20 Best Horror TV Shows on Max 2026
Discover 20 chilling Max series, from The Last of Us and The Outsider to The Vampire Diaries, Lovecraft Country, and more spooky favorites.
If you’re hunting for scary, suspenseful, and seriously bingeable TV, Max has a deep bench that goes far beyond simple jump scares. This roundup of 20 picks mixes horror with drama, fantasy, mystery, romance, and a little bit of dread in every direction, so there’s something here whether you want supernatural secrets or slow-burn tension. You’ll find fan favorites like The Vampire Diaries, The Outsider, The Last of Us, and Lovecraft Country alongside newer standouts such as Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin and the upcoming IT: Welcome to Derry. We’ve also included eerie documentary-style chills with A Haunting and animated nightmares like Primal, because horror on Max comes in many forms. If you’re searching for the best horror TV shows on Max, this list will help you find your next unsettling obsession.
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01
Cast a Deadly Spell
comedy · fantasy · horror · mystery
In a fantastical 1940s where magic is used by everyone, a hard-boiled detective investigates the theft of a mystical tome.
Directed by Martin CampbellCast Fred Ward, David Warner, Julianne Moore, Clancy Brown, Alexandra PowersMax -
02
The Vampire Diaries
drama · fantasy · horror · mystery · romance · thriller
The story of two vampire brothers obsessed with the same girl, who bears a striking resemblance to the beautiful but ruthless vampire they knew and loved in 1864.
Directed by Chris Grismer, Joshua Butler, Michael A. Allowitz, Marcos Siega, Pascal VerschoorisCast Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham, Candice King, Zach RoerigPeacock PremiumMax -
03
The Last of Us
action · adventure · drama · horror · sci-fi · thriller
Twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed, Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse the United States and depend on each other for survival.
Directed by Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann, Peter Hoar, Ali Abbasi, Jeremy WebbCast Bella Ramsey, Pedro Pascal, Gabriel Luna, Isabela Merced, Young MazinoMax -
04
The Outsider
crime · drama · horror · mystery · thriller
When an insidious supernatural force edges its way into a seemingly straightforward investigation into the gruesome murder of a young boy, it leads a seasoned cop and an unorthodox investigator to question everything they believe in.
Directed by Andrew Bernstein, Jason Bateman, Charlotte Brändström, J.D. Dillard, Karyn KusamaCast Ben Mendelsohn, Bill Camp, Jeremy Bobb, Mare Winningham, Paddy ConsidineMax -
05
Primal
animation · action · adventure · drama · fantasy · horror
A caveman forms a bond with a dinosaur as they struggle to survive in a hostile world.
Directed by Genndy TartakovskyCast Aaron LaPlante, Laëtitia Eïdo, Fred Tatasciore, Imari Williams, Jon OlsonMax -
06
IT: Welcome to Derry
fantasy · horror
In 1962, a couple with their son move to Derry, Maine just as a young boy disappears. With their arrival, very bad things begin to happen in the town.
Directed by Andy Muschietti, Andrew Bernstein, Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour, Jamie TravisCast Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Stephen Rider, Matilda Lawler, Amanda ChristineMax -
07
A Haunting
drama · fantasy · horror · mystery · reality-tv · thriller
These are the true stories of the innocent and the unimaginable. Based on true events, A Haunting dramatises some of the scariest stories, revealing a world in which tragedy, suicide and murder have left psychic impressions so powerful that innocent people become forced to deal with them decades later. Through mesmerizing first-person accounts, the mystery and origin of each haunting is powerfully revealed and leaves a lingering sense that life—and death—are much stronger then anyone could have possibly imagined.
