Since the medium’s inception, horror has been one of cinema’s most important genres. It is now more popular than ever, thanks to a consistent dose of films and tv shows eagerly and reliably consumed by millions of fans. Luckily for these thrill-addicted audiences, most streaming services have a generous collection of horror. Hulu has a particularly well-curated and surprisingly varied library of horror pictures, from classic tales of supernatural terror to chilling psychological thrillers and even a few elevated horror films that will keep even the bravest fans up at night.
If you’re not up for the haunting task of going through page after page of the streamer’s scary movies, we’ve already done all the digging for you. So without further extrapolation, here’s our roundup of the best horror movies on Hulu you can stream right now.
Hulu isn’t the only streaming platform with horror titles on demand. We’ve also put together guides to the best horror movies on Netflix and the best horror movies on Amazon Prime Video.
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X2022 - Pooka!2018
- The ABCs of Death2013
- Spree2020
Julia Ducournau’s Palm d’Or-winning body horror film Titane stars Agathe Rousselle and Vincent Lindon. The plot centers on a serial killer with a titanium plate in her head who develops a complicated relationship with a man after posing as his long-lost son to avoid capture. Blending elements of psychological thriller and body horror, Titane is among the most original and boldest films of the new millennium, an unforgettable experience for fans of elevated horror.
Oscar nominee Vera Farmiga stars opposite Peter Sarsgaard and a scene-stealing Isabelle Fuhrman in Jaume Collet-Serra’s 2009 horror film Orphan. The plot centers on a grieving couple who adopt Esther, a nine-year-old girl with a mysterious past. Strange things begin happening around the couple, leading them to suspect something might be wrong with Esther. Featuring a star-making performance from Fuhrman and one of the most memorable and unexpected twists in modern horror, Orphan is a unique experience that audiences won’t soon forget.
Drew Goddard’s horror comedy The Cabin in the Woods stars an ensemble, including Thor: Love and Thunder‘s Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Connolly, Richard Jenkins, and Bradley Whitford. The plot follows a group of college students terrorized by several supernatural creatures controlled by a group of technicians with mysterious goals. Expertly balancing humor with genuine chills and bringing the best out of its impressive cast, The Cabin in the Woods is as hilarious as it is thrilling.
Richard Donner’s classic The Omen is an institution in the horror genre. Cinematic icons Gregory Peck and Lee Remick star in the story about a couple whose child becomes the prime suspect in a series of violent deaths, leading them to believe he might be the Antichrist. A gorefest that makes the most out of its over-the-top premise, The Omen is an exercise in dread powered by a deliciously creepy performance from Harvey Stephens. The film launched a franchise, although the subsequent efforts have failed to match the original’s influence.
Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes received Golden Globe nominations for their performances in Mark Mylod’s dark comedy The Menu, also starring Nicholas Hoult. The film follows a group of guests attending the prestigious Hawthorne restaurant owned by renowned chef Julian Slowik and located on a secluded island.
However, they soon discover something sinister is afoot when the chef’s real plans are revealed. Blending social satire with wicked humor and classic thrills, The Menu is a classic eat-the-rich story with genuine teeth.
Body horror maestro reunites with Viggo Mortensen for his 2020 horror sci-fi Crimes of the Future, co-starring Léa Seydoux and Kristen Stewart. Set in a dystopian future where human evolution has made most humans immune to pain and disease, the film follows a performance artist who performs surgery on himself before live audiences. Although far from Cronenberg’s best picture, Crimes of the Future remains a must-watch for fans of the director’s singular mix of body horror and thought-provoking ideas.
A reboot of the venerable Hellraiser franchise, Hellraiser follows a young woman recovering from addiction. When she receives a mysterious box capable of summoning humanoid beings with sadistic impulses, she must confront the dangerous demonic forces responsible for her brother’s disappearance.
Featuring a spectacular performance from Jamie Clayton as the iconic villain Pinhead, Hellraiser is a welcome return to form for a franchise that spent far too long neck-deep in mediocrity.
Kristen Stewart stars in the sci-fi horror Underwater opposite Vincent Cassel, Jessica Henwick, and John Gallagher Jr. The film centers around an underwater drilling facility struck by an earthquake. The survivors must rally when mysterious creatures attack the facility, forcing them to fight for their lives. Although familiar, Underwater is a largely successful creature feature that excels as a nail-biting thriller thanks to Stewart’s lead performance and several genuinely terrifying monster designs.
Game of Thrones‘ Rose Leslie and Penny Dreadful‘s Harry Treadaway star in Leigh Janiak’s feature directorial debut Honeymoon. The film follows a couple spending their honeymoon in a secluded cabin. When the wife returns from a sleepwalking trip into the woods, the husband begins suspecting something is terribly wrong with his new bride. Eerie, stressful, and brilliantly acted, Honeymoon makes the most out of its confined setting to deliver an exercise in anxiety and horror.
Ari Aster’s 2018 horror masterpiece Hereditary stars Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, and Alex Wolff. The plot centers on a family grieving after a tragic accident that begins experiencing unexplained and dangerous supernatural events that lead them to uncover a harrowing truth. Elevated by a career-best performance from Collette, Hereditary is a powerful exploration of grief and guilt wrapped around a shocking and terrifying horror story that will creep under the audience’s skin.
