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Scary movies to watch tonight
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Updated October 24, 2026
For a scary movie tonight, start with the best-rated recent horror, such as Obsession, Godzilla Minus One, or a classic like Psycho, The Shining. Every title below has at least 3,000 TMDB votes, so the score reflects a large audience. Each row shows its US rating and where it streams as of October 24, 2026.
Recent scares (2018 and later)
These are the highest-rated horror films from 2018 on with thousands of votes. Newer films are easier to find on streaming and tend to be shorter on setup.
| Title | Rated | Length | TMDB rating | US streaming (October 24, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obsession (2026) | R | 109 min | 8.2/10 | Peacock |
| Godzilla Minus One (2023) | PG-13 | 125 min | 7.6/10 | Netflix |
| Frankenstein (2025) | R | 150 min | 7.6/10 | Netflix |
| Sinners (2025) | R | 138 min | 7.5/10 | HBO Max |
| The Black Phone (2022) | R | 103 min | 7.5/10 | Netflix |
| A Quiet Place Part II (2021) | PG-13 | 97 min | 7.4/10 | Paramount+ |
Obsession (2026)
2026 · R · Horror, Thriller · 109 min · TMDB 8.2/10
Rated R, 109 minutes, 8.2/10 from 6,287 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.
US streaming: Peacock
Godzilla Minus One (2023)
2023 · PG-13 · Science Fiction, Horror, Action · 125 min · TMDB 7.6/10
Rated PG-13, 125 minutes, 7.6/10 from 3,535 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: In postwar Japan, Godzilla brings new devastation to an already scorched landscape.
US streaming: Netflix
Frankenstein (2025)
2025 · R · Drama, Fantasy, Horror · 150 min · TMDB 7.6/10
Rated R, 150 minutes, 7.6/10 from 3,991 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: Dr.
US streaming: Netflix
Sinners (2025)
2025 · R · Horror, Action, Thriller · 138 min · TMDB 7.5/10
Rated R, 138 minutes, 7.5/10 from 5,405 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
US streaming: HBO Max
The Black Phone (2022)
2022 · R · Horror, Thriller · 103 min · TMDB 7.5/10
Rated R, 103 minutes, 7.5/10 from 6,173 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: Finney Blake, a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use.
US streaming: Netflix
A Quiet Place Part II (2021)
2021 · PG-13 · Science Fiction, Thriller, Horror · 97 min · TMDB 7.4/10
Rated PG-13, 97 minutes, 7.4/10 from 7,726 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: Following the events at home, the Abbott family now face the terrors of the outside world.
US streaming: Paramount+
Classics that still work (2017 and earlier)
Older horror ranks well because it has had decades to collect votes. These keep their score after the novelty fades.
| Title | Rated | Length | TMDB rating | US streaming (October 24, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psycho (1960) | R | 109 min | 8.4/10 | Netflix, Peacock |
| The Shining (1980) | R | 144 min | 8.2/10 | HBO Max |
| Alien (1979) | R | 117 min | 8.2/10 | Netflix |
| The Thing (1982) | R | 109 min | 8.1/10 | Prime Video, AMC |
| Coraline (2009) | PG | 100 min | 7.9/10 | Hulu, Peacock, HBO Max |
| Rosemary's Baby (1968) | R | 138 min | 7.8/10 | Paramount+, AMC+, AMC |
Psycho (1960)
1960 · R · Horror, Thriller, Mystery · 109 min · TMDB 8.4/10
Rated R, 109 minutes, 8.4/10 from 11,373 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: When larcenous real estate clerk Marion Crane goes on the lam with a wad of cash and hopes of starting a new life, she ends up at the notorious Bates Motel, where manager Norman Bates cares for his housebound mother.
US streaming: Netflix, Peacock
The Shining (1980)
1980 · R · Horror, Thriller · 144 min · TMDB 8.2/10
Rated R, 144 minutes, 8.2/10 from 19,571 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: Jack Torrance accepts a caretaker job at the Overlook Hotel, where he, along with his wife Wendy and their son Danny, must live isolated from the rest of the world for the winter.
US streaming: HBO Max
Alien (1979)
1979 · R · Horror, Science Fiction · 117 min · TMDB 8.2/10
Rated R, 117 minutes, 8.2/10 from 17,022 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet.
US streaming: Netflix
The Thing (1982)
1982 · R · Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction · 109 min · TMDB 8.1/10
Rated R, 109 minutes, 8.1/10 from 8,382 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.
US streaming: Prime Video, AMC
Coraline (2009)
2009 · PG · Animation, Family, Fantasy · 100 min · TMDB 7.9/10
Rated PG, 100 minutes, 7.9/10 from 9,624 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: Wandering her rambling old house in her boring new town, 11-year-old Coraline discovers a hidden door to a strangely idealized version of her life.
US streaming: Hulu, Peacock, HBO Max
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
1968 · R · Drama, Horror, Thriller · 138 min · TMDB 7.8/10
Rated R, 138 minutes, 7.8/10 from 4,552 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: A young couple, Rosemary and Guy, moves into an infamous New York apartment building, known by frightening legends and mysterious events, with the purpose of starting a family.
US streaming: Paramount+, AMC+, AMC
Questions
What is a good scary movie to watch tonight?
By TMDB rating among well-voted horror films, Obsession, Godzilla Minus One are near the top. See the tables for runtime and where each streams.
How were these ranked?
By TMDB average rating, counting only films with at least 3,000 votes. It is a ranking of audience scores, not of how scary a film is.
Are these actually scary?
TMDB has no fear score. The genre tag is Horror and the rating is audience opinion, so expect a mix of dread, jump scares and gore. Check the rating column before you pick for a group.
Where can I stream them?
Each row lists US subscription services as of today. Titles marked rent or buy only are not on a subscription plan right now.
Is the streaming list current?
It was pulled on October 24, 2026 from JustWatch data via TMDB for the United States. Services rotate titles often, so check before you start.
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Sources: TMDB for titles, ratings, runtimes and synopses. JustWatch (via TMDB) supplies streaming availability. Streaming lists change often. Check the service before you plan your night.
See it in action
Want spooky without the nightmares? Our October list leans on Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth.
movies to watch in octoberOur post on TikTok. Tap to play here, or watch on TikTok.