The vampire subgenre is one of the most popular categories for fans of thehorror genre, and Netflix has its fair share of great options to watch. Especially given directorRobert Eggers' recent box office success withNosferatu, it makes complete sense that vampire movies and TV shows would have a big swing back into the public consciousness. Moreover, the vampire subgenre is quite diverse in how it represents the supernatural creatures, ranging from romance to comedy to all-out horror, creating something for all audiences.
In fact, some of thebest horror movies on Netflixright now are vampire movies, owing precisely to the variety of stories that the subgenre is able to tell. Netflix’s offerings include classic vampire stories surrounding thelegendary character Dracula, horror comedies that perfectly combine scares and humorous moments, and horror dramas that can bring audiences to tears. Each of the best vampire movies and TV shows on Netflix are great in their own ways, and they are certainly great choices for fans of the vampire subgenre as a whole.
Dracula Untold
Cast
This reboot of the Dracula story deviates from Bram Stoker’s novel, creating an original backstory for the famous vampire. Vlad Draculea, a prince of Transylvania, seeks help from an ancient vampire in preparation for war - but falls victim to the curse himself.
Instead of remaking Bram Stoker’sDracula, in 2014, director Gary Shore decided to create an origin story for the well-known character, andDracula Untoldwas born. The character Dracula is well-known to have been inspired by Vlad the Impaler, a prince of the Romanian region of Wallachia in the 15th century, and the movie expands on this story.Dracula Untoldcombines some of the aspects of the real Vlad Dracula’s story with supernatural elements of modern vampire fiction, creating a perfect blend of mostly horror with just the right amount of historical inspiration.
ThoughDracula Untoldwas not reviewed very highly by critics, audiences should not be put off by the low rating because of how entertaining the movie is. The cast is led by Luke Evans and Dominic Cooper as Vlad Dracula and Mehmed II, respectively, who portray convincing and enthralling enemies. The horror movie is also heavy on action, keeping a very fast pace and an exciting plot that will have viewers hooked.
Day Shift
To provide for his family, Jamie Foxx works for a pool cleaning service, which happens to be a front for a vampire hunting union in San Fernando, California. Jamie Foxx, alongside Snoop Dogg and Dave Franco, will work together as they slowly chip away at the vampire hierarchy led by a real estate magnate portrayed by Karla Souza in the overridden valley.
Day Shiftis a great vampire movie option for audiences who do not want anything too serious. Jamie Foxx leads the horror comedy as Bud Jablonski, a pool cleaner who secretly serves as a vampire hunter in order to financially support his family.Day Shift’s castalso includes Dave Franco, Meagan Good, Karla Souza, and even Snoop Dogg. As a horror action comedy, it may seem at first likeDay Shifthas a lot to cover in its 114-minute runtime, but it manages it perfectly.Day Shiftis filled to the brim with action, humor, and, of course, vampires.
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At first, Foxx’s character, Bud, seems like an ordinary man, but it quickly becomes clear that he is a great, if somewhat unorthodox, vampire hunter. After finally being allowed to rejoin the vampire hunters' union, Bud teams up with Seth (Franco) to go after a vampire that is threatening his family.The duo’s buddy cop energy plays really well onscreen, especially considering how different the characters are. Despite all the blood and scares,Day Shiftnever fails to remind its audience that ultimately Bud’s main priority is his family, giving the movie a happy ending.
Preacher
Preacher follows Jesse Custer, a Texas preacher, on his quest to confront the divine for abandoning humanity. Aided by Cassidy, a vampire, and Tulip, a gun-toting Texan, he wields the power of Genesis, a potent force born from an angel and a demon, to challenge celestial authority.
The supernatural seriesPreachercertainly does not shy away from the violence and horror that is common to the vampire genre. The series follows an unusual preacher named Jesse, who comes to learn that he has the power to influence others to do what he says. As Jesse explores his faith and new power, he is accompanied by Proinsias Cassidy, who is revealed to be a vampire, and his love interest, Tulip.Preacherportrays the group’s exploits along with other important events that happen in their town, Annville.
Like many vampire shows and movies,Preacheralso does a great job of exploring other themes, specifically belief and ideas of right and wrong, through supernatural metaphors.
While the series does not focus solely on vampires,it is the perfect series for fans of the vampire genre because it features various supernatural creatures, with the vampire Cassidy taking a central role. Like many vampire shows and movies,Preacheralso does a great job of exploring other themes, specifically beliefs and ideas of right and wrong, through supernatural metaphors. Luckily,Preacheralso ran for 4 seasons, allowing the series to truly develop the great characters and plots over a long period of time.
