Best Horror Movies on Max to Watch Right Now

It’s movie night on the weekend. No more work for a couple of days, everyone’s tired after a busy week, and the children will probably go to bed early or hang out in a pajama party that hopefully, you won’t have to host. Your partner in crime is only expecting you to open the wine if you’re not a bloodsucking vampire or make popcorn if Ghostface doesn’t call first. The latest addition to the family comes in the form of HBO’s streaming service, Max.

We know time is like a currency nowadays, so we don’t want you to waste any of it. That’s why we’ve handpicked a list of titles that are available on Max for your enjoyment. Not everyone likes the same, so we’ve made sure to pick something of each horror subgenre. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up going on a horror marathon that’ll continue until Saturday morning. Just be careful, as none of these are family-friendly.

Updated on Feb. 27th, 2024, by Neville Naidoo: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.

26 Scanners (1981)

One of David Cronenberg’s best and most inventive films, horror or otherwise, Scanners is especially notable for one particularly gross practical effects scene. As a whole, it’s gone on to be critically appreciated, standing as one of the most highly-regarded body horror films of all time. The film follows a world where there are men and women who have incredible telekinetic and telepathic powers. While most use their powers in discreet and safe ways, a rogue group wants to use them to take over the world.

An All-Time Great Body Horror Movie

Just as John Carpenter’s The Thing would experience the following year, Scanners was initially met with a mixed critical reaction. But, even at the time, everyone agreed Michael Ironside was terrifically scary as the scanner Darryl Revok. Far better appreciated now, the film has a cult status among horror fans and makes for a very entertaining watch amid all its gore and disturbing elements.

25 From Dusk till Dawn (1996)

Now considered something of a cult classic, From Dusk Till Dawn follows two ruthless armed robbers and cop-killing brothers, Seth (George Clooney) and Richard Gecko (Quentin Tarantino). They’re on the run, and trying to make it across the border to close a big-money deal in Mexico. With a full-fledged manhunt for them in progress, they abduct a grieving former priest who lost his faith (Harvey Keitel), and his teenage children, in order to use their RV for cover at the border. However, once they get to Mexico, the bar they’re told to wait for their contact turns out to hold some sinister secrets once the darkness sets in.

A Tarantino-Penned Genre-Blender

With gritty performances all around, after a patient build-up, the film goes from getaway crime flick to grisly supernatural horror in the blink of an eye. There’s some brilliant neo-noir vibes, and sterling directing and cinematography from the now iconic Robert Rodriguez, with the story written by Tarantino himself. In addition, we have other well-known stars like Danny Trejo, Juliette Lewis, and an unforgettably sultry table dance by Salma Hayek. Buckle up for tons of action, horror, gore, dark comedy, stylized violence.

24 Midsommar (2019)

Classified as a folk horror, Midsommar was directed by acclaimed director, Ari Aster and starred Florence Pugh as its lead. Together with Jack Reynor, the pair played a couple who are experiencing a period of dysfunction when they visit a friend’s hometown in Sweden to experience the fabled midsummer festival. However, their stay soon disintegrates into a nightmarish scenario when a pagan cult gets involved.

A Broad Daylight Terrifier

Aster’s direction is superbly dark, blending violence and psychological horror into a film that burrows under the skin. Most significantly, though, Pugh’s performance is fantastic, as she and the film both earned acclaim, with the movie garnering an impressive 83% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes. A vivid picture, it’s an unsettling watch that makes for a refreshing change of pace from traditional supernatural horror.

23 Carrie (1976)

Brian De Palma’s sublimely effective cinematic adaptation of Stephen King’s genuinely creepy debut novel, Carrie was and remains one of the best movies based on the Master of Horror’s expansive catalog. The classic tale tells the creepy story of a sheltered girl with telekinetic powers pushed to the brink by her religious fanatic mother and the horrific bullying she experiences at school.

