rying to put together the ultimate scary movie marathon in 2022 can be a nightmare in itself. With horror classics scattered across different streaming services, simply finding your favorite scary films can require a serious time commitment – let alone watching all of them before you run out of candy corn.
Don’t worry – this year, we’re helping you out. We’ve tracked down some of the best and scariest horror movies available to stream for spooky season this year and compiled them into one convenient list. So go ahead, find your old favorites or maybe some new inspiration for your next movie marathon.
But be warned – the titles on this list aren’t for the faint of heart!
Stay tuned for:
- Frightening flicks on Paramount+
- The best horror movies on Amazon Prime
- The most nefarious films on Netflix
- Monstrous movies on on Hulu
- Pulse-pounding jump-scares on HBO Max
- Movies on other services or that we can’t find for free this year
Without further ado, let’s get to it!
😱 All the Best Horror Movies on Paramount+
Paramount+ isn't synonymous with Halloween like some of the other streaming services here, but they do have some spook-tacular options for your viewing pleasure. You'll find spooky tv shows like Penny Dreadful (a personal fave) and Archie's Weird Mysteries, but we're here to talk about horror movies, aren't we?
Paramount+ is currently streaming titles like:
- The Ring
- A Quiet Place
- Pet Sematary: Bloodlines
The Ring (2002)
1hr 55 min | PG-13 | 🍅 71%
Gore Verbinski's haunting horror movie is a classic for a reason. Atmospheric and creepy, The Ring doesn't have much gore by modern horror standards, but it's scary nonetheless. The premise sounds like an urban legend: watch the cursed VHS tape (yep, it was 2002 remember!) and the viewer will die in exactly 7 days. Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) allows her curioisity to get ht best of her, and after watching the tape, she must unravel its secrets to saveherownlife.
Watch The Ring on Paramount+
A Quiet Place (2018)
1hr 30 min | PG-13 | 🍅 96%
Some fears live deep within us -- the fear of the dark, the fear of being hunted. In A Quiet Place, Emily Blunt and John Krasinksi play parents struggling to protect their family from mysterious creatures that hunt based on sound. Any noise -- footsteps, a whisper -- can mean instant death. The family is desperate to find a way to fight back.
Amongst other praise, viewers enjoyed the unique spin on the horror movie (without sound) and praised the use of sign language, making the movie more accessible to deaf viewers.
Watch A Quiet Place on Paramount+
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines (2023)
1hr 27 min | R | 🍅 63%
Stephen King fans were thrilled to get the news of a Pet Semetary sequel this year. While the Paramount+ original flick has received mixed reviews from critics an audiences alike, it pulls in a Rotten Tomatoes rating slightly higher than the original 1989 adaptation, so we think that makes it worth the watch.
Pet Semetary is the story of young Judd Campbell and his friends confronting an ancient evil that's terrorizing their small town. Bloodlines is the prequel, based on chapter's from King's original writings.
Watch Pet Sematary: Bloodlines on Paramount+
The Grudge (2004)
1hr 30 min | PG-13 | 🍅 40%
Okay, so The Grudge has its issues, but it's one of the classics of mid-aught horror. Once considered one of the scariest movies of all time, the tale follows a couple trying to make a new life for themselves in Tokyo when they move into a cursed house. It doesn't have ghosts and spirits, but a curse that causes the victim to go mad with rage before killing them and moving to a new host.
Watch The Grudge on Paramount+
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
1hr 20 min | R | 🍅 86%
Considered THE found-footage horror movie, The Blair Witch Project famously follows an ill-fated group of teenage filmmakers as they document their attempt to track down the titular Blair Witch of local folklore. Considered one of the greatest horror movies of the 1990s, The Blair Witch project has been credited with changing the way we think of horror movies (and horror movie marketing) forever.
Watch The Blair Witch Project on Paramount+
😱 All the Best Horror Movies on Amazon Prime
The horror movie selection on Amazon Prime isn’t getting a lot of love right now – with big releases like The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power and the addition of Thursday night football to Prime Video, these spooky faves seem to have fallen through the cracks. But rest assured, there are still tons of your favorite scary movies on the streaming service this Halloween.