Dracula
Dracula (2020) is a reinterpretation of Bram Stoker’s classic novel, co-created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss. Starring Claes Bang as the titular Count Dracula, the series explores the legendary vampire’s battles with the descendants of Van Helsing and his dark journey from Transylvania to London. The three-episode series examines both the historical and contemporary influences of Dracula’s enduring legacy.
The BBC’s 2020 miniseriesDraculais not so much a true adaptation of the source material as it is a new, and very interesting, reinterpretation of the beloved story.Draculabegins with a retelling of some of the events of the original book from the perspective of Jonathan Harker as he recovers in a convent. While this episode is the most similar to aspects of Bram Stoker’s book,even audiences familiar with the classic will still be surprised. As the series continues, Dracula leaves Transylvania for England, finally arriving over a century later, in the modern day.
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With part of the series taking place in the 21st century, BBC’sDraculais certainly an updated take on the vampire genre. The show combines the classic gothic understanding of the popular monster, with a new, almost scientific interpretation of Dracula. However,as with any great vampire series,Draculahas no shortage of scares. Additionally, with just three episodes, the series is perfect for vampire fans who do not want a major commitment, but want something slightly more in-depth than a single movie.
Blood Red Sky
Directed and partially written by Peter Thorwarth, Blood Red Sky is a harrowing Horror film that takes place on a commercial airliner. The plot follows a plane hijacking that takes a turn for the worse when one of the passengers turns out to be something more than human.
If a vampire movie was combined with a thriller likeNon-StoporAir Force One,Blood Red Skywould be the result. The movie centers on a German woman, Nadja, and her young son traveling on a plane to New York, but their plans are thrown off balance when the plane is suddenly hijacked by a group of men. Throughout the movie, Nadja attempts to protect her son from the hijackers, butthe film twists again as it is revealed that Nadja is a vampire and actually poses the biggest threat on the plane.
The two differing concepts of the horror and thriller sides of the film play off each other really well to keep audiences hooked.
Blood Red Skyis a wild ride from start to finish, because, despite playing with many tropes from the vampire subgenre and the airplane thriller subgenre, the movie never truly does exactly what audiences think it will. The two differing concepts of the horror and thriller sides of the film play off each other really well to keep audiences hooked. As a result,the movie holds an impressive 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics and audiences callingBlood Red Skygory and suspenseful.
Van Helsing
Van Helsing is a supernatural-horror television series created for SyFy and stars a future descendant of legendary vampire hunter Van Helsing as she battles to protect humanity. Vanessa Van Helsing lives in an era where vampires are now dominant, and society is on its last legs. Fortunately for everyone, Vanessa’s latent ability allows her to turn vampires back into human beings, painting a target on her back from her blood-sucking foes.
As with many movies in the vampire subgenre, the seriesVan Helsingtakes its initial inspiration from theDraculacharacter Abraham Van Helsing, but in most other respects, the show is entirely its own.Van Helsingfollows Vanessa Van Helsing, a supposed descendant of theDraculacharacter, as she battles vampires in a post-apocalyptic world that is overrun with the supernatural creatures. Because her blood contains a rare quality, it has the ability to turn vampires back into humans, making Vanessa the last chance for humanity.
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The Syfy channel series ran for five seasons from 2016 to 2021, giving audiences plenty of time to get invested in their favorite characters. Because of the post-apocalyptic setting and the horror themes,Van Helsinghas a fairly dark tone. More so than even some other entries in the horror genre,Van Helsingis violent and gory, but its main character is quite literally the ray of hope that the other characters and the show depend upon, ultimately makingVan Helsingas a whole well worth a watch.
Castlevania
Based on the video game franchise, Castlevania is a Netflix original animated action series that follows the never-ending battle of the monster-slaying Belmont clan as they continue to face off against the hordes of the night. When Count Dracula’s human wife is murdered, his grief leads him to doom the world to eternal darkness. To stop him, it’ll take a team of three unlikely heroes banding together: the last remaining Belmont, Trevor, a magic-wielding seeker named Sypha Belnades, and the tortured half-human, half-vampire son of the count himself, Alucard.
