10 Best Horror Movies Streaming On Netflix For Your Halloween Marathon

While Netflix's library is constantly changing, as with any streaming service, it consistently goes all-out every Halloween season. From loads of original programming, like "The Haunting of Hill House" or "Fear Street," to licensed movies and shows, there is always a lot of horror content to choose from. This time around, we're focusing on the horror movies that are currently available to stream on Netflix in time for Halloween. Each of these movies chillingly set the mood for spooky season, perfect to add to your watchlist for the month.

To clarify, this is a selection of horror movies from the current American streaming library through Netflix, rather than other territories. The movies that we've picked run the gamut of sub-genres and intensity, all while maintaining a baseline of horror flick bonafides. After all, not horror movies are created equal, or at least are everyone's particular cup of terrifying tea. 

These are the 10 best horror movies streaming on Netflix for your Halloween marathon from its library at the time of this writing.

If there was ever a movie that earned filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock his title as the master of suspense, it's "Psycho." The original 1960 movie follows Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) after she makes an ill-fated detour to the secluded Bates Motel. Marion is greeted by its sole proprietor, the awkward Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), who conceals his own dark secret. Anyone familiar with the movie's iconic shower sequence knows that murderous chaos ensues and escalates as Norman's true nature is revealed.

Netflix currently has several "Psycho" movies in its streaming library, including Quentin Tarantino's personal favorite in the series, 1983's vastly underrated "Psycho II." But you've really got to start with the original 1960 movie, a proto-slasher movie enhanced by its moody black-and-white cinematography. Perkins gives a career-defining performance as the deeply troubled Norman Bates, and the movie provides a lead actor fake-out decades before "Scream" pulled off a similar trick. Alfred Hitchcock changed horror movies forever with "Psycho," and over 65 years later, the movie is still worthy of its legacy.

Even over 50 years after its debut, the original 1974 "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" still packs a nightmarish punch. Produced, directed, and co-written by Tobe Hooper, the movie has a sun-baked atmosphere that's so pronounced, you can practically smell it. The movie introduces the narrative concept of a group of young adults traveling to a remote location where they're subsequently preyed upon by deranged killers. In this case, our unfortunate ensemble finds themselves targeted by the cannibalistic Sawyer family and its chainsaw-wielding murderer Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen).

Some would argue that "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" is a horror movie so disturbing that you'll only watch it once. But we're cuing up the 1974 classic whenever we're in the mood for a slasher movie with a nastier and grittier edge to it. The movie establishes the horror movie archetype so perfectly and brings in a masked killer more terrifying than any of the other members of the Sawyer family. Still the best "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" movie, the 1974 original looms large in the genre and maintains its cinematic shock and awe.

While James Cameron's 1986 sequel "Aliens" is also currently available on Netflix, we've got to recommend the 1979 original movie for this time of the year. Helmed by Ridley Scott, the movie chronicles the tragic last voyage of the Nostromo, a space freighter that responds to a distress call from a distant exomoon. Investigating further, the group discovers they've brought back a ravenous xenomorph with them, a terrifying monster with acidic blood. This turns into a hunt for the xenomorph only for the relentless beast to pick off the crew one-by-one with the methodical approach of a slasher.

Ridley Scott wanted "Alien" to be the antithesis of "Star Wars," a lean and mean depiction of a dystopian future rather than sweeping space opera. On that score, and then some, he succeeds, crafting a claustrophobic sci-fi thriller that modernizes its creature feature sensibilities. Scott perfectly punctuates his movie with scares and keeps the audience on the edge of their seat, even when the xenomorph isn't on-screen. Easily one of the best sci-fi horror movies of all time, "Alien" is the most effective horror-oriented entry in the franchise.

Of all the different "Dracula" adaptations made for the silver screen over the years, it's hard to deny how entertaining Francis Ford Coppola's take on the classic story is. "Bram Stoker's Dracula" is a bloody, gothic delight, elevated by its moody art design and reliance on practical effects. The 1992 movie retells the tale of Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves) selling an abandoned English abbey to Count Dracula (Gary Oldman), unaware of his vampiric nature. Once in England, Dracula targets Harker's lover Mina Murray (Winona Ryder) after realizing that she's the reincarnation of his ill-fated bride.

Rather than try the self-serious approach, "Bram Stoker's Dracula" goes for stylized camp and is all the better for it. From Anthony Hopkins chewing the scenery as Van Helsing to leaning into sensual undertones, this is a version of the story that maintains its spirit while putting a unique twist on it. At the same time, there is still plenty of bloody terror to be had, with the movie's scariest scene dialing up the vampire-hunting suspense. If you're looking to watch one version of "Dracula" on Netflix this Halloween, make it Coppola's evocative take on the material.

While most people these days know "The Sixth Sense" for one of M. Night Shyamalan's big twists, the movie itself is still a well-made chiller overall with more than a few frights. As Shyamalan's mainstream breakout feature, the movie was a departure for silver screen tough guy Bruce Willis. As psychiatrist Malcolm Crowe, Willis is paired with a young Haley Joel Osment, playing troubled boy Cole Sear. As Malcolm works with Cole, he realizes that his patient's claims that he can see dead people are true.