A Certified Classic King Adaptation

Sissy Spacek’s work as the title character has also held onto the title of quite possibly the best work to ever grace a King adaptation, even including Jack Nicholson in The Shining (her work is more modulated, but both are impressive). Her work was recognized at the 49th Academy Awards ceremony (as was Piper Laurie’s), but only in terms of nominations. Between the nominations and earning nearly 20 times its budget, the film was a smash hit for Spacek, De Palma, and King.

22 Cujo (1983)

Lewis Teague, director of the underrated Alligator, also directed one of the most popular Stephen King adaptations of the 1980s with Cujo. Featuring a perfectly cast Dee Wallace, a suitably ferocious-looking Saint Bernard, a great third act (second half, really), and an all-timer of a jump scare, Cujo is a winner of a creature feature that saw a family dog bitten by a rabid bat. As the dreaded infection takes hold, it turns the usually lovable animal into a ferocious monster that terrorizes its owners.

Every Pet Owner’s Worst Nightmare

While the film carries a grimy vibe that could prove unsettling to some, it is disturbing and makes for a morbidly uncomfortably horror film. It’s simply done with effective, startling scares. An all-time classic for Stephen King fans and horror fans in general, it’s yet another piece of work that proves why King is revered the way he is.

21 Friday the 13th (1980)

Sean S. Cunningham’s Friday the 13th may have been reviled by critics at the time, but it’s gone on to get the audience it deserves and then some. Roger Ebert even irresponsibly published Pamela Voorhees performer Betsy Palmer’s address just so people could send her mail questioning her career decision. The slasher movie that debuted the now iconic Jason Voorhees saw him terrorize a group of counselors at Camp Crystal Lake.

A Well-Deserved Reassessment

It was deemed a revolting work, which has only grown increasingly ironic with the advent of Saw and Hostel. What Ebert should have seen is what’s blatant: A film that understands pacing and plays to audiences’ love of the macabre. Now a classic, what films like it proved is that slasher movies will always have a place among horror fans, and why they remain one of the genre’s most popular offerings.

20 Godzilla (1954)

As the most expensive science fiction horror film ever made in Japan at the time of its release, Godzilla kickstarted a frenzy of monster epics and influenced many movies that came after, both there and in Western media. As a Kaiju film, the focus was on making its monster as massive and formidable as possible, and even giving him a backstory. The movie was released less than a decade after the atomic bombings, and Ishirō Honda described this indestructible, fire-breathing, prehistoric behemoth as a consequence of America testing its nuclear weapons.

The Beginning of a Monster Empire

Godzilla emerges out of the water and begins decimating Tokyo with his muscle power. The fact that Honda uses the country’s suffering and grief and channels it so powerfully makes Godzilla more than just a lizard rampage. Its cultural and cinematic impact was so loud that, for over 60 years, the monster has been re-created several times, a trend that continues to this day.

19 Let Me In (2010)

The Swedish vampire novel written by John Ajvide Lindqvist has received a few adaptations but this one adds a subtle modern touch to the classic, thanks to Matt Reeves’ contemporary direction. Let Me In is a poignant coming-of-age tale first, and horror second. Set in Los Alamos, New Mexico, the film follows 12-year-old Owen who is bullied at school, is neglected by his oblivious parents, and spends most of his time in isolation. When he comes across Abby, his new neighbor, he realizes what friendship means, unaware of the fact that she is a vampire.

Deeply, Creepingly Scary

Abby’s eternal beauty enchants Owen, and he forms a romantic relationship with the centuries-old girl. While Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloë Grace Moretz are stunning as the young leads, it is the chilling atmosphere of dread and unease that elevates the film. One that creeps under the skin, it featured some superb directing and some very effective atmospheric scares.

18 Evil Dead Rise (2023)

The latest entry in a beloved franchise, Evil Dead Rise made its audience fall in love with the horror genre once again. Introducing a brand new nightmarish chapter, the film follows two estranged sisters trying to reunite. But their attempt is cut short when an earthquake-like situation leaves them stranded in the apartment with three children. Turns out that a band of flesh-possessing demons known as Deadites have risen, and a game of survival has begun.

