Best Netflix Horror Movies to Watch for Halloween

Halloween is finally upon us! For some, that means dressing up and going to parties or out trick-or-treating. For others, it means curling up on the couch, turning off all the lights, and sitting through a horror movie marathon. Heck, why not do both? If you’re a Netflix subscriber and you’re looking for something to send chills down your spine on the final day of Spooky Season, there are some great options for you to explore.

We decided to break down some of the best Netflix original horror films worth turning on this Halloween. Whether you’re into slashers or the supernatural, there’s something exciting to add to your watchlist as October comes to a close.

Non-Netflix Original Honorable Mentions

Before we get into some of Netflix’s best original horror movies, it’s worth mentioning some awesome horror films that are currently streaming on Netflix and are absolutely worth your time.

There are a couple of iconic horror options available on Netflix right now, including Jaws, The Birds, and Pyscho. Then there are a couple of modern classics-in-the-making you should check out. Movies like Pearl, The Babadook, and Creep.

If you’re into slashers, there are some solid options in the form of the 2018 Halloween reboot, the fifth Scream installment, and Eli Roth’s recent hit Thanksgiving. For something scary that’s a little more under-the-radar, check out 2014’s As Above So Below.

[RELATED: Everything Coming to Netflix & Other Major Streaming Services in November 2024]

Fear Street Trilogy

Back in 2021, Netflix did something unprecedented when it released a series of films based on R. L. Stine’s Fear Street books. The streaming service released all three installments in the trilogy over the course of three consecutive weeks, allowing fans to experience the story together on a weekly basis (a lot like the traditional TV format that Netflix refuses to embrace).

The three Fear Street films — Fear Street Part 1: 1994, Fear Street Part 2: 1978, Fear Street Part 3: 1666 — tell one cohesive story about the residents of a cursed town called Shadyside. The story works backwards so you can see the origins of the curse and how it has affected the town over centuries, before bringing things back to 1994 to tie a nice bow around it all.

Apostle

Filmmaker Gareth Evans is best known for his hard-hitting action chops. His 2011 film The Raid: Redemption is often considered one of the best action movies of all time. Don’t let that fool you, though. He’s got a knack for horror.

In 2018, Evans partnered with Netflix to release a chilling folk-horror film called Apostle, which stars Dan Stevens as a man who gets tangled up in an eerie cult while trying to rescue his sister.

Gerald’s Game

The partnership between Netflix and filmmaker Mike Flanagan has been a fruitful one over the years. He has made acclaimed series for the streaming service like The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass, and The Fall of the House of Usher. With so much focus on his TV titles, some may have missed the fact that Flanagan made one of the best Stephen King adaptations for Netflix a few years ago.

Gerald’s Game stars frequent Flanagan collaborators Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood as a married couple on a getaway at a lake house in the middle of nowhere. While handcuffed to the bed, the woman watches her husband die, and is faced with horrifying hallucinations as the tries to escape.

The Platform

The Platform 2 hit Netflix earlier this month and was a pretty big hit for a couple of weeks, but most viewers agreed that it doesn’t hold a candle to the quality of its predecessor.

Released back in 2020, The Platform is a dystopian horror-thriller about a vertical prison that lowers a massive display of food down hundreds of floors every single day. The people at the top eat their fill, while those at the bottom starve. It’s a blunt anti-capitalist message that will both thrill you and having you pondering its biggest questions days after you watch it.

It’s What’s Inside

Released on the same day as The Platform 2, It’s What’s Inside is perhaps the best Netflix horror movie of the year.

This genre-bending body-swap thriller follows a group of college friends who play a dangerous game at a party the night before a wedding. As they start inhabiting one another’s bodies, secrets start coming to light. The entire thing erupts into a brilliantly chaotic third act that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

His House

If you’ve ever wondered what the best Netflix original horror film is, most critics and horror fans will tell you it’s His House.

Released in 2020, His House comes from director Remi Weekes and tells the story of a South Sudan couple who seek asylum in England, only to find out that something sinister is haunting their new home. If you want to be genuinely scared by a movie this Halloween, His House is the one to watch.