As Monster season 3 creeps closer, with Ryan Murphy setting sights on the eerie world of Ed Gein, anticipation is thick in the air. Details remain buried beneath the surface; however, one thing is certain: the next chapter in the anthology thriller promises to disturb in unexpected ways. While the true horror drama sharpens its edges, the time is right to dive into a few cinematic thrillers in the same vein.

Beneath the floorboards of fiction lie these five films stitched with terror, each echoing the grotesque legacy that Monster 3 is poised to explore.

Released in 1960

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play

Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is a staple of all lists discussing the best psychological thrillers of all time, as the 1960 classic is not just remembered as a film but as a cultural turning point. The movie explored what it means to live next door to evil. Loosely inspired by Ed Gein, Psycho introduces viewers to Norman Bates, a cowering motel owner with deep maternal issues and a murderous secret.

What makes Psycho so spine-chilling is its refusal to play by the rules. It famously kills off the female main character halfway through, rewriting audience expectations by unpacking the horror agonizingly slowly. Bernard Herrmann’s haunting score adds to the unsettling tone of the canvas, making the house atop the hill a symbol of terror. The visible gore is not the primary disturbing factor; instead, it is the way Hitchcock invites spectators into Norman’s fractured mind and makes them want to stay there.

Released in 2014

Where to watch: Disney+, Prime Video

No one crafts psychological unease quite like David Fincher, and Gone Girl remains one of his finest works to date. The film strikes for unparalleled reasons, one of them being the portrayal of how terror can live behind the most polished faces. When Amy Dunne disappears on her fifth wedding anniversary, suspicion quickly envelops her husband, Nick, played by Ben Affleck. But what unfolds is far from a typical missing person thriller.

Gone Girl’s spine-chilling nature does not reside in violence or horror but in manipulation. The film plays with perception, turning trust into a weapon and marriage into a trap. Rosamund Pike’s portrayal of Amy Dunne is equal parts chilling and hypnotic. The movie is a portrait of calm chaos, making it feel like a masterclass in suspense.

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Keeping with the theme of vanishing acts, the next entry reveals how the hunt for answers can become more terrifying than the mystery itself.

Released in 2013

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

Prisoners dive headfirst into the pain of uncertainty. When two young girls go missing, their families are plunged into a desperate search for answers. But this is no simple whodunit. Coming from the creative brain behind the Dune franchise, the premise of the film weaves a haunting tale of grief, guilt, and justice, where every character appears shady.

Hugh Jackman gives a memorable performance as a father willing to do the unthinkable, while Jake Gyllenhaal’s brooding detective feels like he is drowning among clues. Each frame of Prisoners is heavy with dread, as every decision by its subjects ends up being a step closer to the dark. The emotional weight and slow-burn storytelling build a psychological horror that is quietly devastating.

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Trading blood for ballet, this next psychological descent shows how the pursuit of perfection can spiral into madness.

Released in 2010

Where to watch: Disney+

Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan is not a horror film in the traditional sense, but its mental intensity is almost suffocating. Natalie Portman, who recently shared she is not someone to get recognized regularly by fans, plays Nina Sayers, a dedicated ballerina whose obsession with perfection begins to harm her mind. As the self-inflicted pressure mounts, so does Nina’s descent into hallucination and identity collapse.

Black Swan is spine-chilling for the way it traps viewers inside Nina Sayer's psyche, blending reality with delusion, supported by haunting visuals and unsettling whispers. The film is a story of control slipping through fingers, of beauty losing its significance, and of the fear that one’s greatest enemy might sometimes be their own self.

Released in 2015

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play

Some thrillers slap you with horror; however, The Gift is not one of them. This film lets the unfavorable feeling creep in like a winter chill under the door. When a seemingly well-meaning man named Gordo reappears in the life of an elite couple, things begin to go wrong. What builds the plot, then, is silent yet spiraling, forcing audiences to reexamine the past and its consequences. 

With Monster season 3 set to step into the twisted world of Ed Gein, these stories feel like the perfect prelude. They remind us that sometimes the most terrifying monsters are not the ones hiding in shadows, but the ones hiding in plain sight.

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Will you be watching any of these thrillers before Monster season 3 takes you inside Ed Gein’s chilling world? Let us know in the comments.