Movies Like It: 11 Must-Watch Picks If You Loved Pennywise’s Derry
Looking for movies like It? These 11 picks, from Stranger Things to The Conjuring, show where to stream each in India and why each one fits.
On this page
- Quick list: movies like It and where to stream them
- What makes movies like It work?
- Kid-gang adventures: movies like It with heart
- Stephen King movies like It
- Creepy, scare-first picks if you want more fear
- Which movies like It should you watch? A mood guide
- Common mistakes when picking movies like It
- Is the 2017 film worth rewatching before these movies like it?
- FAQs about movies like It
- Final word: your first pick from these movies like It
The best movies like It are Stranger Things, Stand by Me, The Conjuring, Doctor Sleep and It Chapter Two. Each one borrows something from Andy Muschietti’s 2017 hit: a gang of kids, a small town with a dark secret, or a monster that feeds on fear. Most stream in India on Prime Video, Netflix or JioHotstar (as of October 2026).
Andy Muschietti’s It (2017) works because it is two films in one. It is a creature feature, and it is also a story about seven outcasts holding each other together. Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise gets the posters, but the Losers Club carries the heart.
So the best movies like It depend on what you loved. Some picks below chase the scares, others chase the friendship, and a few chase Stephen King’s Maine. For more picks of this kind, browse our Movies Like archive.
Key takeaways
- For kids-versus-monster adventure, start with Stranger Things on Netflix.
- For the friendship side of King, Stand by Me is the gentlest and best-loved pick.
- For clean, effective scares, The Conjuring streams on Prime Video and JioHotstar.
- For the full Pennywise story, watch It Chapter Two on Prime Video.
- Several famous horror films, such as Sinister and It Follows, are not on any Indian platform right now.
Quick list: movies like It and where to stream them
We checked JustWatch India for every title below. Catalogues change often, so treat this table as a snapshot for October 2026. Rental prices on Amazon Video and Apple TV also move, so we have left them out.
| Title | Year | Language | Where to watch (India) | Why watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stranger Things | 2016 | Series (English) | Netflix | Kids vs. a monster in a small town |
| Stand by Me | 1986 | English | Sony Pictures Amazon Channel; rent on Amazon Video, Apple TV | The friendship side of King |
| The Conjuring | 2013 | English | Prime Video, JioHotstar | Pure scares, minimal gore |
| Doctor Sleep | 2019 | English | Rent on Amazon Video, Apple TV | Adult sequel to The Shining |
| It Chapter Two | 2019 | English | Prime Video | The Losers Club grows up |
| The Babadook | 2014 | English | Prime Video | Grief as a monster |
| The Mist | 2007 | English | Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel | Bleak King adaptation |
| Pet Sematary | 2019 | English | Prime Video; rent on Zee5 | Dark small-town King |
| The Boy | 2016 | English | Prime Video; free with ads on JioHotstar, MX Player | Short, creepy, easy watch |
| The Shining | 1980 | English | Rent on Amazon Video, Apple TV | The benchmark of King horror |
| Super 8 | 2011 | English | Rent on Amazon Video, Apple TV | Spielberg-style kid adventure |
What makes movies like It work?
Before the list, it helps to name the ingredients. The 2017 film mixes four things, and most good movies like it copy at least two. We used these as our filter.
- A group of outsiders. The Losers Club is the core, not the clown.
- A small town with a rotten secret. Derry hides its disappearances in plain sight.
- Fear that adapts. Pennywise becomes whatever each child dreads most.
- Childhood as horror. Bullies and neglectful adults are as scary as the monster.
Meanwhile, some famous horror films miss all four. That is why Insidious and Sinister, though popular, did not make our list. They are haunted-house stories, not coming-of-age ones.
Kid-gang adventures: movies like It with heart
Stranger Things: the top of any list of movies like It
This is the obvious pick, and for good reason. The Duffer Brothers’ series gives us a group of friends, a government secret and a monstrous threat from another dimension. It sits at around 8.6/10 on IMDb and streams on Netflix in India.
However, it is longer and more sci-fi than horror. If you want the shorter commitment, jump to a film below.
Stand by Me (1986)
Rob Reiner’s drama is adapted from Stephen King’s novella The Body. Four boys walk along a rail line to find a missing teenager’s body. There is no monster, yet the bond between the boys is the closest relative of the Losers Club on screen.
It holds around 8.1/10 on IMDb. In India it is on the Sony Pictures Amazon Channel, and you can also rent it.
Super 8 (2011)
J.J. Abrams made this as a love letter to Spielberg. A group of kids filming a monster movie witness a train crash and then something escapes. Its tone is lighter than It, but the kid chemistry is excellent.
It scores around 7.0/10 on IMDb. Currently it is rental only on Amazon Video and Apple TV in India.
Stephen King movies like It
If the small-town dread appealed, go straight to the source. These films all share King’s fingerprints. You can also see our wider OTT release coverage to find new adaptations as they land.
It Chapter Two (2019)
The obvious next step. The Losers return to Derry as adults, and Pennywise is back. It is longer and messier, with around 6.5/10 on IMDb, but it completes the story. It streams on Prime Video in India.