Right now the best horror movies on Amazon Prime include titles like:
- Halloween
- Texas Chainswa Massacre
- Host (reigning champ for scariest horror movie EVER)
- And more
Halloween (1978)
1hr 31 min | R | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (29,969)
There is a reason that John Carpenter’s horror classic Halloween is still on most people’s must-watch list every fall even now, nearly 50 years after its release. It’s an example of what happens when the horror genre gets it right, capturing the unsettling feeling of being watched that comes with living in the close quarters of suburbia… with a healthy dose of slasher thrills, to boot.
Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Prime Video on Amazon to watch Halloween and other must-see thrillers.
The Descent (2006)
1hr 38 min | R | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4,862)
Ever wonder what movies are technically the scariest of all time? The good folks over at Broadband Choices UK have, and that’s why they put some of the scariest movies out there to the test with their annual #ScienceOfScare study. The Descent, which follows a group of friends on an ill-fated caving expedition, clocks in at #12 on the list for last year.
As if caves weren’t creepy enough on their own, the tight quarters and strange creatures the group encounters on their journey may have you sleeping with the lights on for a while.
Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Prime Video on Amazon to watch The Descent and other must-see horror movies.
Host (2020)
1hr 5 min | R | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4,156)
If the Science of Scare Study piqued your interest, don’t worry – the list’s #1 ranking for the scariest movie out there is available on Prime Video, too 👀 Just over an hour in length, Host tells the story of six friends who inadvertently invite a demonic presence into their lives when they conduct a seance over Zoom.
Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Prime Video on Amazon to watch Host and other pulse-pounding scary movies.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
1hr 23 min | R | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (6,020)
To say the five young people on a carefree weekend getaway run into some trouble in Tobe Hooper’s grisly post-war tale of American horror would be an understatement. Based on a number of true stories stitched together to create a masterpiece of the genre, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre tells the story of a depraved family of cannibals and the unsuspecting victims who fall into their clutches.
Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Prime Video on Amazon to watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre and other must-see thrillers.
The Strangers (2008)
1hr 15 mins | R | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (7, 631)
The Strangers is perhaps one of the scariest movies of all time -- definitely the scariest movie I've ever seen. Unlike even the scariest ghost stories, this one feels like it was plucked out of the headlines or from a true crime podcast.
Staying at his parent's vacation home after a wedding, a young couple is wrestling with what their future will look like when masked strangers invade the home. The rest of the night is spend trying to escape as the strangers terrorize them. And why? "Because you were home."
Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Prime Video on Amazon to watch The Strangers.
Children of the Corn (1984)
1hr 32 min | R | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (1,451)
A young couple stranded in a rural town – what could possibly go wrong? Based on the cult classic Stephen King story of the same name, Children of the Corn follows the two unlucky protagonists as they encounter a mysterious religious sect of children… and the terrifying secret behind their prospering crops.
Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Prime Video on Amazon to watch Children of the Corn and other must-see book-inspired scary movies.
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
1hr 37 min | R | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (7,671)
In the horror movie genre, every town has a secret, and London is no different. Despite locals’ claims that all is well, a werewolf is on the loose in London. When the creature attacks two American students on a walking tour, they learn that the legends are all too real.
Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Prime Video on Amazon to watch An American Werewolf in London and other must-see horror classics.
😱 All the Best Scary Movies on Netflix
Netflix may not have a lot of horror movies online this fall – they seem to be focusing on other projects, like their recent collaboration with Ubisoft – but the titles they do have bring some classic scary stories to life.
Right now some of the best horror movies on Netflix include:
- Jaws
Jaws (1975)
2hrs 4 min | PG | 🍅 97%
Things are not looking good for the folks of Amity Island. When a Great White shark begins terrorizing beachgoers, a police chief, an oceanographer, and a grizzled shark hunter take to the sea to destroy the monster.
