The Best Horror Movies on Hulu in April 2023
There are lots of movies and TV shows on Hulu across every genre. Sometimes, however, what you’re really in the mood for is some terrifying scares. From movies that offer jump scares to psychological thrillers and corny slasher flicks, Hulu has a bit of it all.
If you’re looking for a good horror movie to sink your teeth into, there are options of all types, including brand new movies as well as old classics. There’s sure to be something worth adding to the watch list, but with titles coming and going all the time, check out these flicks before they’re no longer available.
Updated on 11/14/2023 by Christine Persaud: This month, Hulu adds some new horror movies to its selection, including new releases as well as old favorites. There’s sure to be something worth adding to the watch list.
Hellraiser (2022)
A reboot of the popular movie franchise and the 11th movie altogether, Hellraiser is about a young recovering addict named Riley who uses a mechanical puzzle box to summon humanoid beings that thrive on both pain and pleasure. When Riley narrowly avoids being killed, the Cenobites, as they are known, insist that she find another sacrifice to die in her place.
The story remains on the same track as the ones that came before it, and true to the 1986 novella on which all the movies are based, The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker. It has been described as red, raw, and perfectly capturing the story’s “repulsive glamor.”
Piggy (2022)
Originally in Spanish language, the horror thriller Piggy is based on Carlota Pereda’s 2019 short film, with Pereda herself writing and directing. Laura Galan, who also stars in the short film, stars as Sara a young woman nicknamed Cerdita, or “Piggy” by bullies at her school due to her weight. After being constantly tormented and tortured by these girls, Sara is faced with a deeply troubling moral decision: does she help these girls when she sees them being kidnapped?
So begins a twisted story about hot only a horrible killer but also something with a deeper meaning about bullying, treating people with respect, and doing the right thing. The movie not only scratches the itch for a horror film, it also explores common themes within human nature.
Barbarian (2022)
Tess arrives at a rental home she has booked only to realize that it was also booked by another man at the same time. But the dwelling also seems to harbor some deep, dark secrets. The longer she stays, the more bad things she heard about this home and the area in which it is situated, while strange things continue to happen.
Disturbing and frightening, Barbarian takes the story in some shocking directions, but it keeps viewers glued to the screen the entire way through. While being a newer film, Barbarian has already begun to join the long list of quintessential horror films that all fans should watch.
Watcher (2022)
A psychological thriller, Watcher is about married couple Julia and Francis who move into a new apartment in Bucharest. All is well until Julia notices a creepy man from the apartment across the street staring at her. He seems to be watching her every day, and Julia becomes increasingly restless with his voyeurism.
When she hears that there’s a serial killer on the loose, targeting then decapitating young women, her concerns grow deeper. She can’t shake the feeling that the man in the window is the killer, and her instincts intensify as the killings begin to hit closer to home.
Fresh (2022)
Sebastian Stan stars as Steve in Fresh, a charming young man who befriends a young woman named Noa in a grocery store. Sick of using dating apps, Noa is excited to have a chance encounter with a potential beau in real life and jumps at the chance to date him. Things go well, but when Steve invites Noa for a weekend away, the situation becomes deadly.
A horror thriller, Fresh follows Noa as she discovers some sick truths about Steve and realizes that people can hide their true selves in person just as well as they might online. The movie shocked audiences with its twists and created a lot of positive critical buzz upon its release for its story and cast.
Run (2020)
Sarah Paulson is a pro at the horror game, having starred in series like American Horror Story, playing many characters through the seasons, and Ratched. She plays an equally disturbing character in this psychological horror thriller. Chloe (Kiera Allen) in Run is a disabled teenager who is homeschooled by her mother. But she can’t help but think that her mother is hiding some dark secrets.
A harrowing tale about a young woman and a troubled mother, Run is equal parts heartbreaking and horrifying. The tension and suspense are lauded by critics, making Run a must-watch. Run helps to keep the audience on their toes by avoiding familiar pitfalls and delivering on its horror promise.
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt along with a young Kirsten Dunst shine in this gothic vampire movies from the ’90s about long-time vampire Lestat (Cruise) and newly minted vampire Louis (Pitt). It tells the story of their relationship with a young girl named Claudia (Dunst) as she transitions to vampire life.
With a strong supporting cast as well that includes Christian Slater as the reporter to whom Louis is telling his story in present day and Antonio Banderas, Interview with the Vampire received two Academy Award nominations. It’s gory and dark, but the story tells that of both light and darkness.
No One Will Save You (2023)
A new movie, No One Will Save You is a sci-fi horror about a seamstress living in her childhood home and morning the loss of her mother and best friend. Brynn lives alone, shunned by others and doing nothing but building a model town in her home. That is, until she’s visited by a humanoid alien.
While she manages to kill the alien, she realizes that the town has been overtaken by these creatures. These aliens have put the townspeople under their control. Now, it’s up to Brynn to save herself and her hometown.
The Boogeyman (2023)
Another new movie, The Boogeyman is based on the 1973 short story of the same name, which was written by famous horror director Stephen Spielberg. The plot centers around the Harper family, including two sisters Sadie and Sawyer and their father Will, who works as a therapist. When Will meets a patient named Lester who claims that his three children were all killed by an evil being, he calls the police.
But it seems maybe there was something to Lester’s unbelievable claims after all when the family starts encountering their own strange creatures. The Boogeyman is a supernatural horror that brings plenty of chills the whole way through, in signature King style.
