The Best Horror Movies on Netflix (US) Right Now

By Drama4U Team · Published 26 October 2026

The Best Horror Movies on Netflix (US) Right Now

Looking for the best horror movies on Netflix tonight? This editor-picked list of ten spans more than six decades of fear, from a 1960 suspense landmark to a 2025 take on one of literature’s most famous monsters. Every title below was streaming on Netflix in the US as of October 2026, so you can skip the endless scrolling and go straight to the scares.

The picks lean on variety. You’ll find ocean terror, deep-space dread, a towering beast loose in postwar Japan, a South Korean survival story and a dinner that goes very strange. Whether you want an easy gateway or something that will rattle you for days, this roundup of the best horror movies streaming right now has a match for your mood.

  1. Psycho (1960)

    1.Psycho (1960)

    the essential classic

    Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 thriller still feels startlingly sharp. Marion Crane, a clerk who has stolen a pile of money, flees in search of a fresh start and pulls in for the night at the Bates Motel. There she meets Norman Bates, who looks after a mother who never leaves the house. Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh and Vera Miles anchor a story that builds unease through small talk, shadows and sideways glances rather than spectacle. It suits mystery fans, lovers of slow-burn suspense and anyone who wants to see one of the most influential horror films around before someone spoils it.

    Horror · Thriller · Mystery · 109 min
    Director: Alfred Hitchcock
    Cast: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin

    Streaming on: Netflix, Peacock Premium, Netflix Standard with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus

  2. Alien (1979)

    2.Alien (1979)

    deep-space dread

    Few films make a cramped ship feel as suffocating as Ridley Scott's 1979 blend of horror and science fiction, a US and UK production. Heading home, the crew of the commercial vessel Nostromo picks up a distress call from a far-off world, and a small landing party stumbles on a chamber filled with eggs. From there, the tension tightens almost unbearably. Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright and Harry Dean Stanton lead the ensemble. Ideal for sci-fi fans who like their scares patient and creeping, and essential viewing for anyone who has somehow never seen it.

    Horror · Science Fiction · 117 min
    Director: Ridley Scott
    Cast: Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton

    Streaming on: Netflix, fuboTV, Netflix Standard with Ads

  3. Jaws (1975)

    3.Jaws (1975)

    best summer-night scare

    Steven Spielberg's 1975 thriller turns a sunny beach town into a place where nobody wants to dip a toe in the water. A great white shark is menacing Amity, and three very different men set out to stop it: the town's police chief, a youthful ocean scientist and a hardened shark hunter. Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss lead the hunt, with Lorraine Gary rounding out the cast. Part horror, part adventure, it mixes genuine dread with memorable character moments. A great pick for adventure lovers and for anyone easing into the genre with an all-time crowd favorite.

    Horror · Thriller · Adventure · 124 min
    Director: Steven Spielberg
    Cast: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary

    Streaming on: Netflix, YouTube TV, TNT, TBS, tru TV, Netflix Standard with Ads

  4. Godzilla Minus One (2023)

    4.Godzilla Minus One (2023)

    epic and emotional

    Director Takashi Yamazaki sets a colossal monster loose on a nation still in ruins after the war in this 2023 Japanese production. With no army riding to the rescue and no official aid on offer, ordinary survivors have to band together and find the nerve to resist. Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe lead a story that blends science fiction, horror and action with real heart. Try it in its original Japanese for the full effect. It suits viewers who want spectacle with emotional weight, and anyone curious about the legendary creature but new to its films.

    Science Fiction · Horror · Action · 125 min
    Director: Takashi Yamazaki
    Cast: Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki

    Streaming on: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads

    Read the Drama4U review →

  5. Frankenstein (2025)

    5.Frankenstein (2025)

    lavish and tragic

    Guillermo del Toro brings his distinctive touch to a story nearly everyone thinks they know in this 2025 film, a 150-minute mix of drama, fantasy and horror. Victor Frankenstein is a gifted scientist whose ego rivals his talent, and his attempt to spark life into a being of his own making sets something sorrowful in motion. Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Christoph Waltz and Mia Goth headline the cast. Expect a film more interested in grief and responsibility than cheap jolts. Settle in for a long evening; it rewards viewers who love character-driven horror and grand, mournful storytelling.

    Drama · Fantasy · Horror · 150 min
    Director: Guillermo del Toro
    Cast: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Christoph Waltz, Mia Goth

    Streaming on: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads

  6. The Black Phone (2022)

    6.The Black Phone (2022)

    tense and haunting

    Scott Derrickson's 2022 thriller wastes little time locking its young hero away. Finney, a shy but quick-witted 13-year-old, is grabbed by a vicious kidnapper and held in a basement built so no cry can escape. Then a disconnected phone mounted beside him begins to ring, and the voices on the line belong to the people taken before him, who are determined that Finney won't share their fate. Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw and Ethan Hawke lead the cast. It's a strong fit for anyone who likes ghostly chills mixed with real-world menace and a kid worth rooting for.

