63 best horror movies of all time
Everybody certainly has their own choice when it comes to the best horror movies guaranteed to send chills down their spine. But you know what? They are perfect for year-round viewing. Yes, honestly! Even when the sun is shining, sometimes we just feel the need to curl up under the covers and test our spooky limits with some of the most terrifying flicks out there.
Can we finally watch that scariest horror movie without hiding behind the cushions? Can we face watching that scary new movie everyone has been raving about? And can we manage that slasher favourite while being home all alone...? (The jury's out on that one.)
But honestly, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to good horror movies, as they fall into so many different subgenres. Whether it's horror movies with some of our favourite actors (think Sophie Wilde in Talk To Me), awards season favourite Sinners, or flicks that went viral, such as M3GAN, Smile, or the hedonism-filled mystery Infinity Pool, there's some serious options.
Prepare to be on the edge of your seat.
We'd recommend long-awaited sequel 28 Years Later and its follow-up The Bone Temple, as well as Sydney Sweeney's Immaculate, which sees her play a nun who finds true horrors in a remote countryside convent. Or perhaps M Night Shyamalan's latest offering Trap, starring Josh Hartnett and Ariel Donoghue – in true Shyamalan style this one has a serious twist, but centres around a dad taking his daughter to a concert, and soon receives word that there's a serial killer on the loose. Wild.
Oh, and let's not forget psychological thrillers such as the Rebecca Hall starring The Night House, survival horrors such as Ready or Not, or even classics such as The Sixth Sense…
So join us as we take a spooky, dimly-lit look at the 60 best horror movies to watch on streaming services such as Disney +, Netflix, Apple TV and Amazon Prime over the coming months...
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett CollectionSinners
One of the most critically-acclaimed horror films in years, Ryan Coogler's Sinners has been nominated for no less than 16 Oscars and 13 BAFTAs. Starring Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O'Connell and Wunmi Mosaku, the plot focuses on the opening night of 1930s juke joint for the local Black community. The festivities are soon derailed by a trio of Irish-immigrant vampires – but not before a few next-level musical numbers.
Courtesy Everett CollectionBring Her Back
Miya Mizuno28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Hot on the toes of 28 Years Later comes another sequel in the iconic zombie franchise, picking up straight where the 2025 film left off. Expect more nuanced takes on what a post-apocalyptic Britain might look like, where the only thing more frightening than the virus-infected zombies are the people they've left behind.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is out in UK cinemas now.
Courtesy Everett CollectionHeretic
©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett CollectionNosferatu
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett CollectionTrap
Josh Hartnett plays proud dad and firefighter Cooper who makes a nasty discovery when she takes her daughter to a big concert to reward her for getting good grades. He discovers that FBI received intelligence that a serial killer named “the Butcher” was going to be in attendance, and Cooper knows something about the killer's identity…
This one is a real trip, with director M Night Shyamalan's daughter Saleka even starring as the fictional popstar whose concert all the action takes place at.
Courtesy Everett CollectionImmaculate
A project close to Sydney Sweeney's heart – her first time producing a movie – she took on the role of producer for the film, revised the script, found financial backers and hired a director after years of trouble getting it made.
It follows Sweeney as Sister Cecilia, a devout nun who discovers true horrors unleashed in a convent she visits in the Italian countryside. After discovering she is mysteriously pregnant, even though she is a virgin, Cecilia is told she is carrying the “second coming” and a “blessing”, but something more sinister is happening beneath the surface.
Courtesy Everett CollectionLonglegs
Starring Nicolas Cage, Kiernan Shipka and Maika Munroe, Longlegs tells the story of an FBI agent (Munroe) who is assigned to solve a serial killer case that shows signs of being involved with the occult. Will she stop the killer before they strike again?
This one was a serious horror highlight for 2024, with Nicolas Cage reportedly both brilliant and terrifying in his role. Not to be missed, that's for sure.
