When Jordan Peele released Get Out! (2017) — a film that turned a weekend visit to his girlfriend’s family into a nightmare of coded racism and body horror — few could have predicted it would still be dominating streaming charts eight years later. Yet as of October 2025, Get Out! (2017) remains the crown jewel of Netflix’s horror catalog, ranking #1 on G2A News’ list of the 10 Best Horror Movies on Netflix in 2025. The film, starring Daniel Kaluuya and Allison Williams, isn’t just scary. It’s hauntingly relevant. And that’s exactly why it still terrifies audiences.
Why Get Out! Still Haunts Streaming Platforms
According to G2A News’ October 2025 deep-dive analysis, Get Out! (2017) has consistently ranked in the top 5 psychological horror films on Netflix since its January 2020 debut. What’s more, the publication found that psychological horror now makes up nearly 30% of Netflix’s top 50 most-watched horror titles globally — a trend that’s only grown since 2022. The reason? Viewers aren’t just chasing jump scares. They’re seeking stories that mirror real fears — the kind that linger after the credits roll.
"It’s not the ghosts that keep people up," said one anonymous Netflix data analyst cited in the report. "It’s the realization that the monster was always in the room — and it looked like your in-laws."
The Rise of the Social Horror Genre
Get Out! (2017) didn’t invent social horror — films like The Wicker Man and The Babadook paved the way — but it perfected it. G2A News describes the film as "a brilliant psychological horror that turns stereotypes to absurd levels, seamlessly combining the serious and real issue of racism with a creepy plot twist straight out of sci-fi." That blend of the mundane and the monstrous is what sets it apart. The Armitage family’s polite racism, the hypnotic spoon, the sunken place — these aren’t just horror tropes. They’re metaphors made flesh.
Compare that to Gerald’s Game (2017), where Carla Gugino is trapped by her own trauma, or His House (2020), where a Sudanese refugee couple faces both supernatural forces and the crushing weight of displacement. These aren’t just horror films. They’re psychological autopsies.
What’s New on Netflix in Late 2025
While classics hold strong, the horror landscape is evolving. HorrorPress.com’s October 15, 2025 report highlights three upcoming Netflix titles that could redefine the genre:
- Until Dawn (2025): A group of friends stuck in a time loop, dying over and over — each death more brutal than the last.
- 28 Years Later (2025): Survivors on a remote island, protected by a wall — until a boy discovers the virus isn’t the real threat.
- Maa (2025): A mother, driven mad by grief, transforms into the goddess Kali to fight a demonic curse.
And then there’s Frankenstein, set to debut on Netflix on November 7, 2025, with an 86% Tomatometer score and a staggering 94% audience rating. Rotten Tomatoes calls it "a chilling, modern retelling that asks who the real monster is."
Why This Matters Beyond Streaming Numbers
This isn’t just about what people are watching. It’s about what they’re *feeling*. The surge in psychological horror reflects a cultural moment: rising anxiety over identity, belonging, and systemic injustice. Audiences aren’t just consuming fear — they’re processing it. Get Out! (2017) works because it doesn’t ask you to believe in monsters. It asks you to recognize them.
And that’s why, despite dozens of new releases each year, Peele’s debut still holds the top spot. It’s not nostalgia. It’s necessity.
What’s Next for Horror on Netflix
Netflix’s 2025 horror slate suggests a clear direction: fewer slashers, more soul-searching. Upcoming films are leaning into folklore, trauma, and societal collapse — themes that resonate more deeply than any chainsaw ever could. Analysts expect the psychological horror segment to grow to 35% of top-tier horror viewership by early 2026, fueled by international productions like The Forest of Love (2019) from Japan and Verónica (2017) from Spain.
Meanwhile, Apostle (2018) and Creep (2014) continue to find new audiences — proof that great horror doesn’t need a big budget. Just a big idea.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Get Out! still so popular on Netflix in 2025?
Get Out! remains popular because it blends genuine social commentary with masterful suspense. Unlike traditional horror films that rely on gore or ghosts, it terrifies by exposing the quiet, everyday racism that many viewers recognize from real life. Since joining Netflix in 2020, it’s consistently ranked in the top 5 psychological horror titles, with viewership spikes during racial justice movements and election cycles — proving its cultural staying power.
How does psychological horror differ from traditional horror?
Psychological horror focuses on internal fears — guilt, isolation, paranoia — rather than external threats like monsters or killers. Films like His House and Gerald’s Game make you question reality, while traditional horror (think Friday the 13th) relies on shock and visceral action. Netflix’s 2025 data shows psychological horror drives 30% of its top horror views, indicating audiences crave emotional resonance over cheap scares.
Are any new horror films on Netflix in 2025 worth watching?
Yes. Until Dawn (2025) and Maa (2025) are generating buzz for their originality. Until Dawn uses a time-loop structure to explore trauma, while Maa blends Hindu mythology with maternal horror in a way never seen before on Western platforms. Frankenstein (2025), debuting November 7, has an 86% Tomatometer score and is already being called the most thoughtful horror adaptation in decades.
Why is Frankenstein getting so much attention?
Frankenstein’s 94% audience score and 86% Tomatometer reflect its modern reinterpretation: it’s not about the monster, but about who gets to be human. The film ties scientific hubris to contemporary debates over AI, bioethics, and systemic neglect — making it feel eerily current. Critics say it’s the first truly 21st-century take on Shelley’s novel since the 1930s.
What role does global horror play in Netflix’s 2025 lineup?
Global horror is now central. Films like Verónica (Spain), His House (UK), and The Forest of Love (Japan) dominate rankings because they bring cultural specificity to fear. Unlike American horror, which often isolates monsters, international films tie terror to family, faith, and displacement. These stories resonate globally because they reflect universal anxieties — just through different lenses.
Is the horror genre shifting away from traditional tropes?
Absolutely. The slasher, zombie, and haunted house films of the 2000s are fading. Audiences now favor films that challenge them intellectually — like Get Out! or Maa — where the horror comes from societal failure, not supernatural forces. Netflix’s algorithm shows viewers who watch psychological horror are 40% more likely to binge multiple titles in the same category, signaling a long-term genre shift.