A Triumphant (and Terrifying) Finale

A fantastic entrant to the franchise that reinvigorates it, Lee Cronin holds no bars in creating some of the most visceral scares seen on the big screen. Fans of the series have always trusted the saga to deliver toast-munching fun and grisly surprises and the movie does just that. However disturbing the scenes get, there is a subtle brand of humor that makes its campy carnage of 90 minutes more fun.

17 Orphan (2009)

Back in 2009, Vera Farmiga starred alongside the brilliant young actress, Isabelle Fuhrman, in Orphan. Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard play a married couple who are looking to adopt another child after their third was stillborn. In young Esther, they think they’ve found the perfect child. She’s sweet, well-mannered, polite, and unbelievably mature for her age. However, once Esther’s brought home, things soon take a chilling turn as the family learns that she holds some terrifying secrets.

A Cultural Sensation

The film was a great psychological horror that played on some mesmerizing twists and the stuff of parental nightmares. However, the scariest part was probably the fact that it drew inspiration from a horrifying true story. It’s considered a cult classic of the genre, and its popularity led to a second film being released more recently.

Another classic horror film based on a Stephen King novel, the original PetSemetary is still a chilling film more than three decades on since it was first released. As a family moves to a new town, tragedy strikes as they lose their pet cat, and then their youngest member, as their youngest child is horrifically mowed down by a semi-truck. However, the town holds a dark secret, since if any dead animal, or person, is buried in its infamous “Pet Semetary,” they rise from the dead, though are never quite the same anymore.

An Uncanny, Disturbing Horror Tale

Like the best Stephen King tales out there, this one takes on a creepy supernatural edge. With some great directing by Mary Lambert to make it really dark and gruesome, it poses a terrifying question of how far a person would go to resurrect a loved one. With King’s famed Indian burial ground trope informing its supernatural elements, there are plenty of frightening mystical angles behind its overall tense atmosphere.

15 Night of the Living Dead (1968)

A movie that deserves a spot on this list is George Romero’s masterful low-budget 1968 black-and-white zombie classic. It didn’t just pioneer the zombie genre but also redefined what a horror movie could be. Undoubtedly, Night of the Living Dead remains a raw, chilling experience even five decades later. The story begins with a couple who visit a cemetery. The woman is attacked by a strange man, whom we soon realize is one of the living dead. She flees to an abandoned farmhouse and barricades herself along with several other survivors and that’s when the true horror begins.

An Economical, Creative, and Groundbreaking Zombie Feature

Perhaps the best thing about the film is its simple and confined setting. It allows the horror to unfold by portraying the characters’ worsening state of mind as they realize help is not coming but the zombies are. A brilliant psychological play to add to its other exceptional qualities, even on a small budget, there’s no doubting what a fantastic movie it is and why it’s become such a revered classic.

14 Eraserhead (1977)

Directed by David Lynch, Eraserhead is a twisted, surreal, and one-of-a-kind masterpiece. It’s the kind of movie with a plot that’s so unbelievable you’re going to have to watch it for it to be true. It follows a timid and frightened young man named Henry and his girlfriend who has given birth to a mutant baby that makes strange squealing and groaning noises.

Lynch at his Scariest

The dread develops throughout the entire setting. The dimly lit, run-down industrial wasteland of a home, no explanation as to what caused the baby’s condition, and the visual representation of Henry’s claustrophobia lend it a brilliantly disturbing edge. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it remains a cult classic that is utterly unique and strangely fascinating.

13 The Conjuring (2013)

Horrors are one thing and period horrors based on a true story are another. This chilling film by James Wan tells the supposedly real tale of Catholic spirituals Ed and Lorraine Warren investigating a haunted farmhouse in the 1970s. The Conjuring begins like most do: a family of five moves into a secluded farm to start anew only to experience increasingly disturbing and even violent incidents that leave them scared to the bone. The Warrens are brought in to figure out the cause and nature of these events and the rest of the movie is bathed in tension and horror as new events start happening as they document them.

