Amazon Prime Video is a terrific platform for streaming horror movies this Halloween season. Thanks to the streamer’s packed catalog, fans can enjoy indie horror hits and blockbusters all the same. From cheesy B-movie horror flicks to more riveting psychological affairs, Prime Video has audiences covered.
While subscribers might take some time to sift through the fodder to reach Prime Video’s top-notch horror movies, this guide takes care of that grunt work. This monthly updated guide shines a light on popular films as well as lesser-known — but no less high-quality — horror features available on Amazon Prime Video right now.
Here are some of the best horror movies on Prime Video you can look forward to streaming in October 2024.
Want more Prime Video content? Check out the best movies on Prime Video right now. If you don’t see anything of note on Amazon Prime, we’ve also rounded up the best new movies to stream this week, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
-
-
Doctor Sleep2019
-
The Thing1982
-
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Director Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs is an Oscar-winning milestone of the ’90s. It remains one of the most acclaimed psychological horror movies to date, telling the harrowing story of FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) tracking “Buffalo Bill” (Ted Levine), a gruesome serial killer who skins his victims.
However, as the hunt grows more desperate, Clarice is compelled to seek the advice of an imprisoned cannibal, Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). The Silence of the Lambs earns its praise in part for balancing crime-thriller elements with outright psychological horror. Even with minimal screen time, Hopkins brings to life one of the medium’s most unsettling villains, and his dynamic with the excellent Foster is magnetic.
Doctor Sleep (2019)
A sequel decades in the making, Doctor Sleep is among the most underrated horror movies of the 2010s. Horror auteur Mike Flanagan directs this Stephen King adaptation, revolving around Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor), Jack’s son from The Shining. After struggling with alcoholism and taking a job as an orderly, Dan now soothes dying patients with his “shine” powers.
However, after meeting young psychic Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran), the two face the threat of True Knot — a supernatural cult led by Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson). Underwhelming box office stint aside, Doctor Sleep is a worthwhile spiritual sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s take on The Shining. With Ferguson’s chilling performance, Doctor Sleep expertly balances its fear factor with a resonating theme of healing from trauma.
The Thing (1982)
For an ’80s throwback this Halloween season, John Carpenter’s The Thing is an essential watch. Based on John W. Campbell Jr.’s 1938 novella, the story takes audiences to Antarctica as a group of researchers study a mysterious extraterrestrial organism capable of imitating other living beings.
The plot becomes increasingly tense as the researchers grow more paranoid, losing trust in each other and fearing anyone is a threat. While it wasn’t fully appreciated in its time, The Thing was acclaimed upon reappraisal. On top of being a terrific movie, it’s a must-watch for sci-fi horror fans. A terrific ensemble backed by Carpenter’s eye for visuals makes The Thing as gripping as it is grotesque.
The Return of the Living Dead (1985)
66%
7.3/10Scares are inherent to the horror genre, but movies like The Return of the Living Dead show off the genre’s versatility. Another ’80s classic, director Dan O’Bannon’s movie tells the tale of an unlikely bunch dealing with a zombie outbreak.
The group — including a warehouse owner, two employees, a mortician, and some teenagers — are wrapped up in the accidental release of insatiable brain-eating undead. The Return of the Living Dead was well-received for its zany mix of comedy and zombie horror. It even popularized some undead tropes horror fans are familiar with today. Add in a dose of punk rock, and O’Bannon’s zombie flick becomes a great candidate for Halloween rewatches.
New Life (2024)
For fans wanting something recent and unexpected, New Life is a must-watch. Helmed by debut director John Rosman, this story revolves around a mysterious young woman named Jessica Murdock (Hayley Erin) spattered in blood, desperate to run from her past. She’s aiming to cross the Canadian border, but not without an agent named Elsa Gray (Sonya Walger) keen to track her down.
New Life was well-received and something of a sleeper success, praised for the intimate scale of its story. Everything from Jessica’s motives to Elsa’s reasons for tracking her are mysteries, and well-earned ones at that. Combining revelations with blood and scares, New Life is a movie that benefits from audiences knowing only the barest details going in.
Child's Play (2019)
Functioning as a franchise reboot and remake of its namesake, 2019’s Child’s Play updates the iconic slasher. Directed by Lars Klevberg, the movie sees Karen Barclay (Aubrey Plaza) unwittingly give her 13-year-old son Andy (Gabriel Bateman) a murderous toy. After the toy names itself “Chucky” (Mark Hamill), it begins to display increasingly violent tendencies and torments the family.