Directed by David Haycox, Greg Francis, Jeffrey Fine, Stuart Taylor, Lance CataniaCast Andrew Ragan, Kelley Davis, Terry Jernigan, Doug Haupt, Tony WadeAmazon Prime VideoPeacock PremiumFreeveeMax -
08
Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin
drama · horror · mystery · romance · thriller
Twenty years ago, a series of tragic events almost ripped the blue-collar town of Millwood apart. Now, in the present day, a group of disparate teen girls finds themselves tormented by an unknown Assailant and made to pay for the secret sin their parents committed two decades ago, as well as their own.
Directed by Lisa Soper, Roxanne Benjamin, Maggie Kiley, Alex Pillai, Rob SeidenglanzCast Bailee Madison, Chandler Kinney, Zaria, Malia Pyles, Maia ReficcoMax -
09
Lovecraft Country
drama · fantasy · horror · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
The anthology horror series follows 25-year-old Atticus Freeman, who joins up with his friend Letitia and his Uncle George to embark on a road trip across 1950s Jim Crow America to find his missing father. They must survive and overcome both the racist terrors of white America and the malevolent spirits that could be ripped from a Lovecraft paperback.
Directed by Daniel Sackheim, Yann Demange, Cheryl Dunye, Misha Green, Victoria MahoneyCast Jurnee Smollett, Jonathan Majors, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Wunmi Mosaku, Abbey LeeMax -
10
Shining Vale
comedy · fantasy · horror
A family moves to a small town into a house in which terrible atrocities have taken place. But nobody seems to notice except for Pat, who's convinced she's either depressed or possessed--turns out, the symptoms are exactly the same.
Directed by Liz Friedlander, Catriona McKenzie, Alethea Jones, Daisy von Scherler Mayer, Dearbhla WalshCast Courteney Cox, Greg Kinnear, Gus Birney, Merrin Dungey, Dylan GageMax -
11
Fear Thy Neighbor
action · crime · drama · horror · thriller
These are the terrifying tales of the unwanted neighbors who turn home sweet home into home sweet hell. A look inside the lives of horrific neighborly disputes and what happens when a simple issue turns into the worst night of a family's life. Do you really know who lives next door? This true-crime series tells the chilling tales of those with the misfortune to unwittingly take up residence within a stone’s throw of a psycho or killer.
Directed by Brian Rice, David Tebby, Tim Wolochatiuk, Dafydd Palfrey, Sid ZanforlinCast Tish Iceton, David Bacque, Craig Cyr, Patricia Pariselli, Brian Scott CarletonMax -
12
Naked and Afraid
adventure · game-show · horror · reality-tv
What happens when you put two complete strangers - sans clothes - in some of the most extreme environments on Earth? Each male-female duo is left with no food, no water, no clothes, and only one survival item each as they attempt to survive on their own.
Directed by Robert Michael Kelly, Kyle Hunter, Ariel ShaffirCast Michael Brown, Hugh ChaHuluMax -
13
Nancy Drew
drama · horror · mystery
Nancy Drew makes plans to leave her hometown for college, but finds herself drawn into a supernatural murder mystery instead.
Directed by Larry Teng, Amanda Row, Ruben Garcia, Kristin Lehman, Ramsey NickellCast Kennedy McMann, Leah Lewis, Maddison Jaizani, Tunji Kasim, Alex SaxonMax -
14
30 Coins
drama · fantasy · horror · mystery · thriller
Father Vergara—an exorcist, boxer and ex-convict—lives in a remote village in Spain. Hoping to be lost and forgotten, Vergara’s demons catch up to him.
Directed by Álex de la IglesiaCast Eduard Fernández, Megan Montaner, Miguel Ángel Silvestre, Macarena Gómez, Pepón NietoMax -
15
Teen Titans Go!
animation · short · action · adventure · comedy · drama · family · fantasy · horror · musical · mystery · romance · sci-fi
Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg return in all-new, comedic adventures. They may be super heroes who save the world every day ... but somebody still has to do the laundry!