Despite being fairly new,Castlevaniais already considered one of thebest vampire showsof all time. The animated series is based on the popular video game series of the same name and takes many elements from the plots of different games, including the characters Trevor Belmont, Alucard, and, of course, Dracula. Across its four seasons,Castlevaniahas an average Rotten Tomatoes critics' score of 94%, proving thatadult animated series can be just as bloody and thrilling as live action ones.
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Castlevaniabegins with Dracula telling the people of Wallachia that he will kill them all as a result of his wife’s wrongful death. As Dracula and his army begin to carry out his plan, Trevor Belmont meets Sypha Belnades who aids him in fighting back against the attack and the two eventually even join forces with Alucard, Dracula’s estranged son. After finishingCastlevania, Netflix also offersCastlevania: Nocturneas the perfect sequel series for audiences who want to see even more stories from theCastlevaniauniverse.
El Conde
Director Pablo Larraín has most recently been in the news due to thepositive attention his new film,Maria, is getting, but beforeMaria,Larraín’s 2023 movieEl Condealso received praise. The movie is a satirical take on the life, or perhaps afterlife, of the Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. The film begins with Pinochet living in 18th-century France and escaping to Chile after witnessing Marie Antoinette’s death. Pinochet rises through the ranks and eventually becomes dictator of Chile, but after retiring, he goes through a series of nonsensical events that are both funny and somewhat horrifying.
WhileEl Condecannot necessarily be considered a traditional horror movie, it is great for fans of the vampire subgenre who are looking for a unique story and an overall great film.Larraín’s skill as a director shines brightly throughout the film, and the cast each give great comedic performances. To top it all off,El Condeallows clear insight into Larraín’s view of Chilean politics and equates the actions of the real life figures portrayed to vampirism. In short,El Condeis a film that makes great use of the potent metaphors that surround the staple horror creatures.
Midnight Mass
Created and directed by Mike Flanagan, Midnight Mass follows the residents of an isolated fishing community whose lives are changed by the sudden appearance of a charismatic new priest, Father Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater). The residents of Crockett Island struggle to eke out a meager living, just barely surviving off the mainland, but the appearance of Hill changes everything. Attendance at the local church is at an all-time high, but cynical ex-con Riley Flynn doesn’t trust the priest, and sets out to uncover his dark secret.
Fans of the horror genre more generally are likely familiar with director Mike Flanagan’s repeated work with Netflix prior to moving to Prime Video, as his horror shows in particular have become very popular and highly regarded. Flanagan’s 2021 contribution,Midnight Mass, is no different. The series takes place on an isolated island, where the small community eventually comes under the spell of a new priest who is not quite what he seems. As the series continues,the tension within the town increases as strange and unexplainable things begin to occur.
As is the case with Mike Flanagan’s other shows,Midnight Massdeals heavily with themes of grief, love, regret, and religion.
Midnight Massis definitely an original take on a vampire, but it is also one of thebest horror shows in recent years. As is the case with Mike Flanagan’s other shows,Midnight Massdeals heavily with themes of grief, love, regret, and religion.Midnight Massis incredibly well acted and its pacing allows viewers to truly become invested in the characters and their struggles. WhatMidnight Massultimately proves is that, while monsters can be scary, the true horror is often found in the actions of humankind.
Interview with the Vampire
Based on Anne Rice’s novel series that began in 1976, Interview with the Vampire is a gothic horror fantasy series that explores the life of Louis de Pointe du Lac through an interview with a journalist. Told through flashbacks of Louis' life during the interview, the series examines Louis' relationship with the vampire that turned him, Lestat de Lioncourt, and a teenage girl named Claudia, whom he turns. The series is the first of Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe media franchise.
Anne Rice’s 1976 bookInterview with the Vampirewas previously adapted as a movie in 1994, but AMC’s more recent series has brought new life to the characters.The series takes place across several centuriesand also flips back and forth between the past and the present day interview between Louis de Pointe du Lac and journalist Daniel Molloy. Louis tells the story of his life, beginning with his time as a human brothel owner in New Orleans and his first interactions with Lestat, a vampire.
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Interview with the Vampirehas no shortage of blood and violence, but what makes the series truly great is the portrayals of Louis and Lestat. Their complex relationship weaves its way into every part of the series. While currently only Season 1 is available on Netflix, season 2 may be added at a later date. Additionally, the series has already been renewed for a third season which will follow Rice’s novelThe Vampire Lestat,giving fans of the series and the vampirehorrorgenre more generally something good to look forward to.
