Best horror films and TV series of all time - from Sinners to Twin Peaks

With Sinners earning the most Oscar nominations of any film, horror is no longer knocking at the mainstream door.

Here's RT's all-time top 20 chill-inducing films and TV series – plus where you can currently watch them in the UK.

And there's plenty more to come, as we've also highlighted five upcoming chillers for 2026 guaranteed to scare up a storm.

Best horror films of all time

Nosferatu (1922; 5*, PG) — available on Amazon Prime Video & BFI Player

Dead and loving it: the original vampire classic still feels fresh over a century later. German silent master FW Murnau films the Dracula story with the eeriest atmosphere and turns the blood-sucking count into an iconic, rat-like demon. Calum Baker

Eyes without a Face (1959; 5*, 15) — available on BFI Player

The plastic surgery footage in this French classic from 1959 is still good and horrible, but what’s most memorable is its haunting story: that of a doctor who obsesses over crafting a “fix” for his disfigured, mask-wearing daughter. CB

Psycho (1960; 5*, 15) — available on Now Cinema

With just one three-minute sequence and an unforgettable set of shrieking violins, Alfred Hitchcock changed cinema forever as star Janet Leigh steps into a shower at the Bates Motel and discovers she’s not alone. CB

Night of the Living Dead (1968; 5*, 15) — Available on Amazon Prime Video

George A Romero’s debut defined zombie lore and established horror as a genre capable of slyly dealing with social issues, while the chilling ending is a reminder that often it’s not the dead you need to worry about. Ben Bailey

Don’t Look Now (1973; 5*, 15) — Available on StudioCanal Presents

Death, sex and clairvoyance all collide for grieving parents Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie when they travel to Venice in Nicolas Roeg’s unnervingly splintered 1973 drama, which features one of cinema’s great shock endings. CB

The Exorcist (1973; 5*, 15) — Available on Now Cinema

William Friedkin’s controversial Catholic horror turned heads on release and enjoyed 10 Oscar nominations – unprecedented for the genre. Ellen Burstyn leads a committed cast as the mother whose young girl is possessed by a terrible demon. CB

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974; 5*, 15) — Available on Shudder

Long banned by the British Board of Film Classification as a “video nasty”, but one of horror’s undeniable artistic high points, Tobe Hooper’s gritty and grisly cannibal story boasts a truly disturbing level of realism. CB

Jaws (1975; 5*, 12) — Available on Now Cinema

Steven Spielberg’s iconic shark hunt turned a pulp premise into a masterclass in suspense, created the very concept of the summer blockbuster and scared generations of children off ever going near the sea. BB

Halloween (1978; 5*, 15) — Available on BBC iPlayer

Stalk, kill, repeat: John Carpenter’s tale of a masked killer in suburbia set the template for a whole sub-genre, but remains unmatched for eerie atmosphere (and its cool synth score). CB

Alien (1979; 5*, 15) — Available on Disney+

Stuffed with iconic sci-fi designs, Ridley Scott’s claustrophobic classic sees Sigourney Weaver facing off against a very nasty stowaway smuggled aboard her spaceship via John Hurt’s ill-fated digestive system. CB

The Shining (1980; 5*, 15) — Available on Now Cinema

Creepy twins and corridors of blood are just the tip of the terror iceberg in Stanley Kubrick’s innovative adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, in which an author (Jack Nicholson) slowly develops a violent case of cabin fever. CB

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984; 4*, 15) — Available to buy/rent

The ultimate “boogeyman”, razor-fingered Freddy Krueger, torments teenagers inside their dreams in Wes Craven’s fright classic, one of the great smash-hit horrors of the 1980s. CB

Evil Dead II (1987; 5*, 15) — Available on StudioCanal Presents

Bruce Campbell loses a hand but gains a chainsaw in director Sam Raimi’s Three Stooges-inspired romp in the woods, which blends gristle and slapstick into gleeful and lovingly hand-crafted low-budget perfection. CB

