Make spooky season better with these 4 Netflix horror movies

Published Oct 14, 2026, 12:45 PM EDT T.M. Amrita is a writer and tech enthusiast with experience as a news reporter covering technology, artificial intelligence, and gadgets. A journalist at heart, she found a soft spot for technology reporting during her tenure as a reporter at The Hindu Businessline, where she covered topics like the economy, data, and personal finance. She has published more than 250 news stories, tech guides, and opinion articles. Outside of technology, she is a passionate poet and brings her interest in learning new things to her work as a writer. Amrita is also a student of design and interface development, and likes to take on passion projects in her free time. Sign in to your How-To Geek account Spooky season is here, and my October watchlist wouldn’t be complete without a few good horror movies. But what I feel like watching depends on the day: sometimes it’s an unsettling horror-mystery, and other times, a bloody slasher with a little humor sprinkled in is more my vibe. These four picks streaming on Netflix give you a bit of everything, from haunted houses to deadly phone calls and teenagers having some truly terrible nights. And if you’re planning a movie marathon, the last two picks have you covered. Here's all you need to know. His House An unsettling horror with a past A fresh start is hard to come by in the supernatural horror His House. It follows a South Sudanese couple trying to rebuild their lives in England after fleeing war. Bol (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù) and Rial (Wunmi Mosaku) move into the house they’re assigned to and hope to finally find some stability. But settling in becomes scary: the house may offer shelter, but feeling safe inside it is another matter, as strange sounds and creepy encounters suggest they aren’t alone. While Bol tries to adapt to their new surroundings, Rial believes the presence in their home is connected to what they left behind. Their different responses create tension between them, with memories of their escape making their adjustment even harder. Both the house and the couple’s past, which gradually comes to light, bring the terror to this folk horror movie. His House is a great pick for your My List (beyond October) if you enjoy a haunted-house mystery with an emotional backstory. His House Release Date January 27, 2020 Cast Sope Dirisu, Wunmi Mosaku, Malaika Wakoli-Abigaba, Matt Smith, Javier Botet, Yvonne Campbell Runtime 93 minutes Director Remi Weekes Writers Felicity Evans, Toby Venables, Remi Weekes Studio(s) Netflix Distributor(s) Netflix The Black Phone Don't hang up too soon If a creepy phone call is enough to put you on edge (any The Ring fans?), The Black Phone takes that fear a step further. Set in 1978, the supernatural horror movie follows Finney Blake (Mason Thames), a teenager who is kidnapped by a masked killer known as the Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Trapped in a soundproof basement, he has no hope of escaping until a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring. On the other end are the voices of the Grabber’s previous victims, who want to help Finney survive what they couldn’t. Their calls give him clues about how to escape, but he still has to figure out how to use them without alerting his dangerous captor. Meanwhile, his younger sister Gwen starts having disturbing dreams that could help her find him before it’s too late. Directed by Scott Derrickson and based on Joe Hill’s short story, The Black Phone is one of my favorite (scarring) horror thrillers on Netflix. Hawke is absolutely scary as the Grabber, and the pacing of the movie holds your attention as the clues unravel. It’s a great addition to your spooky My List if you enjoy supernatural horror with a good old mystery. And if you want more after this, The Black Phone 2 (currently streaming on Netflix U.S.) continues Finney and Gwen’s story, with Hawke reprising his role as the Grabber. The Black Phone Release Date June 16, 2022 Cast Madeleine McGraw, Mason Thames, Ethan Hawke, Jeremy Davies, E. Roger Mitchell, Troy Rudeseal, James Ransone, Miguel Mora, Rebecca Clarke, J. Gaven Wilde, Spencer Fitzgerald, Jordan Isaiah White, Brady Ryan, Tristan Pravong, Jacob Moran, Brady Hepner, Banks Repeta, Kristina Arjona, Sheila M. O'Rear, Rocco Poveromo, Kellan Rhude, Gina Jun, Ryan Cronan, Dashiell Derrickson, Braxton Alexander Runtime 103 minutes Director Scott Derrickson Writers Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill Producers Jason Blum, C. Robert