12 Best Movies Like When the Lights Went Out to Watch Next (2026)
Looking for movies like When the Lights Went Out? Explore 12 horror, mystery, and thriller picks with haunted homes, dark secrets, and ghostly tension.
If you’re searching for movies like When the Lights Went Out, this list leans into haunted houses, uneasy family returns, and stories where a home turns hostile. You’ll find eerie picks such as The Conjuring, Insidious, and The Amityville Horror alongside more mystery-driven options like The Pact and May the Devil Take You. Some titles focus on dark family secrets, while others push harder into paranormal dread and thriller tension. Whether you want a ghost story, a poltergeist tale, or a suspenseful horror mystery, these films keep that same sense of domestic safety slipping away.
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01
An English Haunting
horror
In 1960s England, Blake Cunningham and his alcoholic mother are forced to move into the mysterious Clemonte Hall, a vast isolated manor house, to care for his dying Grandfather who resides in the attic room. Soon, ghostly goings-on fill the house with dread, as it becomes apparent Grandfather's illness may have a supernatural cause that can only be cured by uncovering the terrifying secrets of the house and its dark history.
Why watch: If you enjoy isolated old houses and family secrets, this one fits well. Its horror focus and mysterious setting make it a natural match for viewers who like slow-burn dread.
Directed by Charlie SteedsCast David Lenik, Tessa Wood, Barrington De La Roche, Emma Spurgin Hussey, Jéssica AlonsoFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
02
May the Devil Take You
horror · mystery · thriller
Hoping to find answers to her estranged father's mysterious illness, a young woman visits his old villa and uncovers a horrifying truth from the past.
Why watch: If you want a mix of horror, mystery, and thriller, this is a strong pick. The story centers on a daughter uncovering a horrifying truth at her father’s old villa, which should appeal if you like dark family puzzles.
Directed by Timo TjahjantoCast Chelsea Islan, Pevita Pearce, Ray Sahetapy, Karina Suwandhi, Samo RafaelNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
03
The Pact
horror · mystery · thriller
After their mother passes away, sisters Nicole and Annie reluctantly return to their childhood home to pay their last respects. While staying overnight in the house, the sisters sense a mysterious presence in their midst: noises startling them in the night, objects moving about, a fallen picture of an unknown woman posed next to their mother. Annie begins experiencing a series of intense and disturbing dreams - visions that lead her to uncover something terrible about her mother's past that is finally revealing itself.
Why watch: If you like stories about returning to a childhood home and finding something wrong, this is a good fit. Its mix of supernatural presence and buried family history lines up closely with that kind of eerie setup.
Directed by Nicholas McCarthyCast Caity Lotz, Kathleen Rose Perkins, Haley Hudson, Sam Ball, Mark StegerAMC+More details on IMDb → -
04
Poltergeist
fantasy · horror · thriller
A family's suburban home is invaded by angry spirits. When the terrifying apparitions escalate their attacks and take the youngest daughter, the family must come together to rescue her.
Why watch: If you want a more spirit-driven home invasion story, this one may work for you. The fantasy-horror-thriller blend and the family-in-danger premise give it a broader, more supernatural angle.
Directed by Gil KenanCast Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Saxon Sharbino, Kyle Catlett, Kennedi ClementsHuluTubiMore details on IMDb → -
05
Crawlspace
horror · thriller
The Gates family dream house turns quickly into a nightmare when their life is disturbed by the deranged previous owner who plots to retake his home and the Gates children for his own - hiding in the house attic and methodically taking out all those that stand in his way.
Why watch: If the idea of a dream house becoming unsafe sounds compelling, try this one. It leans into attic-based menace and homegrown terror, which suits fans of claustrophobic horror.
Directed by Josh StolbergCast Raleigh Holmes, Lori Loughlin, Jonathan Silverman, Steven Weber, Sterling BeaumonFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
06
Insidious
horror · mystery · thriller
A family discovers that dark spirits have invaded their home after their son inexplicably falls into an endless sleep. When they reach out to a professional for help, they learn things are a lot more personal than they thought.
Why watch: If you prefer paranormal horror with mystery and thriller elements, this is a solid choice. The premise of a family discovering dark spirits in their home gives it a strong supernatural hook.