Paramount/Courtesy Everett CollectionA Quiet Place: Day One
We go all the way back to the beginning of the horror franchise – to day one of the attack of the sound-sensitive aliens. Starring Lupita Nyong'o and Stranger Things' Joseph Quinn, we see two misfits struggle to stay alive in New York City at the beginning of the apocalypse.
We loved the first few Quiet Place movies, starring real-life couple John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, but without giving anything too spoiler-y away, this one offers something a little bit different, deeper to the previous ones. Watch to find out what.
Justin LubinMaXXXine
Third in Ti West's X trilogy, MaXXXine sees Mia Goth's protagonist Maxine become successful as an adult film star and aspiring actress. But something clouds her rise to stardom – a killer is walking the streets of LA, threatening to unearth secrets from her dark past.
We love the aesthetics of this Hollywood-based horror, and Mia Goth has wowed us at every turn in this trilogy. What a complete and utter scream queen.
Studio CanalEvil Dead Rise
Two estranged sisters Beth (Lily Sullivan) and Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) reunite, but Ellie unfortunately becomes possessed after an earthquake unleashes an ancient evil. As you do, of course.
Who will survive? Will Beth be able to protect Ellie's children from their own mother? Will they be able to ultimately save Ellie's soul?
Seriously creepy (and gory) vibes, and watch out for a lot of deep stuff around motherhood and sisterhood – and the horrors and gifts that come with both.
Spirit EntertainmentTalk To Me
Set in Australia, this genius horror story follows the story of a group of teenagers who use a mysterious embalmed hand to contact (dead) spirits and enjoy the high it gives.
But trouble starts when the spirits start to take over their hosts, and protagonist Mia (Sophie Wilde) begins to lose her grip on reality when her late mum starts to reach out to her. Hard to watch, hard to look away.
M3GAN
The horror genre has never gone wrong when it comes to films centred around creepy dolls. There's something about them that just tops the charts of horror.
But M3GAN, a lifelike doll following the marvel of artificial intelligence, truly left us watching behind our fingers as she wreaked havoc on the local community as well as her creator, the brilliant roboticist Gemma, who designed the doll for her eight-year-old niece after she unexpectedly became her caretaker.
Sam LothridgeNo One Will Save You
She had about one line during the whole film, but Kaitlyn Dever knocked our socks off as a reclusive young woman named Brynn, who lives in her childhood home alone after being shunned by the locals due to a tragedy that killed her childhood friend Maude. However, one night, she awakens to find that she has extraterrestrial companions who have broken into her home. Seriously, this film is out of this world and has us thinking about what we would do in the midst of an alien invasion...
NBC UniversalKnock at the Cabin (2023)
What would you do if there was an eerie knock at your remote cabin? We probably wouldn't answer. And in this M. Night Shyamalan-directed film, Andrew and Eric find themselves in this very predicament when they travel to the countryside for a getaway with their adopted daughter Wen before suddenly finding themselves at the mercy of four armed strangers who demand an unthinkable sacrifice from them.
Stars Guardians of the Galaxy star Dave Bautista and Harry Potter's Rupert Grint.
Anna Kooris/NETFLIXThings Seen and Heard (2021)
If there's one thing a horror movie has taught us, it is that we should be weary when moving to a remote town in hopes of a fresh start. That is exactly what happens to artist Catherine (played by Amanda Seyfried), who, along with her husband, moves from Manhattan to Hudson Valley, where she quickly begins suspecting that their new home harbours some dark and very evil secrets. Yikes, no thanks. Not for the faint of heart.
© 2006 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
Literally one of the most iconic horror movies that gave us nightmares for weeks — months even! A remake of Wes Craven's 1977 film of the same name, the movie sees a family travelling to California when they are captured by psychotic cannibals, the results of nuclear tests conducted by the USA. Their chances for survival look seriously bleak as they do their best to break free, but the villainous creatures are never far behind...
ParamountSmile (2020)
Smile was the horror movie that came out of nowhere and took over the box office as it terrified movie-goers. The story revolves around Dr. Rose Cotter, who begins experiencing frightening occurrences that she can't explain shortly after witnessing a traumatic incident involving a patient. She is soon forced to confront her past to avoid her fate as the next victim with the creepy, smiley face.
