The 13 best and scariest Halloween films on Netflix UK - our pick of the terrifying horror movies to binge this October

Even if you’re not a fan of Halloween, the cold dark nights mean that October is the perfect time to bed down (with a blanket to hide behind) with Netflix and a scary horror movie.

There are loads of chilling films to choose from, so we’ve compiled a list of the spookiest, scariest and best.

If you’re easily spooked and don’t like jump scares and blood – these aren’t the movies for you. (Check out this list of family and kid-friendly Halloween movies instead!)

1.  Fear Street trilogy (2021)

This American horror film series based on the R.L. Stine book series follows a group of teenagers trying to break a curse that has haunted their town for hundreds of years. The three films all pay tribute to different horror genres – slasher, supernatural and teen scream – and the cast includes Sadie Sink (Stranger Things), Gillian Jacobs (Community). Chiara Auerlia (Gerald’s Game) and Kiana Madeira (Trinkets).

2. Day Shift (2022)

Jamie Foxx stars as Bud Jablonski, who looks like an ordinary blue-collar dad, working a pool-cleaning job to provide for his 10-year-old daughter. However, the job is just a front for his real source of money – hunting and killing vampires. A mix of horror, comedy, action and vampire-splatting, Day Shift is seriously dark fun.

3. Halloween H20 (1998)

There have been many attempts to recapture the magic of the original John Carpenter Halloween movie and this sequel – set 20 years after the original – is one of the very best.

Jamie Lee Curtis returns and is joined by Adam Arkin, Michelle Williams, Janet Leigh and Josh Hartnett, as Laurie Strode is once again forced to run and hide from the infamous masked man, Michael Myers.

4. Insidious (2010)

Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne star in this modern classic, which spawned three successful sequels.

Created by Leigh Whannell and James Wan, this suspenseful chiller is about a couple who are forced to take drastic measures when it appears their new home is haunted and their son is being possessed.

5. Midsommar (2019)

A truly unsettling and sinister treat, Midsommar is the story of a young American couple whose trip to a beautiful Swedish festival turns into a chilling nightmare.

Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor star as the young couple who find themselves caught up in a horrifying cult.

6.  Death Note (2017)

Adapted from the hugely successful manga series, the film stars Willem Dafoe, Nat Wolff, Lakeith Stanfield and Margaret Qualley.

Wolff plays student Light Turner, who discovers a supernatural notebook which can kill anyone whose name is written inside the pages. Stanfields plays the secretive detective L, who is seeking to find him.

7. Hostel (2005)

If you’re looking for guts and gore, look no further than the original Hostel movie directed by Eli Roth.

The wild and corpse-filled horror classic tells the story of a group of backpackers, who find themselves in a terrifying battle for survival. It’s not one for anyone who easily feels queasy - nor who has a city break coming up...

8. Paranormal Activity 2 + 3 (2010, 2011)

The second and third films in the Paranormal series – both prequels – are available on Netflix.

Based on the found footage horror technique, both movies are suspense-filled supernatural delights that will have you cowering behind your sofa.

9. The Perfection (2019)

Don’t be fooled by Allison Williams’ smile - The Perfection isn’t the film you expect it to be. Williams stars alongside Logan Browning in the story of a musical prodigy who returns to her old school and heads down a sinister path.

You’ll be shocked at where the movie ends up going as it shifts between body horror, psychological thrills and unsettling twists.

10. In the Tall Grass (2019)

Based on Stephen King and Joe Hill’s story, this supernatural horror stars Harrison Gilbertson, Laysla De Oliveira and Patrick Wilson.

Beginning as the story of a brother and sister who enter a field of tall grass to rescue a boy, the movie generates plenty of chills as they end up unable to escape the grass and the mysterious evil hidden deep within.

11.  His House (2020)

An original and powerful take on the horror genre, exploring the impact of the refugee experience through a story of a couple escaping South Sudan to find a new evil lurking in their home in an English town.

It’s a bold directorial debut from Remi Weekes, which stars Gangs of London’s Sope Dirisu.

12.  Seven (1995)

Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman star as the retiring cop and new detective who are on the case of a series of elaborate and grisly murders, all connected to the seven deadly sins.

If you haven’t seen this 90s classic yet, it’s about time you corrected that.

13. The Woman In Black (2012)

Light on the gore but heavy on suspense, Daniel Radcliffe stars as Arthur Kipps, a lawyer grieving for his late wife who has to deal with the secrets and spooks of a remote village in this chilling ghost story.

You’ll quickly forget about Harry Potter after watching this thrilling adaptation of the Susan Hill novel.

The best new and upcoming TV shows on Netflix