Directed by James WanCast Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Lin Shaye, Leigh WhannellTubiMore details on IMDb → -
07
The Conjuring
horror · mystery · thriller
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives.
Why watch: If you want a bigger, more polished paranormal investigation story, this is likely the best-known pick here. Its haunted farmhouse setup and mystery-thriller blend make it ideal for fans of spirit-centered horror.
Directed by James WanCast Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston, Shanley CaswellMaxMore details on IMDb → -
08
Insidious: The Last Key
horror · mystery · thriller
Parapsychologist Elise Rainier and her team travel to Five Keys, NM, to investigate a man’s claim of a haunting. Terror soon strikes when Rainier realizes that the house he lives in was her family’s old home.
Why watch: If you like haunted-house stories tied to personal history, this one should appeal. The mystery around a family home and Elise Rainier’s involvement make it a good fit for viewers who want a franchise-style supernatural thriller.
Directed by Adam RobitelCast Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson, Kirk Acevedo, Kit GoldsmithMaxMore details on IMDb → -
09
Silent House
horror · thriller
Sarah returns with her father and uncle to fix up the family's longtime summerhouse after it was violated by squatters in the off-season. As they work in the dark, Sarah begins to hear sounds from within the walls of the boarded-up building. Although she barely remembers the place, Sarah senses the past may still haunt the home.
Why watch: If you enjoy a tense house-return setup with sounds in the walls and an uneasy past, this is worth a look. It keeps things grounded in horror and suspense rather than expanding into bigger supernatural mythology.
Directed by Chris Kentis, Laura LauCast Elizabeth Olsen, Adam Trese, Eric Sheffer Stevens, Julia Chan, Adam BarnettTubiPeacock PremiumMore details on IMDb → -
10
I Trapped the Devil
horror · mystery · thriller
A man descends into paranoia after trapping what he believes to be the devil in his basement, but things take a dark turn when his family unexpectedly arrive for Christmas.
Why watch: If paranoia-driven horror sounds appealing, this title may be for you. Its horror-mystery-thriller mix and Christmas setting create a trapped-together pressure that could suit fans of unsettling, contained stories.
Directed by Josh LoboCast Scott Poythress, AJ Bowen, Susan Burke, Rowan Russell, John MarrottAMC+More details on IMDb → -
11
The Amityville Horror
horror
George Lutz, his wife Kathy, and their three children have just moved into a beautiful, and improbably cheap, Dutch colonial mansion nestled in the sleepy coastal town of Amityville, Long Island. However, their dream home is concealing a horrific past and soon each member of the Lutz family is plagued with increasingly strange and violent visions and impulses.
Why watch: If you like the classic “cheap house with a terrible history” setup, this is an easy recommendation. It leans hard into family horror and disturbing visions, which fits viewers who want a more traditional haunted-home story.
Directed by Andrew DouglasCast Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George, Jesse James, Jimmy Bennett, Chloë Grace MoretzAmazon Prime VideoAMC+More details on IMDb → -
12
Haunt
horror · thriller
On Halloween, a group of friends encounter an extreme haunted house that promises to feed on their darkest fears. The night turns deadly as they come to the horrifying realisation that some nightmares are real.
Why watch: If you enjoy horror that moves from spooky setup to high-tension survival, this could be a good match. The Halloween haunted-house premise and thriller edge make it appealing for fans of fear-based attraction stories.
Directed by Scott Beck, Bryan WoodsCast Katie Stevens, Will Brittain, Lauryn Alisa McClain, Andrew Lewis Caldwell, Shazi RajaTubiMore details on IMDb →
Wrapping Up
The best part of this selection is how it gives you a few different paths into the same kind of fear: haunted houses, buried family history, and pressure-cooker mystery. Start with the titles that match your mood, then branch out from there if you want something darker, stranger, or more thriller-heavy. Bookmark this page and come back when you want another round of eerie recommendations. We update this list regularly, so it’s worth revisiting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to When the Lights Went Out?
These picks were matched by tone, themes, and story style using a similarity model trained on plot synopses, genres, and cast — not just shared genre tags — so the connection runs deeper than a simple category match.