Cargill, Scott Derrickson Studio(s) Universal Pictures Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Executive Producer(s) Joe Hill, Ryan Turek, Christopher H. Warner Budget $18.8 million The Babysitter series Don't turn the lights off too soon A good slasher movie that I love revisiting when Halloween is approaching is The Babysitter, especially when I'm trying to watch something horror-coded with friends without feeling like I will lose a night's sleep over it. This comedy-horror slasher film follows the lonely 12-year-old Cole, who learns that Bee (Samara Weaving), the babysitter he adores and is friends with, actually belongs to a satanic cult, after he witnesses a game of (deadly) truth or dare. Cole then becomes the target of Bee and her group of friends, turning his once peaceful night into a survival quest. The Babysitter mixes horror with comedy, turning Cole’s attempt to survive the tense night into a series of bloody/gory and ridiculous encounters. It's not a super scary watch (especially compared to the other movies on this list), but it's still quintessentially slasher, so it does not disappoint. The sequel, The Babysitter: Killer Queen, catches up with Cole two years later. He’s trying to put the bad experience behind him and survive high school, but a party by a lake brings old enemies back into his life. Both movies make for a fun October double feature. The Babysitter Release Date October 13, 2017 Cast Samara Weaving, Judah Lewis, Robbie Amell, Hana Mae Lee, Bella Thorne, Emily Alyn Lind, Andrew Bachelor, Doug Haley, Leslie Bibb, Ken Marino, Samuel Gilbert, Zachary Alexander Rice, Doc Duhame, Jean Claude Leuyer, Miles J. Harvey, Chris Wylde, Carl McDowell, Jonathan Bray, Jimmy Warden, Frederick Keeve, Mark Mammone, Emily Brobst Runtime 85 minutes Director McG Writers Brian Duffield Producers Mary Viola, McG, Zack Schiller Main Genre Comedy Studio(s) Netflix Distributor(s) Netflix Executive Producer(s) Alexander Boies, Brian Duffield, David Siegel, James McGough, Steven Bello The Fear Street series The past always comes back If you want a horror marathon with a mystery running through it, the Fear Street trilogy is a great place to start. Inspired by R.L. Stine’s books, the movies follow teenagers in Shadyside, a town with a long history of shady murders and even dubbed the murder capital of the U.S. in this universe. We kick off with Fear Street Part One: 1994, where a group discovers that the violence haunting their community may be connected and that they could be its next victims. The story then moves backward through time, taking you to a summer camp in Part Two: 1978, before exploring the origins of the town’s curse in Part Three: 1666. Each installment adds another piece to the mystery, giving you a reason to keep watching beyond finding out who survives. I recommend starting with 1994 and following the release order so the stories fall into place as intended. The trilogy combines teen relationships, supernatural horror, and bloody slasher sequences. If you want more after the trilogy, Netflix has you covered: Fear Street: Prom Queen tells a separate story set in 1988, where the competition for Shadyside High’s prom crown turns bloody. Cast Kiana Madeira, Olivia Scott Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr., Julia Rehwald, Fred Hechinger, Maya Hawke, Charlene Amoia, David W. Thompson, Noah Bain Garret, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Ashley Zukerman, Jana Allen, Matt Burke, Christian Bridges, Matthew Zuk, Jeremy Ford, Jaime Matthis, Danyon Huntington, Elizabeth Scopel, Tayla Rogers, Maya Rogers, Jordana Spiro, Diane Sellers, Eric Mendenhall, Todd Allen Durkin Runtime 108 minutes Director Leigh Janiak Writers Phil Graziadei, Leigh Janiak Producers Jenno Topping, Peter Chernin, David Ready Sequel(s) Fear Street: Part Two - 1978, Fear Street: Part Three - 1666 Franchise(s) Fear Street Main Genre Horror Studio(s) Netflix Distributor(s) Netflix Executive Producer(s) Jane Stine, Joan Waricha, Kori Adelson, Adam Wingard, Timothy M. Bourne Find more horror movies on Netflix Now that Netflix is bringing titles this October, you will also be seeing a lot of Halloween-related titles floating around on your home page. Don't forget to check out the extensive horror collection (tip: use the secret code 8711 to filter your searches) that the streamer already hosts before you start a new movie. Subscription with ads Yes, $8/month Simultaneous streams Two or four Stream licensed and original programming with a monthly Netflix subscription. Live TV No Price Starting at $8/month