The movie stars Sosie Bacon as its lead. And yes, that's Kevin Bacon's daughter!
NBC UNiversalInfinity Pool (2023)
Infinity Pool is what you get when you mix darkness and violence with hedonism and mystery. Stars Alexander Skarsgård and Cleopatra Coleman play a couple who venture outside of the resort grounds after being guided by a mysterious and seductive woman (Mia Goth). However, when a tragic accident means they must have the brutal zero-policy for crime, they are given the option of execution or paying to watch themselves die instead.
DisneyThe Night House (2020)
Rebecca Hall stars as Beth, a woman grieving the unexpected passing of her husband while living in the lakeside home he built for her. However, amongst her grief, she begins experiencing disturbing, ghostly visions that call out to her, prompting her to dig further into her husband's life and seek answers.
Disney+The Menu (2022)
A young couple (Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult) are left fighting for their lives when they are invited to eat at an exclusive restaurant on a remote island, where the chef (Ralph Fiennes) serves up some shocking surprises.
As well as being undoubtedly a gruesome horror, though, it's also very funny. A dark humour classic, as well as a clever commentary on the ugliness surrounding the fascinating around fine dining. Run, don't walk to go watch.
© The Walt Disney CompanyHocus Pocus (1993)
Hocus Pocus is one of the best horror movies to ease the younger members of your family into (or heck, it's perfect for you if you find horrors too horror-ish). The famous nineties classic centres on a young boy named Max who accidentally lights a cursed Candle of Black Flame, resurrecting three evil witches (Sex and the City's Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy) after three hundred years to exact revenge. Yikes.
FoxReady or Not (2019)
In our eyes, Samara Weaving should have seen award-season success for her role in Ready or Not. In this movie, she portrays Grace, a young woman who marries the man of her dreams at his family's luxury estate. However, she doesn't realise that his family are lunatics, and she must now fight for her life from midnight until dawn as her new in-laws attempt to hunt her down with guns and crossbows. If that isn't a red flag with a man, we don't know what is.
DisneyThe Sixth Sense (1993)
If you have yet to see the classic that is The Sixth Sense, then you're in for a real spooky treat! Psychologist Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) starts treating a young boy named Cole (Haley Joel Osment), who is frequently visited by ghosts. In return, Cole helps Malcolm reconcile with his estranged wife, which leads to a shocking discovery.
To the people who don't already know the twist behind this one: you're in for both a shock and a treat.
NetflixInsidious (2010)
In the 2010 supernatural horror Insidious, an anguished family desperately attempt to prevent evil spirits from trapping their inexplicably comatose son in a realm called The Further. At first, they think it's due to a haunted house, but discover the origin of their fears is something much deeper and sinister. Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne and Ty Simpkins star in this spooky horrorfest.
James Bridges / NetflixBefore I Wake (2016)
A fan of Nightmare on Elm Street? Before I Wake, starring Kate Bosworth and Jacob Tremblay, has similar vibes and is a dark fantasy horror film that sees a couple adopt an orphaned child whose dreams and nightmares manifest physically as he sleeps. No one's really getting any sleep after watching this one, are they?
© 2021 Netflix, Inc.Fear Street Trilogy (2021)
Broken up into three feature-length instalments, the Fear Street trilogy gave us Fear Street Part One: 1994, Fear Street Part Two: 1978, and Fear Street Part Three: 1666. The movies are based on R. L. Stine's book series of the same name, revolving around teenagers who attempt to break the horrifying curse that was previously placed on their town for hundreds of years. The likes of Stranger Things stars Sadie Sink and Maya Hawke star in this series.
Saeed Adyani / NetflixBird Box (2018)
Post-apocalyptic horror film Bird Box ruled Netflix upon its release in 2018 with its storyline of a mother (Sandra Bullock) protecting her two children from ominous entities which cause people who look at them to die by suicide. At the time, the movie became the streaming service's most-watched film within 28 days of release and even featured a cameo by Machine Gun Kelly! Seriously scary stuff, and it even garnered a 2023 spin off, Bird Box Barcelona.
