OTT Best Horror Film – Home is where the heart is—at least until the house gets overrun by ghosts, invaded by monsters, or starts drifting through space. Stories about haunted houses come in all shapes and sizes. From classic horror films to modern series, everyone is redefining what a “haunted house” can be.
‘The Last House’
In director Louis Leterrier’s new Netflix thriller *The Last House*, a family finds themselves trapped within four walls—without explanation. Jason (Wagner Moura), Anne (Greta Lee), and their two children are locked inside their own home by a mysterious force. As resources dwindle, they strive to keep their family safe. But everything changes when they realise that the terrifying entity keeping them captive is lurking right outside the walls. Riley Chung, Emma Ho, Noah Alexander Sosnowski, and Gabriel Barbosa also play key roles.
‘The Haunting of Hill House’
Haunted mansions are a staple of Mike Flanagan’s work, and *The Haunting of Hill House* is no exception. When the Crain family moves into the dilapidated Hill House, parents Hugh and Olivia are determined to restore the home to its former glory. However, the longer they stay, the more their mental state deteriorates. A tragic event forces the family to flee in the dead of night. Years later, the now-adult Crain siblings—Steven, Shirley, Theo, Luke, and Nell—grapple with their trauma in different ways. Will they be able to leave their haunted past behind? Or will their memories (and the literal ghosts of their past) consume them?
‘Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen’
In this horror series by creator Haley Z. Boston, Rachel (Camila Morrone) and her fiancé Nicky (Adam DiMarco) travel to Nicky’s family’s lavish estate for their wedding. But the atmosphere feels off from the start: a spooky house nestled in snowy woods, locals behaving strangely, and Nicky’s odd relatives. Rachel’s unease grows when Nicky’s mother and sister begin altering her wedding plans to suit their own whims. On top of that, Rachel realises there is something in her own estranged family’s past that hints at an impending catastrophe. This raises a crucial question: just how dire can the consequences of marrying the wrong person be?
‘Sinners’
Starring Oscar-nominated Wunmi Mosaku, this story follows Bol and Rial, a refugee couple who have come to Britain from South Sudan. As they settle into their dilapidated new home, they begin to experience supernatural phenomena—terrifying visions and something lurking within the walls. Rial becomes convinced that an *apeth* (known as a “night witch”) is stalking them and demanding the repayment of a mysterious debt. If they comply, the *apeth* might just return their daughter, Nyagak, who died during their journey to seek asylum.
‘His House’
Starring Oscar-nominated Wunmi Mosaku and Sope Dirisu, ‘His House’ follows a refugee couple who arrive in Britain from South Sudan. Having lost their daughter, they settle into a desolate new home. Gradually, they begin to experience supernatural occurrences—terrifying visions and something moving inside the walls. Riyaal becomes convinced that an *apeth* is stalking them, intent on collecting a debt. They also clash over how much of their culture to preserve, all while facing racism from their neighbour and caseworker, Mark (Matt Smith).
The Haunted House Tradition
Shirley Jackson’s novel *The Haunting of Hill House* (1959) remains one of the greatest haunted house stories ever told. Dr. Montague, Theodora, Eleanor, and Luke arrive at Hill House—a place with crooked walls and a history of strange occurrences—to conduct research. Eleanor, haunted by a troubled past, finds herself becoming increasingly attached to the house. Stephen King has hailed it as the finest horror novel of the twentieth century.
Stephen King’s *The Shining* tells the story of the Overlook Hotel, where Jack Torrance arrives with his family to serve as the winter caretaker. His son, Danny, possesses a psychic ability known as “the shining.” As the hotel gradually takes hold of Jack, a battle for the family’s survival begins. King crafted this not merely as a ghost story, but as a tale of addiction and family disintegration.
The Underwell
This animated comedy centres on a haunted hotel. *The Underwell* is home to a cast ranging from ordinary ghosts to Abaddon—an ancient demon trapped in the body of a colonial-era child. The series begins when single mother Catherine Freeling takes over the hotel business following the death of her older brother, Nathan. Yet, Nathan remains close by—as a ghost. Catherine’s children—teenager Ben and Esther, an enthusiast of the occult—readily embrace the supernatural oddities of their new home. ‘The Headless Ghost’ and Others.
The theme of haunted houses recurs frequently in R.L. Stine’s ‘Goosebumps’ series. ‘The Headless Ghost’ (1995) features a haunted house story that ranks among Stine’s finest works. ‘Let’s Get Invisible!’ tells the story of a magical mirror that renders children invisible—but with each instance of invisibility, they grow progressively weaker.
‘Welcome to the Underwell’
The animated comedy ‘Welcome to the Underwell’ ranges from run-of-the-mill ghosts to Abaddon — an ancient monster trapped in the body of a 1700s child. When single mom Katherine takes over the hotel after her brother Nathan’s death, Nathan sticks around as a ghost. His children also easily adopt this supernatural environment.
‘The Monk’
Written and directed by Osgood Perkins, this Gothic horror film tells the story of Lily (Ruth Wilson), a nurse who arrives at an abandoned house to care for retired horror novelist Iris (Paula Prentiss). Iris suffers from dementia and calls Lily “Polly”. Strange things begin to happen in the house—hallucinations, mould growing on the walls, and visions of a ghostly young woman in a white gown. As these events unfold, Lily is forced to wonder: were the author’s works really works of fiction? Is there a ghost in the house? Or are some secrets so terrible that they touch the very foundation of the house?