13 American Serial Killer Movies & Series on Netflix in July 2024

In the United States, Independence Day occurs on July fourth, and it commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. More commonly referred to simply as the Fourth of July, it is a holiday associated with patriotism and the celebration of all things American. What is one thing that America has more of than any other country? Serial killers.

America has the most documented serial killers in the world. By a lot. And though that isn’t something to be celebrated, the abundance of American killers has bled over into popular culture. From true crime to complete fiction, serial killers have proliferated through television, film, podcasts, and just about every other form of media. So, in July, while recognizing what the United States of America brings to the world, we bring you this collection of fictional serial killer movies, narrative films based on true events, and docuseries focusing on real killers, all of which are currently streaming on Netflix, and all of which are made in America. (note: American Psycho actually inspired this list, but since it was filmed in Canada, it doesn’t qualify for inclusion.)

Director: Duncan Skiles | Runtime: 109 minutes

The Clovehitch Killer is set in a small Kentucky town, and it is about a teenage boy who suspects his father might be a killer after discovering a disturbing photograph. Though the story is fictional, the killer in the movie is partly based on the BTK Killer, Dennis Rader.

Director: Joe Berlinger | Runtime: 110 minutes

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is a biopic of Ted Bundy from the point of view of Elizabeth Kendall (the pen name of Elizabeth Kloepfer), Ted Bundy’s former girlfriend. It is based on Elizabeth Kendall’s memoirs, The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy.

Director: J. Davis | Runtime: 84 minutes

Manson Family Vacation is the one movie on this list that isn’t actually about a serial killer. Rather, it’s about a Charles-Manson-obsessed man who takes his brother on a trip to visit various Manson-related sites. The movie is essentially a drama-comedy about brothers bonding, with Charles Manson used as a bizarre theme to tie it all together.

Director: John Lee Hancock | Runtime: 127 minutes

The Little Things feels like a throwback to the mid-1990s era of crime thrillers released in the wake of The Silence of the Lambs. It is about a former Los Angeles police detective who returns to the city when he becomes involved in the investigation of a serial killer.

Director: Tobias Lindholm | Runtime: 123 minutes

The Good Nurse is based on the story of real-life serial killer Charles Cullen. The story is adapted from the book The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder by Charles Graeber, and it is told from the perspective of Amy Loughren, a nurse and coworker of Cullen’s who assisted in the investigation of Cullen.

Director: Patrick Brice | Runtime: 77 minutes

Creep is a found footage movie about a videographer who answers an for a video shoot that promises to pay $1000 for one day’s work. The videographer, Aaron, discovers that his client is Josef, a man who claims to be dying, and who wants a video diary made for his family. Aaron’s experiences take some very odd turns as he learns more about Josef and his true intentions.

Director: Patrick Brice | Runtime: 80 minutes

The killer from Creep returns in this sequel, now using the name Aaron as he invites another videographer, Sara, for a stay at his cabin. This time, “Aaron” explains he is having a mid-life crisis as a serial killer, and he wants to document his life before he decides to end it.

Director: James Carroll, Tiller Russell | Series Length: 4 Episodes

Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer (2021) documents the crimes of Richard Ramirez and the manhunt leading to his capture.

Director: Joshua Zeman | Series Length: 4 Episodes

The Son of Sam terrified the residents of New York City in the late 1970s. But what if David Berkowitz wasn’t working alone in the crimes attributed to the Son of Sam? That’s the idea investigated by the docuseries The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness.

Director: Robert Kenner, Taki Oldham | Series Length: 5 Episodes

Henry Lee Lucas is not like the other serial killers on this list. In fact, he might only barely qualify as a serial killer under the law (which is three or more killings) despite confessing to an absurd number of homicides. The Confession Killer takes a look at Lucas and his lies, as well as how law enforcement could accept his lies at face value.

Director: Joe Berlinger | Series Length: 4 Episodes

Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes focuses on Ted Bundy’s crimes, his arrest, escapes, trial, and ultimately his confession and execution.

Director: Joe Berlinger | Series Length: 3 Episodes

Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes tells the story of the infamous killer, and it features archival recordings never published prior to the release of this series.

Director: Joe Berlinger | Series Length: 3 Episodes

Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes follows Dahmer’s murders and his trial in three episodes of about an hour each.