Horror enjoyed a spectacular year in 2025, and given the turmoil around the globe, it’s no wonder.
Horror, as always, has helped us cope with the nightmares of reality by giving us a warped and extreme version of what we’re dealing with in our daily lives.
But more than that, horror films made us excited to go see movies again in theaters this year.
From treadmill viewings to new twists on vampires and a stunning recreation of a beautiful classic, 2025 was a year that made horror fans cheer.
Here are the eleven best horror films to come out this year.
Sinners
Identical twin brothers (Michael B. Jordan) return to their Mississippi hometown after years away, seeking to start over.
But instead of finding a quiet life, they encounter a supernatural evil that threatens their lives.
Together
After years of marriage, Tim (Dave Franco) and Millie (Alison Brie) move to the countryside to try to save their marriage.
They wanted to get closer. They had no idea how close they would end up becoming.
Bring Her Back
When Andy (Billy Barratt) and Piper (Sora Wong) are orphaned after their father’s death, they’re sent to live with Laura (Sally Hawkins), who is grieving the loss of her own daughter.
And the siblings realize, too late, that Laura may have sinister motives for wanting to foster them.
The Long Walk
Based on the novel by Stephen King, teen boys are forced to participate in an annual walking competition.
They have to maintain a speed of three miles per hour. They only get three warnings before they are shot.
And they can’t stop until only one boy remains.
It Feeds
When a young girl (Shayelin Martin) believes a supernatural entity is feeding on her, she turns to clairvoyant psychiatrist Cynthia (Ashley Greene) for help.
But whatever malevolent force has claimed her won’t leave easily. And if Cynthia wants to save the girl, she’ll have to face her own inner demons before they eat them all alive.
28 Years Later
Three decades ago, the rage virus escaped a weapons lab and decimated humanity. Through ruthless quarantine zones, some communities have managed to live among the infected.
But when one survivor ventures out of their compound, he discovers the virus has mutated that will change everything.
Clown in a Cornfield
Quinn’s ( Katie Douglas) father (Aaron Abrams) moves them to Kettle Springs for a fresh start.
Instead, they find a struggling town on the brink of disaster. Eli Craig brings Adam Cesare’s novel about a killer clown terrorizing a small town to life.
Weapons
One night, without warning, seventeen children from one classroom disappear. Every single one of them except one.
Now, the community has to figure out who—or what—is behind it if they ever hope to see their children again.
The Ugly Stepsister
A body-horror twist on Cinderella, The Ugly Stepsister follows Elvira (Lea Myren), a weak-kneed virgin who would do anything to be seen as beautiful in the eyes of Prince Julian (Isac Calmroth).
The only problem? Her step-sister (Thea Sofie Lock Næss) is gorgeous, leaving Elvira no choice but to resort to extreme measures.
Black Phone 2
After receiving a call from the black phone, fifteen-year-old Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) starts having bad dreams.
They lead her to a winter camp, to try and understand why she keeps dreaming about three boys.
What she finds instead is the Grabber (Ethan Hawke), a killer who is more powerful in death than he ever was alive.
Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro breathes gorgeous new life into Mary Shelley’s beloved classic, where a tormented scientist (Oscar Isaac) attempts to defy death by bringing a monstrous creature (Jacob Elordi) to life, only to lead to both of their undoing.
Featured image: Stills from Neon, Lionsgate, and Warner Bros. Pictures
