10 Best Netflix Original Horror Movies Ranked

While the theatrical experience certainly enhances the experience of horror movies, allowing you to squirm and scream in your seat while dozens of other people do the same, there's something primal about turning on a scary movie when you're all along at home. It's a dark and stormy night as you select Netflix to see what tales of terror are available. And as you're scrolling, you may encounter some Netflix originals you had never heard of before but are definitely worth your time.

Listen, I'm not going to lie to you: A lot of Netflix original movies fall under the category of "content for the sake of content." There are even plenty of terrible Netflix original horror movies that are designed  to play in the background while you do chores. But believe me, the movies on this list deserve your full attention. They're just as scary as anything you'll find in theaters. From new offerings to older flicks directed by people who are now making big waves within the genre, you never know what you might find spelunking Netflix's depths. 

These are the best Netflix horror movies that'll keep you awake at night. Just try not to "Netflix and chill" with these movies, as you wouldn't want your date to see you cower and scream. 

This first entry's a bit of a cheat, seeing as "Hush" is no longer available to watch on Netflix itself. The Mike Flanagan film was first made available on the platform in 2016, where it made waves for its innovative twist on the home invasion subgenre. Maddie (Kate Siegel) is a deaf-mute author living in the middle of nowhere when a man (John Gallagher Jr.) attempts to break in and kill her. It's a haunting film that makes excellent use of minimal dialogue, instead cranking up the tension through atmosphere and always feeling like you need to observe every centimeter of the frame to see where danger might be lurking.

"Hush" was taken off Netflix in 2023 once its seven-year distribution deal expired, and Flanagan took back the rights. This is something that's increasingly going to happen as the years go on, with many Netflix originals potentially leaving the platform, if Netflix decides not to renew their agreements. Fortunately, "Hush" hasn't been forgotten, as it received a proper home media release in November 2024, so you can actually own it to watch whenever without worrying about silly things like licensing agreements. Not for nothing, but you can also watch it on Tubi completely for free, which is just one of the many reasons why it's one of the best streaming services out there. 

Director Osgood Perkins is crafting one of the most versatile horror movie resumes around. Whereas "The Monkey" is filled with dark humor, "Longlegs" was a tense, supernatural-ridden thriller more in the vein of "The Silence of the Lambs." Both of these are vastly different from his 2016 Netflix original film, "I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House." 

The title's wordy, but Perkins keeps things lean with this Gothic thriller about a live-in nurse, Lily (Ruth Wilson), who's hired to care for an elderly horror author in her very clearly haunted house. Perkins fills out the atmosphere with long takes where you always feel like you're being watched. There aren't really jump scares to speak of, and it can feel like the movie's taking forever to get going. It's a slow burn but one with a rewarding payoff that'll make you feel like something sinister has entered your own abode. 

Particular praise should be given toward the movie's sound design, which expertly matches diegetic creaks and noises with the ethereal tones of the score. The soundtrack's more minimalist, forcing viewers to listen and look out for anything that could be looking in the aforementioned house. More than anything, if you're a fan of "Longlegs" or "The Monkey," it's fascinating to see just how much Perkins has branched out as a filmmaker in the years since making this. 

Parents of younger kids don't have to feel like out when planning their horror movie marathons. "Vampires vs. the Bronx" is one of the best family-friendly horror movies around, so you don't have to worry about copious guts and gore materializing. Instead, you have a group of kids who realize vampires are actively gentrifying the Bronx and killing residents who get in their way. It may be fine for kids, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have a smart message at its core, using vampires as a stand-in for another blood-sucking entity: real estate developers.

What the movie lacks in blood it more than makes up for in the comedy department. There are plenty of moments devoted to sheer fun, like the main boys learning about how to take down vampires from watching "Blade." There's never a bad time to appreciate "Blade," and it serves as a good reminder to watch that film, too, if you haven't already (or to rewatch it). 

"Vampires vs. the Bronx" is the perfect type of gateway horror for teenagers or even adults who don't find themselves enjoying too much horror. There are some startling moments, but nothing too bad. It's mostly a fun kids-centric adventure, something along the lines of "Super 8" or "The Goonies." And once you watch it, you may find yourself ready to tackle something a little more extreme. 