Candyman (1992; 4*, 15) — Available to buy/rent

This unnerving chiller combines modern social issues and the legend of a slave’s murdered son, as Virginia Madsen’s student project turns an urban myth into terrifying reality. Tony Todd’s hook-handed ghost will linger long in your memory. Tom Folley

Scream (1996; 5*, 18) — Available on BBC iPlayer, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video

“What’s your favourite scary movie?” For many, this genre-savvy 1996 slasher, where a masked killer terrorises a community with horror movie trivia questions (and a very sharp knife) has to be up there. CB

Ring (1997; 4*, 15) — Available on Amazon Prime Video

This influential Japanese film about a VHS tape that curses its viewer to an imminent grisly death is one of the great movies that suggests terrible things might be floating through the seams of modern digital technologies. CB

Let the Right One In (2008; 4*, 15) — Available on BFI Player

Lyrical and bloody romantic fable from Sweden. A bullied youngster develops a friendship with a girl who happens to be an insatiable vampire – and wants to help him get back at his tormentors. CB

The Babadook (2013; 4*, 15) — Available on ITVX and Amazon Prime Video

A young widow finds that the sinister top-hatted creature in her son’s pop-up book might not be fictional in this bold and intense tale from Australia. Essie Davis gives a monumental performance as the anguished mother. CB

Get Out (2017; 5*, 15) — Available on BBC iPlayer, Netflix and Now Cinema

The idea of putting yourself in someone else’s skin is taken to a startling extreme in this consistently inventive hit from 2017 that instigated the idea of “elevated horror” with its pointed politics, neat plotting and satirical humour. BB

Sinners (2025; 4*, 15) — Available on Now Cinema

Now the most Oscar-nominated movie of all time, Ryan Coogler’s expertly crafted blockbuster blend of bluesy period drama and merciless vampire action shows just how far horror’s come over the last century-plus. CB

5 horror movies coming up in 2026

The Bride! (March)

Maggie Gyllenhaal directs an inventive take on the oft-filmed Frankenstein legend, with Christian Bale as the Creature, who, in 1930s Chicago, wishes to build a wife (Jessie Buckley). Expect horror, comedy and, apparently, “big dance numbers”. CB

Ready or Not: Here I Come (March)

Grace (Samara Weaving) survived one hide-and-seek bloodbath; now she and her sister (Kathryn Newton) are roped into an even bigger “game” for a sequel that promises to be as sharp and madcap as its 2019 predecessor. CB

Evil Dead Burn (July)

The last entry in the resurrected franchise, 2023’s Evil Dead Rise, was a corker. Mastermind Sam Raimi returns as producer for this latest gorefest, with a plot that’s being kept tightly under wraps. CB

Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom (October)

Aardman have form with their horror spoofs, as Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit fans will attest. The Claymation studio’s latest comedy has Shaun and pals involved in an experiment that goes a little bit wrong. CB

Werwulf (December)

The latest meticulously designed period horror from Robert Eggers (The Witch, 2024’s Nosferatu remake) takes us to 13th-century England, where a small village is being stalked by something rather nasty... CB

Best horror TV shows of all time

Kolchak: The Night Stalker, 1974 (Buy on Amazon Prime Video)

It may be the most cult of cult shows, but this monster-of-the-week thriller, in which reporter Carl Kolchak discovers all manner of beasts in the urban sprawl of 1970s LA has proven to be a major TV influence, essentially serving as the prototype for The X-Files. It burned bright for a short time, but that brevity has arguably helped secure its legend. David Brown

Tales From the Crypt, 1989 (YouTube)

The iconic, cackling, pun-cracking Crypt Keeper (voiced by John Kassir) introduces each episode of this campy anthology series from 1989-1996, with darkly humorous stories based on the comics. It also became a horror hotbed for celeb cameos, including Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, Tim Curry, and even Daniel Craig. Laura Rutkowski

