22 Best Serial Killer Movies of All Time

By Vlad Zakh · July 13, 2026

Horror intense thought provoking

The best serial killer films care more about the long, frustrating hunt than the killer. Zodiac nails it, following a cartoonist whose obsession with an unsolved case eats up years of his life. Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs are the big names, Memories of Murder is the South Korean take on dead ends and obsession, and M, from 1931, got there first, with Berlin’s underworld joining the police in the manhunt.

Nightcrawler (2014)

01

Nightcrawler (2014)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 95% Metacritic 76

A sociopathic freelancer builds a career filming increasingly staged crime-scene footage.

Directed by Dan Gilroy · 1h 58m · Rated R

Nominated for 1 Oscar46 wins & 126 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Sundance Now, Netflix Standard with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

No Country for Old Men (2007)

02

No Country for Old Men (2007)

IMDb ★ 8.2 RT 93% Metacritic 92

A chase movie that refuses every genre convention it sets up.

Directed by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen · 2h 02m · Rated R

Won 4 Oscars165 wins & 139 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Peacock Premium, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Peeping Tom (1960)

03

Peeping Tom (1960)

IMDb ★ 7.6 RT 96%

A shy cameraman films his victims' final moments of terror as part of his own twisted project.

Directed by Michael Powell · 1h 41m · Rated NR

1 win

Where to watch

Stream: Cultpix, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, BFI Player Amazon Channel, Chilling · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

M (1931)

04

M (1931)

IMDb ★ 8.3 RT 100%

A child murderer is hunted by both the police and Berlin's own criminal underworld.

Directed by Fritz Lang · 1h 50m

2 wins

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max, IndieFlix Shorts Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Oldboy (2003)

05

Oldboy (2003)

IMDb ★ 8.3 RT 82% Metacritic 78

The hallway fight scene alone made this a reference point for action cinema worldwide.

Directed by Park Chan-wook · 2h 00m · Rated R

46 wins & 28 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

I Saw the Devil (2010)

06

I Saw the Devil (2010)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 83% Metacritic 67

A revenge thriller so relentless it borders on an endurance test.

Directed by Kim Jee-woon · 2h 24m · Rated R

17 wins & 21 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Philo · Rent or buy: Google Play Movies

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

07

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

IMDb ★ 7.0 RT 89% Metacritic 80

A chillingly matter-of-fact look at a drifter's casual, motiveless string of murders.

Directed by John McNaughton · 1h 23m · Rated NR

9 wins & 8 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Monster (2003)

08

Monster (2003)

IMDb ★ 7.3 RT 81% Metacritic 74

A fictionalised account of Aileen Wuornos, a sex worker turned serial killer of her own clients.

Directed by Patty Jenkins · 1h 49m · Rated R

Won 1 Oscar31 wins & 26 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Zodiac (2007)

09

Zodiac (2007)

IMDb ★ 7.7 RT 90% Metacritic 79

A cartoonist's obsession with an unsolved serial killer case consumes years of his life.

Directed by David Fincher · 2h 37m · Rated R

3 wins & 71 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Philo, Paramount+ Amazon Channel · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Memories of Murder (2003)

10

Memories of Murder (2003)

IMDb ★ 8.1 Metacritic 82

A serial-killer procedural more interested in institutional failure than a tidy resolution.

Directed by Bong Joon Ho · 2h 11m

34 wins & 13 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Se7en (1995)

11

Se7en (1995)

IMDb ★ 8.6 RT 84% Metacritic 65

One of the most atmospheric detective films ever made, and still unnerving.

Directed by David Fincher · 2h 07m · Rated R

Nominated for 1 Oscar29 wins & 44 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

12

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

IMDb ★ 8.6 RT 95% Metacritic 86

A trainee FBI agent consults an imprisoned cannibal to catch an active serial killer.

Directed by Jonathan Demme · 1h 59m · Rated R

Won 5 Oscars71 wins & 50 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Hannibal (2001)

13

Hannibal (2001)

IMDb ★ 6.8 RT 39% Metacritic 57

Hannibal Lecter resurfaces years after his escape, hunted by both the FBI and one of his surviving victims.

Directed by Ridley Scott · 2h 11m · Rated R

9 wins & 25 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Peacock Premium, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Red Dragon (2002)

14

Red Dragon (2002)

IMDb ★ 7.2 RT 68% Metacritic 60

A retired profiler consults Hannibal Lecter to catch a killer obsessed with transformation.

Directed by Brett Ratner · 2h 04m · Rated R

4 wins & 10 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Peacock Premium, Netflix Standard with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Manhunter (1986)

15

Manhunter (1986)

IMDb ★ 7.2 RT 82% Metacritic 75

A retired FBI profiler is pulled back in to catch a serial killer with the help of an imprisoned cannibal.

Directed by Michael Mann · 2h 00m · Rated R

1 win & 1 nomination

Where to watch

Stream: Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Cell (2000)

16

The Cell (2000)

IMDb ★ 6.4 RT 46% Metacritic 40

A therapist enters a comatose killer's mind to find where he's hidden his latest victim.

Directed by Tarsem Singh · 1h 47m · Rated R

Nominated for 1 Oscar9 wins & 29 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Suspect Zero (2004)

17

Suspect Zero (2004)

IMDb ★ 5.8 RT 17% Metacritic 37

An FBI agent receives anonymous tips that may be coming from a vigilante hunting other serial killers.

Directed by E. Elias Merhige · 1h 39m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Bone Collector (1999)

18

The Bone Collector (1999)

IMDb ★ 6.7 RT 30% Metacritic 45

A paralysed forensic expert guides a rookie cop through a killer's elaborate crime-scene puzzles.

Directed by Phillip Noyce · 1h 58m · Rated R

1 win & 3 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Along Came a Spider (2001)

19

Along Came a Spider (2001)

IMDb ★ 6.4 RT 32% Metacritic 42

A detective investigates the kidnapping of a senator's daughter, tied to a meticulous criminal.

Directed by Lee Tamahori · 1h 44m · Rated R

1 win & 1 nomination

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Starz Apple TV channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Kiss the Girls (1997)

20

Kiss the Girls (1997)

IMDb ★ 6.6 RT 39% Metacritic 46

A detective's missing niece leads him to a killer collecting women in an underground bunker.

Directed by Gary Fleder · 1h 55m · Rated R

5 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Copycat (1995)

21

Copycat (1995)

IMDb ★ 6.6 RT 76% Metacritic 54

A criminal psychologist consults on a case involving a killer who replicates history's most infamous murders.

Directed by Jon Amiel · 2h 04m · Rated R

2 wins & 1 nomination

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

American Psycho (2000)

22

American Psycho (2000)

IMDb ★ 7.6 RT 69% Metacritic 64

A Wall Street executive's polished exterior barely hides his violent double life.

Directed by Mary Harron · 1h 42m · Rated R

7 wins & 11 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Peacock Premium, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.