"Cam" exists among other great female doppelgänger movies. The idea of someone who looks exactly like you taking over your life and altering your reputation is inherently fertile ground for terror, and "Cam" brings a digital angle to the affair. The film sees Alice (Madeline Brewer) working as an online cam girl, keeping her online persona separate from her real life. Unfortunately, that becomes impossible once she's locked out of her account, because someone else is streaming who looks exactly like her.

Sex usually goes punished in horror films, and it would be easy to think at first glance that Alice is being punished for engaging in such activities. But sex work isn't demonized in the film. Instead, "Cam" takes a far more macro approach. It doesn't matter if you engage in sex work or not, because if you're not careful, your identity can be stolen even if you partake in completely innocuous activities. No one is safe on the internet, and "Cam" uses its salacious hook to make a far grander point about how dangerous this sphere is.

There's also another angle of viewing "Cam." Rather than having an identity stolen, there's the idea of how much everyone creates a separate persona for all of their online accounts. The version of you on LinkedIn is probably totally different from the iteration of you on Instagram. How much are we dividing up our personalities to where they all look like strangers to how we really are? "Cam" may pull viewers in with its titillating content, but what it has to say about online identities will get you thinking about it days after you watch it. 

If you're in the mood for a total brain-twister of a movie, "It's What's Inside" is the way to go. A group of friends gather for a fun weekend getaway except one member of the group has brought a device that allows people to swap minds. Naturally, they all view this as a fun party game exercise to swap minds without knowing who is in whose body, and some catastrophic events force them to make tough decisions. 

The movie's not interested in exploring the science, and it focuses on the supernatural possibilities of taking over someone else's body. On the surface, it might sound like it would be far too easy to get lost in the weeds to where the audience has no idea what's going on. But director Greg Jardin utilizes lighting and camera angles in such a unique way to ensure that viewers always have an idea of what's transpiring. Of course, that doesn't mean he's not hiding a few secrets in the mix that only come to light by the very end. 

There's no monster lurking in the shadows in "It's What's Inside." The horrors lie in what normal people are capable of when their backs are pushed against the wall. What happens when a new body presents a whole world of possibilities for someone who's always been jealous of what's been handed to others? "It's What's Inside" is terrifying for what it makes you consider how you would react if you suddenly found yourself with a new body and new life. 

Mike Flanagan gave Netflix some of its best horror projects for years, from the foreboding "The Haunting of Hill House" to the gut-churning "The Fall of the House of Usher." He also directed one of the streaming service's best horror films with "Gerald's Game," an adaptation of Stephen King's book. A husband, Gerald (Bruce Greenwood), and his wife, Jessie (Carla Gugino), engage in some spicy sexual activities in the middle of nowhere except Gerald dies after handcuffing Jessie to the bed with no way to escape or call to help readily accessible. 

There's one scene, in particular, that always manages to upset viewers. We'll avoid any spoilers here, so instead, here's a snippet from /Film's interview with Flanagan about how he went about making the scene horrifying in a different way compared to the novel: "I think the difference is, for all its description, the thing you never consider is the sound ... Even when I would look away while we were shooting it and when we were editing, you can't get away from the sound."

"Gerald's Game" was long seen as unfilmable since it's mostly one woman's internal monologue as she's attached to the bed, processing all of her past trauma and grief. Flanagan was the perfect choice to direct the film, as he brings her past failures and even a ghostly apparition to the forefront as stand-ins for how Jessie's feeling through all of this. Everything's held together by Gugino delivering one of the best performances of her career and embodying the array of emotions in front of her. It's not for those with weak stomachs, but you'll never want to take your eyes off Gugino. 

It's always good marketing for a horror movie when you hear about how certain moments made viewers sick, and that's only part of what "The Perfection" achieves. The film begins in a familiar place where Charlotte (Allison Williams) is forced to bow out of a prestigious cello academy, only to return and find that Lizzie (Logan Browning) has taken her spot as the star pupil. You may already be forming ideas of where the plot goes from there, as it sounds awfully familiar to "Black Swan," a story about the pursuit of artistic excellence. But rest assured, unless you've had the movie spoiled for you already, there's no way you know what comes next. 

