Nothing makes a movie more exciting than a little — or a lot of! — tension. Suspense films specialize in building that edge-of-your-seat feeling up so much that you could nearly reach out and grab it.
From tense gun fights and assassination plots to nail-biting investigations and monster encounters, this list of the top 10 best suspense movies to watch right now will get your blood pumping and your adrenaline rushing.
Keep an eye on this list as it is updated with the latest and greatest suspense movies so you can be sure you’re in the loop. From Jaws to Murder at 1600, this list will help movie fans stay up to date on the most popular suspense movies available.
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Watch Guide Methodology: Using proprietary viewership data, DIRECTV Insider curates lists of the most popular TV shows and movies being watched by real people, in real time, to help you pick the best trending content to watch across networks. Our rolling data collection also allows readers to see how a trending show’s ranking has changed week over week.
TOP 10 SUSPENSE MOVIES TO WATCH
Let’s get started. Here are the trending suspense movies that TV-watchers are enjoying right now, with all the information you need to check them out for yourself.
1. ‘Jaws’
↔ vs. Prior Week
Prepare for a deep dive into terror with the iconic blockbuster, Jaws. Released in 1975, this legendary thriller directed by Steven Spielberg still holds its terrifying charm. Watch as Police Chief Martin Brody, played masterfully by Roy Scheider, battles both the bloodthirsty great white shark terrorizing his beach town and his own fear of water.Alongside him, oceanographer Matt Hooper and grizzled shark hunter Quint, engage in a life-or-death struggle to end the nightmare. Suspenseful, intense and chilling to the bone, Jaws is the ultimate test of humankind versus nature. It will leave you at the edge of your seat, prepared to jump at even the slightest hint of a dorsal fin.
2. ‘Nope’
↑ 1 vs. Prior Week
2022’s Nope is a nerve-wracking, enigmatic tale that draws you into a world where what’s happening in the skies is as unsettling as on the ground. Centered around a man and his sister, the pair unravels something horrifying occurring in the skies above their California horse ranch. Their unsettling discovery is juxtaposed by the actions of a greedy theme park owner nearby, who is keen to cash in on the extraordinary, alien occurrences. Nope masterfully intertwines the feelings of dread and commercial opportunism, painting a chilling portrait of our contemporary world where profit often shadows the ominous truth.
3. ‘ To Catch a Thief’
↑ 1 vs. Prior Week
In the suspense-filled classic To Catch a Thief (1955), Cary Grant brilliantly embodies the role of John Robie, a retired but infamous cat burglar trying to live quietly on the French Riviera. However, his peaceful life is abruptly disrupted when a series of burglaries eerily echoing his own style occur, forcing John to prove his innocence. Grace Kelly sparkles as Francie, the beautiful jewel owner who initially captivates John but later suspects him when her own gems are stolen, shattering their budding romance. As tensions mount, John goes undercover to catch the real culprit and restore his name, leading viewers on a gripping roller coaster ride.
4. ‘ Zero Dark Thirty’
↑ 4 vs. Prior Week
Zero Dark Thirty is a gripping account of the decade-long manhunt for the world’s most wanted man: al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The film stars Jessica Chastain as Maya, a committed CIA operative whose determination and resolve become the driving force of this high-stakes mission. This riveting mix of fact, speculation and intense yet patient investigation results in an electrifying climax. Zero Dark Thirty doesn’t just show us the logistics of the operation. It explores the dedication and sacrifice of those who made it happen, offering an in-depth study of determination versus obsession.
5. ‘ Three Days of the Condor’
↑ 2 vs. Prior Week
Let the countdown to survival begin with Three Days of the Condor (1975), a gripping spy thriller that will keep you on your toes from start to finish. Robert Redford takes on the role of Joe Turner, a CIA analyst who walks into an unimaginable horror — his coworkers, brutally murdered. But, as he tries to uncover the truth, the realization that his own agency might be pulling the strings takes him on a desperate race against time. As the icy hit-man Max von Sydow inches closer, Joe is dragged into a deadly game of trust, deceit and survival in a world where allies could be foes.