Doctor Sleep (2019)
Mike Flanagan continues the story of Danny Torrance from The Shining. It is a patient, atmospheric film with a strong villain in Rebecca Ferguson’s Rose the Hat. It sits near 7.3/10 on IMDb and is available to rent on Amazon Video and Apple TV.
The Shining (1980)
Stanley Kubrick’s film is the benchmark for King on screen, with about 8.4/10 on IMDb. It is slow and cold, so it plays differently from It. Even so, any horror fan should see it, and it is currently rental or purchase only in India.
The Mist (2007)
Frank Darabont, who also directed The Shawshank Redemption, turns a King novella into a siege film. A town is trapped in a supermarket while creatures roam the fog. Its ending is famously harsh. It holds around 7.1/10 on IMDb and streams on the Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel.
Pet Sematary (2019)
This remake is rougher and less polished, around 5.7/10 on IMDb. Still, it nails the idea that grief makes people do terrible things. It streams on Prime Video, and you can rent it on Zee5.
Creepy, scare-first picks if you want more fear
The Conjuring (2013)
James Wan’s haunted-farmhouse film is the best pure-scare option here. It leans on atmosphere and sound design rather than gore, which is the same restraint that made the best It sequences work. It scores around 7.5/10 on IMDb and streams on Prime Video and JioHotstar.
The Babadook (2014)
Jennifer Kent’s Australian debut is about a mother and her son haunted by a storybook creature. Like Pennywise, the monster is a symbol, here for grief. At around 6.8/10 on IMDb, it is a smart choice for viewers who want a psychological angle. It streams on Prime Video.
The Boy (2016)
A lighter, shorter pick. A nanny cares for a creepy doll in an English manor. The film is no masterpiece, with roughly 6.0/10 on IMDb, but it is an easy watch. It is free with ads on JioHotstar and MX Player.
Which movies like It should you watch? A mood guide
Not every viewer wants the same thing. Use this quick table to match your mood to a pick.
| Your mood | Watch this |
|---|---|
| You want friendship and nostalgia | Stand by Me or Super 8 |
| You want a binge | Stranger Things |
| You want maximum scares | The Conjuring |
| You want more Pennywise | It Chapter Two |
| You want something bleak | The Mist |
| You want something short and light | The Boy |
Common mistakes when picking movies like It
- Choosing only by jump scares. It succeeded because you cared about the kids, so a pure haunted-house film may feel empty.
- Skipping older films. Stand by Me and The Shining are decades old, yet they shaped everything that followed.
- Assuming everything is on Netflix. Catalogues differ in India, and Prime Video holds more of these titles.
- Expecting the same tone. Doctor Sleep and The Mist are far slower and darker.
If you like this kind of list, our guides to movies like Shutter Island, movies like Interstellar and movies like My Fault (Culpa Mía) cover other moods. Together they offer a good weekend queue.
Is the 2017 film worth rewatching before these movies like it?
Yes. In India, It (2017) is currently rental or purchase only on Amazon Video and Apple TV, and it carries around 7.3/10 on IMDb. A rewatch makes the follow-up picks hit harder, because the Losers Club dynamic stays fresh in your mind.
FAQs about movies like It
What are the best movies like It?
The best movies like It are Stranger Things, Stand by Me, The Conjuring, Doctor Sleep and It Chapter Two. They cover the main strands of the original: kids facing a monster, small-town dread, Stephen King’s storytelling and scares built on atmosphere rather than gore.
Where can I watch It Chapter Two in India?
It Chapter Two streams on Amazon Prime Video in India as of October 2026. You can also rent it on Amazon Video or Apple TV. Catalogues change, so check JustWatch India before you start your watch.
Is there a movie similar to It without gore?
Yes. The Conjuring relies on suspense, sound and atmosphere rather than blood. Stand by Me has no horror at all, but it captures the friendship that makes It emotional. Super 8 is another gentler option with a monster and a kid gang.
Is Stranger Things like the movie It?
In many ways, yes. Both follow a group of young outsiders against a hidden evil in a small town, and Stranger Things openly borrows the 1980s Stephen King mood. The main difference is that Stranger Things is a series with a larger sci-fi setup.
Which Stephen King movies are like It?
Stand by Me, The Shining, Doctor Sleep, The Mist and Pet Sematary are the closest King adaptations. Stand by Me matches the friendship, while the others lean toward dread and horror. Doctor Sleep is the most polished modern one.
Are there movies like It on Netflix India?
Stranger Things is the clearest match on Netflix India. Many other close picks, such as The Conjuring and The Babadook, sit on Prime Video instead. Availability changes, so confirm on JustWatch India before subscribing for a single title.
Should I watch It Chapter Two after It?
Yes, if you want the full story. It Chapter Two follows the Losers Club as adults and ends the Pennywise arc. It is longer and weaker than the first film, but it pays off the characters you came to like.
Which movie like It is best for beginners in horror?
Super 8 and The Boy are the softest entry points. Super 8 is an adventure with a few frights, and The Boy is short and contained. After those, try The Conjuring for a firmer scare.
Final word: your first pick from these movies like It
If you only have one night, watch Stand by Me for the heart or The Conjuring for the scares. If you have a weekend, start Stranger Things. Whichever you choose, these movies like It prove that the best horror is about people first and monsters second.
