for the same. Whether she is successful in saving her daughter’s life is what we see in this gripping horror flick. The non-linear found-footage nature of the film and how it incorporates the viewer as a character in the narrative make ‘Incantation’ one of the best folk horror in recent times. You can watch it here.

27 Best Horror Movies on Netflix (September 2024)