12 Best Horror Movies on Netflix (March 2026): ‘Saw X’ and More

Set between the events of Saw and Saw II, Saw X is a prequel film that follows John Kramer, AKA Jigsaw (Tobin Bell), as he travels to Mexico in search of a cure for his terminal brain cancer. Promised a groundbreaking and experimental treatment that will cure him completely, he arrives to find out that the cure is a fake, the scientists and doctors behind it are frauds and he and many others have been scammed out of their money. Thus, John sets out to do what he does best: teach bad people a lesson using a series of deranged torture traps and deadly puzzles.

After a string of middling-to-very bad Saw movies — including an abysmal spin-off, Spiral, starring Chris Rock — Saw X brings new life to a long-running franchise; in fact, Saw X currently stands as the best-rated Saw movie ever. Bell gives the best performance of the franchise, stepping back into the shoes of the murderous John Kramer, but the movie isn’t just shocking and gory. As opposed to some of the franchise’s previous installments, Saw X actually has a thoughtful and well-written narrative to work hand-in-hand with its blood and guts.

In this iconic adaptation of Stephen King‘s novel of the same name, novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) finds himself rescued by a former nurse named Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) after suffering from a serious car accident. Holed up in Annie’s remote cabin home with a broken leg, Annie helps Paul recover from his injuries and also seems to be a well-meaning fan. But things get dark when Annie discovers Paul is planning on doing something unforgivable: killing off her favorite character from his books. With Paul looking to escape, Annie sets her sights on imprisoning him until he promises to change his story plans.

Bates’ Best Actress Academy Award win for Misery remains the only Oscar received for any King adaptation ever made — but it is certainly a powerhouse performance. Rob Reiner directs this enduring psychological horror-thriller with intense, claustrophobic suspense, gripping tension and engaging character dynamics while also deftly exploring themes like fan obsession and addiction. Though certainly a horror film, Misery also employs ingenious use of dark humor.

In 1978 Colorado, shy teenager Finney Shaw (Mason Thames) is yanked off the street in his hometown by local child kidnapper the Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Finney is imprisoned in a soundproofed room in the Grabber’s basement with a disconnected black rotary phone attached to the wall — then, it starts to ring. When Finney answers the phone, the voices of the Grabber’s previous victims begin speaking to him, and they are determined to help Finney escape their own terrible fate before it’s too late.

This simple yet effective horror story, adapted from the novella of the same name by Joe Hill (AKA Stephen King‘s son), evokes an effective nostalgic atmosphere that clashes brilliantly with the creepy events of the movie. Rather than focus on cheap gore and jump scares, The Black Phone relies on tension, suspense and a strong emotional core that makes the horror even more impactful. But the film would be nothing without the terrifically unnerving performance from Hawke, who trades his boyish charm and measured dramatic chops for some scenery-chewing villainy.

Guillermo del Toro gives his own fantastical spin on Mary Shelley’s classic horror novel in this Oscar-nominated film. Frankenstein follows Victor Frankenstein’s (Oscar Isaac) evolution from ambitious but controversial surgeon obsessed with curing death, to successfully stitching together a human corpse and reanimating it. But his arrogance and ego lead him to become dissatisfied with the Creature (Jacob Elordi), and he wrongfully pins a murder on it before leaving it to die in a fire. When the Creature survives, it learns of the compassion and cruelty of humans and sets off on a quest to find its creator and confront him.

Frankenstein is the perfect source material for del Toro, a director whose Gothic-inspired aesthetic sensibilities and love of misunderstood monsters come together to create a movie that is more tear-jerking than horrifying. Elordi’s complete transformation into the Creature proves the young actor’s impressive range, while Isaac delightfully hams it up as Frankenstein. Ultimately, Frankenstein is a decadent, stunning epic, and a visual feast that weaves horror with romantic tragedy.

Two years after the bloody events of the first film, M3GAN 2.0 follows M3GAN’s creator Gemma (Allison Williams), who has since become an advocate for government oversight of AI. However, little does she know that a defense contractor has created its own killer doll: Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), a hostile android based on M3GAN’s original design. When Amelia (expectedly) becomes self-aware and stops taking orders, it’s up to Gemma, with the help of a resurrected M3GAN (voiced by Jenna Davis), to stop her.

A sequel was to be expected after the instant success of M3GAN, and while M3GAN 2.0 leans more into action than it does horror, that doesn’t stop the entertaining killer robot antics from coming just as much (if not more) than before. Just as quippy and sassy as ever, M3GAN returns by going all-in on the ludicrousness that made M3GAN a breakout viral smash.