The original Child’s Play is one of the most iconic slasher movies under the horror umbrella. This remake doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it updates the 1988 movie with modern technology and absurd gore. Klevberg’s take on Child’s Play offers the entertainment and over-the-top violence fans would expect.
Totally Killer (2023)
For fans who appreciate zaniness and comedy in horror, last year’s Amazon Prime original Totally Killer is an entertaining watch. Directed by Nahnatchka Khan, teenager Jamie Hughes (Kiernan Shipka) attempts to stop the Sweet 16 Killer, who murdered her mother years earlier.
With the help of a time machine she helped her friend Amelia Creston (Kelcey Mawema) build; she travels back to 1987 and teams up with the younger version of her mother (Olivia Holt) to stop the killer during his original spree. Totally Killer is a fun and even darkly comedic horror movie that cleverly mashes up the slasher-horror subgenre with sci-fi. By mixing serial killers, time travel, and comedy, Totally Killer succeeds in not taking itself too seriously.
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
65%
7.3/10Loosely adapted from Washington Irving’s 1820 short story, Sleepy Hollow is great for audiences wanting some gothic flavor to their horror. Fittingly directed by Tim Burton, the film stars Johnny Depp as Ichabod Crane, a man sent to investigate a string of grisly murders in the eponymous village. Three victims were murdered via decapitation by the mythical Headless Horseman.
Tim Burton is one of the best auteur directors for watching eccentric movies laced with a gothic atmosphere. Sleepy Hollow is no exception, as it’s praised for its moody, imaginative world and stylized visuals. It’s not without a grim sense of humor for some levity, and Depp throws himself into the role for it all.
Psycho (1960)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, one of the most influential directors in any genre, Psycho is a must-watch for horror enthusiasts. Based on Robert Bloch’s 1959 novel, this small-scale plot begins with the meeting between on-the-run embezzler Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) and motel proprietor Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins). Later, Marion’s sister Lila (Vera Miles) and private investigator Milton Arbogast (Martin Balsam) arrive to investigate her disappearance.
Psycho is still widely acclaimed for laying the groundwork for the modern horror genre, including the slasher subgenre that’s popular today. Hitchcock’s direction demonstrated what the genre could achieve as an art form, from establishing atmosphere to subverting expectations.
The Dark Half (1993)
Another adaptation of a Stephen King novel, The Dark Half is an engaging psychological-horror story. Directed by George A. Romero, the story follows a successful author named Thad Beaumont (Timothy Hutton) who uses his real name and a pseudonym to publish his works.
However, when news breaks that he and his pseudonym George Stark are the same, Thad stages the latter’s funeral and is later stunned to discover a string of killings disturbingly similar to those in “Stark’s” books. Romero’s adaptation of The Dark Half offers a compelling psychological premise ably supported by Hutton’s performance. The movie might lean on the “character profile” approach more than its scare factor, but its thought-provoking plot is enough to compensate.
Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018)
The found-footage approach to horror is popular in the genre, and Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum will still find ways to excite audiences. A South Korean film directed by Jung Bum-shik, the movie follows a web series crew that decides to film at an abandoned asylum to drive engagement.
The web host stages some scares to spook the audience, but they discover far more sinister things the deeper they explore. Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum earned positive reviews for its effective, if not groundbreaking, use of the found-footage filmmaking style. It would have been easy to become a pale imitation of The Blair Witch Project, but its relentless tension and fear factor feel sincere.
Nanny (2022)
A Prime Video original, 2022’s Nanny is an engrossing psychological horror movie. The film was directed by Nikyatu Jusu — her first feature-length production — and follows a Senegalese immigrant named Aisha (Anna Diop) who takes a nanny job for a wealthy New York City family.
She’s guilt-ridden by the son still living in Senegal, but pressures mount further when she’s haunted by a violent presence. Nanny received a strong critical reception for the movie’s increasingly unsettling atmosphere. The dream-like elements make the psychological terror feel genuine, and the story blends the fear with poignant social commentary on immigrant life.
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
96%
8.0/10The Nightmare (2015)
49%
5.7/10The Breach (2022)
4.9/10Bones and All (2022)
74%
6.8/10The latest effort from masterful filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, Bones and All reunites the director with Call Me By Your Name star Timothée Chalamet. Set in a modern world not too different from our own, the story follows Maren (played by Taylor Russell) and Lee (Chalamet). Star-crossed lovers, both youths are doing what they can to stay afloat on the road. Oh, and it just so happens that they both enjoy consuming human flesh. On its face, this bizarre blend of horror, drama, and romance may not seem like it would work, but thanks to some committed performances from its two leads, Bones and All is hard to look away from.
