With October around the corner, you may be wondering how HBO Max’s horror movie selection stands up to competition. With over 150 titles to choose from, HBO Max’s horror collection promises plenty of scary movie nights possibilities. While other platforms like Netflix and Hulu have quantity covered, HBO Max is the best for scary movies of quality.
HBO Max has an impressive catalog, with over 10,0000 hours of content available on-demand, including dozens of critically-acclaimed HBO originals. You’re sure to find the platform’s movie lineup tempting, with same-day releases for Warner Bros Films available to stream right on HBO Max.
HBO Max has a tremendous selection for fans of monsters, the paranormal, psychopathic murderers, and things that go bump in the night. Take a look at our top picks for the spookiest shows and best scary movies on HBO Max right now!
Lovecraft Country
- Release Year: 2020
- Rating: TV-MA
- Stars: 88% Rotten Tomatoes
- # of Seasons: 1
The Emmy-nominated Lovecraft Country will have you glued to the screen, squirming in your chair, and paranoid for at least a week. The show reimagines 1950s Jim Crow America with monsters straight from the Lovecraft universe.
This series follows Atticus Black, a Korean War veteran on a quest to find his missing father—but we’re in the Lovecraft universe, so don’t expect it to be straightforward! With plenty of suspense, mind-bending magic, and some very haunting scenes, Lovecraft Country is a perfect pick for your next horror series.
Folklore
- Release Year: 2018
- Rating: TV-MA
- Stars: 88% Rotten Tomatoes
- # of Seasons: 1
HBO Asia brings us a six-part anthology featuring black magic, cannibalistic ghosts, and spirits that are certain to terrify. The anthology focuses on a variety of superstitions that originate from different regions across Asia. Each superstition is explored through the lens of a different Asian director who incorporates their own horror style into the story.
Each episode brings its own lore and depiction of the superstition, offering a uniquely terrifying way of learning about the stories from other cultures. Explore Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia through these six chilling depictions—and witness why these stories have transcended generations.
Poltergeist
- Release Year: 1982
- Rating: PG
- Stars: 7.3/10 IMDb
A cult classic for a reason, Poltergeist tells the story of an everyday, suburban family as they struggle with a haunted house and a lineup of evil ghosts. When their youngest daughter goes missing, the family seeks the help of paranormal investigators, and eventually, an exorcist.
As the story develops, spirits that once seemed friendly and playful quickly become twisted and menacing. You will feel the family’s terror and despair as things go very bad very quickly. Thanks to HBO Max’s premium content library, you can revisit this classic or watch Poltergeist for the first time.
The Amityville Horror
- Release Year: 1979
- Rating: R
- Stars: 6.2/10 IMDb
The Amityville Horror was one of the first films to popularize everybody’s favorite horror trope—the haunted house. Based on the story the Lutz family gave investigators in 1975 after moving into a new home, The Amityville Horror gives you everything you need in a classic scary movie: a friendly family, a cursed house, and a deep, threatening voice screaming, “GET OUT.”
Whether the Lutz family started one of the biggest hoaxes of all time or told the terrifying truth of their 28-day stay, you’ll have to decide for yourself. Either way, you’ll be delightfully terrified by the events that unfold in this classic film.
The Conjuring
- Release Year: 2013
- Rating: 7.5/10 IMDb
- Stars: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston, Lili Taylor
The Conjuring Universe is one of the most successful franchises in modern, mainstream horror. In The Conjuring, we meet paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren for the first time, as well as the Perron Family with their five daughters. Ed and Lorraine are called to assist the Perrons when they reach out for help concerning a malicious spirit in their new farmhouse.
When Ed and Lorraine arrive, they realize a dark curse left by a witch haunts the house—and to their dismay, the Perron family can’t simply leave the house to escape the danger. Director James Wan really delivers in this film and promises a truly frightening two hours.
Annabelle: Creation
- Release Year: 2017
- Rating: R
- Stars: 71% Rotten Tomatoes
Annabelle: Creation is the prequel to Annabelle, setting the stage for how the infamous doll became possessed. The film begins with dollmaker Samuel Mullins, his wife Esther, and their daughter Annabelle. When the family opens their home to a group of orphans years after the death of their daughter, one of the children makes a discovery that has some grave consequences.
Annabelle: Creation received a much more positive reaction than the first Annabelle film and will definitely leave you hiding your eyes behind your fingers for stretches at a time. If possessed dolls are right up your alley in the horror genre, this film is a must-watch!
Night of the Living Dead
- Release Year: 1968
- Rating: Not rated
- Stars: 97% Rotten Tomatoes
The film that sparked the world’s obsession with zombies, Night of the Living Dead is an excellent pick on HBO Max for your next scary movie marathon. The film starts with two siblings, Barbara and Johnny, who visit their father’s grave. Johnny teases Barbara for being scared of the graveyard but quickly learns his lesson when a pale, creeping man suddenly appears.
With a haunting soundtrack and incredible acting, Night of the Living Dead shows great execution of the zombie storyline. With seven people all fighting for survival, you’ll see desperation, terror, and just how woefully unprepared we are for a zombie invasion. Queue it up for your next movie night and enjoy the classic before the release of Night of the Living Dead II in 2022!
The Blob
- Release Year: 1958
- Rating: Approved
- Stars: 6.4/10 IMDb
What’s a horror movie list without an amorphous blob movie? Nothing! The Blob brought us the debut of Steve McQueen and showed us how enjoyable a cheesy film can actually be. Two teenagers, Jane and Steve, are kissing in a car at Lovers’ Lane when they see a meteorite crash. Struck with curiosity, Steve decides to head down to check it out.
The teens discover a strange substance that came from the meteorite, which appears to be taking over a man’s body. Panicked, they attempt to warn the skeptical authorities until the blob shows up and starts devouring the town. A fun and action-packed film, The Blob will give you another reason to fear global warming.
The Brood
- Release Year: 1979
- Rating: R
- Stars: 83% Rotten Tomatoes
The Brood takes on mental health and parenthood with some pretty disturbing imagery. Nola Carveth and her husband Frank are in the midst of a divorce and custody battle for five-year-old Candice. Nola stays at the Somafree Institute to work on her mental health with Dr. Raglan, a psychologist who teaches patients to work through past traumas through physiological changes to their bodies.
When their daughter comes back from visiting Nola with bruises, Frank’s concern for his daughter leads him to question his wife’s unconventional psychologist. He confronts Dr. Raglan on his methods and threatens to withhold Candice from seeing her mother, leading to a series of terrifying events.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
- Release Year: 1984
- Rating: R
- Stars: 94% Rotten Tomatoes
An absolute classic of a slasher film, A Nightmare on Elm Street promises a fun, gory time for every watch and rewatch. When a group of Midwestern teens begin sharing terrifying nightmares of a burnt man with a metal-clawed brown leather glove, they begin to fall prey to the figure of their nightmares.
The group grows increasingly desperate (and sleep-deprived) as they try to stay alive. The horrifically iconic Freddy Krueger may go on to terrify in 8 more films and even a TV series, but the original 1984 A Nightmare on Elm Street marks the terrifying start of Krueger’s killings.