6. ‘ Super Fly’
↑ 4 vs. Prior Week
Super Fly is a defining film of the blaxploitation era, following Youngblood Priest, a stylish Harlem drug dealer who’s determined to make one last big score and leave the criminal world behind. Directed by Gordon Parks Jr., the film blends gritty realism with cool swagger, powered by Curtis Mayfield’s legendary soundtrack that became as iconic as the film itself. With its sharp fashion, streetwise dialogue, and raw social commentary, Super Fly became a cultural milestone and remains a must-watch for fans of 1970s cinema and urban crime dramas.
7. ‘ The Negotiator’
↑ 4 vs. Prior Week
In 1998’s thrilling crime drama The Negotiator, Samuel L. Jackson plays Danny Roman, the best police hostage negotiator in Chicago. When a trusted friend alerts him to a fraudulent scheme ensnaring a disability fund, calamity unfolds after the friend is found dead and Roman’s fingerprints are discovered on the murder weapon. Deemed guilty by Internal Affairs, (J.T. Walsh), Roman flips the script, becoming a hostage-taker out of desperation to prove his innocence. Another expert negotiator, Chris Sabian, played by Kevin Spacey, is called in, teeing up an exhilarating stand-off between two masters of manipulation and power. The tension races as truths unfold, keeping you on the edge of your seat.
8. ‘ 2 Guns’
↑ 1 vs. Prior Week
In the high-stakes world of covert operations, nothing tests loyalty more than unaware duplicity. 2 Guns is an adrenaline-fueled rollercoaster ride, featuring the incredible duo of Denzel Washington as DEA Agent Bobby Trench and Mark Wahlberg as U.S. Navy Officer Marcus Stigman. Working undercover as members of a narcotics gang, their mission is complicated by a mutual secret: Neither knows the other is an agent. Their mission to reclaim millions from a Mexican drug cartel takes a disastrous turn, leaving them disowned by their agencies and their lives hanging by a thread. This recovery mission can either lead them to prison, or worse, into their graves.
9. ‘ Jeepers Creepers’
↑ 3 vs. Prior Week
Beneath the tranquil facade of a sleepy, backwater town, an ominous terror stirs in 2001’s cult film hit, Jeepers Creepers. After siblings Trish and Darry Jenner stumble upon a dark secret in the heart of rural Florida, their lives are upended as they’re thrown into the chaos of an unimaginable horror. This film counters nostalgic roadtrip sentimentality with untamed terror. The menacing Creeper, armed with a blood-curdling mystery, will seize your heart with suspense and won’t let go, leaving you guessing about what truly lurks beneath small-town America. Jeepers Creepers will shock you to your core and make you question every creak and shadow.
10. ‘ Murder at 1600’
↑ 3 vs. Prior Week
In Murder at 1600, the death of a secretary in a White House own bathroom becomes the epicenter of an international calamity. Detective Harlan Regis is thrust onto center stage, tasked with getting to the bottom of the homicide. As his investigation deepens in partnership with Secret Service Agent Nina Chance, the pair find themselves resisting mounting pressures from powerful figures keen on sweeping the matter under the rug. Caught up in an all-consuming conspiracy, the duo, backed by Regis’ partner, resort to infiltrating the White House, fighting to reveal the real mastermind hidden behind curtains of treachery. This political thriller will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
And there you have it: the top 10 suspense movies at home. Stay tuned for updates to come so you can keep up with the best content available right now.
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And for even more insight into the top shows and movies to watch right now, check out these other lists:
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- The Top Sci-Fi Films to Watch Right Now
- The Top Political Thrillers to Stream Today
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are some of the most iconic suspense movies?
Silence of the Lambs, The Fugitive, Se7en, Eyes Wide Shut.
Which directors are known for suspenseful thriller movies?
Martin Scorsese, David Fincher, David Lynch, Alfred Hitchcock, Park Chan-wook.
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