The 2020s have ushered in a new era of horror, with filmmakers pushing boundaries and blending genres to deliver innovative and terrifying experiences. Horror films are not only designed to scare, but also to explore complex themes such as trauma and societal resilience.
From psychological thrillers to supernatural thrillers, movies from the 2020s reflect the anxieties of the modern world while offering unique twists. They delve into deep issues and use horror to comment on real-world fears like abuse and isolation while maintaining a gripping entertainment value. The best horror films of this decade have redefined the genre through dark humor or chilling atmospheres that offer a blend of terror and thoughtful commentary. The standout films will showcase how horror can entertain and provoke audiences.
|
Movie Title |
Rotten Tomatoes’ Critics Score |
Rotten Tomatoes’ Audience Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Nope |
83% |
69% |
|
M3GAN |
93% |
78% |
|
The Black Phone |
81% |
88% |
|
Talk to Me |
94% |
82% |
|
Terrifier 2 |
86% |
80% |
|
The Invisible Man (2020) |
92% |
88% |
|
Host (2020) |
99% |
71% |
|
Barbarian |
92% |
71% |
|
Pearl |
93% |
83% |
|
Late Night with the Devil |
97% |
81% |
10 Nope (2022)
Directed By Jordan Peele
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8.5/10 Nope rHorror Sci-Fi
Written and directed by Jordan Peele, Nope follows the owners of a family-run Hollywood horse ranch whose lives are changed by extraterrestrial phenomena. Siblings Otis (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald (Keke Palmer) scramble to understand events that seem to defy all explanation, even as their neighbor (Steven Yeun) tries to turn the strange occurrences into a alien tourist attraction.
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*Availability in US Director Jordan Peele Release Date July 22, 2022 Studio(s) Universal Pictures Writers Jordan Peele Cast Steven Yeun , Michael Wincott , Daniel Kaluuya , Brandon Perea , Keke Palmer , Barbie Ferreira Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Runtime 131 minutes Expand
Jordan Peele’s Nope is a sci-fi horror mashup that follows siblings O.J. (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald (Keke Palmer) Haywood as they attempt to capture proof of an apparent UFO lurking in the sky near their family’s horse ranch. Little do they know, their quest for fame and fortune that could come from this will be challenging once they realize what they’re actually dealing with.
Following the success of Peele’s Us and Get Out, Nope is another showcase of the filmmaker’s talent thanks to how he masterfully blends horror with sci-fi and social commentary. Nope is filled with horror moments shown through Peele’s signature humor and breathtaking cinematography. What sets Nope apart, however, is the intelligent storytelling that explores deep themes like Hollywood’s exploitation of animals, the ethics of spectacles, and how individuals cope with traumatic experiences. The result is a complex yet entertaining film that offers a modern-day, paranormal, Jaws-like thriller that calls for multiple viewings to appreciate its layered themes better.
9 M3GAN (2023)
Directed By Gerald Johnstone
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6.3/10 M3GAN PG-13Horror Sci-FiThriller
M3GAN tells the story of a lifelike robotic doll who arrives in a little girl’s life to help her cope with the death of her parents. As the young Cady befriends the robot, its designer, Cady’s aunt Gemma, realizes her self-aware invention is too dangerous to be kept alive. Blumhouse’s 2022 horror phenomenon mixes Chucky’s creepy inclination for violence with the Terminator’s unstoppable nature to craft a terrifying look at the dangers of Artificial Intelligence.
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*Availability in US Director Gerald Johnstone Release Date January 6, 2023 Studio(s) Universal Pictures Cast Amie Donald , Kimberley Crossman , Allison Williams , Ronny Chieng , Violet McGraw , Brian Jordan Alvarez Runtime 82 Minutes Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Akela Cooper , James Wan Expand
M3GAN’s story revolves around the titular doll (Amie Donald), a lifelike android designed to be a child’s companion and help with their upbringing. However, as M3GAN’s artificial intelligence evolves, she breaks free from her programmed restraints, resulting in terrifying consequences. M3GAN is an exceptional horror film of the 2020s due to its fresh take on the killer doll trope. The android’s unsettling appearance comes from fusing Annabelle’s eeriness with the AI-driven dangers of The Terminator. Combined with sharp wit, that makes for a creepy, unpredictable horror villain who’s as sassy as she is dangerous.
The horror comes from her rebellion against her creators and fears stemming from humanity’s reliance on technology. M3GAN is the perfect antagonist for a film with excellent tonal balance, combining moments of genuine emotion and chilling thrills with campy fun for a story about over-dependence on technology. With themes of A.I. dependence, tongue-in-cheek humor, and an iconic villain, M3GAN makes for a terrifying, entertaining, and thought-provoking ride that was popular even before the film’s official release, thanks to an excellent horror movie marketing campaign.
