10 Best Horror Movies to Watch on Netflix
If you're seeking horror movies exclusively available on Netflix, you've come to the right place. As one of the world's largest streaming platforms, Netflix collaborates with numerous production houses to release original movies across various genres, including horror.
While not solely focused on this genre, Netflix has produced several great horror films that rival theatrical releases. Here are the standout movies you shouldn't miss. Take a look!
1. 1922
Year | 2017 |
Genre | Crime, Horror, Mystery |
Director | Zak Hilditch |
Cast | Thomas Jane Dylan Schmid |
Karma exists! This is something farmer Wilfred James (Thomas Jane) should have considered before murdering his wife, Arlette (Molly Parker). Arlette wanted to sell their land and move to Omaha, but Wilfred refused.
Determined to stay, Wilfred convinces his son, Henry (Dylan Schmid), to help him kill Arlette by promising Henry he could stay with his girlfriend if they don't move. They commit the terrible act, throwing Arlette's body into a well and dropping a cow in after to hide the smell.
After the murder, Henry becomes withdrawn and eventually runs away with his pregnant girlfriend. Meanwhile, Wilfred is consumed by guilt and begins to feel haunted by Arlette's spirit. His life spirals into chaos, and he eventually dies. Henry and his girlfriend also meet a tragic end in an accident.
2. Fear Street: Part One - 1994
Year | 2021 |
Genre | Drama, Horror, Mystery |
Director | Leigh Janiak |
Cast | Kiana Madeira Olivia Scott Welch Benjamin Flores Jr. Julia Rehwald Fred Hechinger |
A town called Shadyside witnesses the massacre of several teenagers by a murderer named Ryan Torres (David W. Thompson). Shadyside has been dubbed the murder capital of the U.S.; many believe it is cursed by a witch named Sarah Fier (Elizabeth Scopel).
Teenagers in Shadyside, including Deena (Kiana Madeira), are deeply affected. She always feels the chaos in the city, and riots often occur between the teenagers in Shadyside and those in the prosperous neighboring city, Sunnyvale. At one point, Deena has a vision of the witch, Sarah.
Sarah holds a grudge against the town of Shadyside, and unfortunately, Deena's friend Samantha (Olivia Scott Welch) becomes her next target. To protect Samantha, Deena and her friends band together to confront the witch.
3. Cargo
Year | 2017 |
Genre | Drama, Horror |
Director | Ben Howling, Yolanda Ramke |
Cast | Martin Freeman Simone Landers Anthony Hayes Susie Porter |
Australia is facing a state of emergency due to a devastating virus that turns people into zombies within 48 hours of infection. This situation forces a small family—Andy (Martin Freeman), his wife Kay (Susie Porter), and their baby Rosie—to hide in a boat.
While searching for food on land, Kay is bitten by a zombie and becomes infected herself. Soon after, she bites Andy, leaving him with just 48 hours before he too will turn into a zombie. Concerned for their baby’s future, Andy comes up with a plan to ensure Rosie's safety after they're gone.
In his desperate search for help, Andy encounters a man named Vic (Anthony Hayes), who is revealed to be a sadist. Rather than helping, Vic captures Andy to use him as zombie bait while traveling. With time running out, Andy must find a way to escape and secure a safe future for Rosie.
4. Velvet Buzzsaw
Year | 2019 |
Genre | Horror, Mystery, Thriller |
Director | Dan Gilroy |
Cast | Jake Gyllenhaal Rene Russo Toni Collette Zawe Ashton Tom Sturridge |
Rhodora Haze (Rene Russo), an art activist, is organizing an art exhibition with the help of her employee Josephina (Zawe Ashton) and an art critic named Morf Vanderwalt (Jake Gyllenhaal). The event is expected to attract many notable guests and respected artists.
During the preparations, Josephina discovers the body of her neighbor in her apartment building. While looking around the apartment, she is captivated by the numerous paintings and artworks created by an artist named Vetril Dease (Alan Mandell).
Seizing the opportunity, Josephina takes all the artwork from her neighbor's home and shows them to Rhodora and Morf. They are both astonished by the collection and decide to include these pieces in their upcoming exhibition. However, as they start moving the artworks to the exhibition venue, a series of mysterious events linked to the stolen pieces begins to unfold..
5. The Perfection
Year | 2019 |
Genre | Horror, Psychological, Thriller |
Director | Richard Shepard |
Cast | Allison Williams Logan Browning |
Charlotte Willmore (Allison Williams) had to give up her music education at Bachoff to care for her sick mother, who unfortunately did not survive. After her mother's death, Charlotte returned to Bachoff and met Lizzie (Logan Browning). They quickly grew close and eventually fell in love.
The next day, a terrible incident occurred. Lizzie suddenly began hallucinating and ended up cutting her own hand. When she woke up, she was hysterical and tried to remember what had happened. Lizzie realized that during her hallucination, she was near Charlotte.
Charlotte had deliberately given Lizzie ibuprofen mixed with alcohol. As Lizzie lost her senses under the influence of the drug, Charlotte handed her a butcher knife and manipulated her into cutting her hand. But what was Charlotte's true intention? Was it because Lizzie had become a star at Bachoff, or was there another reason?