A romantic getaway to a secluded lakeside house becomes anything but romantic for lovers Diego (Marco Pigossi) and Sage (Maddie Hasson). When they arrive at their destination, they realize that the house has been double-booked by a mysterious couple named Will (Alex Roe) and Cin (Andra Nechita). While Will and Cin initially seem friendly and outgoing, the weekend progressively descends into a nightmarish game of manipulation, lies and a blood-soaked fight for survival.

Not just a terrific horror film, Bone Lake is an erotic thriller throwback that some critics favorably compared to films like Basic Instinct. Thus, if you’re a fan of Paul Verhoeven‘s psychosexual classic, you’ll probably be instantly hooked on Bone Lake. Genuinely thrilling, entertainingly cheesy and exceptionally bloody, Bone Lake is a can’t-miss good time.

In an Indonesian village, a dysfunctional family runs a popular business selling herbal medicines. But when the family patriarch (Donny Damara) attempts to innovate a new potion, it ends up triggering a deadly (and insanely gruesome) zombie outbreak. The Elixir mixes complicated family drama with terrifying zombie horror into a fast-paced action film with a surprising amount of emotional depth.

If you’re looking for a horror film that actually makes you care about its characters (in turn, creating characters that actually matter when they get killed), look no further than The Elixir. In addition to some truly revolting and nightmarish imagery, The Elixir boasts a great story, character development and engaging drama that blends genres to create something unique.

A disgraced content creator named Shawn Ruddy (Joseph Winter) mounts his comeback by pulling off an intriguing stunt: by spending the night livestreaming in an alleged haunted house where multiple people have died. Shot in found footage format to simulate the character filming himself, Deadstream follows Shawn as his stunt becomes deadly when he unleashes a malevolent spirit, and his comeback becomes a fight for his very life.

Deadstream combines horror and comedy to effective results while satirizing the influencer industry. While low-budget, it’s an extremely clever film that nevertheless utilizes impressive special effects, creates a believable atmosphere and has a strong lead performance from Winter. Some viewers even compared the mix of comedy and gore to The Evil Dead. 

A young boy is plagued by mysterious noises that seem to be coming from the inside of his walls, in this new horror film co-starring Lizzy Caplan (Now You See Me 2) and Antony Starr (The Boys). The film blends haunted house thrills with slasher scares and familial tension. The screenplay was written by Chris Thomas Devlin, who wrote 2022’s updated take on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Peter (Woody Norman) swears he hears a tapping in the walls of his house, although his parents (Caplan and Starr) insist that it’s just a young kid’s imagination. But the tapping isn’t going away, which only makes Peter more fearful. Eventually, his fear mutates into a paranoia that his parents are hiding something terrible from him.

In this entertaining entry to a newfangled subgenre of Valentine’s Day horror, a masked maniac with glowing red eyes makes an unwanted appearance in different cities every year. On that fateful day of love, “the Heart-Eyes Killer” slaughters unsuspecting couples. But when two Seattle coworkers doing overtime at their job are mistaken as lovers by the killer, they decide to fight back and end this yearly reign of terror.

From the creatives behind the Happy Death Day films and Werewolves Within comes this slasher-romantic comedy hybrid that will leave you both laughing and shrieking in terror. The film has been praised for its seamless genre fusion and killer chemistry between lead actors Mason Gooding and Olivia Holt.

Father and overworked fund manager Seok-woo (Gong Yoo) take a train with his young daughter to visit her mother in Busan for her birthday. Unbeknownst to the train’s crew or other passengers, an ill woman has boarded the train who has been infected with a zombie plague. When the woman becomes a bloodthirsty beast, the train suddenly becomes a deadly super-spreader event, and Seok-woo must fight to protect his daughter.

This South Korean horror-thriller is full of well-staged action sequences, offering a nail-biting thrill ride that creates a unique take on the zombie film. Blending horror, social commentary and pathos, Train to Busan will leave you with a gratifying cinema experience. The success of the first film spurred a prequel, a sequel and a forthcoming American remake. 

Strapped-for-cash videographer Aaron (Patrick Brice) responds to an online job request that takes him to a remote house in Crestline, California. There, he meets his client, Josef (Mark Duplass), a strange man who wants Aaron to help him film a video diary for his unborn child, as he claims he is dying from an inoperable brain tumor. As the direction for the video becomes more bizarre, Aaron slowly realizes that Josef brought him out there for a very different reason.

Directed by Brice and co-written by Brice alongside Duplass, Creep is a psychological horror that uses the found footage style of filmmaking, with the story being presented through the videos that Aaron shoots. Clever, funny, and extremely tense, Creep also succeeds at creating a suffocating atmosphere and unsettling tone, bolstered by Duplass’s unnerving performance. If you enjoy Creep, be sure to check out the sequel, Creep 2.