Watch Jaws on Netflix
😱 All the Best Scary Movies on Hulu
Hulu is known for its Halloween spirit after launching the month-long scary movie streaming extravaganza “Huluween” in 2021. They’ve got plenty of family-friendly spooky shows and movies, but there are also plenty of options for the horror movie junkies among us as well.
The best scary movies on Hulu include:
- The Omen
- The Babadook
- Scream
- And more
Saw (2004)
1hr 43 min | R | 🍅 84%
Trapped by a deranged serial killer called Jigsaw, victims are forced to participate in a gruesome game in order to survive (while their loved ones watch the torture via closed circuit tv).
Watch Saw on Hulu
The Babadook (2014)
1hr 33 min | R | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (9,114)
As so many other moms and dads in scary movies know, parenting can be a nightmare. Widowed Amelia (Jennifer Kent) struggles to discipline her 6 year-old son Samuel, whose behavioral issues are so bad that she finds herself struggling to love him. The monster lurking under Samuel’s bed? A spooky creature called The Babadook, who may just be haunting Amelia as well.
Watch The Babadook on Hulu.
The Omen (1976)
1hr 51 min | R | 🍅 84%
After experiencing a stillbirth, an American diplomat (Gregory Peck) and his wife (Lee Remick) adopt a child named Damien (Harvey Stephens) to begin a new chapter in their life. Unfortunately from the family, their trouble is far from over – as people around Damien continue to die under mysterious circumstances, Robert comes to believe they may have adopted the Antichrist.
Watch The Omen and other must-see scary movies now on Hulu (with Cinemax).
Scream (1996)
1hr 51 min | R | 🍅 81%
What happens when your horror movie villain has seen one too many scary movies? Scream. The now classic 90s scary movie follows a group of small-town friends as they’re stalked by a psychotic slasher.
Watch Scream and other cult-classic horror movies now on Hulu (with Live TV).
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)
2hr 14 min | PG-13 | 🍅 77%
The Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark book series has been freaking out elementary school students since 1981, but it wasn’t until 2019 that we finally got a film adaptation of some of the classic ghost stories. Critics and fans agreed it was a good start to a Scary Stories universe… beginning with the tale of three friends who meet a mysterious drifter in 1968.
Watch as the Scary Stories universe comes to life in Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, now streaming on Hulu.
😱 All the Best Scary Movies on Max
Launched relatively recently at the beginning of 2020, HBO Max has quickly become one of the major players in the streaming game with titles like Game of Thrones and Zach Snyder’s cut of the Justice League. Unsurprisingly, HBO Max has some pretty awesome horror movie options as well.
The best scary movies on HBO Max include:
- A Nightmare on Elm Street
- Poltergeist
- The Conjuring
- And more
Friday the 13th (1980)
1hr 36 mins | R | 🍅 63%
Camp Crystal Lake is cursed. Not heding the locals' warnings, a fresh group of counselors head out into the woods... and to their grisly end.
Watch Friday the 13th on Max.
Evil Dead Rise (2023)
1hr 36 mins | R | 🍅 84%
Evil Dead fans have been waiting for a long time to get another installment of their favorite horror comedy series, and here it is. While some fans of the franchise criticize the movie for losing Evil Dead's signature comedy, critics think the latest movie is everything longtime fans could hope for while still carrying the franchise forward.
Expect intense horror and "creative" gore as we follow road-weary Beth visiting her sister and single mother Ellie in LA. When the women discover the mysterious Evil Dead book in the bowels of Ellie's apartment building, their visit turns into a battle for survival against flesh-inhabiting demons.
Watch Evil Dead Rise on Max.
The Amityville Horror (1979)
1hr 57 min | R | 🍅 30%
Looking for a bargain on a new home, a young family moves into a house in New York State that has been the scene of some seriously spooky goings-on – like a mass killing, and 18th-century Satanic rituals. As they struggle with the paranormal and demonic presence in their home, a local priest helps them try to exorcize the evil forces.
