Best Horror Movies on HBO Max (January 2026)

If you’re a horror fan looking for more ways to get those spine shivers we all love, HBO Max has you covered. There’s plenty to choose from on the streaming platform, from supernatural horror to gothic horror to body horror to social horror. Here are some of the best horror movies on HBO Max.

What are the best horror movies on HBO Max?

We have to hand it to the streaming giant for the options available. You can just as easily find a great modern horror film as you can a classic from the 1920s. These are just a few of our favorites, though there are plenty we haven’t listed here that are also worth a watch. Others we have to give a shout-out to include Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992), Weapons (2025), Carnival of Souls (1962), Bring Her Back (2025), and Heretic (2024).

Sinners (2025)

Sinners was the unexpected blockbuster hit of last year. This one became something of a cultural phenomenon, at least for a moment. But if you haven’t had enough of it, you can stream it on HBO Max. And in case you somehow missed it, now’s your chance to check it out. The film follows twin brothers with a somewhat troubled past who return from Chicago to Mississippi. While there are, of course, the dangers of the Jim Crow South, no one expected a different kind of evil, drawn by the power of the musical gifts of their younger cousin, Sammie.

Companion (2025)

This twisty thriller from Zach Cregger (the mind behind Barbarian and Weapons) puts us in the shoes of AI. A woman named Iris (Sophie Thatcher) discovers that she’s a robot programmed to fulfill every desire of her boyfriend (Jack Quaid). But if you think you know what this movie is about to do, you don’t. Cregger, after all, loves an act of subversion.

Get Out (2017)

Jordan Peele gave us one of the best horror movies in recent years with Get Out. This genuinely unsettling, clever social thriller stars Daniel Kaluuya as Chris, who is headed to his girlfriend’s parents’ house for the weekend. When he arrives, he notices the family’s behavior is a little strange, but chalks it up to their anxieties over their daughter’s interracial relationship, even if Rose’s dad insists they voted for Obama. Twice. Of course, the little red flags start telling Chris to run, but by the time he realizes, it’s too late.

Kwaidan (1964)

If you’re looking for something a bit off the beaten path, this is a great choice. This three-hour anthology film, whose name comes from the Japanese word for “ghost story,” tells four different tales adapted from Lafcadio Hearn’s 1904 collection of folk stories. This film is absolutely stunning and deserves to be seen. If you’d like a little more info about this. Roger Ebert’s review is worth a read.

Misery (1990)

This is one of Rob Reiner’s classics in Stephen King’s universe, starring Kathy Bates in one of her most famous roles. After a serious car crash, novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) finds himself in the care of a nurse named Annie Wilkes. Annie happens to be Paul’s fan. A superfan, actually. As she helps Paul recover, she reveals she’s not too thrilled with the direction his books are going. Pretty soon, Paul realizes that Annie has no intention of letting him leave.

I Saw the TV Glow (2024)

We’re not sure why more people haven’t been talking about this film. It’s fantastic, and easily one of the best horror movies on HBO Max. It leans more arthouse than some of our other picks — which can be expected as an A24 film — but if you’re looking for a smart horror film, this should be at the top of your list. Written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun, this psychological horror follows teenager Owen (Ian Foreman), who is supposed to be at a best friend’s sleepover but instead takes a trip to visit classmate Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine). Along with Maddy’s friend, the three watch a teen TV show, The Pink Opaque. But that’s really just the setup for what this show will do.

The Witch (2015)

The debut feature film that put Robert Eggers on the map, The Witch is a quiet folk-horror film set in 17th-century New England. After a family is cast out of their Puritan village following a heated religious argument, they attempt to make a new life for themselves. Being cast from order, safety, and stability is enough to shake any family, though their bond and faith initially hold them together. Things begin to crack, however, when their infant son Samuel goes missing. The family blames Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy), the eldest daughter, who was watching him at the time. Soon, there’s talk of witchcraft, as accusing eyes fall on Thomasin.

The Conjuring (2013)

This may be the most straightforward supernatural horror film on this list. It’s leaving Netflix this month, but you can watch it, along with all of the Conjuring movies if that’s your thing, on HBO Max. Based loosely on a true story, Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) Warren are professional paranormal investigators who have handled some of the biggest cases in their field, including the Annabelle doll. They soon find themselves in over their heads when they respond to a family who recently moved into a Rhode Island farmhouse and have been experiencing some truly terrifying things.

The Substance (2024)

Another brilliant film that felt like a bit of a cultural pop phenomenon, or at least it did from the number of times we heard Endor’s remix of Danzel’s “Pump It Up,” The Substance heads into satirical body horror territory. A famous aerobics instructor, Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), learns that she’s about to be fired. She’s just a little, well, old — according to producers and our society as a whole. (Dennis Quaid as the TV producer is fantastic here.) She finds a black-market drug called The Substance that promises youth and beauty, though it comes with very specific rules, including a mandatory switch between the old body and the new. The older Elisabeth Sparkle gives way to a beautiful, young woman named Sue. We’re not giving away exactly how that happens, but that’s definitely where some of the horror comes in. Of course, it gets harder and harder to switch back.

How we picked the best horror movies on HBO Max

We narrowed down our choices to give readers some of the best picks across horror genres. We also considered both audience and critical reception.

Source: Comingsoon.net