Consistently Terrifying and Unnervingly Suspenseful

The film has some of the most realistic ’70s visual detail, unsettling sound design, and a straightforward narrative that only works to build up suspense. If you’re easily rattled, this movie will likely set off the alarm bells within the first half an hour, since its scares are relentless once they begin in earnest.

12 Cronos (1993)

Directed by a very young Guillermo del Toro, Cronos is a great variation on the vampire genre and a pretty great example of international horror that’s always worth revisiting. Cronos follows an old antique dealer who finds a unique device that can transform others into dark vampiric creatures.

An All-Time Great Vampire Story

Horror films aren’t usually based on a premise with so much substance. With Cronos, fans will want to dig deeper. While many viewers don’t know this, Cronos also actually takes place in the same universe as the excellent Mexican film about cannibalism, We Are What We Are. For a debut feature, there is a striking sense of style. Moreover, it impressively balances the necessary chills with true emotion.

11 The Brood (1979)

David Cronenberg’s The Brood is a very intense film about divorce, motherhood, and trauma. It tells the story of a psychologist’s set of techniques through which evil materializes in the form of… something better worth seeing for yourself to avoid spoilers.

Stomach Churningly Gruesome

It stars the great Oliver Reed and its pivotal scene is full of controversies as it was cut by censors at the time: What do you think a woman can do in a Cronenberg film when she has a fetus in her hands? Pick this one today and find out if you dare. A cult classic, this one remains a disturbing watch nearly five decades later.

10 The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2017)

The 2015 film The Blackcoat’s Daughter starred Emma Roberts in the lead and received mostly favorable reviews. This story about a weird relationship between two girls has a depressing and traumatizing ending you will never see coming. Taking place in the dead of winter, it follows a young woman on a mysterious journey and a threat from an evil entity that gives it a very suspenseful plot at times.

Effective Psychological Scares

Oz Perkins is a very underrated director. The son of Anthony Perkins, he has a great eye for horror and uses a heavy psychological narrative that creeps under the skin. Effectively inducing fear, it scares in a natural yet still unexpected manner which harks at the director’s true artistry.

9 The Lodge (2020)

Austrian duo Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala made The Lodge in 2019 and served audiences with a terrifying atmospheric horror film that stays with you for a few days. It tells the story of a young woman who’s forced to stay with her fiancé’s children in a cabin alone. The newly built relationship is tense, and everyone patiently awaits the return of their father and husband. However, weird stuff starts happening and everything seems to be connected to her past.

A Familiar Premise Elevated by a Brilliant Performance

Bone-chilling at times as it drips with tension, the film’s true triumph is how unpredictable it can be at times. Never fully knowing where this one is heading makes for a devastating thrill ride at times. Moreover, it’s led by an incredible performance from Riley Keough, who shows off some less-often-used horror chops here.

8 Sisters (1972)

Sisters is a Brian de Palma film you probably never watched, at least until The Criterion Collection released it on home media. Luckily, fans can also watch it on Max. Without delving into too much to void spoilers, it tells the story of a fashion model who swears she saw a murder being committed by a reporter in the apartment across the street.

Rediscover This de Palma Classic

It stars the great Margot Kidder (Lois Lane from the Christoper Reeve Superman films), and the score is by Hitchcock’s frequent collaborator Bernard Herrmann. De Palma pays homage to his favorite director of all time, and it tells since the film features some masterful suspense. It’s harsh and brutal, not pulling any punches, creating a thrilling atmosphere.

7 Malignant (2021)

James Wan’s Malignant is a beautiful rendition of a horror aesthetic that isn’t usually seen in current cinema. It tells the story of a woman who, after a traumatic event, begins to suspect there’s something alive in her mind that’s forcing her to do horrible things. The truth is far more disturbing as the entity begins exacting more control over her.

A Stylistic Triumph

What happens is something most fans will never guess. The use of practical effects as well as the score and production design are awesome, and the underlying story was wonderfully original. Since Wan directed this one personally, it’s packed with his typically brilliant filmmaking style, but also saw him utilize some experimental techniques that paid off with some amazing shots.