The 15 Best Horror Movies On Hulu

When you think about the best streamers for movie-lovers, it’s possible that Hulu might not rise to the top of your list. It has a deceptively deep library, though, as its affiliation with Disney and (what used to be) 20th Century Fox sees a lot of catalog titles making a temporary home there. Like Netflix, the streamer still focuses on relatively newer releases, but there are gems both old and new to be found if you dig through its offerings.

That’s true across the board, but for our purposes here, it’s also true when looking for good horror movies. The films below aren’t ranked, but they’re all very good to great examples of the varied tones, styles, and subgenres that horror has to offer. Monsters, killers, devils, and more await — most will want to kill you, some want to make you laugh (before killing you), and all of them want to scare, unsettle, and leave you entertained in the dark. 

Here are the 15 best horror movies currently streaming on Hulu.

While later films in the franchise would shift gears some to focus on action, drama, and spectacle, Ridley Scott’s original “Alien” is a horror film through and through. It’s a creature feature high on tension and claustrophobia that introduces its characters, brings a threat aboard their spaceship, and then unleashes hell. Characters we’ve come to truly enjoy are killed off one by one until just Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and her cat are left. Scott finds genuine scares and thrills all the way up to the end credits by letting sequences build suspensefully and play out naturally, but he’s not above throwing in a jump scare or chest bursting surprise along the way.

No one could have expected back in 1979 that this little space-set monster movie would kick off a franchise with eight follow-ups, including the two arguably under-appreciated “Alien vs Predator” films over the next forty-five years, but even less predictable was that it would remain the scariest of the bunch. (And it’s a big bunch, as evidenced by a chronological ordering of the two franchises together.) It’s blue-collar horror about good people millions of miles away from home, hoping for a mediocre payday but instead facing their inevitable doom in the razor-sharp jaws of a voracious beast. It’s a masterpiece.

While Ridley Scott’s “Alien” exists as the ultimate alien horror film, it’s far from the only one. The subgenre is filled with intergalactic beasties causing havoc on Earth, and one of the best in recent years is Joe Cornish’s “Attack the Block.” It’s a genre mashup blending horror, sci-fi, action, and comedy into a fun, thrilling, and occasionally scary ride. Even better, the concoction works as an Amblin-like gateway film for young genre fans despite the R-rating for language and “creature violence.”

John Boyega leads a group of troublemaking youths whose tower block comes under attack by nightmarish alien monsters leading the teens to become the unlikeliest of heroes. Jodie Whittaker, Luke Treadaway, and Nick Frost co-star, and the film succeeds by investing in its characters so that we actually care about their fates. That emotional weight never gets in the way of the thrills, though, as Cornish delivers lots of visual flair and energetic sequences — including a stellar hallway fight — as the aliens attack and the kids fight back.

Fans of Stephen King adaptations are eating well these days with two feature films in theaters (“The Monkey” and “The Life of Chuck”), two more arriving this fall (“The Long Walk” and a new adaptation of “The Running Man”) and two limited series (“The Institute” and “IT: Welcome to Derry”) landing on the small screen soon. There’s no denying that King’s filmography runs deep. 2023’s “The Boogeyman” wasn’t as flashy of a release as some of these, but it’s absolutely worth the attention of horror fans as it finds real chills while fleshing out King’s short story.

Rising genre star Sophie Thatcher (“Companion,” “Heretic”) headlines as a teenager juggling multiple stressors including the death of her mother, a guardianship role for her younger sister, and the evil presence haunting their home. Director Rob Savage crafts some terrifically creepy set pieces and a frightening monster, and while “grief horror” is growing somewhat stale in recent years, Savage shapes it here to include legit scares, engaging characters, and a pro-therapy stance that more people need to hear. Turn the lights off, and give it a shot.

Originality is far from a necessary ingredient when it comes to horror as the familiar can still satisfy and even sizzle in the right hands. Still, though, it’s worth taking notice when an original vision does come along. Tilman Singer’s sophomore feature, “Cuckoo,” is a great example of that as the film juggles horror, humor, and action while maintaining its own unique voice all the way through. It’s all that plus a new opportunity for Dan Stevens to absolutely kill it with another freaky lil’ weirdo character.

Hunter Schafer is a fount of personality and charm as a teen dragged along by her parents to a remote village in the German Alps. She doesn’t want to be there, but at least she’s not bored, as things quickly go sideways almost immediately thanks to a few killings, a creature, and some mad scientist vibes. Singer finds some genuine scares and real beauty here while also maintaining a fun, anything goes tone. It’s a weird and wildly entertaining good time.

Killers and monsters might be more visceral threats in horror movies, but psychological suffering can’t be underestimated when it comes to a film’s terrifying effects. “The Gift” offers the threat and fear of physical violence, but its horrors come almost entirely from the mind games played by its characters. A young couple sees their life interrupted by the arrival of Simon’s old classmate, Gordo, and it’s not long before old secrets lead to newly unsettling truths and one very frightening concern.