6. Army of the Dead
Year | 2021 |
Genre | Action, Crime, Horror |
Director | Zack Snyder |
Cast | Dave Bautista Ella Purnell Omari Hardwick Ana de la Reguera Theo Rossi |
Director Zack Snyder brings us a post-apocalyptic zombie movie about a casino heist carried out by mercenaries during a zombie outbreak. Starring Dave Bautista in the lead role, the movie was so successful that a sequel is already in the works.
The story kicks off with an incident at Area 51, where a military convoy accidentally releases zombies in Las Vegas. The city quickly descends into chaos as people infect each other, leading the government to quarantine the entire area.
Six years later, billionaire casino owner Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada) realizes he left $200 million in Las Vegas. To get his money back, he hires mercenary Scott (Dave Bautista) and his team to retrieve it before the government nukes the city.
Scott's journey is filled with challenges, from battling zombies to facing betrayal. Will Scott survive and complete his mission?
7. Mr. Harrigan's Phone
Year | 2022 |
Genre | Horror |
Director | John Lee Hancock |
Cast | Jaeden Martell Donald Sutherland Kirby Howell-Baptiste Joe Tippett |
Craig (Colin O'Brien) is a teenage boy who accidentally catches the attention of a super-rich retired businessman named Harrigan (Donald Sutherland). Harrigan likes Craig because he enjoys reading, so the businessman gives him a well-paying job at an early age.
As Craig grows up and enters high school, he earns enough money. To make communication easier, Craig buys Harrigan a mobile phone and teaches him how to use it. They communicate frequently until Harrigan passes away.
Even though Craig has parents, Harrigan became a close friend, and now he feels lonely. To make things worse, Craig is bullied at school. In his sadness, he tries to talk to Harrigan by sending a text message from his phone. Unexpectedly, Harrigan replies, and this changes Craig's life.
8. Run Rabbit Run
Year | 2023 |
Genre | Horror, Thriller |
Director | Daina Reid |
Cast | Sarah Snook Lily LaTorre Damon Herriman Greta Scacchi |
The film tells the story of Sarah, an obstetrician, and her seven-year-old daughter. Although skeptical of the supernatural, Sarah becomes disturbed when her daughter's behavior turns strange after a white pet rabbit suddenly appears at their doorstep.
Sarah tries to stay positive, but things get more difficult when she discovers the grave of Alice, her sister who died at the age of seven—the same age as her daughter now. This makes Sarah increasingly paranoid as she starts to see similarities between her daughter and Alice.
As Sarah's condition worsens, she tries to get rid of the rabbit but fails and gets bitten instead. Her daughter, now wearing a bunny mask, makes the situation even more unsettling. Trapped in her own mind, Sarah begins to lose her grip on reality, unable to tell what's real from what's a hallucination.
Run Rabbit Run is a psychological horror film that explores the issue of childhood trauma. Over the course of 100 minutes, the audience dives into the mystery of the "ghost" haunting Sarah's life since the arrival of the white rabbit. What are Sarah and her daughter really experiencing?
9. Bird Box
Year | 2018 |
Genre | Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi |
Director | Susanne Bier |
Cast | Sandra Bullock Trevante Rhodes John Malkovich Sarah Paulson Jacki Weaver |
This Netflix movie, based on Josh Malerman's novel, is a thrilling horror story set in a world where a strange event has caused many deaths. The film, directed by Susanne Bier, follows the survivors who are fighting to stay alive.
The story centers on Malorie (Sandra Bullock), who is pregnant. She and her sister, Jessica (Sarah Paulson), go to the hospital for a check-up. But their world turns upside down when a mysterious force sweeps the country, driving people to harm themselves. Tragically, Jessica is affected, but Malorie manages to survive.
Malorie finds herself with other survivors in a house, but their safety is short-lived. Danger escalates when they are exposed to the deadly force. Determined to protect her newborn baby, Malorie embarks on a desperate journey to find a safe haven away from the chaos.
10. Apostle
Year | 2018 |
Genre | Horror, Mystery |
Director | Gareth Evans |
Cast | Dan Stevens Richard Elfyn Paul Higgins |
In 1905, a mysterious cult emerges on a small Welsh island, spreading terror and kidnapping a woman named Jennifer (Elen Rhys). When her brother, Thomas Richardson (Dan Stevens), knows about this, he becomes furious and wanted to rescue her.
Desperately, Thomas travels to the remote island, where he meets the cult leader, Malcolm Howe (Michael Sheen). To infiltrate the cult, Thomas pretends to follow Malcolm and convert to their beliefs, hiding his true mission. He is welcomed and introduced to the ways of the cult and the island.
While on the island, Thomas uncovers the cult's dark secrets. He is shocked by what he discovers and, despite the constant danger, he begins searching for Jennifer, hoping she is still alive. Facing many threats, Thomas manages to overcome every obstacle. Can he rescue his sister and escape the island alive?