Directed by Luke Cormican, Peter Rida Michail, James Krenzke, Ken McIntyre, Dave StoneCast Greg Cipes, Scott Menville, Khary Payton, Hynden Walch, Tara StrongNetflixHuluMax -
16
The Third Day
drama · horror · mystery · thriller
A unique story told over two distinct halves, "Summer" follows Sam, a man drawn to a mysterious island off the British coast where he encounters a group of islanders set on preserving their traditions at any cost. "Winter" follows Helen, a strong-willed outsider who comes to the island seeking answers, but whose arrival precipitates a fractious battle to decide its fate.
Directed by Philippa Lowthorpe, Marc MundenCast Jude Law, John Dagleish, Mark Lewis Jones, Paddy Considine, Emily WatsonMax -
17
The Head
drama · horror · mystery · thriller
In an isolated and inaccessible Antarctic research station in which winter has fallen on the South Pole and the sun will soon disappear for the next six months, a small team, known as the Winterers, remain at the Polaris VI Antarctic Research Station to continue their innovative research. Renowned biologist Arthur Wilde is determined to find a solution to climate change, but his quest turns into a nightmare when several of his esteemed scientists suddenly begin to die.
Directed by Jorge DoradoCast John Lynch, Katharine O'Donnelly, Olivia Morris, Olwen Fouéré, Alexandre WillaumeMax -
18
Velma
animation · adventure · comedy · crime · horror · mystery
Jinkies! This raucous reimagining of the Scooby-Doo franchise unravels the mysterious origins of Mystery, Inc. – as seen through the eyes of the gang’s beloved bespectacled detective Velma.
Directed by Anne Walker Farrell, Meg Waldow, Cal Ramsey, Adam Parton, Gina GressCast Mindy Kaling, Glenn Howerton, Sam Richardson, Constance Wu, Jane LynchMax -
19
Spawn
animation · action · adventure · crime · drama · fantasy · horror · mystery · romance · sci-fi · thriller
Todd McFarlane's Spawn is an animated television series which aired on HBO from 1997 through 1999. It is also released on DVD as a film series. It is based on the Spawn comic series from Image Comics, and was nominated for and won an Emmy in 1999 for Outstanding Animation Program. An unrelated series titled Spawn: The Animation is in production since 2009, with Keith David reprising his role as the titular character. Like the comic book, the series features graphic violence, sexual scenes, and extensive use of profanity. Todd McFarlane's Spawn was ranked 5th on IGN's list of The Greatest Comic Book Cartoons Of All Time.
Directed by Eric Radomski, Jennifer Yuh Nelson, John Hays, Mike Vosburg, Thomas A. NelsonCast Keith David, Richard Dysart, Dominique Jennings, James Keane, Michael McShaneMax -
20
The Bronze Garden
crime · drama · horror · mystery · thriller
Architect Fabián Danubio desperately tries to find his daughter, who has inexplicably disappeared leaving no trace.
Directed by Hernán Goldfrid, Pablo Fendrik, Benjamín NaishtatCast Joaquín Furriel, Isis Leyva, Julieta Zylberberg, Maite Lanata, Luis LuqueMax
Wrapping Up
From vampire lore and post-apocalyptic survival to haunted houses and small-town mysteries, these picks show how wide Max’s horror lineup really is. Some lean into romance or teen drama, while others go straight for cosmic terror, creature feature energy, or psychological unease. That mix is what makes the list worth bookmarking: it gives you a reliable place to start, no matter what kind of scare you want next. Check back often, because this page is updated regularly as new titles arrive and streaming lineups change.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often is this list updated?
We refresh this list regularly as titles are added or removed from streaming catalogs, so rankings and availability stay current.
Do I need a Max subscription to watch these?
Yes — every title on this list is currently available on Max. Availability can change, so we recommend checking the streaming link on each title before you start watching.
How are these horror shows ranked?
We rank by a combination of audience rating and current popularity, so you're seeing the horror titles people are actually watching right now, not just an old fixed list.
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Last updated: September 10, 2026