While critics were equally unimpressed with the 2005 remake and the original rendition of The Amityville Horror, audiences had much higher opinions of both, coming in at a 52% rating in both cases. Starring Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George, some argue that the updated version (also available on Hulu) is a marked improvement over the original.
Watch The Amityville Horror on Max.
Insidious (2010)
1hr 41 min | PG-13 | 🍅 66%
Remember that study we mentioned earlier, that used science to determine the scariest movies ever made? Well Insidious clocked in at #3. Following a pair of parents desperate to protect their comatose son from the malevolent entity that’s haunting him, Insidious is sure to give anyone the heebie jeebies.
Follow along in the fight against evil in Insidious on Max
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
1hr 58 min | R | 🍅 95%
Hannibal “the Cannibal” Lechter is one of the most famous (and creepiest) killers in all of cinema – which is why it’s no wonder The Silence of the Lambs is still at the top of many people’s must-watch list as soon as the air starts to pick up that autumn chill.
The film follows Clarice Starling, a young FBI trainee portrayed by Jodi Foster, as attempts to pick the brain of deranged but brilliant psychiatrist and convicted killer Doctor Hannibal Lechter in an attempt to stop a serial killer before he strikes again.
Watch The Silence of the Lambs on Max.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
1hr 31 min | R | 🍅 95%
Bad dreams can’t hurt you… or can they? In the movie that kicked off the franchise, a group of teenagers is terrorized by Freddy Krueger, who can reach (and kill) them through their dreams.
Watch A Nightmare on Elm Street on Max.
Jennifer’s Body (2009)
1hr 42 min | PG-13 |
High school can be scary, especially when your annoyingly hot best friend’s body gets snatched by a bloodthirsty demon. Starring Amanda Seyfried and Megan Fox as best friends Anita (“Needy”) and Jennifer, Jennifer’s Body flopped when it was released but has since reached cult classic status.
Watch Jennifer’s Body and other must-see cult classics on Max
Child's Play (1988)
What would happen if a murderer could trap his vile balck soul in a child's doll? Turns out, dealing with it isn't exactly Child's Play.
Watch Child's Play on Max
The Shining (1980)
2hr 23 min | R | 🍅 82%
Struggling writer Jack Torrence (Jack Nicholson) takes a job as the winter caretaker of the remote Overlook hotel to support his family and secure some time to work on his book. However, once the roads to the hotel have closed for the season, the spirits trapped inside the hotel begin to get restless.
Watch The Shining (and sequel Dr. Sleep) on Max.
IT (2017)
2hr 14 min | R | 🍅 86%
Children are disappearing in Derry, Maine, and they aren’t just staying late after school. The first volume of the modern IT movie franchise (originally released as a TV movie in 1990), this film follows a group of schoolchildren as they band together to fight back against the terrifying, shapeshifting monster preying on their hometown. Volume II is also available to stream on Max.
Watch Pennywise terrorize the streets of Derry in IT on Max.
Poltergeist (1982)
1hr 54 min | R | 🍅 87%
Scary movies come to life for the Freeling family when ghosts start communicating with the family through their television. When their daughter disappears, the family enlists the help of parapsychologists and priests to get to the bottom of things.
Watch Poltergeist on Max.
The Conjuring (2013)
1hr 51 min | R | 🍅 86%
When a supernatural presences makes itself known at the farmhouse they call home, the Perrons and their five daughters call on paranormal investigators Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) and Ed (Patrick Wilson) Warren for help.
Watch The Conjuring on Max.
Carrie (1976)
1hr 38 min | R | 🍅 93%
Based on the beloved Stephen King novel of the same name, Carrie follows the struggles of a telekinetic teen who endures torment from her mother and cruelty from her classmates until she finally snaps. Sissy Spacek’s portrayal of Carrie is still considered one of the great performances in the horror genre, but the film was remade in 2013 with updated effects, among other differences, which is also available to stream on Max.
Watch Carrie on Max
IT (1990)
3hr 7 min | TV14 | 🍅 68%
Originally released as a multi-part television movie, the 1990 adaptation of Stephen King’s IT brought Pennywise and the kids of Derry, Maine to the screen for the first time.