Joel Edgerton directs and plays Gordo, a man who seems more than a little off even before you hear his backstory. Edgerton does great work on both fronts, delivering both a suspenseful, engaging film and a character whose motivations feel suspect from minute one. Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall are the couple unaware of the nightmare growing around them, and while both are terrific here, it’s Bateman who grabs hold as his protagonist character gives way to darkness. Bateman in mean mode is something else, as shown in the film’s placement on our Bateman ranking, and Simon works as a fascinating pairing with Gordo’s threatening demeanor leaving Hall’s character trapped between two unbalanced men.

Kenneth Branagh’s features based on Agatha Christie’s bestselling books have been a gift to mystery fans and Hercule Poirot lovers with “Murder on the Orient Express” being a fantastic and fun mystery thriller with an emotionally powerful conclusion. The follow-up, “Death on the Nile,” is more of a mixed bag, but Branagh’s third go around is a return to form (and maybe even the best of the three). More to the point of this list, “A Haunting in Venice” blends its mystery with thrills, chills, and a supernaturally infused tale that earns goosebumps along the way.

Like the earlier films, Branagh headlines as the increasingly emotional Poirot, and his performance highlights beautifully the man’s buried pain and lingering doubts about humankind’s value in the world. He’s joined by Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Michelle Yeoh, and more familiar faces, and the cast and crew alike work to create an increasingly atmospheric story set against the visually striking Venice locales. A seance gives way to ghostly murmurings, and there’s an eerie sense of pain and danger that maintains its icy grip whether or not common-sense explanations follow.

Two horror films about the child of Satan hit screens in the same month in 2024, and while “The First Omen” is a classy and smart biblical chiller, “Immaculate” is entertaining B-movie fun. That’s not a knock, as anyone who loves horror movies will agree, because the movie knows exactly what it’s wanting to do and does it well. It also knows when to get out as evidenced by its pitch-perfect ending and eighty-nine-minute running time.

Sydney Sweeney headlines as an American nun who joins an Italian convent only to discover that it’s home to some truly creepy shenanigans. It has a fun time exploiting organized religion’s inherently unsettling aspects, from the patriarchy on down to the mindless acolytes, and more than a few jump scares land with an enjoyable chill. The film’s basic themes can easily be boiled down to body autonomy and the right to choose which makes that aforementioned ending all the more audacious and surprising.

Fans of zombie movies, schoolteachers, and 2014’s “Cooties” are well-advised to give this horror-comedy gem a spin, as it mashes those three together into an entertainingly goofy ride. “Little Monsters” kicks off with a domestic squabble, but it quickly settles into its vibe as a zom-com with heart thanks to a fun ensemble guiding viewers through an undead apocalypse. A failed musician hoping to score with his nephew’s teacher — a fantastically poppy Lupita Nyong’o — agrees to chaperone the boy’s class on a field trip, but a zombie outbreak sees him fighting to protect the kids and hopefully impress her along the way.

Nyong’o is great here and showcases her rarely seen comedic chops, but the biggest laughs come from Josh Gad as an extremely popular children’s entertainer who secretly hates kids. Add in some bloody gore and suspenseful-enough set pieces, and you have a frightening comedy with bite guaranteed to nibble at your funny bone.

Genre fans looking for more serious, thought-provoking fare will want to give John Rosman’s “New Life” a watch, as it takes a fresh approach to familiar themes and wraps it all up beautifully in under ninety minutes. The setup is irresistible as we meet a young woman on the run — we don’t know why or from what, exactly, but she immediately secures our empathy and interest. Following her is an older woman, one struggling with health issues even as she doggedly pursues her target.

Again, it’s a very reasonable running time, so just go into it knowing nothing beyond the truth that these two women hold the future of humankind between them. Character is queen here, even as the story falls into place, and Rosman blends genres between horror and government conspiracy thriller leading to thrilling revelations and unexpected emotions. There’s a lot packed into the film, all of it moving at its own pace, and you’ll want to be there when it all comes to a head.

A young woman dies a brutal death at her remote home while her husband is away, but when her twin sister comes to visit, she discovers there’s more to her sister’s demise than she thought. It’s a simple enough setup, and the odds are good that you’ll have a general idea where things are heading, but “Oddity” is a fantastic example of atmosphere and style carrying more weight than plot. The story itself is fine, but the feeling you get while watching is absolute aces.

Forgive a very rare fourth wall break, but as someone who watches *a lot* of horror movies, it’s very rare that I feel genuine fear while watching one. They can be creepy and spooky, but very few leave me uncomfortable in my own dark house. Damian McCarthy’s latest manages to do just that (as evidenced by its inclusion on our list of the scariest movie scenes ever), not once, but twice, as his use of shadows, camera setups, and a certain life-size mannequin work beautifully to unnerve and unsettle at the mere possibility of what might be lurking in the darkness. Lock the doors, turn off the lights, and let yourself be scared.