Twin Peaks, 1990 (Paramount+)

For David Lynch, evil resides not in haunted houses but suburban homes, his monsters woven into what resembles a postcard version of small-town America. But don’t be seduced by the coffee and cherry pie. Because surface-level quirks prove deeply sinister, as the mystery of who killed Laura Palmer takes us to the darkest of places. DB

Ghostwatch, 1992 (Buy on Amazon Prime Video)

Prime-time drama masquerading as a live broadcast – a conceit that resulted in this Screen One chiller duping the nation into believing Michael Parkinson had been possessed and Sarah Greene killed by a poltergeist. Following its 1992 Halloween airing, switchboards were jammed and the BBC has never dared repeat it. DB

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 1997 (ITVX/Paramount+/Disney+)

As US teen dramas are forever telling us – hell is high school. But for Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), the vanquisher of all things vampiric, youthful turmoil comes with fangs attached. This quippy ‘90s pop-culture phenomenon remains irresistible gateway horror, its scares a potent allegory for adolescent angst. DB

Dead Set, 2008 (TUBI)

A forerunner to Black Mirror, Charlie Brooker's satirical horror unleashes a zombie apocalypse on the isolated housemates of Big Brother. Genuinely scary at times (and rather daft at others), Dead Set was an early gig for star Riz Ahmed and an unusual day at the office for Davina McCall (as herself). David Craig

The Walking Dead, 2010 (Disney+/NOW/Prime Video)

The first series revolutionised both the zombie and the horror genre, making it not a niche watch, but pure watercooler fare. The “walkers” might be a constant background threat in this post-apocalyptic hellscape, but it’s the well-developed characters (Andrew Lincoln’s everyman Rick Grimes, Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s evil Negan) and their journey of survival that make the scares all worth it. LR

American Horror Story, 2011 (Disney+)

Ryan Murphy’s ever-changing, ever-bold, and ever-camp horror anthology series has made names for multiple stars, including Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters. From the stylish Hotel to the classic Murder House, there’s a season for any horror fan. Lewis Knight

Hannibal, 2013 (Amazon Prime Video)

Before cannibalistic serial killer Dr Hannibal Lecter’s capture, what if he was unsuspecting FBI criminal profiler Will Graham’s (Hugh Dancy) therapist? This highly stylised series provides this twisted take on Thomas Harris’s novels, with plenty of gastronomic delights and gruesome kills. “Fannibals,” as they are known, hold out hope for a long-awaited fourth season, with everyone keen to return. LR

Penny Dreadful, 2014 (Buy on Amazon Prime)

Beloved characters from Victorian literature, including Dorian Gray, Victor Frankenstein and Count Dracula, are all referenced, but the real draw has to be the magnetic and show-stopping turn from Eva Green. She plays original heroine Vanessa Ives, a clairvoyant sought by multiple dark forces for evil ends. LK

Stranger Things, 2016 (Netflix)

Inspired by the world of Dungeons & Dragons, the Duffer Brothers’ sci-fi horror captured the world’s attention with the disappearance of Will Byers and the introduction of the haunting Upside Down. Almost 10 years later, it’s made superstars of its young cast, and secured its place as a defining TV series of our generation. Louise Griffin

Channel Zero, 2016 (Prime Video)

Monsters made of human teeth, haunted houses and killers in raincoats: Channel Zero revels in surreal imagery, twisted characters and classic horror tropes. This inventive anthology feasts on childhood fears and internet-born legends, spinning spooky TV shows, creepy puppets and sinister basements into smart, deeply unsettling stories that linger. Alex Berry

The Haunting of Hill House, 2018 (Netflix)

Horror on TV was given a new lease of life when Mike Flanagan released his first masterfully crafted Netflix hit, loosely based on the Shirley Jackson novel. Five adult siblings face the ghosts of their past when they return to the mansion they fled as children. LG