    Horror · Thriller · 103 min
    Director: Scott Derrickson
    Cast: Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Ethan Hawke, Jeremy Davies

    Streaming on: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads

  7. Split (2017)

    7.Split (2017)

    unsettling lead performance

    James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy and Haley Lu Richardson star in this 2017 M. Night Shyamalan film, built around a captivity scenario that keeps shifting under your feet. Kevin has revealed 23 separate identities to his therapist, Dr. Fletcher, yet one more lurks beneath the surface, waiting to take control. When Kevin kidnaps three teenage girls, the stubborn, sharp-eyed Casey becomes the group's best chance of getting out. The result is a tense, claustrophobic battle of wits. It suits viewers who enjoy character-heavy thrillers, unpredictable villains and the director's signature sense of unease.

    Horror · Thriller · 117 min
    Director: M. Night Shyamalan
    Cast: James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson, Jessica Sula

    Streaming on: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads, YouTube Free

  8. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

    8.The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

    raw and relentless

    At just 83 minutes, Tobe Hooper's 1974 film doesn't waste a second. Five friends drive into the Texas countryside to visit a family grave, then wander toward a house that looks abandoned. It isn't, and whatever waits inside carries a chainsaw. Marilyn Burns leads the cast in a film whose reputation for grinding, sweaty intensity still precedes it decades later. This is one for seasoned horror fans who want something rough-edged and genuinely disturbing. Anyone looking for a gentle introduction to the genre should probably start elsewhere on this list.

    Horror · 83 min
    Director: Tobe Hooper
    Cast: Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, Paul A. Partain, William Vail

    Streaming on: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, Shudder Amazon Channel, Netflix Standard with Ads, Shudder Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus, Pluto TV, Plex, Plex Channel, Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads, Xumo Play, Tubi TV, Amazon MX Player

  9. #Alive (2020)

    9.#Alive (2020)

    modern survival thriller

    This 2020 South Korean film from director Cho Il traps you inside a single apartment while the city outside comes apart. A brutal virus is tearing through the streets, and one man is stuck at home, cut off from the online world and running out of ways to call for help or escape. Yoo Ah-in and Park Shin-hye lead a compact, propulsive story that mixes action, horror and science fiction across a lean 98 minutes. It suits viewers who want a quick, tense watch, and fans of Korean-language stories about ordinary people in impossible situations.

    Action · Horror · Science Fiction · 98 min
    Director: Cho Il
    Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Park Shin-hye, Lee Hyun-wook, Jin So-yeon

    Streaming on: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads

  10. The Menu (2022)

    10.The Menu (2022)

    darkly funny

    Comedy and horror share the table in this 2022 film from Mark Mylod. A young couple journeys out to an isolated island for dinner at an ultra-exclusive spot, where the chef has planned an extravagant tasting menu with surprises no diner could predict. Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, Nicholas Hoult and Janet McTeer make up a terrific ensemble, and the wicked tone makes it a perfect closer for a horror night with friends. It suits viewers who like their chills served with a side of laughs, and anyone who has ever felt uneasy at a fancy restaurant.

    Comedy · Horror · 107 min
    Director: Mark Mylod
    Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, Nicholas Hoult, Janet McTeer

    Streaming on: Netflix, Hulu, fuboTV, YouTube TV, FXNow, Netflix Standard with Ads

From a 1960 motel stop to a 2025 creation story, these ten films show just how many shapes fear can take. All of them were streaming on Netflix in the US as of October 2026, but catalogs shift, so it’s worth checking the availability details on each title before you plan your night. Pick a mood, dim the lights and enjoy the scare.

Frequently asked questions

What is the oldest horror movie on this Netflix list?
Psycho, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, is the oldest pick. It dates from 1960 and stars Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh.
Which horror movies on this list are not in English?
Two picks are in other languages: Godzilla Minus One (2023) is a Japanese-language film from Japan, and #Alive (2020) is a Korean-language film from South Korea.
What's a good pick for a short horror movie night?
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre runs just 83 minutes, and #Alive comes in at 98 minutes. Both are among the shortest options here, though the former is one of the most intense.
Is there a horror movie here that's funny too?
Yes. The Menu (2022) is listed as both comedy and horror, with Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes in a story about a very unusual dinner on a remote island.
Are these horror movies on Netflix in the US right now?
All ten were streaming on Netflix in the US as of October 2026. Streaming catalogs change regularly, so check each title's availability details before watching.

Availability as of 2026-10-26. Posters: TMDB. Posters belong to their respective rights holders and are shown for review purposes; availability data from JustWatch via TMDB.