Looking for a good scare? Max has you covered with an extensive collection of horror and thriller movies, promising you all the terrors you crave all year round (though especially during the Halloween season). Whether you prefer classic films or the latest releases, there's something for everyone on Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming service. The legendary Stephen King once said that there are three levels to horror: the "Gross-Out", "Horror", and "Terror". With these movies that we have handpicked for you, you'll get a good dose of all three, and then some. Now without further ado, here are our picks for the scariest movies you can stream right now on Max.
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'Hannibal' (2001)
Director: Ridley Scott | Run Time: 132 mins
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, Gary Oldman, Ray Liotta, Frankie Faison
He's the face (and mask) that launched not just four films, but two television shows, and millions of fans worldwide. While Hannibal isn't the scariest of the franchise (see 2007's Hannibal Rising if you want to be incredibly disturbed), Max is highlighting this flick as another must-see for fans of the original Silence of the Lambs. Starring Anthony Hopkins as Lecter, the film follows Clarice (now played by Julianne Moore) as she tries to find the doctor-turned-cannibal at the request of one of his past victims (Gary Oldman). While the film is more reserved than Lambs, its horror comes in the realism of the story, especially Oldman's performance, whose character is so horribly disfigured by Lecter that you can feel his constant pain coming through in every scene. Whereas in Lambs we, very much against our better judgment, found a soft spot for the repulsive Lecter, this film doesn't allow any of that same wiggle room. By not framing our serial killer in a forgiving light, we are given no other option than to fear what he has planned.
'Coraline' (2009)
Director: Henry Selick | Run Time: 100 mins
Cast: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David
Don't let the stop animation fool you: Coraline is a horror movie. Based on the wonderful novel of the same name by famed novelist Neil Gaiman, The movie follows the story of an eleven-year-old girl (Dakota Fanning) as she moves with her family into a dreary new home in a dreary new neighborhood. Just when she can't imagine her life getting any worse, Coraline finds a magic portal that takes her into an alternate universe that is eerily similar, and yet way, way better, than the life she has with her disinterested parents. It doesn't take long for things to turn sinister, however, as Coraline learns she must sew buttons to her eyes and give her soul to a gigantic spider in order to permanently join the colorful word she's had a taste of. For those still doubting if the film is in the "horror" genre, please re-read that last sentence. The film has been a continued success since it's premiere in 2009, reappearing in theaters multiple times and still bringing in the box office bucks years later. There are countless fan theory videos on YouTube, with speculations about what the "Other Mother" (Teri Hatcher) might really be, the origins of the copycat dolls, and more.
'Hereditary' (2018)
Director: Ari Aster | Run Time: 127 min
Cast: Alex Wolff, Gabriel Byrne, Toni Collette, Milly Shapiro, Christy Summerhays
One of the most disturbing films of all time, Hereditary is a masterclass in horror direction, writing, and acting. In fact, the film is so uncomfortable from start to finish that it's hard to pay attention to the stellar acting performances of its cast, specifically Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, and Milly Shapiro. The film follows Annie (Toni Collette) and her family as they grieve the loss of Annie's mentally ill mother. It doesn't take long for traditional mourning to turn into something evil, as something sinister begins to make its way through the family, wreaking havoc - and lots of death - in their lives. Directed by Ari Aster (Midsommar), the film did well in theaters, although some audiences chose to stay home because the film was that scary.
'Evil Dead Rise' (2023)
Director: Lee Cronin | Run Time: 97 min
Cast: Mirabai Pease, Richard Crouchley, Anna-Maree Thomas, Lily Sullivan, Noah Paul
In this very gory flick, single mother Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) is possessed by an evil demon, summoned accidentally by her children after they find a mysterious book in the basement of their condemned apartment building. Her sister, Beth (Lily Sullivan), joins Ellie's three children in an attempt to figure out how to get the monster out of their mother. The film was a hit among Evil Dead fans, with some marking it as the scariest installment in the franchise's history. Sutherland's performance as Ellie will give you chills even when she is just standing still, with the battle being demon vs. children raising the stakes even higher.
