13 of the best horror films on Hulu to freak you the hell out

Do you want to watch something scary? Well, horror fan, Hulu is a great place to start looking.

Right now, the streaming service has a solid lineup of new and old frights, ranging from recent Hulu originals like False Positive starring Ilana Glazer, to cross-genre international hits like The Host. Of course, not all horror experiences freak us out in the same way — or to the same degree — so you’ll want to know what you’re getting yourself into before pressing play.

To help you out, we’ve combed through Hulu’s catalogue, selected the 13 all-around best horror films available, and given you a rundown on what about these titles will really get you sweating. (FYI, this list assumes you don’t have any premium add-ons or Hulu + LiveTV, but there are more options if you do so definitely do a little searching on the platform if none of these sound good.)

Good luck out there, and remember: Never go alone!

13. Wounds (2019)

Dakota Johnson goes through hell in this one.
Credit: Hulu

Wounds really isn’t as good as you’d like it to be. That said, writer-director Babak Anvari — known for the exquisite Under the Shadow (2016) — delivers an inventive enough premise through a compelling enough cast that watching this graphic, psychological thriller about a man being stalked by a sinister force never feels like a waste. Dakota Johnson shines in this stomach-churning descent into cockroach-infested hell. Seriously, brace yourself if you hate bugs.

How to watch: Wounds is now streaming on Hulu.

12. My Bloody Valentine (1981)

In this spectacularly splattered slasher, director George Mihalka places a terrifying killer — hardened by a cannibalistic mining accident(?) years before — in a small town ripe for terrorizing at the time of the Valentine’s Day dance. Awesome practical effects, like a dude getting his face boiled off and human hearts showing up in seasonally themed chocolate boxes, make for tons of classic scenes. It’s all tied together by a fun cast, high energy, and pure ’80s nostalgia.

How to watch: My Bloody Valentine is now streaming on Hulu.

11. False Positive (2021)

Congratulations to Pierce Brosnan and his “You’ll be a dentist” moment.
Credit: HULU

From Mother! to Rosemary’s Baby, reproduction has been explored by enough horror titles to qualify pregnancy-terror as its own subgenre. In director John Lee’s False Positive, co-written with star Ilana Glazer, the gross-out body stuff you’ve seen done countless times before gets fresh framing with a snappy script that addresses modern mothering imperfectly but thoughtfully. Plus, Pierce Brosnan plays a campy, creepy OB-GYN villain you’ve just gotta see.

How to watch: False Positive is now streaming on Hulu.

10. The Devil’s Doorway (2018)

Northern Irish director Aislinn Clarke’s The Devil’s Doorway is in no way the first horror film to indict the Catholic church for its history of abuse allegations. Still, Clarke’s found-footage approach paired with the historic subject matter — Magdalene Asylums of the 1960s — proves to be a particularly impactful combination. Some startling jump scares and a brief runtime qualify it as a hidden gem.

How to watch: The Devil’s Doorway is now streaming on Hulu.

9. Villains (2019)

Venerable horror icons Bill Skarsgård and Maika Monroe lead Villains, a Bonnie and Clyde-meets-Don’t Breathe mashup with a sprinkling of ’50s style you’ll love. When criminal lovebirds Jules and Mickey decide to rob a house, they encounter a mystery within and must contend with the home’s residents, played by Kyra Sedgwick and Jeffrey Donovan, to solve it.

How to watch: Villains is now streaming on Hulu.

8. Crawl (2019)

Thinks ‘Jaws’ but multiplied in every sense.
Credit: paramount pictures

Director Alexandre Aja combines action-packed disaster horror with some particularly spiteful alligators in this gloriously intense thrill-ride. Kaya Scodelario stars as a young woman who, along with her father and family dog, becomes trapped in a Florida house by a devastating hurricane. As the house begins to flood in a race against the clock, our heroine fights the large reptilians attempting to eat her family in a journey that’s surprisingly captivating and full of teeth.

How to watch: Crawl is now streaming on Hulu.

