Horror Movies with Mythical Creatures

Let’s start with something familiar, like the vampire. The original legend of the blood-sucking count was probably inspired by the real-life stories of Vlad the Impaler and Elizabeth Bathory, leading to Bram Stoker writing and publishing Dracula in 1897. But since then, Dracula has taken a life of its own, with countless adaptations and remakes. 

The 2024 remake of Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 film based upon the novel, and directed by none other than Robert Eggers, a horror movie director whose work is steeped in folklore, myth and Gothic vibes. 

This atmospheric film manages to be both scary and seductive, focusing prominently on the repression of feminine sexuality during the Victorian era and the monsters we unwittingly invite to our lives, as a result.

This supernatural horror film, co-written and directed by Scott Cooper brings to life the wendigo—a mythological creature from Native American folklore. This legendary spirit supposedly takes over a human body and constantly craves the flesh and blood of others. 

In the film, it possesses a father who’s slowly driven insane, while one of his sons is infected, and it’s up to the other son to somehow save them or find a way to survive. Twisty and terrifying, Antlers makes for a gripping watch and might even set you down a rabbit hole of Algonquian folklore.

Sadly, there isn’t a whole lot of representation of Scandinavian mythology on-screen (unless you count the Marvel movies which don’t count) but The Ritual is one gorgeous folk horror film that somehow manages to get it right. 

Directed by David Bruckner and based on the novel of the same name by Adam Nevill, this creepy and unsettling film focuses on the Jötunn—a race of ancient frost giants in conflict with the others Norse gods.

It follows a group of friends on a hiking trip through a forest where they encounter the ancient form of Moder, one of the bloodthirsty Jötunn, and try their best to evade the creature’s grasp. Filled with suspense and scares, The Ritual is a rather captivating watch.

Who said horror can’t also be cheesy and fun? Most of us might be familiar with the Irish folklore of the solitary leprechaun but the Mark Jones film starring Warwick Davis and Jennifer Aniston departs a bit from classical folklore and embraces camp, as it follows a revenge-hungry leprechaun determined to get back his stolen pot of gold and killing anyone who comes in his way. 

It manages to be creepy and funny at the same time, and is perfect for anyone looking for a “chill” horror film. It even spawned seven sequels, none of them as good as the first one, which perhaps goes onto prove the message of the original film—that giving in to human greed isn’t always a good thing.

On the other hand, if you’re in the mood for a “brainy” horror film—something that will make you think, like solving a puzzle—you can’t go wrong with Ari Aster’s Hereditary. This A24 film follows a family plagued by paranormal occurrences due to the interference of a demon called Paimon.

And as Paimon gets more and more powerful, the supernatural chaos escalates, making for a very fascinating and spooky watch. With careful attention to color and tone, the cinematography and storytelling in the film is impeccable, even if the human characters fall a little flat.

Finally, why settle for just one mythological beast when you can have them all? Although more dark fantasy than horror, Pan’s Labyrinth directed by visionary film director Guillermo del Toro, deliciously blends the mundane reality of war and domestic violence with a surreal mythological twist, following the narrative of a young girl whose grip on reality slowly slips, as she’s pulled towards a darkly magical universe. 

There’s a fairy by the antique bathtub, a fairytale about a princess finding her way back to a hidden kingdom, a terrifying labyrinth in the garden, decadent banquets and of course, a mysterious and morally ambiguous part-goat, part-human faun to lead one astray…

Feature Image: Empire