'Evil Dead Rise' and 9 other scariest horror movies to watch on Netflix this spooky season (2024)

Looking for scary movies to binge-watch this October? We have you covered with a terrifying selection of horror films this month on Netflix. Be it classic slasher films, supernatural hauntings, or unsettling psychological horrors, our lineup has something for every kind of horror enthusiast. Halloween is the perfect time to dive into these movies that are sure to send shivers down your spine. Here are the top 10 best horror movies to watch on Netflix India ranked according to IMDb ratings (top to bottom) for your streaming pleasure.

A nightmare on Netflix: Scariest movies to binge this Halloween

The list contains time-tested classics like Scream which is a genre staple that redefined horror. Scream, with its fusion of typical slasher movie thrills and self-aware humour, remains as iconic (and watchable) today as it was in 1996. If you are in the mood for a nostalgic fright, this cult classic promises to deliver suspense and gore while keeping you hooked with its smart commentary on horror tropes.

Also on the list ae scary-with-a-sci-fi-twist movies like M3GAN (2022) and Annihilation (2018), which cater to viewers drawn to tech-infused and futuristic horror. M3GAN is particularly relevant to our increasingly AI-dominated world. Like the Chucky franchise, it follows a lifelike artificial intelligence-driven doll whose well-meaning programming spirals into terrifying chaos. But unlike Chucky, the source of the horror here is not a ghost or demon but rogue AI. And that makes it scarier — for it may really happen. Apart from warning us about the dangers of unchecked technology, it also boasts campy fun that has become rare in horror these days.

On the other hand, Annihilation offers more of a cerebral kind of horror as it whisks viewers on a visit through an alien zone where the laws of nature collapse into something grotesquely beautiful. Both films tap into anxieties rooted in an increasingly technology-driven world. These creepy titles don’t just scare us; they also provoke thought.

Entertainment 7 horror movies like ‘Tumbbad’ to stream right now while you wait for the sequel
Entertainment Highest-grossing horror movies of all time and where to watch them

The ultimate guide to top 10 horror movies on Netflix India as per IMDb rating

Jump To / Table of Contents

  • Get Out (2017)
  • Scream (1996)
  • Barbarian (2022)
  • Annihilation (2018)
  • Evil Dead Rise (2023)
  • M3GAN (2022)
  • Cargo (2017)
  • The Ritual (2017)
  • Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)

IMDb rating: 7.8

Directed by: Jordan Peele

Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener

Synopsis: When Chris (Kaluuya), a young African-American man, visits his white girlfriend’s wealthy family estate, he becomes aware of a more sinister element lurking beneath their outward friendliness and hospitality. As the events begin to take a dark turn, he finds himself trapped in a living nightmare.

About the movie: Get Out masterfully blends psychological horror with sharp social commentary, making it a landmark movie of the genre.

IMDb rating: 7.4

Directed by: Wes Craven

Cast: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Skeet Ulrich, Drew Barrymore

Synopsis: A masked murderer, named Ghostface, starts a spree of brutal murders in the quiet town of Woodsboro, during which a number of teens are killed, including the first case of Casey Becker (Barrymore) in one of the film’s most iconic opening scenes. Meanwhile, Sidney Prescott (Campbell) finds herself being haunted by the killer on the eve of the first anniversary of her mother’s death. Along the way, Sidney receives assistance from reporter Gale Weathers (Cox) and a local deputy by the name of Dewey Riley (Arquette). Sidney will have to unmask the killer before she becomes the next victim.

About the movie: Besides serving up edge-of-the-seat thrills, Scream deconstructs the horror genre with some witty commentary on slasher film clichés. It was a game-changing entry into the world of horror cinema. Cox, Monica of the iconic sitcom Friends, was great here.

IMDb rating: 7

Directed by: Zach Cregger

Cast: Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, Justin Long

Synopsis: When Tess (Campbell) arrives at her Detroit rental house, she discovers that a strange man (Skarsgård) has been accidentally double-booked to the same house. Despite her reservations, she decides to stay for the night. As the night wears on, what starts out as a peculiar misunderstanding quickly escalates into a nightmarish fight for survival, as the house harbours dark secrets of its own.

About the movie: Barbarian has one plot twist after another and offers a fresh take on modern horror.

IMDb rating: 6.8

Directed by: Alex Garland

Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, Gina Rodriguez

Synopsis: When a biologist Lena’s (Portman) husband returns ill and dying from an expedition to the mysterious zone known as “The Shimmer,” she volunteers to travel with the second team, becoming part of a group of scientists and adventurers venturing into the uncharted area. Each member of the team harbours personal traumas, and as they journey deeper into this surreal landscape, they encounter strange creatures and unexplainable phenomena. As they get closer and closer to the source of the Shimmer’s power, reality itself seems to come undone.

About the movie: Annihilation is a mesmerising sci-fi horror movie, with stunning visuals and a thought-provoking story.