'Cujo' (1983)
Director: Lewis Teague | Run Time: 93 min
Cast: Dee Wallace, Danny Pintauro, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Christopher Stone, Ed Lauter
Stephen King fans know Cujo as a terrifying tale of a rabid dog wreaking havoc on a small town; Friends fans know Cujo as the film Rachel (Jennifer Anniston) watches alone, causing Joey (Matt LeBlanc) to comfort her/fall in love with her. Both are iconic reasons for recognizing the most terrifying dog in film history, and both are terrific reasons for giving the film a watch. In typical King fashion, everyday life becomes terrifying in Cujo. While the dog's strength may veer on the unrealistic side (or perhaps it comes from the same planet as the shark from Jaws), it's the fact that, technically, this could happen that makes it all so unnerving.
'The Descent' (2005)
Director: Neil Marshall | Run Time: 100 min
Cast: Shauna MacDonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder, MyAnna Buring
A deep cut for horror film fanatics, The Descent does a great job of putting the horror in an impossible-to-see setting that only makes the jump scares pack more of a punch. Centering around six women who go on an annual expedition down into the depths of a cave, they soon realize that they are not alone. Something otherworldly begins to hunt the six friends as they realize they are trapped underground with no way out. Not a film for a claustrophobe, it deals with family death, betrayal, and...lots of blood and gore.
'The Exorcist' (1973)
Director: William Friedkin | Run Time: 122 min.
Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Max Von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb, Kitty Winn, Jack MacGowran
Often helmed as one of the greatest horror films of all time, The Exorcist follows actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) as she moves to Washington D.C. from Los Angeles with her daughter Regan (Linda Blair) to star in a movie. Things take an unexpected turn when Regan begins to act in strange ways, eventually scaring her mother and causing her to bring her to several doctors who have no answer for her on what is going on. Chris eventually brings in the help of religious figures, who attempt to perform an exorcism on the young girl. Exorcist: Believer, the highly anticipated sequel from director David Gordon Green, is set to be released on October 6, 2023, and stars Exorcist alum Ellen Burstyn. The buzz around Green's new film proves the power of the original film, and how respected it is within the horror community.
'Insidious' (2010)
Director: James Wan | Run Time: 101 min
Cast: Patrick Wilson, Rose Bryne, Ty Simpkins, Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell
Upon its release, Insidious was an instant success, raking in $100 million worldwide at the box office against its impressive $1.5 million budget. The movie jump-started a franchise that just released its fifth feature, Insidious: The Red Door, in July 2023, with a fifth film already coming down the pipeline. The plot follows a family as they attempt to deal with their son, Dalton (Ty Simpkins), after he falls into a coma. Things begin to spiral further out of control when Dalton's mother, Renai (Rose Bryne), starts to have odd visions throughout their house. Eventually, the family enlists the help of a medium (Lin Shaye) to save their family from an evil presence. Not just another exorcism film, Insidious has an intriguing presence of its own that hooks viewers through its story, effects, and acting performances.
'Friday the 13th' (1980)
Director: Sean S. Cunningham | Run Time: 95 min
Cast: Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Jeannine Taylor, Robbi Morgan, Kevin Bacon
Not only did Friday the 13th give us an iconic slasher film, but it also taught us that hockey masks are not just durable, but blood-resistant, too. The film is a fun mix of real-life horror and ghost stories, as those witnessing the murders at Camp Crystal Lake wonder if Jason (Kavin Bacon), the boy who drowned in the lake over twenty years ago, has come back to life seeking revenge. With a twist at the end that will make you want to immediately start the film over to see all you missed, this classic stands the test of time. Although the film generated eleven sequels (yes, eleven), the original is still regarded as the greatest of all, and for good reason.
'The Conjuring' (2013)
Director: James Wan | Run Time: 112 min
Cast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston, Shanley Caswell
Similar to Insidious, The Conjuring is a film that was an instant hit. In fact, it was so successful that there is now an entire Conjuring "universe," with three films in the main cannon (The Conjuring, The Conjuring 2, and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It), as well as films that focus on the lives of others within the same world, like Annabelle, Annabelle: Creation, Annabelle Comes Home, and two The Nun films. This allows fans to continue to explore the world the filmmakers have created in ways that are vastly different from each other, thus always bringing some new horror to the table. The Conjuring, now celebrating its tenth anniversary, focuses on real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (portrayed brilliantly in the film by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga), as they travel to help a family whose Perron family, who have been experiencing paranormal activity in their new home. The film does a wonderful job of making the audience care just as much about the well-being of the family (and Lorraine's health as she investigates) just as much as they care about the haunting of the house. The film stands as a modern-day masterpiece, continuing to find fans year after year as its universe expands.