Watch IT on Max.
Final Destination (2000)
1hr 37 min | R | 🍅 35%
Can you cheat death? After having a premonition that his flight for Paris would end in disaster, Alex Browning (Devon Sawa) and a few of his fellow passengers disembark. They avoid dying in a fiery plane crash, but how long can the evade the grim reaper’s grasp?
Watch Final Destination on Max.
Orphan (2009)
2hr 3 mins | R | 🍅 63%
After suffering a miscarriage, a hopeful couple deciddes to start their family by adopting a 9 year old girl. Unfortunately for them, there will be no happy family memories. She is not what she seems.
Watch Orphan on Max.
Mirrors (2008)
1hr 52 mins | R | 🍅 14%
What if your own reflection could kill you? How would you avoid mirrors, metal, anything that might connect you to your evil reflection? The premise may or may not sound scary, but I promise: it is.
Watch Mirrors on Max.
The Exorcist (1973)
2hr 2 min | R | 🍅 84%
When a young girl (Linda Blair) starts behaving strangely – speaking in tongues, levitating, and worse – her concerned mother calls on the church to help.
Watch The Exorcist on Max.
Trick'r Treat (2007)
1hr 23 mins | R | 🍅 82%
Ready for some spooky talkes? Froma principal moonlighting as a serial killer to the cranky old man battling a mischievous demon, Trick'r Treat will have you on the edge of your seat until the credits roll.
Watch Trick'r Treat on Max.
😱 Scary Movie Classics That Aren’t Available for Free on the Main-Stream (haha) Sites Right Now
We’ve done our best to cover the major titles on the big names dominating streaming right now, but there are plenty of other services out there. If you’re lucky enough to be on your mom’s coworker’s AMC+ account or Great Aunt Helen’s Paramount+, you can check a couple more fan-favorite horror movies off your list.
For the rest, we haven’t found a free option (Yet! Don’t worry we’re still searching), but the link to rent or purchase from the available service(s) are included below.
(Except for the original Evil Dead, which apparently isn’t streaming anywhere as of this writing. I’m sorry Sam Raimi stans, I’m disappointed too 😔)
- Dracula (1931) - Rent or Purchase on Amazon
- The Evil Dead (1981) - Rent or Purchase on Amazon (Not Currently Available)
- The Evil Dead (2013) - Rent or Purchase on Amazon
- Frankenstein (1931) - Rent or Purchase on Amazon
- Get Out (2017) - Rent on Apple TV, Rent or Purchase on Amazon
- House of 1000 Corpses (2003) - AMC+, Rent or Purchase on Amazon
- Jeepers Creepers (2001) - Buy on Apple TV
- Last House on the Left (1972) - Rent or Purchase on Amazon
- Last House on the Left (2009) - Rent or Purchase on Amazon
- Midsommar (2019) - Rent or Purchase on Amazon
- Paranormal Activity (2009) - Rent or Purchase on Amazon
- Psycho (1960) - Rent or Purchase on Amazon
- Quarantine (2008) - Rent or Purchase on Amazon
- The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) - Rent or Purchase on Amazon
- Rosemary's Baby (1968) - AMC+, Rent or Purchase on Amazon
- Sinister (2012) - Hulu with Live TV, Rent or Purchase on Amazon
- The Visit (2015) - Rent on Apple TV, Rent or Purchase on Amazon
Quick Note: You can get a 7 day free trial of AMC+ through Amazon Prime Video if you want to knock a couple of these out in one night!
There you have it – our ultimate guide to streaming all your favorite horror movies this year.
Whether you prefer slasher flicks or psychological thrillers, we’re sure that the movies on this list will make organizing your next scary movie marathon a cinch. Don’t see your favorite? Drop us a line and we’ll make sure to add it in our next update. Happy haunting! 👻
As of this writing, the locations of these movies are accurate. If you notice something has changed, feel free to drop us a line and we’ll update ASAP!
Orinally published 9/12/2022.