8 The Black Phone (2021)
Directed By Scott Derrickson
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8/10 The Black Phone RDramaHorrorThriller
Based on Joe Hill’s short story of the same name, The Black Phone follows teen Finney Blake (Mason Thames) after he is abducted by a man known only as the Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Trapped in a basement with only a disconnected phone, Finney begins to hear from the Grabber’s previous victims, each of which gives him cryptic clues to help him fight back against his captor.
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*Availability in US Director Scott Derrickson Release Date June 24, 2022 Studio(s) Universal Pictures Writers C. Robert Cargill , Scott Derrickson Cast Ethan Hawke , Mason Thames , Brady Hepner , James Ransone , Jordan Isaiah White , Jeremy Davies , Jacob Moran , Madeleine McGraw Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Runtime 102 minutes Expand
Based on Joe Hill’s short story, The Black Phone immerses audiences into its 1970s setting to follow teenager Finney and his abduction by a local serial killer, The Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Finney discovers an old phone in his captor’s basement, which he uses to communicate with past victims, who do all they can to help him escape. What sets The Black Phone apart from other films is its blend of serial killer crime drama and supernatural horror that captures real-world fears. The film’s atmosphere and setting are the perfect backdrop, giving off haunting nostalgia that aligns with Hawke’s alarming masked performance.
Despite the dark subject matter, The Black Phone manages to be optimistic as it showcases the resilience of youth, be it Finney’s escape attempts or his sister (Madeleine McGraw) using her clairvoyance to find him. The film’s magical realism, solid scares, and nostalgic 1970s vibe make The Black Phone a standout horror movie of the 2020s, offering both spine-tingling terror and a gripping story of hope.
7 Talk To Me (2023)
Directed By Danny And Michael Philippou
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8.5/10 Talk to Me RHorrorThriller
While trying to cope with the death of her mother, Mia (Sophie Wilde) becomes enthralled with an embalmed hand that can conjure spirits. While Mia and her group of friends get a thrill out of communicating with spirits, things go too far when Mia doesn’t close the door to the other side.
Director Danny Philippou , Michael Philippou Release Date July 28, 2023 Distributor(s) A24 Cast Sophie Wilde , Joe Bird , Alexandra Jensen , Otis Dhanji , Miranda Otto , Marcus Johnson Writers Bill Hinzman , Danny Philippou Runtime 94 minutes Expand
Talk To Me follows Mia (Sophie Wilde) as she becomes entangled in a dangerous new trend involving a mysterious embalmed hand. Initial reactions will have everyone believe it’s all a bizarre party trick, but everything quickly spirals out of control when the hand leads to more evil forces. Talk To Me is a unique horror film that stands out for its chilling portrayal of grief and addiction. What could’ve been a standard ghost story is elevated by emotional depth because Talk To Me sprinkles supernatural elements into exploring loss and the destructive behavior addiction can bring.
The nightmarish imagery, depictions of human vulnerability, and relentless tension create an experience that will linger long after the credits roll.
Sophie Wilde gives a phenomenal performance by displaying these themes as a grief-stricken teenager who becomes addicted to the hand’s power in a desperate attempt to reunite with her late mother. The Philippou brothers don’t glamorize the sensitive themes but deliver them through spine-chilling visuals and inventive camera work. The nightmarish imagery, depictions of human vulnerability, and relentless tension create an experience that will linger long after the credits roll.
6 Terrifier 2 (2022)
Directed By Damian Leone
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8.5/10 Terrifier 2 rHorror
Picking up one year after where the original film left off, Terrifier 2 again sees Art, a serial killer clown, return to Miles County to bring terror and murder. After mutilating the survivor of the first film Victoria Hayes and committing suicide at the end of the first film, Art is brought back from the dead by a mysterious evil being. Newly resurrected, Art sets his sights on two new victims, siblings Sienna and Jonathan, during Halloween. Unfortunately, the two siblings must do their best to survive another terrifying ordeal with an evil that can’t seem to stay dead. David Howard Thornton reprises his role as the titular clown.
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*Availability in US Director Damien Leone Release Date October 6, 2022 Distributor(s) Bloody Disgusting Writers Damien Leone Runtime 140 minutes Studio(s) Dark Age Cinema , Fuzz on the Lens Productions Cast Lauren LaVera , Elliot Fullam , Sarah Voigt , Kailey Hyman , Casey Harnett , David Howard Thornton , Samantha Scaffidi Expand
Set a year after the events of the first film, Terrifier 2 sees the return of the sinister Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton), who embarks on another Halloween night of gruesome mayhem. Terrifier 2 pushed the boundaries its predecessor started doing, gaining infamy for its extreme violence and gory practical effects and leading to audiences becoming physically sick. Despite this, Terrifier 2 became a box-office success and was praised for Thornton’s performance as the now-iconic clown. Art’s unnerving silence, paired with his sadistic creativity, cements him as one of the most terrifying modern horror villains.
