Here are the 17 best horror films on Netflix right now

23 October 2020, 21:02

Netflix release horrifying trailer for His House

By Katie Louise Smith

Hereditary, Paranormal Activity, Hush, The Conjuring... Here's all the scariest horror films on Netflix right now.

Friends, spooky szn is finally upon us. Halloween is just around the corner and if you're planning on skipping the fancy dress parties this year in favour of a horror movie marathon with your family or friends, then here's your guide to the best horror films on Netflix.

Jump scares? Haunting visuals? Psychological thrillers? Gruesome scenes that would rival some of the Saw franchise's most horrifying moments? This list has everything.

If you've already binged your way through The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor, or simply haven't got the time to sit through a whole series, here are 19 of the best and scariest horror films on Netflix.

What are the best horror movies on Netflix?

The best horror films on Netflix 2020. Picture: A24, Netflix

Hereditary

If you haven't already seen Ari Aster's horrifying 2018 horror hit, then now is the time. Starring Toni Collette, the film follows the Graham family who are haunted by a mysterious presence after the death of their secretive grandmother. There's jump scares, occultism and terrifying visuals that will stay with you for days after the credits roll.

Gerald's Game

A Stephen King adaptation from the mind of The Haunting's Mike Flanagan? A must watch! The film focuses on Jessie, who ends up handcuffed to a bed after her husband dies while attempting to initiate sex. Alongside her terrifying hallucinations, there's also a VERY graphic "de-gloving" scene that'll make even the most seasoned horror fans wince.

(Also, if you loved Carla Gugino as Olivia Crain in Hill House, then you'll love her performance in this.)

Hush

Fan of Bird Box and A Quiet Place but need a bit more horror in the mix? Watch Hush. The synopsis reads: "A deaf writer who retreated into the woods to live a solitary life must fight for her life in silence when a masked killer appears in her window." This one'll make you terrified of living in your own house. Yay.

Insidious

According to a recent study, Insidious is the "scariest horror film of all time." And to be honest, the study is not wrong. The movie is chock of jump scares and will keep you sweating until the very last frame. This one stars Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson as parents who discover their son has slipped into a coma and is being possessed by malevolent spirits.

Paranormal Activity 2, 3, 4 and 6

If you haven't already traumatised yourself with a Paranormal Activity marathon, it's time to finally put yourself through it. The second, third, fourth and sixth films are all available to stream on Netflix UK & Ireland. Paranormal Activity 3 is considered the best one, with the best jump scares in the entire franchise. It's also chronologically the first in the franchise's storyline.

Gerald's Game - Official Netflix Trailer

The Conjuring

When a family discovers strange goings on in their new house, they call in demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) to investigate. Jump scares galore in this one... and after watching, you'll never be able to look at 3:07am in the same way ever again.

Annabelle

After watching The Conjuring, dive straight into its prequel: Annabelle. Back at it again with the jump scares, the film follows the origins of the Annabelle doll.

Orphan

Vera Farmiga back at it again! Isabelle Fuhrman stars as the titular role, 9-year-old orphan Esther, who is adopted by a family who have just suffered a loss of their own. They soon realise that Esther is not who they thought she was as her terrifying past is slowly uncovered.

The Platform

This one is more psychologically horrifying than it is jump scary. The Spanish science-fiction horror film has been certified Fresh at Rotten Tomatoes with an 80% score from the critics. Some viewers have compared parts of the film to the Saw franchise.

The official The Platform trailer on Netflix

Creep and Creep 2

Not that you should judge a film based on its Rotten Tomatoes critic score BUT Creep holds an 89% rating and Creep 2 has 100% rating so you already know you're in for a good time with these two. Both are filmed in the "found footage" style, but the first one is generally considered much scarier than the second.

Girl On The Third Floor

Netflix viewers couldn't get enough of this film when it dropped, calling it "horrifying" and "mentally disturbing". The synopsis reads: "A man tries to renovate a dilapidated house for his growing family, only to learn that the house has other plans." When we say you're not ready, we mean... you're NOT ready.

Under The Shadow

After a building is hit by a missile during the Iran-Iraq War, a superstitious neighbour suggests that the missile was cursed and might be carrying malevolent Middle-Eastern spirits. This one is a slow burn that'll keep you terrified until the end, with some traditional horror scares thrown in for good measure.

Verónica

And finally, who doesn't love a horror film that's loosely based on a true story. Verónica is a Spanish horror film based on true events from 1991 where Estefanía Gutiérrez Lázaro died mysteriously after using a ouija board. In the film, Verónica makes a ouija board to contact her dead father and soon begins to feel a dark presence in her family's life.

When this first dropped on Netflix, some people were so scared during one scene that they had to turn it off. Sounds perfect!