15 of the Scariest Horror Movies Ever Made

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Watch these chilling feature films hand-picked by movie experts

Co-authored by MUBI and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: October 29, 2025 Fact Checked

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If the horror movies you’re watching aren’t scaring you like they used to, it’s time to turn up the terror with some new recommendations. Whether you like suspense, thrillers, or classic horror jump scares, there are some great gems out there that are sure to freak you out. To help you find the best ones, we created a list of the scariest movies streaming this Halloween season with the help of the film experts at MUBI, who are also offering an entire month of free streaming so you can check out all of the titles on this list.

Top Scariest Movies of All Time

• The Babadook (2014)
• We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
• The House That Jack Built (2018)
• Deep Red (1975)
• Revenge (2017)

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Section 1 of 2:

The Scariest Horror Movies of All Time

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1. 
   1
   The Babadook (2014) Jennifer Kent’s directorial debut, The Babadook focuses on a single mom and her son after the death of her husband. When a children’s book mysteriously appears featuring a scary monster known as “The Babadook,” she discovers a sinister entity is following her and her son.

   • Why It’s Scary: The Babadook explores grief, depression, and motherhood in tense, chilling ways that feel realistic. Even when it gets more supernatural, the titular Babadook has a terrifying presence whenever it’s lurking on screen.
2. 
   2
   Deep Red (1975) In the classic Dario Argento film Deep Red, a pianist in Rome witnesses the murder of their psychic neighbor, but doesn’t see the killer’s identity. When he teams up with a local reporter, the two find themselves intertwined in a string of violent deaths as they investigate who committed the crime and their motives.

   • Why It’s Scary: Giallo movies are known for their suspenseful twists and turns, and Deep Red keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. Each death comes as a surprise and the gory details on screen are sure to leave lasting images in your mind.
3. 
   3
   Lurker (2025)Lurker focuses on Matthew, a retail worker who has a run-in with an up-and-coming pop star at his store. As Matthew becomes a part of the star’s inner circle and gets fame of his own, his obsession with his new friends and social status make him do anything to stay on top.

   • Why It’s Scary: Lurker plays with themes of obsession and doing whatever it takes to get what you want, even if it turns to violence or blackmail. While it may not have a ton of jump scares, the lengths characters go through to be close to a celebrity can make any viewer uncomfortable.
4. 
   4
   We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011) In We Need to Talk About Kevin, an adaptation of the 2003 novel of the same name, Eva (played by Tilda Swinton) reflects on the difficulties of raising her son Kevin (Ezra Miller). While he’s growing up, Kevin causes trouble and acts difficult toward Eva, but no one believes her claims until he commits a crime that completely rocks the community.

   • Why It’s Scary: We Need to Talk About Kevin focuses on the psychological strain between a mother and her son. Miller’s chilling performance as a young psychopath seals the deal on this movie being an uncomfortable watch filled with dread.
5. 
   5
   Demons (1985) In Demons, the classic Italian film from Lamberto Bava, 2 college students are given free tickets to a film at an isolated movie theater. As the violent movie plays in the theater, it transforms the audience into a group of demons set on killing the only uninfected survivors.

   • Why It’s Scary: Demons creates a lot of paranoia in trying to figure out who’s infected and who isn’t, and the stress only amps up as characters try to survive. Plus, the characters turn into demons from watching a scary movie, which adds a terrifying meta layer to the whole experience.
6. 
   6
   The House That Jack Built(2018)The House That Jack Built focuses on a failed architect-turned-serial killer recounting the gory details of killing his victims. We learn the story of each murder and how it contributes to his “art,” building to a terrifying climax that will leave you truly unsettled.

   • Why It’s Scary: Director Lars von Trier tells the story from Jack’s perspective, and hearing his thoughts for each kill shows how much of a cold, calculated monster he can be. Pair that with ultra-violent kills that feel realistic, and the haunting imagery really sticks in your mind.
7. 
   7
   Bones and All (2022) In Bones and All, an isolated woman and a drifter who have fallen for each other travel throughout America and act on their cannibalistic tendencies. Throughout the movie, they learn more about their pasts, meet others like them, and leave a trail of victims in their wake.