Ignore the preamble about “The Pope’s Exorcist” being inspired by actual case files, and just let yourself have fun. It’s not often you can say that about a possession movie as they’re typically pretty dour affairs bogged down in painful contortions, tales of woe, and serious bible studies. You’ll get some of that here, but director Julius Avery focuses his film on being a goofy good time — and he succeeds.

The film’s biggest strength is a totally game Russell Crowe as the title character who scoots around Rome on his Vespa, mouths off to believers and non-believers alike, and takes no guff from anyone (living or dead). He’s having an absolute blast here, and it’s a contagious feeling as the film’s various thrills and chills conspire to keep you smiling throughout as Father Gabriel and his assistant go head-to-head with devilish troublemakers and the church’s own buried secrets. Here’s hoping the already announced sequel gets here sooner rather than later — and that Crowe is still revving that sweet Vespa.

1987’s “Predator” remains a perfect combination of horror, sci-fi, fun, and machismo, and it’s a stew the sequels have struggled to recreate. That battle finally ended in 2022 with the release of Dan Trachtenberg’s “Prey,” a prequel of sorts that sees a yautja (a predator) arrive on Earth for some hunting practice in the early 18th century. The film delivers more than just a novel setting, though, as it also finds real thrills, fantastic set pieces, and an unforgettable protagonist played by Amber Midthunder.

Naru (Midthunder) is a young Comanche woman who wants to prove herself as a hunter and fighter, and the arrival of this alien threat is the unlikely opportunity she’s been waiting for. Pitting the skilled creature against people armed only with bows and knives is incredibly appealing and ultimately exciting. Where Arnold Schwarzenegger had muscles and machine guns, Naru must rely on her intelligence and wits, making this creature feature into a thrilling tale of survival filled with numerous very cool and memorable sequences.

After you watch, be sure to check out our interview with Dan Trachtenberg.

If it feels like a lot of the films on this list are more fun than horrifying, well, here’s one more — and you’ll like it! “Tucker & Dale vs Evil” is a genuinely clever spin on the overly familiar trope of young people being terrorized by rural weirdos. The setup gives viewers just that, but it’s quickly made clear that the two hillbillies of the title aren’t the scary ones here. Instead, it’s the young people’s panic, paranoia, and poor social skills that leave them massacred and Tucker & Dale left holding the bloody bag.

It’s a cool and fun conceit, and it plays out with creative set pieces, bloody kills, and a growing empathy for these two lunkheads caught up in it all. Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine are Tucker and Dale, respectively, and both give terrific performances as simple friends unsure what to make of the increasing carnage. It gets even dicier as the remaining “protagonists” try to fight back, wholly unaware that it’s their own accident-prone antics that are actually doing them all in. A better world would have already seen a follow-up, but WB’s David Zaslav killed a television series sequel right before it was to head into production.

Na Hong-jin’s two previous films, “The Chaser” and “The Yellow Sea” are brutal and bloody thrillers about men behaving badly. His latest trades in some of that purely human cruelty for supernatural thrills, but the end result is the same, as “The Wailing” leaves you drained and thrilled in equal measure. A small Korean village sees its death toll rise after the arrival of a Japanese stranger, but when a local cop comes to investigate, he discovers there’s far more at play and at stake here than just one man’s strange behaviors.

From dark possessions and misguided faith to elaborate rituals and vicious murders, the film is a big, powerful piece of horror cinema mashing ideas and elements together with bloodied hands as it races toward an emotionally brutal ending. Mysticism, supernatural beliefs, and more weave together for a story that’s ultimately every bit as dark and cynical as Na’s more grounded thrillers even as occasional bursts of silliness and absurdity splash against the screen. At over two and a half hours, it’s a lot of movie (and one of the best folk horror films ever), but it earns your time with the kind of imagination, energy, and pure horror that American films rarely match.

Sometimes you just want a horror movie that refuses to play nice. No one is safe in Demian Rugna’s “When Evil Lurks” — no one — and that realization, when combined with a world teetering on the edge of an evil apocalypse, makes for a movie that grabs you by the throat and forces you endure some brilliantly grim and gruesome sequences. The setup is as vague as it is definitive in that god is dead, organized religions have closed up shop, and people are becoming possessed by entities that couldn’t care less about your beliefs. They can’t be defeated, they can only be avoided, but the odds of that happening are slim indeed.

It feels at times like a lost Lucio Fulci horror film, as grisly, goopy gore effects are paired with in-world logic that feels a few steps removed from sanity. The world is doomed as a soul-crushing “infection” spreads across the land, and pretending it doesn’t exist will only get you chewed up and spit out all the sooner. The sickos among us will cackle with glee at numerous beats here, including one especially disturbing sequence, but it is a dark, world-ending nightmare (of a good time).