© 2019 NetflixIn The Tall Grass (2019)
Based on one of Stephen King's novels, In The Tall Grass tells the story of a brother and sister duo who venture into a sprawling field of tall grass in Kansas after hearing a young boy's cry for help. But they discover that there may be no way out of the tall grass due to an unavoidable evil preventing them from escaping. Life lesson: never go traipsing into a field of tall grass...
Peter Mountain / NetflixAnnihilation (2018)
Annihilation is a 2018 science fiction psychological horror film in which a group of biologists and explorers head out on a secret and highly dangerous expedition into a mysterious quarantined zone called The Shimmer, which contains mutating plants and animals caused by an alien presence.
Do you "want to believe"? If so, this is the movie for you.
NetflixSinister (2012)
Ethan Hawke stars in the 2012 supernatural horror film, Sinister, in which he plays once-famous crime writer Ellison Oswalt, who moves his family into a house with a mysterious history, in the hopes it would inspire his work.
He quickly realises he and his family are in grave danger after discovering eight home movies in his new house that depict a series of gruesome murders. We would move out pronto!
Teddy Cavendish/NetflixNo One Gets Out Alive (2021)
The scary vibes are in the name. No One Gets Out Alive is a British horror film that centres on an immigrant named Ambar, who finds herself unable to escape after being forced to take a room in a nightmarish boarding house. This movie was released in 2021 and is based on the 2014 book of the same name by author Adam Nevill.
Aidan Monaghan/NETFLIXHis House (2020)
Sope Dirisu is seriously brilliant in the British horror thriller film His House, in which he stars as one half of a refugee couple from war-torn South Sudan who struggle to adapt to their new life in a small English town. Things are made much worse by an evil presence lurking within their home that reminds them of their past. Home is most certainly is not where the heart is in this one…
NetflixMidsommar (2019)
Oh, we all love a bit of Florence Pugh, don't we? So if you haven't already, check her out in the 2019 folk horror flick Midsommar, written and directed by Ari Aster. The plot centres on a dysfunctional couple Dani (Pugh) and Christian (Jack Reynor), who travel to Sweden to visit what they think is an idyllic retreat. But no, it's only a violent and bizarre pagan cult. Eek! Not to be missed by any horror fan.
DAVID BUKACH/NETFLIXThere's Someone Inside Your House (2021)
If you're a Scream fan, you'll love this slasher film, There's Someone Inside Your House. Basically, a creepy masked murdered being targets the graduating class at Osborne High with the intent of exposing each victim's darkest secrets. Can a group of misfits stop the killer before it's too late?
This one's from the producers of Stranger Things and The Conjuring movie universe, and therefore a no brainer to add to your list of horror movie must watches.
NetflixRun (2020)
We love Sarah Paulson's commitment to the horror and thriller space, and she certainly delivers in the movie Run.
In the movie, a homeschooled teenager (Kiera Allen) fights for her life after she realises that her mother (Paulson) has been keeping a dark secret from her throughout her entire life. Sarah's truly creepy and terrifying in this one, and you just don't quite know whether to trust her character. Time to Run!
NetflixYou Are Not My Mother (2021)
You Are Not My Mother is an Irish horror movie that follows the journey of a young woman named Char, whose mother Angela goes briefly missing in Dublin. When she returns, her mother has a completely changed personality, leading Char to believe something more sinister was at play during her disappearance.
© 2019 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights ReservedDoctor Sleep (2019)
A huge fan of Stanley Kubrick's eighties classic The Shining? Here's everything you need to know about the scary sequel, based on the Stephen King novel, as ever.
Doctor Sleep follows the journey of a now-adult Dan Torrance (who was a young boy in The Shining), who attempts to protect a young girl with similar psychic powers as him from a cult known as The True Knot, who can remain immortal by preying on children.
