We all knowThe Conjuring (2013) is a modern classic in the supernatural horror genre. James Wan crafted a tense, expertly paced haunted house tale with Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) at the heart of the terror, balancing jump scares with genuinely chilling atmosphere. It's a masterclass in storytelling and suspenseful cinematography.
The movie set a high bar for what horror can accomplish in the mainstream, with the franchise’s latest entry, The Conjuring: Last Rites becoming the biggest worldwide box-office opening in horror history. Still, some films push fear even further, taking you beyond haunted houses into darker, more psychologically unsettling territory. The following supernatural horrors, which can be found on Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max, do exactly that. They're scarier, more intense, and linger in your mind for a really long time.
The Exorcist (1973)
The Exorcist begins when Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) starts to exhibit some strange behavior after an evil presence invades her life. This prompts her mother, Chris (Ellen Burstyn), to seek the help of priests Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) and Father Karras (Jason Miller). As the supernatural possession intensifies, the battle between good and evil reaches a horrifying crescendo.
The Exorcist thrives on psychological torment, using it in a way that is extremely gut-wrenching. Unlike The Conjuring, the horror in this film is very personal. It is as much about watching a loved one suffer as it is about supernatural events. Its lasting popularity proves that its terror has been etched into the collective psyche of horror fans everywhere.
The Ring (2002)
Based on Hideo Nakata's 1998 film of the same name, The Ring follows journalist Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) as she investigates a strange videotape that curses anyone who watches it to die seven days later. As she digs into its origins, the line between reality and the supernatural begins to blur, putting her and her loved ones in terrible danger. The movie expertly blends investigative suspense with supernatural dread.
The Ring, which began as a novel by Japanese author Koji Suzuki, is basically psychological terror wrapped in haunting visuals, when compared to The Conjuring. The iconic scene of Samara crawling out of the well is an image that refuses to leave your mind. The creeping inevitability of death and obsession over the unknown creates an atmosphere that's both haunting and hypnotic. The curse ensures that terror is unavoidable. If you want something beyond exorcisms or haunted houses, The Ring should be on your watch list.
Paranormal Activity (2007)
Paranormal Activity tells the story of Katie (Katie Featherston) and Micah (Micah Sloat), who happily move into a new home. But their joy is short-lived as they soon begin experiencing increasingly disturbing occurrences that are captured on their home camera. What starts as subtle anomalies quickly escalates into full-blown supernatural chaos that feels uncomfortably real.
Compared to The Conjuring, the movie's found-footage approach makes every shadow and creak feel disturbingly real. Slow-burn dread builds an anxiety that can't be turned off because you feel like you're watching real life unravel before your eyes. Minimalist yet merciless, Paranormal Activity manipulates your imagination so effectively that you're left double-checking your own house. It is the perfect choice for horror fans who enjoy a dose of realism with their scares.
Insidious (2010)
Insidious follows Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai Lambert (Rose Byrne), whose son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) falls into a mysterious coma. Desperate to save him, they eventually learn that his soul is trapped in a dangerous dark realm. The story takes the familiar haunted house trope and flips it inside out, introducing astral projection and demonic entities that feel inescapable.
The tension is relentless, and the scares are timed with surgical precision that creeps under your skin from start to finish. The combination of eerie sound design, visual scares, and family drama makes Insidious a horror experience that digs deep into fear. It is a must-watch for viewers who loved The Conjuring for its spookiness, but want a film that leaves you with a constant feeling that nowhere is safe.
Sinister (2012)
Sinister begins when true-crime author Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) moves his family into a creepy Pennsylvania home to investigate a decades-old murder. Things take an even darker turn when he finds a box of home videos documenting grotesque killings. As Ellison peels back layers of evidence tied to the murders, a supernatural presence closes in.
What begins as research quickly becomes a battle for survival, and the line between obsession and terror blurs. Hawke gives a quietly tormented performance, and the home-video horror conceit is genuinely unsettling. The idea that evil things are caught on camera, secretly, taps into a primal fear of being watched, which is something The Conjuring touches on, but Sinister makes central. Sinister is ideal for viewers who enjoy a deeper mystery with their horror.
Lights Out (2016)
Lights Out follows Rebecca (Teresa Palmer), who takes her younger brother Martin(Gabriel Bateman) into her care to shield him from their mother's erratic behavior. Instead, she's drawn back into a nightmare from her own childhood—a shadowy figure who only appears in the dark. As lights flicker and shadows lengthen, Rebecca and her family are forced into a fight for survival.
Lights Out takes one of humanity's oldest fears (the dark) and spins it into a relentless horror ride. Because the film's rules are simple and consistent (light equals safety, darkness equals death), every flick of a switch becomes a pulse-pounding moment. Where The Conjuring builds dread gradually, this movie hits you with quick, high-impact shocks you don't see coming, making it perfect for viewers who enjoy fast-paced horror fare.
