15 Best Horror Movies on HBO Max Right Now (April 2024)

Few things are better than making some popcorn, turning off the lights, and letting a movie scare the heck out of you. But with so many streaming services out there, it’s hard to know where to best get your horror fix. Luckily HBO Max has a steep selection of horror titles for you to peruse. From classics to new entries, they have you covered. And the variety included offers choices whether you like your scares to come with a dose of humor, action, surrealism, or none of the above. Here are just some of the great horror titles HBO Max currently has on offer.

Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Max.

Didn’t find what you’re looking for? Check out the best thrillers, dramas, or overall films on HBO instead, or peruse our list of best horror films on Netflix and Hulu.

‘Midsommar’ (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes: 63% | IMDb: 7.1/10

One of the most innovative minds in modern horror, Ari Aster’s mind-bending masterpiece Midsommar stars Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor as Dani and Christian, a young couple who are invited to join a midsummer Swedish festival in the countryside. However, what first begins as a refreshing and enigmatic trip away soon turns dark, with the depraved desires of the cult who reside there quickly twisting the fortunes of the couple seemingly fatal. Aesthetically gorgeous and terribly frightening, Midsommar is a triumph of modern horror with its dedication to finding scares in the most unlikely of places. Not only that, but the movie is very deliberately often comedic, with the consistent horror cut intelligently by biting moments of humor. – Jake Hodges

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‘Scream’ (1996)

Rotten Tomatoes: 80% | IMDb: 7.4/10

Heralded as one of the best slashers of all time, Scream follows the young folks of Woodsboro, California, who — on the anniversary of the death of one of their friends’ mothers — begin to be stalked by the depraved and often comical killer Ghostface. Director Wes Craven uses his unrivaled knowledge of the slasher genre to bring this meta masterpiece to life, with a terrifying classic horror tale accompanied by many winks and nods to the audience and those within it who are fans of the genre. Always ready to subvert expectations, Scream was such a success upon release that it very quickly launched one of modern cinema’s most exciting horror franchises — one that still flourishes to this day. – Jake Hodges

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‘Orphan’ (2009)

Rotten Tomatoes: 58% | IMDb: 7.0/10

This psychological horror from 2009 follows a central couple, Kate (Vera Farmiga) and John Coleman (Peter Sarsgaard), who are grieving the loss of their baby. In an attempt to recover from their despair, they decide to adopt nine-year-old orphan Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman). However, after initially falling in love with her despite the seeming protestations of their other children, things soon turn darker than they could have possibly imagined. A classic horror tale at its heart, Orphan combines intricate storytelling with sheer terror, with some of the modern genre’s biggest scares. A big success with the younger generation, Orphan even earned a nomination at the Teen Choice Awards. – Jake Hodges

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‘The Strangers’ (2008)

Rotten Tomatoes: 48% | IMDb: 6.1/10

Directed, written by, and starring Scott Speedman, The Strangers tells the tale of a young couple whose time at a vacation home is cut tragically short simply by a knock at the door in the dead of night. What ensues is the bloody and brutal invasion of three masked strangers, but will the couple be able to survive? The genius of The Strangers is the very deliberate decision to tell a violent story at a pensive pace, leaving plenty of room for the gripping horror to breathe. Featuring a plethora of top performances from the likes of Speedman and Liv Tyler, The Strangers is one horror you won’t want to miss… that is, unless you want to sleep tonight. – Jake Hodges

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‘Under the Skin’ (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes: 55% | IMDb: 6.3/10

Some 10 years before he was directing an Academy Awards darling with The Zone of Interest, Jonathan Glazer was bringing to life this low-budget blend of sci-fi and horror. Starring Scarlett Johansson as The Female, Under the Skin tells the tale of an unearthly creature that takes the form of a woman who hunts the streets of Scotland, looking for her next victim to seduce and kill. Preying on the most innate fears within us all, Under the Skin is a masterpiece in subdued storytelling, with the brooding atmosphere truly getting deep under your skin. – Jake Hodges

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‘Evil Dead Rise’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 84% | IMDb: 6.5/10

The fifth installment in the Evil Dead franchise comes from writer/director Lee Cronin and tells the tale of two estranged sisters fighting for survival against the rise of demonic forces. With their family possessed, will they be able to save themselves and their loved ones? Featuring two captivating lead performances from Lily Sullivan as Beth and Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie, Evil Dead Rise takes many of the best features of this horror juggernaut, famed for the direction of Sam Raimi, and evolves them under the eye of a new director who clearly has a love for the franchise. Gripping and bloody, Evil Dead Rise was a wonderful addition to 2023’s great slate of horror movies. – Jake Hodges

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‘Hereditary’ (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes: 90% | IMDb: 7.3/10

Iconic modern director Ari Aster’s debut behind the camera, Hereditary tells the tale of Toni Collette and Gabriel Byrne’s couple, Annie and Steve, who begin to realize that their family may be haunted, which quickly turns to tragedy. This haunting soon unravels into the world of demonic cults and possessions in a twisted tale that constantly threatens to divulge into the stuff of nightmares. Beyond Aster’s incredible use of the camera alongside cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski, it is Toni Collette’s striking lead performance that steals the show, with many declaring it the biggest snubbed performance at that year’s Academy Awards. – Jake Hodges