Nearly 30 years later, "The Sixth Sense" still works as a subdued ghost story through the eyes of an understandably frightened child. The scares are very much there, but there's always a genuine sense of innocence behind them, giving the terror an emotional grounding. This quality comes from the "Sixth Sense" cast thinking that they were making a very different movie than a more overtly scary story. Still one of Shyamalan's best movies, "The Sixth Sense" holds up much more than just from its twist ending.

When it comes to suspenseful storytelling, home invasion movies take things to another level with their tautly executed thrills. One particularly terrifying home invasion movie that'll leave you scared after the end credits roll is "The Strangers." The 2008 film has estranged couple Kristen McKay (Liv Tyler) and James Hoyt (Scott Speedman) spend the weekend at James' remote childhood home. The pair's attempts to repair their relationship are derailed when they are stalked by a masked trio of killers whose interest in the couple gradually turns progressively violent.

Forget all the middling sequels and revivals that followed it, and stick with the 2008 original when revisiting "The Strangers." Even before the murderers make direct moves against the main characters, there is still an unsettling atmosphere that informs the entire movie. Once things inevitably escalate, the tension is just as relentless for the audience as it is the characters, keeping us at rapt attention. One of the best home invasion movies ever made, much less one currently streaming on Netflix, "The Strangers" masterfully maintains its killer pacing.

After the "Evil Dead" franchise moved deeper into horror comedy for years, filmmaker Fede Álvarez brought it back to its brutally nasty roots with his 2013 revival movie. On the surface, the movie is a retelling of 1981's "The Evil Dead," eschewing the low-budget campy vibes from Sam Raimi's classic for something much more sadistic. This time around, the ill-fated ensemble traveling to a cabin in the woods is there to stage an intervention for recovering addict Mia Allen (Jane Levy). After the group discovers the unholy Necronomicon and unleashes the evil Deadites, they find themselves fighting to stay alive against their possessed friends.

Of all the movies on this list, 2013's "Evil Dead" is the least recommended for more squeamish audiences. But for those who can stomach the heightened gore and mean-spirited tone, the revival movie makes the series scary again. Subsequent movies in the franchise would follow the tone established by Álvarez, with varying levels of viciousness and graphic spectacle. While it doesn't rank as highly as other "Evil Dead" movies, the 2013 film is a standout entry in its own right.

Mike Flanagan is one of the most prolific horror filmmakers working in Hollywood today, helming acclaimed movie and television projects for years. Flanagan's sophomore feature film was 2013's "Oculus," which he directed and co-wrote, revolving around a haunted mirror. The movie follows adult siblings Kaylie (Karen Gillan) and Tim Russell (Brenton Thwaites) investigating the mirror that ruined their family when they were children. This is juxtaposed with flashbacks that explore what exactly transpired with the Russell family 11 years prior.

"Oculus" unveils how mind-bending Flanagan's horror stories can be while highlighting the themes that became prevalent in his subsequent work. From Flanagan's tendency for nonlinear storytelling to supernatural stories placing families in the crosshairs, the 2013 movie brings these elements to the forefront. The movie is also Flanagan at some of his most terrifying, really embracing the scary possibilities of its mirror-centric premise. There are several Flanagan projects available to stream on Netflix, especially his television work, but "Oculus" is well-worth a watch too if you've missed it before.

The creative team of Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill are also among the more prolific voices in contemporary horror cinema. After working together on "Sinister," the duo reunited for 2021's "The Black Phone" based on a short story by Joe Hill. Set in Colorado during the '70s, the movie opens with teenager Finney Blake (Mason Thames) kidnapped by a serial killer known as the Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Sequestered to the child murderer's basement as part of his lethal games, Finney speaks to the spirits of the Grabber's victims through phone giving him advice to survive and escape.

"The Black Phone" is a claustrophobic little ghost story and a serial killer thriller all at once, meshing both elements together well. Scott Derrickson knows that horror is all about timing, and he displays that storytelling expertise here, knowing when to alternate between the suspense and melancholia of the premise. Thames is able to maintain the audience's focus for much of the movie, matched by an unpredictably intense performance from Hawke as the sadistic Grabber. With both "The Black Phone" and its "Dream Warriors" inspired sequel currently available to stream on Netflix, make it a double feature with Derrickson and Cargill's duology.

Of all the Netflix original horror films, the one that we keep coming back to is Guillermo del Toro's gloriously gothic monster movie "Frankenstein." Released on the streaming service in 2025, the movie recounts the tale of Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) and his obsessive quest to conquer death. This is juxtaposed with the journey of Victor's creation (Jacob Elordi), who survives Victor's attempt to destroy him only to be persecuted by those he encounters. This places creator and creation on a collision course, with plenty of collateral damage caught in the ensuing feud.

With the benefit of having that Netflix money, del Toro creates the most sumptuous and visually stunning "Frankenstein" adaptation to date. While running for two and a half hours, the audience never feels the runtime, drawn in by the solid ensemble cast, evocative art design, and strong cinematography. While its broader narrative is faithful to the text, Guillermo del Toro changes the story for the better, emphasizing who the true monster is. A clear reminder that del Toro is one of the best filmmakers of his generation, the 2025 "Frankenstein" is every inch his masterpiece.