'A Nightmare on Elm Street' (1984)
Director: Wes Craven | Run Time: 91 min
Cast: John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund, Johnny Depp
Viewers be warned: just because it has a man with blade hands and Johnny Depp stars in it (making his acting debut), this is not Edward Scissorhands. This is a much scarier story, written and directed by Wes Craven that flipped the script on the boogeyman: we don't have to fear him when we're awake, but when we go to sleep, there's nothing we can do to stop him. The story follows a group of teens who are haunted in their dreams by a man named Freddy Kreuger (Robert Englund). As the teens begin dying one by one, the kids realize that this is a ghost out for revenge. Because of its supernatural nature, the film has many layers that keep its audience guessing. In this film, the fedoras aren't even the scariest part.
'Annabelle' (2014)
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Director: John R. Leonetti | Run Time: 99 min
Cast: Annabelle Wallis, Ward Horton, Tony Amendola, Alfre Woodard, Kerry O'Malley
Perhaps one of the most terrifying films of The Conjuring universe, Annabelle is based on a doll originally seen in the first Conjuring film. Her presence was scary enough to lead to multiple sequels about the insanely creepy doll. Annabelle, the doll that the film centers around, is cursed by demonic spirits when a cult member kills herself while holding the doll. This information is unbeknownst to the doll's new owners, who begin experiencing paranormal phenomena in their home when they come in possession of Annabelle. While the term "spin-off" is often a bad word in the world of filmmaking, Annabelle did exceedingly well upon its release, earning $257 million worldwide against a $6 million budget. The film's two sequels, Annabelle: Creation and Annabelle Comes Home have also been hits among fans, proving that The Conjuring universe is one of modern-day horror's masterpieces.
'IT: Chapter Two' (2019)
Director: Andy Muschietti | Run Time: 2 hrs. 49 mins.
Cast: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Bill Skarsgård
Don't worry, the run time of IT: Chapter Two isn't the scariest part of the film. In fact, the second film based on King's novel of the same name is arguably much, much scarier than the first. Perhaps the most impressive feat of the film is the casting of the grown-up "Losers Club," and how insanely similar each actor is to their child actor counterpart. The film follows the grown-up Losers Club twenty-seven years after their last run-in with Pennywise the Clown (Bill Skarsgård) when they are called back to finish what they started as kids. We are treated to an incredible performance by Bill Hader, who plays the adult Richie Tozier (originally portrayed by Finn Wolfhard, who requested Hader specifically for the role). Fans of Hader, who is known for his time on Saturday Night Live, were thrilled to see the hilarious actor in a dramatic role, as Chapter Two came out before the release of his now-hit HBO show, Barry. Other stand-out performances came from Jessica Chastain and James Ransone, who play adult Beverly and Eddie, respectively. IT: Chapter Two is proof that sequels can hit just as hard as their predecessors, and even pack more of a scare.
'Child's Play' (1988)
Director: Todd Holland | Run Time: 87 min
Cast: Catherine Hicks, Chris Sarandon, Alex Vincent, Brad Dourif, Dinah Manoff
If Annabelle isn't enough to quench your thirst for powerfully scary dolls, perhaps Chucky, the main character in Child's Play will do it for you. The film is the first in the Chucky franchise, which went on to have seven sequels, including a TV show. Similar to Annabelle, Chucky is possessed by someone who held the doll while dying; however, this particular person happens to be a serial killer. When the doll is gifted to a young boy (Alex Vincent) by his mother (Catherine Hicks), chaos ensues. Because the idea of a possessed doll had only been seen a handful of times (for example, in The Twilight Zone), Child's Play, and more specifically, Chucky the "Good Guy" Doll, gained a cult following. If the film doesn't scare you enough, you can even buy your own Chucky doll.
'The Witch' (2015)
Director: Robert Eggers | Run Time: 92 min
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Ellie Grainger
Is there anything Anya Taylor-Joy can't do? The actress, known for her starring (and Golden Globe, Critic's Choice, and SAG Award-winning) role as Beth Harmon in the Netflix phenomenon The Queen's Gambit, plays Thomasin, a teenager living with her devoutly religious family on a farm in the 1600s. When her infant brother vanishes into the woods without a trace, Thomasin's life is thrown into disarray, as her mother, Katherine (Kate Dickie) slowly goes insane. The film is regarded as one of the best films of the 2010s, as its slow build of horror comes to an unsettling climax by the end of the terrifying tale. It grossed $40 million worldwide against a $4 million budget, making it a success for A24.