The Terror, 2018 (ITVX)

Prepare to be haunted by history in this anthology drama, the first series of which finds British naval officers punished for their imperial hubris during a 19th-century Arctic expedition, while the second explores Japanese folklore in relation to WWII internment camps. Two separate stories, but both using horror as a grisly point of reckoning. DB

Marianne, 2019 (Netflix)

Stephen King has endorsed Marianne, saying his fellow “sickos” will enjoy being scared by this French series that definitely has a King-esque premise to it. A famous horror writer returns to her hometown, only for the witch from her books and nightmares to begin terrorising her in the real world. LR

Evil, 2020 (NOW)

An unlikely trio made up of a forensic psychologist, a Catholic priest-in-training and a tech expert investigate whether paranormal events, “miracles” and demonic possessions have a logical explanation, or can’t be explained at all – all while paying homage to the monster-of-the-week genre. Jamie Windust

From, 2022 (NOW)

Lost star Harold Perrineau finds himself trapped in a nightmarish town where no one who arrives can ever leave in this sleeper hit. With monsters around every corner, and no one you can trust, From is a hidden gem that will grab you and never, ever let you go. LG

Interview with the Vampire, 2022 (BBC iPlayer/Netflix)

Based on Anne Rice's novels, this sumptuous gothic horror finds century-old vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) recalling the blood-soaked early years of his undead life – including a turbulent romance with his maker, Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid). The third series will switch perspective with a new name: The Vampire Lestat. DC

Alien: Earth, 2025 (Disney+)

Set two years before Alien, this stunning prequel honours the original while providing a fresh take on the franchise. We follow the moving story of Sydney Chandler’s Wendy and her fellow hybrids as they come face-to-face with Earth’s biggest threat in a series that will make your heart beat out of your chest. LG

It: Welcome to Derry, 2025 (NOW)

Developed by brother-and-sister Andy and Barbara Muschietti, who are behind 2017’s It and 2019’s It Chapter Two, and Jason Fuchs, this prequel series is set prior to those films in Derry, Maine in the early 60s. Bill Skarsgård is terrifying reprising his role of Pennywise in this original and nightmarish take on Stephen King’s classic novel, with an outstanding young cast. LR

5 horror TV series coming up in 2026

Crystal Lake (Later this year, Sky/NOW)

Carrying on the recent trend for TV adaptations of classic horror franchises, Crystal Lake is a prequel based on Friday the 13^th, featuring a young Jason. Linda Cardellini plays the hockey-masked psycho killer to-be’s mother Pamela Voorhees. Filming took place at the same site as the 1980 movie – Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in Blairstown, New Jersey. LR

Carrie (Coming soon, Prime Video)

Stephen King’s work is always ripe for TV and film adaptations, and horror-loving filmmaker Mike Flanagan has worked on several: Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, The Life of Chuck. He said working on Carrie was “one of my favourite projects ever” for a faithful retelling about the tortured telekinetic teen. LR

Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen (26 March, Netflix)

Make sure to save the date for this twisty tale, which is executive produced by Stranger Things scribes the Duffer Brothers and will explore the dreaded fear of marrying the wrong person by taking us down the aisle of a doomed wedding. LG

Stranger Things: Tales From '85 (23 April, Netflix)

Our adventures in the Upside Down will continue in the form of an animated spin-off inspired by ‘80s Sunday morning cartoons. Set between series 2 and 3 of Stranger Things, our heroes will battle new monsters and get to the bottom of a puzzling paranormal mystery haunting Hawkins. LG

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale (Coming soon, Hulu)

Much like the antagonists from Sunnydale’s Hellmouth, horror has an uncanny ability to return with new twists – hence this continuation of the Buffyverse with Sarah Michelle Gellar reprising the role that propelled her to fame, though here it’s Ryan Kiera Armstrong (star of 2022’s Firestarter) who’ll play the new central character Nova. DB

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