Sweets: check. Pumpkin: check. All that’s left is the most important thing: the movie! From the scariest to the funniest, here are the 15 best movies to watch on Netflix for Halloween in 2026 👻🎃
Netflix horror movies: five classics to (re)watch for Halloween
Scream, It, The Conjuring, Halloween, and The Sixth Sense are five horror classics currently available on Netflix. They helped shape the genre, and they’re still a pleasure to rewatch even when you know the ending (yes, even The Sixth Sense).
Scream (1996): the slasher that knows all the rules
A masked killer calls their victims to quiz them about horror movies, and high schooler Sidney Prescott finds herself in their crosshairs. Directed by Wes Craven and starring Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox, Scream pokes fun at the genre’s conventions while still following them, delivering as many thrills as laughs.
If you’re looking for the perfect movie for a night with friends, Scream 2 is also in the catalog!
It (2017): the clown haunting the town of Derry
In a small Maine town, a group of children face a creature that takes the form of their worst fears, most often a clown. Adapted from Stephen King and directed by Andy Muschietti, It blends horror, friendship, and adventure.
It: Chapter Two is also available, and the movie isn’t recommended for younger viewers!
The Conjuring (2013): the haunted house movie to beat
In 1971, paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) help a family terrorized in an isolated Rhode Island farmhouse. Directed by James Wan, The Conjuring focuses on tension and jump scares rather than gore.
Watch it if you like sleeping with the lights on (we warned you).
Halloween (2018): Michael Myers returns
Forty years after the 1978 cult classic, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) faces Michael Myers again in Haddonfield. Directed by David Gordon Green, Halloween is a direct sequel to John Carpenter’s original, and it’s hard to imagine a more fitting title for the occasion.
The Sixth Sense (1999): a chill that works without gore
Child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) treats Cole, an eight-year-old boy who claims he sees dead people. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, The Sixth Sense relies on emotion and a now-famous ending: it’s best not to read anything about it beforehand.
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Netflix horror and suspense movies: four films that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat
A Quiet Place, Lights Out, Orphan, and Doctor Sleep rely more on tension than gore. The real question is: do you really want to sleep afterward?
A Quiet Place (2018): silence is a matter of survival
In an America overrun by creatures that attack at the slightest sound, a family survives by making no noise. Directed by John Krasinski and starring Emily Blunt, A Quiet Place runs for less than 1 h 30 and barely lets up on the tension.
Watch it if you’re after pure suspense! (A Quiet Place Part II is also in the catalog, by the way.)
Lights Out (2016): don’t touch that switch
A presence appears only when the lights go out, and a family quickly realizes they need to stay in the light. Directed by David F. Sandberg, Lights Out is a short movie (under 1 h 30), that’s effective and full of jump scares.
Orphan (2009): the adoption that goes wrong
A grieving couple adopts a little girl who seems perfect, until unsettling details start to add up. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard, Orphan is a psychological thriller with a twist, so watch it without reading a synopsis.
Watch it if you prefer dread to graphic violence. Some scenes are disturbing.
Doctor Sleep (2019): the sequel to The Shining
Years after the events at the Overlook Hotel, Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor) tries to live with his gift. Directed by Mike Flanagan and based on Stephen King’s novel, Doctor Sleep is darker and more melancholy than downright terrifying, and it’s best enjoyed with The Shining fresh in your mind.
Halloween movies on Netflix: three comedies that are as funny as they are spooky
Ghostbusters, Gremlins, and Scary Movie are three movies to watch for a laugh this Halloween, with friends or, for the first two, with teens. We promise no one will have nightmares (or almost no one).
Ghostbusters (1984): the comedy that captures ghosts
In New York, three parapsychology researchers start their own business to capture ghosts invading the city. Directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis, Ghostbusters is a cult comedy that’s funny and not too scary.
Watch it if: you’re looking for a Halloween movie for the whole family !
Gremlins (1984): the three rules you must never forget
Rand Peltzer gives his son Billy a strange animal, a mogwai, with three rules: no bright light, no water, and never feed it after midnight. Directed by Joe Dante, Gremlins mixes dark humor and thrills, and takes place at Christmas (a horror movie disguised as a holiday movie, or the other way around).
Scary Movie (2000): the parody that pokes fun at slashers
Cindy and her friends run over a man in a car and decide to cover up the accident, then a masked killer starts hunting them down. Directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans, Scary Movie parodies 1990s slashers, like Scream, with very juvenile humor.
Watch it if you’ve just seen Scream, so you can spot the references. Best for teens and adults.
Horror movies from around the world on Netflix: three picks from elsewhere
#Alive (South Korea), The Platform (Spain), and Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein prove that horror is worth watching in other languages too. Turn on the subtitles: it’s worth it.
#Alive (2020): zombies, an apartment, and a gamer trapped in Seoul
During a zombie outbreak in Seoul, a young streamer stays locked in his apartment, with fewer and fewer supplies. Directed by Cho Il and starring Yoo Ah-in and Park Shin-hye, #Alive is a tense bottle thriller, with a brisk pace.
The Platform (2019): the vertical prison that makes you think
A man wakes up in a vertical prison where a platform loaded with food descends floor by floor: those at the top eat their fill, while those at the bottom get almost nothing. Directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, The Platform is a chilling and extremely violent social parable.
Watch it if you like movies that leave a mark. For mature audiences only.
Frankenstein (2025): Guillermo del Toro’s monster
An exceptional surgeon pushes the boundaries of life and death, then creates a creature that demands its place in the world. Directed by Guillermo del Toro and starring Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein is a gothic, romantic Netflix production that’s more moving than terrifying.
Are these Halloween movies available on Netflix in every country?
Not always: Netflix’s catalog varies from country to country, and licensed movies (Scream, It, The Conjuring, Gremlins…) can come and go from the platform from one month to the next. Netflix productions, like Frankenstein, are available in most countries, on the other hand.
To check in seconds, search for the title in Netflix’s search bar in your country!
FAQ
What are the best horror movies to watch on Netflix for Halloween?
Scream, It, The Conjuring, Halloween, and The Sixth Sense are the classics, while A Quiet Place and Lights Out are the most effective suspense movies!
What Halloween movie should I watch with my family on Netflix?
Ghostbusters and Gremlins are best suited to teens. Gremlins may still be a bit scary for younger kids…
Which movies in this selection are the scariest?
It and The Conjuring are often mentioned for their frightening scenes, while The Platform is the most violent. It all depends on what you can handle!