Leave it to Brandon Cronenberg, son of horror master David Cronenberg, to create a disturbing and insightful piece of horror for the new generation. Possessor stars recent Oscar nominee Andrea Riseborough as an assassin who takes over other people’s bodies to carry on her assignments. However, things get complicated when she struggles to possess her most recent mark, a young man played by Christopher Abbott. Full of the body horror and disturbing elements that have become the Cronenbergs’ bread-and-butter, Possessor will more than satisfy fans of provocative horror.
Emmy nominee Sarah Paulson stars in the 2020 psychological thriller Run. The film revolves around Chloe, a young woman who has spent her life controlled by her overbearing mother. However, as Chloe enters adolescence, she begins questioning her life and her mother’s role in it. Powered by Paulson’s committed performance, and with a smart and pleasantly surprising screenplay, Run is an effective and suspenseful thriller that will keep audiences on the edge.
Sebastian Stan and Daisy Edgar-Jones star in the horror thriller Fresh. The film follows Noa, a young woman frustrated with dating apps, who begins a relationship with the charming Steve. When the two go for a weekend getaway, Noa discovers the many sinister secrets Steve has been hiding. Benefitting from Edgar-Jones and Stan’s performances and with clever insights into the horrors of modern dating, Fresh is a chilling horror story with poignant social critique.
Based on Bret Easton Ellis’ controversial novel of the same name, American Psycho stars Oscar-winner Christian Bale in his breakthrough role. Bale plays Patrick Bateman, a wealthy yuppie living in late 1980s New York City, who indulges his horrific killing instincts at night. The more he gives into his bloodthirsty impulses, the more his seemingly idyllic life unravels. Thanks to Bale’s starmaking performance and a cast of incredible supporting actors, American Psycho is a modern horror classic and a scathing takedown of yuppie culture.
The excellent Noomi Rapace stars in Valdimar Jóhannsson’s 2021 folk horror film Lamb from A24. The plot centers on a couple living on a secluded Icelandic farm whose sheep births a human/sheep hybrid. Becoming parents to the creature, the couple begins to adjust to their new lives, oblivious that a mysterious entity is watching their moves with mysterious purposes. Lamb is unnerving yet engrossing, benefitting from an excellent performance by Rapace. Fans of unique premises and unconventional horror will get the best out of this odd and chilling film.
Ari Aster followed the success of Hereditary with Midsommar. Starring Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, and Will Poulter, the film follows a couple and their friends who travel to Sweden to experience a secluded town’s famous midsummer festival. However, they soon realize they are taking part in something more dangerous, as it becomes clear the town is a dangerous pagan cult. Balancing weighty themes with old-fashioned scares and an impossibly discomforting vibe, Midsommar is a showcase for Pugh’s considerable talents and further confirmation that Aster is a horror auteur like few others.
Utterly bonkers and thrilling, Barbarian is a true horror event. The film stars Georgina Campbell, Alexander Skarsgård, and Justin Long and follows a woman whose Airbnb rental is double booked. Deciding to spend the night in the house despite the unexpected presence, she soon discovers the rental has dangerous secrets lurking beneath. A wild ride from beginning to end, Barbarian goes all in on its brand of deranged scares, providing an admittedly unconventional yet ultimately sharp and satisfying experience that’s as scary as it’s entertaining.
Ti West presented his daring, gritty take on the slasher genre with X. The film stars Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, and Martin Henderson and tells the story of a group of pornographers who decide to shoot their latest film on a secluded Texas farm owned by an elderly couple. Their plans take an unexpected turn when an unexpected enemy begins targeting them one by one. Elevated by a committed and versatile dual performance from Goth, X works as a homage to 1970s slasher movies and a worthy entry to the revered genre.
Starring Anya Taylor-Joy in the role that made her a star, The Witch centers on a young girl whose brother becomes lost under her watch. Accused by her other siblings of witchcraft, the girl must endure her family’s distrust and accusations as a dark entity lurks in the forest beyond their solitary cottage. The Witch finds Robert Eggers (The Northman) in fine form, aided by Taylor-Joy’s commanding performance. Mixing supernatural thrills with an exploration of faith, religion, innocence, and womanhood, The Witch is a superior and thought-provoking entry into the elevated horror subgenre.
Hulu’s Into the Dark series has served as a powerful forum for established and up-and-coming genre directors to showcase new and exciting horror films, and while we’ve already covered Treehouse (directed by James Roday), we’d also like to shine some morbid light on director Nacho Vigalondo’s contribution to the anthology. It’s a film called Pooka! that stars Nyasha Hatendi as a man named Wilson who takes an acting job as a costumed creature named Pooka, a beast based on a popular new holiday toy that’s selling like crazy. But as the toy’s popularity reaches new heights, Wilson begins experiencing wild hallucinations with murderous conclusions. A fitting genre feast for the Christmas season, Vigalondo clearly had a ton of fun with his off-the-wall concept, and so will you.
The Field Guide to Evil is an international anthology film that brings together eight unique genre tales with folkloric bents. Of particular note are some of the recognizable writers/directors, including Peter Strickland (Berberian Sound Studio and In Fabric), Veronika Franz, and Severin Fiala (Goodnight Mommy and The Lodge), with each segmented novella horror delivering an homage to a significant mythological terror. While not every short hits as hard as the last, the mixed bag ends up in “glass half-full” terrain, with plenty to write home about in terms of vision and execution.
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