Psychological thrillers have universal appeal. The tug of mystery, twists, and tension create the type of movies and shows that you just can't look away from. Really, women are perfect for the genre. Stories about women's resilience, triumph, and quick thinking are always fun, but they hit especially good among a twisty, chaotic backdrop.
The Woman in Cabin 10 (2025) shooting to the top of Netflix's streaming charts proves audiences are always hungry for thrillers with strong female leads. While the women on this list aren't perfect, they prove some of the most likeable protagonists are persistent but flawed. Listed in order of release date, here are 10 juicy psychological thrillers with strong female leads to watch on HBO Max, Hulu, and more.
The Lady Vanishes (1938)
The neat thing about The Lady Vanishes is that there are a few strong female characters to get behind. However, it's Margaret Lockwood's Iris Henderson that takes center stage. When an elderly woman on a train suddenly vanishes, and all the other passengers deny her existence, Iris, with the help of a fellow traveller (Michael Redgrave), seeks to uncover her whereabouts.
While the 1938 release date may be intimidating, The Lady Vanishes, surprisingly, holds up under a modern lens. Iris is a competent lead who doesn't hesitate to push back against anyone who dares to dismiss her. If you dig Alfred Hitchcock's style, you'll love this one. It's got that same brand of suspense that movies like Psycho (1960) and Vertigo (1958) remain iconic for. With all the mystery elements circling at once, you'll be questioning what's real and what isn't throughout its 97-minute runtime.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
If you haven't seen The Silence of the Lambs yet, make it happen. The characters, the performances, the pacing, and the twists amount to a near-perfect movie and a true cinematic masterpiece. While Hannibal Lecter and Buffalo Bill's combined psychopathy make them some of Hollywood's most memorable villains, Jodie Foster's Clarice Starling warrants mention as one of the greatest female leads in history.
Perhaps what makes Clarice so likable is her mix of vulnerability and courage. As an inexperienced FBI agent, she doesn't always have the answers, but it doesn't stop her from pushing forward. From facing down multiple serial killers to combating the underestimation of her male co-workers, the movie interweaves realistic female experiences that (unfortunately) remain just as relatable more than three decades later. If you like edge-of-your-seat thrillers, The Silence of the Lambs will give you that and then some.
The Killing (2011-2014)
If the crime-centered storytelling of The Silence of the Lambs is your thing, The Killing taps into something similar. Here, homicide detectives Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) and Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman) become embroiled in a twisty murder case involving a teenage girl. The four-season series is less about action and more about the slow unraveling of a character-driven mystery.
Methodical, driven, and clear-headed, Linden remains a strong lead. Her penchant for self-destruction might be challenging for some to get behind, but for many of us, it's what makes her feel gritty and real. If you like crime dramas that delve deep into the psychology of their leads, like True Detective (2014), then The Killing is sure to satisfy.
Hush (2016)
Better suited for fans of the horror genre, Hush is technically billed as a slasher. However, Mike Flanagan's directing gives it all the right suspenseful edges to also classify it a psychological thriller. Kate Siegel takes the lead as Maddie, a horror writer with deafness, whose attempt to write her next book gets upended by a masked killer. What follows is an intense game of cat-and-mouse with a similar nail-biting vibe to Wait Until Dark (1967).
Maddie's deafness becomes central to the plot and adds to the movie's tension. Like A Quiet Place (2018), Hush uses the absence of sound (or the sudden inclusion of it) to immerse viewers in Maddie's POV and, therefore, her terror. Even with a disadvantage against her attacker, Maddie proves the genre's most likable heroines are those that balance vulnerability with quick wit and perseverance.
Gerald's Game (2017)
If you like your psychological thrillers steeped in horror, meet Gerald's Game. The Mike Flanagan-directed movie stems from the dark mind of Stephen King. Like King's story, the Netflix movie kicks off with a married couple, Jessie (Carla Gugino) and Gerald (Bruce Greenwood), spending a weekend away at a remote lake house. However, things go awry when an attempt to spice up their sex life leaves Gerald dead, and Jessie handcuffed to the bed.