On the surface, "The Perfection" appears to be in the same vein as "Perfect Blue" and "Whiplash" but with a tinge of horror. While it has the general aesthetic of a psychosexual erotic thriller, it begins diverting more into body horror territory. There's also a sadistic humor streak running through the whole thing, and seeing as the film is about competing cellists, you can expect some nice music along the way.

"The Perfection" isn't for everyone, and there are definitely some moments that would warrant a trigger warning. But if you're looking for something absolutely bonkers that many theatrical horror films haven't been able to match since, it's worth a watch. 

This may be a bit of a cheat including three movies as a single entry, but Netflix's "Fear Street" trilogy is just that good. Plus, they all tell one cohesive story, and Netflix released them one week after another in 2021. It was a really cool, innovative approach that made these slasher flicks feel like true events, and movies themselves didn't disappoint.

The trilogy centers on Shadyside, which seems cursed to always dealing with psychopathic murderers. Each one takes place in a different time period and offers its own unique riff on a different style of horror. "Fear Street Part One: 1994" feels like an homage to "Scream" and other '90s-era slashers while "Fear Street Part Two: 1978," with its camp setting, is very much inspired by "Friday the 13th." Finally, "Fear Street Part Three: 1666" takes things in a wildly different direction by offering a 17th-century folk horror period piece to explain the origins of why Shadyside is cursed. 

The "Fear Street" trilogy is a fantastic set of movies all on their own, but more than that, they feel like love letters to the genre. They pay tribute to what's come before while offering an ambitious storyline. Not to mention, the first "Fear Street" has one of the gnarliest kills we've seen in any Netflix horror flick. 

Having previously directed "The Raid," it may seem odd to see Gareth Evans tackling a slow-burn period piece. "Apostle" starts off with a foreboding atmosphere, as Thomas (Dan Stevens) travels to a remote island to infiltrate a cult and rescue his sister, Jennifer (Elen Rhys). The first hour is all about building atmosphere, exploring how destructive blind faith can be and how men can use religion to manipulate those around them. These are more introspective horrors, forcing audiences to contend with these real-world threats. 

At first, you might think you're in for a strictly folk horror affair, something akin to "The Wicker Man." But then, Evans kicks things into another gear for the second half. Without divulging too much, the pace picks up, and the blood really starts to flow toward the back half. It's a major tonal shift, but fortunately, Stevens is a mighty capable actor who manages to thread the needle perfectly. He's a horror regular at this point with great turns in "The Guest" and "Abigail," and he manages to sell both the existential dread and gnarlier action elements. 

Perhaps the most effective thing about "Apostle" is how deeply evil the whole thing feels. Unlike other horror movies, there's no sense of giddy glee that comes with the gore and mayhem. It's just more wanton destruction that leaves you with dark questions by the end. 

"His House" holds an incredibly rare distinction of having a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with over 100 reviews being counted. It's not hyperbole to call "His House" the best Netflix original horror movie, and it truly needs to be seen to be believed, as it's the terrifying, socially conscious horror film you've probably been searching for. 

At its core, it's a haunted house story but with a twist. Rial (Wunmi Mosaku) and Bol (Sope Dirisu) are Sudanese immigrants who receive government-provided housing in Britain (after losing their daughter on the perilous journey over), they soon realize they're not alone in their new abode. They receive haunting visions of specters, including one claiming to be their daughter. It's a truly horrific scenario, made all the more terrifying by the prospect that they can't leave their home or risk being kicked out of this new country. The horrors aren't limited to just ghosts, as the pair inevitably experience racism by their new neighbors, and they struggle with retaining their cultural identities while trying to assimilate to fit in better to their new community.

"His House" is the kind of politically relevant horror film many others attempt to be but fall short. That's in part due to the horrors of the film never truly leaving you. There's always something threatening the main characters' lives, and an uneasy sense of dread will never leave you as you watch it.