House At The End Of The Street (2012)
Starring our beloved Jennifer Lawrence, the 2012 psychological thriller film House at the End of the Street revolved around teenager Elissa, who moves to a new neighbourhood with her mother. She soon learns that the house at the end of the street was the site of a double homicide committed by a thirteen-year-old girl named Carrie Anne, who disappeared after the horrifying events. Things quickly take a turn when Elissa starts a relationship with Carrie Anne's older brother Ryan, who lives in the same house...
John Baer / NetflixSplit (2016)
Split gives us James McAvoy and Anya Taylor-Joy in one flick, and we couldn't be more thrilled – even if it isn't the most pleasant of plots. Basically, three girls attempt to escape after being kidnapped and held hostage by a man with 23 distant personalities. They must hurry before the man's terrifying 24th personality takes shape.
It boats some amazing performances, and a truly horrific premise. A top-level horror choice for scary season.
Mary Cybulski/NETFLIXI’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
Dubbed as a "surrealist psychological thriller", I'm Thinking of Ending Things sees a young woman (Jessie Buckley) question everything she thought she knew about herself and her boyfriend (Jesse Plemons) when she visits his parents' secluded farm. This is a bizarre but very interesting watch!
NetflixCam (2018)
In the horror mystery Cam, Madeline Brewer (Janine from The Handmaid's Tale) stars as an ambitious camgirl who wakes up one day to find out she has been replaced by a replica of herself on her own show, thus commencing her struggle to gain her identity back. Deffo evil twin vibes!
Amazon PrimeChild's Play (1988)
The 1988 movie that hyped up the wildly popular (and terrifying!) Chucky doll! Child's Play sees a single mother give her son a sought-after doll for his birthday before they soon discover the soul of a serial killer possesses the doll. We'd like a refund, please!
Amazon PrimeCarrie (2013)
A remake of the 1976 film of the same name, Carrie stars Chloë Grace Moretz. It's also a new take on an absolute classic, once again from the bookish brains of Stephen King. In the titular role, she unleashes telekinetic terror on her small town after falling victim to a cruel prank at her senior prom.
Just to make it clear: bullying is not okay, people, but exacting revenge with supernatural powers?! That's not okay either!
Amazon PrimeParanormal Activity (2009)
Paranormal Activity paved the way for found-footage-style horror films when it was first released in 2007. It was originally intended as an independent flick but amassed colossal box office success worldwide, which led to six more Paranormal Activity movies – an impressive yet horrific run.
The first and original film centred on a couple who become increasingly disturbed by a demonic presence during the night after moving into a new suburban home.
Moviestore/Shutterstock/SIPA/Amazon PrimeSaint Maud (2021)
Starring Morfydd Clark and dubbed as one of the most terrifying films of 2019, Saint Maud tells the story of a devoutly religious nurse who becomes dangerously obsessed with saving the soul of her dying patient. This one racked up a huge amount of critical acclaim, so it's worth checking out if you like your horror movies. But for those who get scared easily, it might be best to skip this one!
Amazon PrimeSuspiria (2018)
Suspiria is a 2018 supernatural horror film inspired by Dario Argento's 1977 Italian movie of the same name. Directed by Call Me By Your Name and Challengers director Luca Guadagnino, the flick boasts a star cast of Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton and Chloë Grace Moretz and centres on the strange and dark actions at a world-renowned dance company. We may have to miss Friday nights on the dancefloor after seeing this one!
Universal/Amazon PrimeGet Out (2017)
This 2017 film written, co-produced and directed by Jordan Peele is a favourite in the horror world for great (and terrifying!) reasons. In Get Out, Skins star Daniel Kaluuya takes on the role of Chris, a young African-American man who visits his white girlfriend's parents for the weekend, where things take a tense and creepy turn. Enough to put you off meeting in-laws for life, in fact. Kaluuya's performance is absolutely outstanding. Girls star Allison Williams also stars in this movie.
Amazon PrimeThe Blair Witch Project (1999)
The Blair Witch Project is hailed as one of the most successful independent films of all time and is a classic in the found-footage-style genre.
The plot centres on the footage of three film students who disappear after journeying into a Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend. You cannot be a horror lover and not have seen this movie – it started a whole new section of the genre, and we are here for it.