IMDb rating: 6.7

Directed by: Lee Cronin

Cast: Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols, Nell Fisher

Synopsis: Long-estranged sisters Beth (Sullivan), and Ellie (Sutherland), reunite at Ellie’s crumbling apartment in Los Angeles. Their reconciliation is greedily cut short by an ancient evil. A series of earthquakes opens a hole in the basement of Ellie’s apartment, where her children discover an ancient book: the Necronomicon. When it’s accidentally opened, an evil, demonic force is unleashed that possesses Ellie and transforms her into a nightmarish version of herself. As the ghoul spreads terror through the building, Beth must defend her niece and nephew against unimaginable terrors, armed with little more than kitchen utensils and sheer will.

About the movie: Evil Dead Rise reimagines the horror comedy cult franchise The Evil Dead, from its original cabin-in-the-woods environment to a grimy city high-rise, lending the film a claustrophobic, modern aesthetic. It’s a full-throttle horror.

IMDb rating: 6.4

Directed by: Gerard Johnstone

Cast: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Amie Donald, Jenna Davis

Synopsis: Gemma (Williams), a robotics engineer who becomes the guardian of her niece Cady (McGraw) after a tragic accident, uses an advanced AI robotic doll called M3GAN as a last resort to help the girl work through her grief. But M3GAN’s protectiveness is taken to extreme, and she suddenly begins to eliminate anyone who she believes is interfering with the girl’s life. The tender relationship between this girl and her robot companion steadily spirals into a nightmare.

About the movie: M3GAN strikes a perfect balance between campy horror and serious ethical AI drama, with healthy lashings of thrills and humour.

IMDb rating: 6.3

Directed by: Ben Howling, Yolanda Ramke

Cast: Martin Freeman, Anthony Hayes, Susie Porter

Synopsis: Infected with a zombie virus in post-apocalyptic Australia, Andy (Freeman) is given 48 hours before he turns. Desperate not to let harm come to his his infant daughter, he embarks on a perilous journey of self-sacrifice across the outback to find someone who can care for her before it’s too late.

About the movie: Cargo offers something a little different emotionally in the zombie genre — not necessarily terrifying but about humanity, sacrifice, and survival. Freeman, known for playing Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit trilogy, is magnificent here.

IMDb rating: 6.3

Directed by: David Bruckner

Cast: Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James-Collier, Sam Troughton, Paul Reid

Synopsis: Four friends — Luke (Spall), Phil (Ali), Dom (Troughton) and Hutch (James-Collier) — hike into the Swedish wilderness to pay a tribute to a recently deceased friend Rob (Reid). But in the process, become utterly lost when they stumble upon an unsettling abandoned cabin filled with strange artefacts. The farther away from civilisation they go, the more they realise they are being stalked by a creature from ancient Norse mythology. What was initially a straightforward hike now becomes an uphill battle against nature and a battle of survival against the beast and also their inner demons.

About the movie: The Ritual is an tense melding of folk horror and psychological horror that delivers spine-chilling thrills via its haunting atmosphere and compelling character dynamics. Fans of Tumbbad movie will especially like this one.

IMDb rating: 6.2

Directed by: Mike Flanagan

Cast: Elizabeth Reaser, Lulu Wilson, Annalise Basso, Henry Thomas

Synopsis: A widow Alice (Reaser) and her two daughters in 1967’s Los Angeles run a fraudulent séance business. They get in over their heads when they add a Ouija board to their act and accidentally invite a malevolent spirit into their home. As the youngest daughter Doris (Wilson) begins to become possessed by the entity, the family must frantically search for the ghastly truth behind the spirit’s origins before it is too late.

About the movie: Ouija: Origin of Evil is that rare prequel movie that is actually far superior to the original Ouija (2014). It is elevated supernatural horror with Flanagan’s signature blend of emotional depth and expertly crafted scares.

(Hero and featured image: Courtesy of IMDb)

Note:

The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the #1 scariest movie on Netflix?

While personal opinions vary, ‘The Witch’ and ‘Evil Dead Rise’ are frequently cited as among the scariest films on Netflix due to their intense atmosphere and relentless fear factor.

What is the No. 1 scary horror movie?Globally, ‘The Exorcist’ often holds the crown, but on Netflix, ‘Get Out’ stands out as one of the most popular and highly rated horror movies.

Globally, ‘The Exorcist’ often holds the crown, but on Netflix, ‘Get Out’ stands out as one of the most popular and highly rated horror movies.

What is the top 10 best horror movie?

Netflix India offers several top-tier horror films, including ‘Scream’, ‘The Ritual’, and ‘Barbarian’, each delivering a unique blend of fear and thrill to meet different horror tastes.

Tags

halloween movies Horror Movies horror movies on Netflix

'Evil Dead Rise' and 9 other scariest horror movies to watch on Netflix this spooky season (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Tyson Zemlak

Last Updated:

Views: 5948

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (63 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Tyson Zemlak

Birthday: 1992-03-17

Address: Apt. 662 96191 Quigley Dam, Kubview, MA 42013

Phone: +441678032891

Job: Community-Services Orchestrator

Hobby: Coffee roasting, Calligraphy, Metalworking, Fashion, Vehicle restoration, Shopping, Photography

Introduction: My name is Tyson Zemlak, I am a excited, light, sparkling, super, open, fair, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.