People don’t seem to discuss it enough, but we’re currently in the midst of something of a horror renaissance. Each year, plenty of great horror movies help to revitalize the genre and they come in many forms. The likes of 2022’s Scream, 28 Years Later, and Candyman have injected new life into established franchises, while original projects like Sinners and Weapons managed to become surprise hits that also earned wins at the Academy Awards.

We’ve also been treated to the likes of X, Pearl, and Maxxxine, as well as the Terrifier trilogy, which have given us new franchises to love. Of course, with so many great horror movies arriving at such a rapid pace, it means that so many tremendous ones have flown under the radar. These are the indie projects or films that went straight to streaming that many people just looked past and didn’t give a proper chance.

There are also films that were watched by a fair number of people, yet somehow didn’t have the staying power of other great horror movies. The end result is that there are plenty of films in the genre that deserve more love, whether they’re slashers, zombie survival movies, psychological horror projects, or something else entirely. They’re all worth a viewing.

#Alive (2020)

During the pandemic, plenty of movies told a story that focused on people being stuck inside. It often hit too close to home for everyone who was actually trapped indoors. That said, #Alive told that kind of tale, yet the protagonist wasn’t quarantined due to the Coronavirus. Instead, it was because of a zombie apocalypse.

This Netflix original horror movie sees Oh Joon-woo, a video game streamer in Seoul who is stuck inside while zombies attack the city. He finds solace in someone in the building across from him and the two work together to battle hordes of the undead.

We’re All Going To The World’s Fair (2023)

Jane Schoenbrun is one of those rising stars among directors in the horror genre. Their biggest and most notable movie was 2024’s I Saw the TV Glow and they also have Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma on the horizon. However, it’s their first feature film, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, that tipped everyone off to her talents.

Not many people have managed to see We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, yet those who have can understand its praise. The story follows Casey, a teen who gets sucked into the online “World’s Fair Challenge,” and documents the changes it has on her both mentally and physically. The psychological horror is unlike anything else on this list.

Heart Eyes (2025)

Sometimes, you want to have a good time with a horror film rather than just being scared and Heart Eyes is a blast of a movie. It manages to blend a romantic comedy with a slasher, which is rare and allows it to stand out. Despite a cool premise and solid reviews, it was overlooked upon release.

Heart Eyes centers on Ally McCabe (Olivia Holt) and Jay Simmonds (Mason Gooding), two people who are at odds at work but get mistaken as a couple, which makes them the target of the Heart Eyes killer, who murders romantic partners every Valentine’s Day. With creative kills and good laughs, it’s so much fun.

His House (2020)

His House is a creative film that should’ve been a bigger hit than it was on Netflix. The movie features the likes of future Oscar nominee Wunmi Mosaku and Matt Smith, telling the story of a refugee couple from South Sudan who struggle to adjust to their new life.

The home they live in has an unexpected and sinister evil lurking beneath the surface. While not enough people have watched it, those who did appreciate it. In fact, His House director Remi Weekes won the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer.

Clown In A Cornfield (2025)

Clown in a Cornfield might not sound like your traditional horror movie, just based on the title, yet it goes places you probably don’t expect. Based on a 2020 novel of the same name, it follows a father and daughter who move to a new town only to find various killers dressed as clowns attacking the locals.

That sets the stage for a fun slasher, yet it’s the mystery element that makes Clown in a Cornfield stand out. The movie features a whodunit aspect that makes it a caper worth checking out, while also giving you twists that you won’t see coming.

The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020)

In 2017, The Babysitter proved to be a strong original horror film for Netflix. From McG, the movie centers on a young boy who has a crush on his babysitter, only to learn that she’s part of a murderous satanic cult. Nobody expected that we’d get a sequel, yet one arrived in 2020.

The Babysitter: Killer Queen follows an older Cole (Judah Lewis) and is set two years later, when members of the cult return from the dead. It has the wild antics that made the original such a hit, while also adding a new character played by Jenna Ortega, continuing her resume as a modern scream queen.

The Call (2020)

There are several movies out there titled The Call, but a good argument can be made that this South Korean one is the best of the bunch. Based on The Caller from 2011, this film manages to incorporate elements of science fiction and thrillers with the scares.

The Call follows Kim Seo-yeon who, while visiting her sick mother, receives a call from a woman who is being tortured. She eventually learns that the caller is actually in 1999 and they can communicate across time and space. Of course, there’s a wild twist that sends it into horror territory, which is chilling.

Possessor (2020)

David Cronenberg is as iconic a name in horror filmmaking as you’ll find and his son Brandon is on the way to becoming a major name too. Infinity Pool was his bigger project but Possessor is his best work.

The premise centers on an assassin who can possess the bodies of other individuals, allowing her to roam free despite her actions. However, she runs into trouble when she has to fight for control of the latest person she possesses. Though overlooked, Posssessor was a huge hit with critics.

Cuckoo (2024)

Cuckoo is a pretty wild horror movie that gets more outlandish as the runtime goes on. It first caught the attention of horror lovers with a thrilling trailer that features some haunting imagery.

Cuckoo is led by the immensely talented Hunter Schafer, who plays Gretchen, a girl who moves to a resort town with her father following the death of her mother. While there, she finds that nothing is as it seems and that there’s a sinister plot underneath it all. It’s proof that we need Hunter Schafer in more horror films.

Watcher (2022)

Another modern scream queen who doesn’t get quite as much notoriety as she deserves is Maika Monroe. From It Follows to Longlegs, she has been the lead actor in some of the most acclaimed horror movies of the past decade or so.

Watcher is another great film for her but it’s a different kind of horror project. Instead of scary monsters or anything like that, it sees her play Julia, a woman who moves to a new country with her boyfriend and finds that someone is constantly watching her from the adjacent building.