Terrifier 2 also offers Lauren LaVera’s portrayal of the final girl, Sienna Shaw, a likable protagonist who is emotionally vulnerable and powerful enough to face Art in the film’s climax. Terrifier 2 is a testament to filmmaker Damian Leone’s vision and the power of independent horror filmmaking. It balances its brutality with a darkly comic tone, making it a gleeful, if unsettling, ride that solidifies its place as a modern cult classic in the slasher genre.
5 Invisible Man (2020)
Directed By Leigh Whannell
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6/10 The Invisible Man RHorror Sci-FiThriller
Inspired by H.G. Well’s novel of the same name, The Invisible Man is a modern retelling of the sci-fi horror classic. After narrowly escaping her abusive and powerful tech mogul boyfriend (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) is relieved to hear of his death. However, she soon becomes convinced that he’s watching her, and little by little, she comes to believe that he’s found a way to not only cheat death but the laws of reality, too.
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*Availability in US Director Leigh Whannell Studio(s) Universal Pictures Writers Leigh Whannell Runtime 124 minutes Release Date February 28, 2020 Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Cast Zara Michaels , Storm Reid , Sam Smith , Oliver Jackson-Cohen , Anthony Brandon Wong , Aldis Hodge , Amali Golden , Harriet Dyer , Bianca Pomponio , Elisabeth Moss , Benedict Hardie Expand
The Invisible Man reimagines the 1933 classic, changing the tale of a man corrupted by power to a chilling metaphor for abuse and trauma by following Cecilia Kass’ (Elisabeth Moss) journey after she escapes her abusive partner Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), only to be haunted by his presence after his supposed death. As her mental health unravels from becoming convinced that Adrian is stalking her, this results in a brilliant metaphor for the lingering scars left by toxic relationships.
What makes The Invisible Man exceptional is its exploration of the terrifying reality of domestic abuse and the gaslighting that accompanies it, adding depth to a story once centered on sci-fi. Cecilia’s isolation and paranoia make for a gripping psychological horror, as the invisible threat mirrors the way abuse lingers after the abuser is gone. Moss delivers a phenomenal performance as Cecilia, portraying her with raw vulnerability and determination, while Jackson-Cohen embodies a chillingly manipulative presence, even when unseen, making him one of the best Blumhouse horror villains. The Invisible Man doesn’t just scare but also resonates deeply with audiences.
4 Host (2020)
Directed By Rob Savage
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Host rHorrorMystery
Host is a Shudder original horror mystery released in July 2020. The story revolves around six friends on a Zoom call during the COVID-19 lockdown that performs a seance. Unsurprisingly, their fun idea quickly takes a turn for the worse as supernatural events plague the group performing the dangerous ritual.
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*Availability in US Director Rob Savage Release Date July 30, 2020 Writers Rob Savage , Gemma Hurley , Jed Shepherd Runtime 65minutes Cast Haley Bishop , Jemma Moore
Host is an innovative horror film that captures the eerie isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. It uses a computer screen format to tell the story of a friend group who decide to conduct a seance over Zoom, which quickly gets out of hand as they accidentally invite an evil spirit. One of Host’s greatest strengths is how it taps into the real-world fears of social alienation and the new normal of digital interaction that the COVID lockdowns brought by artfully encapsulating the anxiety and loneliness of 2020 while still delivering an intense and terrifying experience.
Rather than feeling like a film that sought to capitalize on the global pandemic, it uses the situation as a backdrop to create a unique, modern horror story, as the characters’ separation amplifies the fear, with each person alone in their apartment, making the haunting feel personal and inescapable. The short runtime is packed with creative scares, many cleverly crafted around Zoom. From tense trips through apartments to standout jump scares, Host keeps viewers on edge from start to finish.
3 Barbarian (2022)
Directed By Zach Chegger
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10/10 Barbarian RHorrorThriller
In Barabarian, Tess (Georgina Campbell) travels to Detroit for a job interview, booking an Airbnb to stay at. When she discovers the rental is currently occupied by a man named Keith (Bill Skarsgard), who also supposedly booked the property, Tess agrees to stay the night while they sort things out. However, her reservations for Keith are the least of her worries – as she soon discovers the home is not what it seems.