7. The Lodge (2019)

The Lodge is the bleakest title on Mashable’s 2020 holiday horror list, bar none. If you’re looking for a fun holiday horror flick, this is not it. That said, this psychological nightmare is a great choice if you’re looking for an unnerving horror experience that combines The Shining with occultism. Intrigued? Starring Riley Keough as an unwelcome girlfriend on Christmas vacation with her boyfriend’s kids, played by Jaeden Martell and Lia McHugh, The Lodge foregoes traditional scares for slow-burn tension and shocking implications. *

How to watch: The Lodge is now streaming on Hulu.

6. Lights Out (2016)

Maybe use the bathroom *before* watching this one. If you, uh, know what I mean.
Credit: warner bros.

Based on director David F. Sandberg’s short film of the same name, Lights Out is a supernatural fright fest with jump-scares to spare. This descent into darkness follows siblings Rebecca and Martin, played by Teresa Palmer and Gabriel Bateman, as they fight to solve the mystery behind a clawed creature hunting them and others as prey only when the lights are out. This is a real sphincter-clincher so maybe save it for when you need an adrenaline boost.

How to watch: Lights Out is now streaming on Hulu.

5. The Host (2006)

Parasite‘s Song Kang-ho plays Park Gang-du, viewed as a lost cause by his family, even young daughter Hyun-seo. When toxic waste from a lab up the Han River creates a twisted monster that starts attacking humans, it takes Hyun-seo. The family is broken — director Bong’s eclectic humors rears its head in scenes like when the Parks weep for Hyun-seo — and entirely dubious of trusting Gang-du to rescue his daughter. 

Bong Joon-Ho’s 2006 creature feature was only his third full-length production as director, and went on to be the highest-grossing South Korean movie at that point in time. As the creature affects everyone from gangsters to government and the Park family in particular, it’s highly reminiscent of Bong’s Okja, made 11 years later with five times the budget. For fans of Bong’s storytelling and sensibility, it’s unmissable. — Proma Khosla, Entertainment Reporter *

How to watch: The Host is now streaming on Hulu.

4. Hellbound: Hellrasier II (1988)

Treat yourself to an evening of unhinged sadomasochism with the Cenobites in director Tony Randel’s surprisingly great sequel to Clive Barker’s 1987 film. This chapter in the Hellraiser franchise gives us our first look at Hell, some seriously upped gore, and an origin story for all-time monster superstar Pinhead. The original is still better, but it’s a tight race.

How to watch: Hellbound: Hellraiser II is now streaming on Hulu.

3. Let the Right One In (2008)

You might cry watching this one, for real.
Credit: sandrew metronome

Swedish director Tomas Alfredson’s heartbreaking vampire tale changed the game for 2000s horror. An expertly executed but surprisingly restrained affair, Let the Right One In follows a young boy, bullied in school, who befriends another kid with a mysterious need to feast on blood. The resulting romance is one of a kind — tonally unique and hauntingly impactful.

How to watch: Let the Right One In is now streaming on Hulu.

2. The House That Jack Built (2018)

Matt Dillon acts as a conduit for serial killer terror and mythology in this bizarre title.
Credit: TrustNordisk

In the ethereal but still bloody The House That Jack Built, Matt Dillon stars as the titular Jack. A quiet architect, he appears at first like your average loner type. But narration recounting decades of vicious killings reveal him to be a monster of mythic proportions. Brush up on your Dante’s Inferno before seeing this one and you’ll have a spectacularly scary film to puzzle over for years to come.

How to watch: The House That Jack Built is now streaming on Hulu.

1. Saint Maud (2021)

The first feature film from writer-director Rose Glass, Saint Maud is a religious horror film set in the world of late-stage hospice care. When a pious nurse named Maud (Morfydd Clark) is assigned to care for the boldly blasphemous Amanda (Jennifer Ehle), a battle to save Amanda’s soul before she dies of cancer ensues. It’s a staggeringly scary reflection on interiority and philosophy, with a searing assessment of the sometimes predatory messiah complex to boot. *

How to watch: Saint Maud is now streaming on Hulu.

Honorable mention: Into the Dark

None of the titles in Hulu’s Into the Dark made this list since it’s technically classified as a television anthology. Still, the feature-length terrors brought to life in that consistently clever Blumhouse-produced series are well worth your time. Want to learn more? We ranked them all, right here.

How to watch: Into the Dark Seasons 1 and 2 are now streaming on Hulu.