Amazon PrimeCandyman (2021)
A terrifying sequel to the 1992 classic Candyman, this supernatural slasher movie returns to the now-gentrified Chicago neighbourhood where talk of the urban legend first began. We see an artist explore the history of the Cadnyman “myth”, not realising it would draw him in too. It's a super clever, modern take on an OG horror classic.
The movie stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris and Colman Domingo and is definitely set to get your heart racing.
Amazon PrimeJeepers Creepers (2001)
Imagine innocently driving home through the isolated countryside for spring break when you discover something truly horrific…
It's the stuff of old campfire stories, except so much worse. Siblings Darry (a very young Justin Long) and Trish (Gina Philips) discover the existence of a deadly flesh-eating creature amid its ritualistic eating spree... And the worst happens, it likes the scent of them.
Yes, that's exactly what happens to in the cult classic, Jeepers Creepers. We'll save our road trips for the daytime, thanks. This one's an oldie, but a creepy goodie.
Amazon PrimeThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
A remake of the 1974 film of the same name, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre centres on five friends (including Jessica Biel) who find themselves at the mercy of a deformed chainsaw-wielding maniac and his equally psychopathic family after picking up a traumatised young hitchhiker. This film is a must for all slasher fans!
Who doesn't love a remake, especially a super terrifying one?
Amazon PrimeJennifer's Body (2009)
Starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried, Jennifer's Body plot focuses on a newly-possessed high-school cheerleader who begins killing her male classmates. It's up to her best friend Anita (Seyfried) to take on the task of stopping her and ending the killing spree. What are friends for, eh?
Jennifer's Body also stars Nobody Wants This and The OC star Adam Brody, Chris Pratt and Johnny Simmons, who plays Jennifer's lover from when she was alive, Chip.
Amazon PrimeOrphan (2009)
A grieving husband and wife who recently lost their baby adopt a 9-year-old girl – but things do not appear as they seem in the horror thriller film, Orphan. The movie is a favourite amongst horror fans and features a lot of creepy scares and dark humour. After watching this flick, you should definitely catch its 2022 prequel, Orphan: First Kill. Stars horror queen and The Conjuring actor Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard.
Scream (1997)
You can't have a "best horror list" without the slasher classic, Scream. This 1997 movie starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, and Skeet Ulrich sees a crazed masked killer target a teenage girl and her friend as part of a gruesome and deadly game. Scary! Also, Drew Barrymore's opening scene is iconic...
If you can't get enough after watching Scream, there are enough sequels and spin-offs to keep you going way past Halloween.
Amazon PrimeCountdown (2019)
You star Elizabeth Lail stars in the horror film, Countdown. The premise of the movie? A woman downloads an app that predicts she only has three days to live. With the clock ticking and a figure haunting her, can she save her own life before time runs out?
Talk about horrifying and existential crisis-inducing. But we love the premise.
Amazon PrimeThe Addams Family 2 (2021)
Check out the 2019 animated film, The Addams Family, before coming to see The Addams Family 2. In the second instalment of the supernatural black comedy, the spooky family find themselves up to more terrifying shenanigans while on a road trip. And of course, if you can't get enough of the family's antics, you can also switch to Netflix and watch spin-off series Wednesday, starring Jenna Ortega.
The famous characters in The Addams Family 2 are voiced by Charlize Theron, Oscar Isaac, Chloë Grace Moretz and Snoop Dogg.
Amazon PrimeThe Mummy (1999)
Watch The Whale star Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz in action as they attempt to stop an awakened mummy who begins to wreak havoc following an archaeological dig in the ancient city of Hamunaptra in the 1999 film, The Mummy.
Amazon PrimeThe Changeling (1980)
If you're a true horror lover, you'll probably have already seen the 1980 classic, The Changeling. If you haven't, it's a must-watch film and follows the journey of a music professor who is at the mercy of an inexplicable presence after staying at a long-vacant Seattle mansion.
This movie will definitely have you struggling to sleep at night...