Spiral (2021)
Saw X‘s 2021 predecessor Spiral is now available to stream on Hulu. More than just featuring a fresh set of viscerally gory thrills that the franchise has become known for, Spiral is centered on an against-type performance from star Chris Rock rather than the actor’s usual comedic fare.
Rock plays police detective Zeke Banks, who investigates the rise of a Jigsaw copycat killer who has launched a fresh wave of murders that revolve around placing victims in elaborate traps. As Banks gets closer to tracking down the serial killer, he discovers that he and his father, Marcus, are now both on the murderer’s radar, forced to endure their own nightmarish gauntlet to survive. Led by an all-star cast, now is a great time to check out Spiral for those that may have missed it during its original theatrical run.
The Babadook (2014)
The name might sound playful, but the story in The Babadook is anything but. In this psychological horror movie, which is based on writer Jennifer Kent’s short film Monster, widowed single mother Amelia (Essie Davis) finds herself struggling with her son Sam’s (Noah Wiseman) intense fear of a humanoid monster he claims is living in their home.
Her six-year-old Sam builds weapons to fight this supposed creature, stops sleeping, and soon, strange things begin happening in the house. It all stems from a creepy pop-up storybook, but the story might be more real than Amelia realizes.
Annabelle (2014)
One of the creepiest movies of 2014, and arguably that decade, Annabelle gave viewers nightmares for months after watching the story of the creep doll. As a prequel to The Conjuring, Annabelle is a vintage porcelain doll that at first seems harmless. But a series of paranormal events suggest that Annabelle might be anything but.
With cults, demons, devil worship, and more, Annabelle is this generation’s Child’s Play. Creepy dolls are nothing new in the horror space. While this interpretation doesn’t live up to The Conjuring, it’s still a terrifying, albeit formulaic, film worth adding to the watch list.
The Autopsy Of Jane Doe (2016)
What seems like a routine autopsy turns out to be anything but when the unidentified deceased woman elicits supernatural happenings around the father-and-son coroner team. Despite no visible signs of trauma on the young woman, there are shattered bones inside her while her lungs are black enough to suggest she suffered from third-degree burns. Even her internal organs have scarring. Her cloudy eyes, meanwhile, suggest a longer death than the rest of her corpse indicates.
Strange things continue to happen while the body is in possession of the coroners, and the intensity continues to build. Brian Cos and Emile Hirsch star in this film that has been called a “suggestively creepy thriller.”
Willy’s Wonderland (2021)
As Nicolas Cage takes a bloody turn at playing the legendary vampire Dracula in Renfield, another one of Cage’s horror movies is available to stream on Hulu. Willy’s Wonderland takes place in an eponymous children’s pizza parlor, complete with large animatronic figures to entertain patrons during regular business hours. Cage, who also produced the film, plays a nameless drifter who maintains the parlor overnight only to learn that the animatronics come to murderous life after hours.
Bearing more than a passing similarity to the popular video game franchise Five Nights at Freddy’s, which is getting a film adaptation, Willy’s Wonderland is a solid showcase for Cage. In a twist compared to most of Cage’s filmography, his performance in the movie is largely silent as he battles the sentient animatronics. For those looking to tide over the wait for Renfield and Five Nights at Freddy’s, Willy’s Wonderland is the perfect breezy film to pass the time.
Horrifying and psychologically disturbing, The Menu is the type of movie that fans continued to talk about after watching. The ending is somewhat ambiguous and the story a warning, of sorts about cancel culture, elitism, and the harm one’s words and actions can have on others. Anyone who watched will think twice about ever insulting a waiter or chef again.
The story begins when a group of wealthy individuals, from movie stars to businessmen, are invited to an island for an exclusive dinner with a celebrity chef. But the guests soon discover that the meal they are about to have comes with consequences, relating to their real-world actions.
Alien (1979)
One of the most iconic sci-fi horror movies ever made, Ridley Scott’s Alien made Sigourney Weaver a household name for her role as the archetype for strong female characters who could kick butt and take names. She is Ripley, the warrant officer aboard a spaceship headed back to Earth. But when they encounter an alien ship, they find themselves in serious danger.
For the time period, at the end of the ’70s, Alien featured impressive visual effects. But the tension build throughout the movie didn’t even need them. The movie is beloved by audiences everywhere and considered to be a quintessential entry into the sci-fi genre.
The Mill (2023)
A new movie, The Mill stars Lil Rel Howery as Joe, an average, well, Joe who suddenly wakes up in a strange room with no idea how he got there and why. He meets another and learns that they were drugged, will be isolated if they try to ask for help, and are tasked with doing nothing more than pushing a mill. If they don’t comply, bad things will happen.
Joe pushes on as his body and mind break down and he begins to hallucinate. But getting back home to his pregnant wife drives him to survive. The movie has received mixed reviews, with some saying Howery isn’t a strong enough actor to carry the weight of the entire film. Nonetheless, The Mill is an interesting new entry into the horror genre.
Infinity Pool (2023)
Another new movie, Infinity Pool stars Alexander Skarsgard, Mia Goth, and Cleopatra Coleman. James (Skarsgard) is a novelist who has traveled to a seaside resort with his wife Em (Coleman). When they are invited to join a couple for dinner, the four travel into the countryside, despite warnings that it isn’t safe for tourists.
Antics ensue with the foursome, with Gabi (Goth) causing trouble in the marriage. Getting into hot water, James finds himself in a deadly and twisted predicament when he meets the eyes of the country’s strange justice system. Described as edgy, warped, even perverse by critics, Infinity Pool is the work of Brandon Crononberg, son of the originator of the body horror genre David Cronenberg, and has the family’s signature style all over it.