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*Availability in US Director Zach Cregger Studio(s) 20th Century , Disney Writers Zach Cregger Runtime 102 minutes Release Date September 9, 2022 Distributor(s) 20th Century , Disney Cast Bill Skarsgard , Georgina Campbell , Justin Long , Richard Brake , Kurt Braunohler , Matthew Patrick Davis Expand
Barbarian begins with an Airbnb mix-up that quickly snowballs into a nightmare as guests Tess (Georgina Campbell) and Keith (Bill Skarsgard) share a rental house with terrifying secrets lurking beneath the surface. What starts as an awkward inconvenience soon unravels into a dire situation connected to decades of horrific abuse that took place in the home. Barbarian is a clever horror film that balances shocking twists with insightful social commentary. One of its strengths is its ability to subvert expectations at every turn, keeping everyone on their toes.
Another is that throughout the story, Barbarian touches on women’s fears in male-dominated environments, with Tess navigating layers of danger that reflect different types of this antagonism. From the seemingly well-intentioned Keith to the more overtly sinister characters revealed later, the film explores how absolute terror can come from actions with devastating consequences. The film’s true monster isn’t the disfigured woman guarding the house’s dark secrets, but the men who have taken advantage of their power. This brilliant subversion underscores the film’s modern relevance.
2 Pearl (2022)
Directed By Ti West
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8/10 Pearl RHorror
Pearl, a prequel to the film X, follows the story of a young woman named Pearl residing on a secluded farm during the early 20th century. Directed by Ti West, this psychological horror explores Pearl’s descent into madness, delving into her troubled psyche and the haunting circumstances that surround her. Starring Mia Goth, the film provides a chilling backdrop and a character study of ambition and isolation gone awry.
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*Availability in US Director Ti West Studio(s) A24 Writers Ti West , Mia Goth Runtime 102 minutes Release Date September 16, 2022 Distributor(s) A24 Cast Mia Goth , David Corenswet , Tandi Wright , Matthew Sunderland , Emma Jenkins-Purro Expand
Pearl is a visually striking psychological horror film that serves as a prequel to X, delving into the early life of the murderous character from its predecessor. Set in 1918, the film follows Pearl (Mia Goth), a young German immigrant with dreams of escaping her farm life to become a star, but her ambitions soon take a dark turn. One of Pearl’s unique elements is its aesthetics, which the Golden Age of Cinema heavily inspires. The bright, theatrical tone contrasts horror with the whimsical, old-Hollywood style, resulting in a visually captivating experience of grim horror.
Pearl
is a prequel in Ti West’s horror trilogy, which starts with
X
(2022) and ends with
MaXXXine
(2024).
However, much of Pearl’s unsettling horror stems from Goth’s stunning performance as the titular character. She delivers a killer performance by portraying Pearl with innocence, desperation, and cold-blooded determination as her descent into violence feels inevitable and tragic. Her performance elevates Pearl from a straightforward slasher prequel to a character study of a young woman unraveling under the weight of her circumstances, making Pearl a deeply sympathetic yet terrifying figure and instantly cementing her place as a modern horror icon.
1 Late Night With The Night (2024)
Directed By Cameron and Colin Cairnes
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7/10 Late Night With the Devil RHorror
Late Night with the Devil is a horror thriller starring David Dastmalchian as Jack Delroy. Delroy is a late-night talk show host in 1977 trying to keep his broadcast on the air. But when he tries to communicate with the devil through a young girl live on the air, things don’t go according to plan.
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*Availability in US Director Cameron Cairnes , Colin Cairnes Release Date March 22, 2024 Studio(s) Image Nation Abu Dhabi , VicScreen , AGC Studios , Good Fiend Films , Future Pictures , Spooky Pictures Runtime 86 Minutes Distributor(s) Umbrella Entertainment , Maslow Entertainment Writers Colin Cairnes , Cameron Cairnes Cast David Dastmalchian , Laura Gordon , Ian Bliss , Fayssal Bazzi , Ingrid Torelli , Rhys Auteri , Josh Quong Tart , Georgina Haig Main Genre Horror Expand
Late Night With The Devil delivers a unique blend of supernatural terror and retro nostalgia as it follows Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian), a late-night talk show host who invites a possessed guest (Ingrid Torelli) onto his show for a special Halloween episode. As the night unfolds, an evil spirit begins to take over the broadcast, plunging the show into chaos. Late Night With The Devil is a brilliant found-footage horror film that channels the eerie atmosphere of 1970s television and stands out for its meticulous production and costume design, perfectly capturing the decade’s look and feel.
The combination creates unsettling authenticity, as viewers feel they are watching a lost episode of a late-night show spiraling out of control. Dastmalchian’s performance as Jack Delroy is another highlight, as he plays a charming host with a tortured soul. Fans of classic late-night hosts like Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien will appreciate the film’s cozy homage to the genre while the horror elements creep in, creating a nightmarish contrast. Late Night With The Devil’s combination of vintage charm, psychological depth, and disturbing possession-themed scares makes it one of the most inventive and entertaining horror films of the 2020s.