Play Dead (2022)
4.0/10Absentia (2011)
59%
5.8/10Renfield (2023)
53%
6.4/10According to the doomsday crew, if the family doesn’t sacrifice one of their own, a series of global tragedies will consume the world. It’s your typical nail-biting siege pic, with a bunch of characters stuck under one roof for a majority of the runtime, but Knock at the Cabin gets a big boost from its excellent cast, with Dave Bautista being an empathetic standout. Yes, he could kill you by looking at you for too long, but Mr. Brocht could also make you a shed a tear or two.[/dt_media]
There's Something Wrong with the Children (2023)
53%
4.9/10Directed by Roxanne Benjamin from a script by T.J. Cimfel and David White, There’s Something Wrong with the Children stars Alisha Wainwright and Zach Gilford as Margaret and Ben, a couple who take a trip into the wilderness with fellow adults Ellie and Thomas (Amanda Crew and Carlos Santos) and their two kids, Lucy (Briella Guiza) and Spencer (David Mattle). Everything is going peachy-keen until the dawn of a new day. After disappearing into the forest, Lucy and Spencer are acting quite strange upon their return.
Is something supernatural afoot, or did the kids just have too many marshmallows? Cut from the same cloth as films like A24’s horror movie A Hole in the Ground and Amazon’s remake of Goodnight Mommy (swap the weird kids for a weird parent), There’s Something Wrong … isn’t bringing the most original premise to the table, but where this Blumhouse-produced entry truly succeeds is with its foreboding camera work, editing, and haunting score.
The Battery (2012)
6.3/10Written, directed, produced, and starring Jeremy Gardner, The Battery follows the postapocalyptic day-to-day lives of two former baseball players, Ben (Gardner) and Mickey (Adam Cronheim). Constantly at each other’s throats, these two survivors of the undead takeover are forced to wander the desolate remains of New England. While searching an abandoned property, Ben and Mickey discover two walkie-talkies.
While testing the radios, they stumble upon a transmission from a nearby group of survivors. Mickey wants to join the marauders, but Ben seems to have his doubts. Shot in just 15 days in Connecticut for only $6,000, The Battery is proof that you don’t need flashy CGI to tell a captivating, horrific, and inspiring story.
Cropsey (2009)
Cropsey is the kind of documentary that has us wishing there were more documentaries just like it; and even if you’re a horror fan who never treads the waters of non-fiction, we highly recommend giving this one a go. Produced and directed by Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio, Cropsey explores the titular urban legend, a monster of a man who preyed upon five New York City children through the ‘70s and ‘80s.
But far more than a wandering wraith, the filmmakers discover that the horrible acts of convicted child kidnapper Andre Rand may be at the root of the decades-old myth. Profound and disturbing, Cropsey has gained quite the following over the last 15 years or so, and for good reason: it’s a sensational and disturbingly horrific doc that’s worth your time.
The Oak Room (2020)
Based on the Peter Genoway play of the same name, director Cody Calahan’s The Oak Room stars Breaking Bad alum RJ Mitte and Peter Outerbridge as Steve and Paul. Hoping to settle a long-ago score, a homecoming Steve (Mitte) returns to a bar he once frequented, where he decides to trade harrowing stories with the miserly barkeep. It’s these chilling words that possess a greater part of the film, with the various vignettes delivering countless twists and turns throughout the runtime.
My Best Friend's Exorcism (2022)
58%
5.3/10Goodnight Mommy (2022)
45%
5.6/10The Collector (2009)
29%
6.3/10Candyman (2021)
72%
5.9/10My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To (2021)
Madres (2021)
43%
4.8/10Black as Night (2021)
53%
4.4/10Nocturne (2020)
58%
5.7/10Nocturne stars Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria, White Lotus) and Madison Iseman (I Know What You Did Last Summer) as twin sisters Juliet and Vivian. Accomplished pianists attending a prestigious music school, Vivian’s abilities are near-virtuoso and always a step above Juliet’s hands. That is until Juliet comes into the possession of a music theory book from a student that had jumped to her death. As the tome begins granting Juliet newfound confidence and dedication to the piano, her inflated ego meshes with a series of supernatural events that threaten her own life and the safety of those around her.
The Manor (2021)
59%
5.3/10We Are Still Here (2015)
65%
5.7/10Bingo Hell (2021)
55%
4.3/10Black Box (2020)
62%
6.2/10The Reef (2010)
5.8/10Suspiria (2018)
64%
6.7/10