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‘The Witch’ (2015)

Rotten Tomatoes: 90% | IMDb: 7.0/10

The perfect combination of director Robert Eggers and an 18-year-old Anya Taylor-Joy brings The Witch, a story set in 1630s New England, to life. As a Puritan family attempts to stay true to their beliefs, a slate of terrifying supernatural occurrences plague them, with the potential reality of witchcraft and dark magic slowly becoming unbearable. Gripping and stomach-churning, The Witch depicts the slow mental torture of a devout family, with the malevolent set of circumstances that unendingly bedevil them both difficult and thoroughly immersive to watch. Bolstered by a set of fantastic lead performances, it is no surprise that this movie woke the world up to the talents of Taylor-Joy and launched one of modern movie’s most exciting young careers. – Jake Hodges

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‘We’re All Going to the World’s Fair’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes: 90% | IMDb: 5.4/10

This teen-centric thriller follows young Casey (Anna Cobb) as her immersion in an online role-playing game starts to take its supernatural toll, with Casey choosing to document her sudden physical and mental changes. Directed by Jane Schoenbrun, this exciting and inventive movie takes advantage of the zeitgeist fears felt by our modern world towards online technology, with breakout star Anna Cobb providing a viscerally captivating performance. Terrifying and thought-provoking, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair capitalizes on the groundwork laid by the likes of Unfriended to make one of modern cinema’s best screenlife horrors. – Jake Hodges

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‘The Conjuring’ (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes: 86% | IMDb: 7.5/10

The beginning of one of horror’s biggest franchises, The Conjuring tells the tale of a Rhode Island family whose new country home holds many a dark secret. Despite their best efforts to ignore the signs that the house is haunted, the sheer level of disturbance felt by the family soon becomes too much to handle. Brought to life by the legendary James Wan, this emotionally gripping and visually terrifying horror will keep you on the edge of your seat not simply through fright but also through a visceral and tender connection to the characters. With scares that come out of nowhere and a penchant for infesting your nightmares, there is a reason why The Conjuring is considered the film that kicked off the horror movie renaissance of the past decade. – Jake Hodges

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‘Eraserhead’ (1977)

Rotten Tomatoes: 89% | IMDb: 7.3/10

From the enigmatic mind of the iconic David Lynch, Eraserhead stars Jack Nance as new father Henry Spencer, a man for whom the emotional pressures of fatherhood are beginning to take their toll. As his frustrations and anxieties begin to overwhelm him, they soon manifest themselves in the child itself, with signs quickly showing that this baby is certainly out of the ordinary — and may not even be of this world. Visually captivating and fuel for thought, Eraserhead stands as one of the most striking horror movies ever made, so much so that it aesthetically competes with even the most avant-garde of modern horror films. A terrifying delight, this is one movie everyone must experience. – Jake Hodges

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‘Malignant’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes: 77% | IMDb: 6.2/10

An award-winning horror from genius James Wan, Malignant follows Annabelle Wallis’ Madison after she wakes up in a hospital having strange and disturbing visions. However, it soon becomes clear that those visions are real — and may be courtesy of the haunted walls in which she currently resides. Packed full of surrealist terror, Malignant feels like James Wan let loose, with a plot that verges on insanity and never breaks its own immersion. By the rolling of the credits, Malignant will have you feeling like its central character — a feeling often attempted by horror movies but very rarely achieved. – Jake Hodges

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‘Night of the Living Dead’ (1968)

Rotten Tomatoes: 95% | IMDb: 7.8/10

George A. Romero’s masterpiece Night of the Living Dead is the benchmark for zombie movies — and for good reason. The movie follows a team of terrified Pennsylvanians as they hide from flesh-eating zombies and try to survive the apocalyptic outbreak that slowly consumes the Northeast of the United States. Powerful in its messaging and spine-chilling in its cinematography, Night of the Living Dead isn’t just one of the greatest zombie movies of all time, it is one of the first, with the success of this and Romero’s follow-ups Dawn and Day of the Dead setting in motion one of horror’s most well-loved sub-genres. – Jake Hodges

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‘Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me’ (1992)

Rotten Tomatoes: 63% | IMDb: 7.3/10

With the mind of David Lynch behind it, this movie was always going to make its mark. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me takes the iconic television series and dials it up to eleven, with the movie telling the tale of the murder of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) and the days that led to it. Truly chilling and full of the sort of enigmatic imagery that fans of Lynch have come to love, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me is both a harrowing story and a work of art, with many lovers of the series disagreeing with the critics of the time and hailing this a masterpiece. Certainly strange and always ready to subvert your expectations, this is Lynch firing on all cylinders. – Jake Hodges

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‘The Brood’ (1979)

Rotten Tomatoes: 81% | IMDb: 6.8/10

As many horror fans will know, David Cronenberg is a master of his craft, with The Brood one of his best creations. This winding and often strange narrative details all sorts of sickening and unusual moments in the life of a man, his wife, her unconventional psychologist, and a brood of terrifying children. Starring the likes of Oliver Reed and Samantha Eggar, The Brood certainly isn’t hampered by the technical limitations of its day, with Cronenberg delivering a host of gruesome images that rival even the biggest budget horrors of today. For anyone looking for the next best horror to watch on Max, it’s hard to go wrong with The Brood. – Jake Hodges

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