   • Why It’s Scary: Bones and All focuses on relationships and the violent acts that people will go through. While it doesn’t have a lot of jump scares, the unsettling nature of what the main characters do and the pressure they put on each other makes this a tense ride from start to finish.
8. 
   8
   Revenge (2017) In Revenge, a woman is attacked, assaulted, and left to die during a romantic getaway with her boyfriend. When she recovers, she makes it her mission to get revenge on the men who wronged her and will go to any lengths to make sure she finds justice.

   • Why It’s Scary: Revenge plays on major fears of men and how they behave around women, and it’s done with scary realism. With shocking moments throughout, this movie becomes an unforgettable thriller with horrifying consequences.
9. 
   9
   Antichrist (2009) In Antichrist, a couple try to repair their troubled marriage after the sudden loss of their son by staying in a remote cabin. Soon after they arrive, they experience strange events happening in nature around them and start to lose their grip on what’s real and what isn’t.

   • Why It’s Scary: This classic Lars von Trier movie feels like a fever dream as the couple descends into madness and does horrific acts to themselves and each other. With intense violence and truly shocking moments right from the start, Antichrist can be a difficult and terrifying watch.
10. 
    10
    The Driller Killer (1979) In The Driller Killer, a struggling artist in New York loses his grip on reality when a punk band starts practicing in a nearby apartment. After violent visions, the artist goes on a killing spree with his chosen weapon: a power drill.

    • Why It’s Scary: The Driller Killer is filled with blood, guts, and other viscera that make every kill memorable, but also difficult to watch.
11. 
    11
    Luz (2018) In Luz, the titular cabdriver arrives one rainy night at a police station. To retrace her past and learn more about her, a psychiatrist uses hypnosis to delve deeper into her mind. However, a demon that’s after her arrives while she’s hypnotized and possesses her.

    • Why It’s Scary: Luz blurs the line between the character’s actual memories and the demon’s true intentions, so trying to make sense of it only makes you more unsettled. With striking imagery and the exploration of trauma, this movie is a tough one to forget.
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    12
    Swallow (2019) In Swallow, when a young artist finds out she’s pregnant, her husband and his family set expectations that she has trouble meeting. To cope with the new pressure of motherhood and feeling out of control, she develops a condition where she’s compelled to swallow small non-food items.

    • Why It’s Scary: Even though the effects are tame and there aren’t a lot of jump scares, Swallow is a thrilling and distressing look at what happens when someone tries to control your body.
13. 
    13
    The Innocents (2021) In The Innocents, the children of a small Norwegian town have developed mysterious telekinetic powers that they keep secret from the adults. As one of the children uses their powers to commit violent acts in the community, the other children do what they can to defend themselves and their loved ones.

    • Why It’s Scary: Creepy kids have been a staple in horror movies, and this one only makes them more terrifying. Because the film focuses on how the children react to one another and how they lose their innocence, it’s extremely eerie when they grow violent.
14. 
    14
    Knives and Skin (2019) In Knives and Skin, a high school girl disappears, causing residents of a small town to grow more fearful of what happened and who was behind it. As more time passes and the townspeople grow more paranoid and obsessive, the teenagers take on their own coping mechanisms.

    • Why It’s Scary: Because the movie takes place in an unnamed small town, it’s easy to picture the events of the movie happening anywhere. The growing anxiety of the town and the gruesome events that take place only skew the line between what’s real and what’s not.
15. 
    15
    Antibirth (2016) In Antibirth, an addict wakes up after a party and has symptoms similar to being pregnant. When she starts having hallucinations and noticing her body changing, she goes on a mind-bending journey to figure out what happened the night before.

    • Why It’s Scary: Antibirth plays on fears of motherhood and not being in control of your body. With gory practical effects and a lot of uncomfortable moments throughout, the movie is bound to make you squirm.
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Section 2 of 2:

About MUBI

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1. 
   MUBI is a curated streaming service and film studio dedicated to beautiful and interesting cinema. MUBI curates films from across the globe created by both emerging filmmakers and established icons. Every day, MUBI’s curators hand-pick a movie to add to their streaming collection so movie lovers like you can enjoy a fresh variety of excellent films.

   • MUBI also produces and distributes ambitious new films that members can watch exclusively with their subscription.
   • Get a whole month of MUBI for free to stream the scariest movies of all time and so much more great cinema.
   • If you want to stream more scary horror movies, check out MUBI’s Fear on Film collection for more thrills and chills this Halloween season.

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