The 10 Best Serial Killer Movies On Streaming

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey, Jr., this slow-burn thriller documents the gruesome murder spree of the still uncaught Zodiac Killer and the men who gave up everything to chase him. Haunting and patient, Zodiac is Fincher at his finest and most disciplined. The steady construction of tension and perfect performances lend themselves to an unmatched look at one of the most-terrifying murder cases in American history.

Where to Stream Zodiac

“What’s in the box?!” This is a question you’ll never look at the same way once you’ve watched Fincher’s first go at a serial killer flick. Starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and a surprise star (uncredited!), this terrifying tale of a killer who bases each of his crimes on the seven deadly sins is one you won’t be able to stop thinking about for weeks. Or months. Or years. Yeah, it’s one of those.

Where to Stream Se7en

This Oscar-winning patient horror flick directed by Jonathan Demme’s stars Anthony Hopkins as serial killer/cannibal Hannibal Lecter alongside Jodie Foster as FBI cadet Clarice Starling. Starling is enlisted by the FBI to use Hannibal’s nuanced, disturbing mind to apprehend a serial killer currently on a spree, and the rest is history. The two leads deliver absolutely unforgettable performances; Hopkins’ Lecter is somehow both monstrous and graceful, while Foster’s Starling is simultaneously tenacious and vulnerable. Disciplined, eerie, and brilliant, this tense thriller is close to perfect.

Where to Stream The Silence of the Lambs

This disturbing take on the Bret Easton Ellis novel of the same name gifts us with Christian Bale at his most terrifying. Directed by Mary Harron, this sleek take on a serial killer flick changed the social standing of horror flicks. Bale’s performance as wealthy, sex-fueled New York investment banker Patrick Bateman is one that’s still bound to send shivers down your spine. (Not to mention, he’s pretty easy on the eyes.)

Where to Stream American Psycho

This movie may have been critically panned, but there is totally something worth holding onto here. Starring Diane Lane and a pre-Fargo Colin Hanks as FBI agents from the cybercrime division who are suddenly sucked into a more terrifying case than either of them could have ever anticipated. This killer live-streams his murders on the web – and that’s not all. The more people tune in, the faster his victims die. Though the film certainly borders on gratuitous, Lane and Hanks’ race against the clock is a hell of an entertaining one.

Where to Stream Untraceable 

Terrence Malick‘s feature film debut stars Sissy Spacek as a naive teenager who listens to her crazy older boyfriend (Martin Sheen) when he enlists her to join him on a killing spree throughout the Midwest. Despite the alarming age difference in the characters (15 and 25! Yikes!), the drama of this seemingly sweet duo embarking on a series of murders is totally disturbing.

Where to Stream Badlands

Charlize Theron‘s Oscar-winning turn as real-life prostitute-turned-serial-killer Aileen Wuornos is one that will be burned into your brain forever. While female serial killers are apparently rare, Wuornos lured men under the guise of her occupation as a hooker and eventually murdered and robbed them, eventually claiming self-defense when she was apprehended. Also starring Christina Ricci, this gripping thriller is harrowing in more ways than one.

Where to Stream Monster 

Another flick ripped from the headlines, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is loosely based on serial killer Henry Lee Lucas and follows Henry (Michael Rooker) as he begins murdering randomly selected people after his roommate introduces him to the concept. Henry has no empathy or remorse about his actions, and does not discriminate – whether it be an unsuspecting family or an unfortunate witness. The film does not shy away from even the most gruesome of subject matter – this psychological thriller is one you won’t want to skip.

Where to Stream Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

Perhaps the most lighthearted selection on this list (and that’s generous), Oliver Stone’s satirical crime film depicts a twisted couple (Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis) who travel the country and murder pretty much anyone that crosses their paths. They always make sure to leave one victim alive at each scene to tell their story, and due to this, tales of their crimes become glorified by the mass media. Visually stunning and self-aware, Natural Born Killers makes you think – maybe a little too much – about the way society sees violence.

Where to Stream Natural Born Killers

If you still have a Hannibal-shaped hole in your heart, you should go back to the beginning and watch this on-screen iteration of Will Graham’s unconventional romance with Dr. Lecter. Played here by Edward Norton, Graham is asked to come out of retirement to help apprehend a new serial killer, one that has come to be called the “Tooth Fairy”. In doing so he must face his old enemy, Dr. Lecter (Hopkins), who uses their meetings to retrieve information about Graham to pass along to the Tooth Fairy. Starring Ralph Fiennes as the killer and Philip Seymour Hoffman as the lecherous Freddie Lounds, Red Dragon is superbly acted and offers thrills to lovers of Hannibal and The Silence of the Lambs alike.

Where to Stream Red Dragon