What follows is slow-building tension as Jessie confronts a multitude of present horrors and the dark recesses of her mind, all while chained in place. A little survival horror, and very much a psychological thriller, Gerald's Game goes to some dark places. Still, Jessie's resilience and quick thinking prove she has enough grit to rank among some of the finest female leads in the genre. Not to mention, Carla Gugino's performance really is top-notch.
Mare of Easttown (2018)
If you haven't come across Mare of Easttown on HBO Max yet, change that. While the series has a similar crime drama vibe to Broadchurch (2013) or The Sinner (2017), its deep dive into the characters' innermost thoughts, motivations, and traumas pushes it well into psychological thriller territory.
Kate Winslet shines as Mare Sheehan, a small-town detective trying to solve a particularly nasty murder case while battling her own self-doubt and personal problems. Like many of the women on this list, Mare's likeability doesn't stem from perfection, but from her complexity as a human being just trying to do her best. If suicide is a trigger, consider skipping Mare of Easttown. However, fans of mystery-drenched whodunnits with a dark, atmospheric setting might just find their next binge-watch, with a female detective in her forties, no less.
Us (2019)
Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong'o) is undoubtedly a strong female lead. She's sharp, resilient, and doesn't hesitate to protect her family when their bloodthirsty doppelgängers attack them. This makes Us the perfect blend of scary, tense, and mysterious. We want to see Adelaide and her family survive just as much as we want answers to this sudden arrival of doppelgängers.
Full disclaimer: Us has one heck of a twist that might change how you view Adelaide. Maybe she's selfish. Maybe she's advantageous, or maybe she's just more complicated than you first thought. There's really no right answer, and that's what makes the Jordan Peele film arguably one of his best. Sure, Get Out (2017) is great, but Us is just as good, if not better.
The Invisible Man (2020)
Although technically a remake of the 1933 film, don't dismiss The Invisible Man (2020) as a revival of the same old-school thing. This time around, the H.G. Wells-inspired story stars Elisabeth Moss' Cee and her quest to escape her abusive ex-boyfriend (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) after he gains the ability to become invisible. Cee remains a competent lead, as a survivor of abuse who still hasn't escaped her tormentor. She is resilient, smart, and easy to root for right from the get-go.
For fans of genre mash-ups, The Invisible Man sort of has it all. However, the combination of suspense and horror also makes it one hell of a psychological thriller. Filled with topics about abuse and PTSD, The Invisible Man is undoubtedly a heavy watch. However, it also delivers all the best kinds of psychological tension.
Drop (2025)
Drop is a compelling little thriller from Christopher Landon, the writer/director of horror-comedy favorites like Happy Death Day (2017) and Freaky (2020). If you're a horror fan, you're probably ready to hit play. Just know that Drop is much more of a psychological thriller than those movies. With Meghann Fahy's Violet Gates becoming the victim of mysterious, cryptic airdrops, the tension escalates. However, when she learns her son is also being held hostage, the tension explodes.
Violet is instantly likable as a single mother and therapist just beginning to recover from the death of her abusive husband. However, it's her grit, cool head, and out-of-the-box thinking that earn her a spot on this list. If Landon's other movies are your jam, Drop offers something similar, albeit with a faster-paced plot sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
The Woman In Cabin 10 (2025)
Based on a novel by Ruth Ware, The Woman in Cabin 10 skyrocketed to the top of the streaming charts upon its Netflix release. Keira Knightley plays Lo Blacklock, an investigative journalist who becomes tangled in a mystery involving a missing woman while traveling on a luxury yacht. Like The Lady Vanishing, the other passengers seem to think she is mistaken, resulting in a similar "what's real or not real?" vibe to Hitchcock's movie.
Lo, herself, is a flawed but likeable lead, who has enough drive and resilience to keep pace with the other women on this list. Struggling with anxiety stemming from a previous traumatic event, a large part of her character involves conquering fear. While the mental health themes might be triggering for some viewers, what lies beneath is a well-acted, if imperfect, twisty thriller. If you're asking me, though, check out the book first!