Top 10 Horror Films of 2024

The 2020s have been extremely kind to the horror genre so far — on top of the frequency of successful revivals and follow-ups of already-established properties and franchises overshadowing the less-than-stellar ones, there have also been plenty of original contributions over the last few years to make the genre feel fresher and more exciting than it has in a long time. It’s hard to say that it’s been a complete resurgence for the genre, considering it’s always been one of the best-performing genres at the box office, but the sheer quality of the horror films to make waves during this decade so far can’t be denied.

2024 alone was a standout year for horror — for the most part, the excitement and excellence of the original releases surpassed those of the sequels/requels of the well-renowned properties with built-in fanbases over the past year. In previous years, I didn’t tend to write best-of lists for horror films like I would for albums each year, but I made it a point to see as many new movies as I could in 2024. With that being said, narrowing things down and ranking them was a difficult task because of the amount of great films to be released last year. As always, the order is subject to change, but these are 10 of my personal favorite horror movies from last year.

10. The First Omen

Arkasha Stevenson’s feature-film directorial debut was a strong one that came with a lot of pressure attached to it — making a prequel to one of the most influential religious horror films out there, along with the first film in the Omen franchise in almost 20 years, is no small feat, but Stevenson and co. passed the test with flying colors. Prequels in general have a reputation for being underwhelming or outright bad, but The First Omen is the complete opposite. With a dark cinematic atmosphere, terrifyingly memorable set pieces, and impressively strong acting performances all around, this is one of the most impressive entries in the Omen franchise. The prequel stands really well on its own without relying on gratuitous fan service and jumpscares, but there are still plenty of referential moments to tie in with the original 1976 film.

Read my full reaction to The First Omen here.

9. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

There’s an ongoing narrative that classic films should be left alone because there’s no need for another sequel or remake, and while I normally tend to agree with that argument, that was clearly not the case with the long-awaited requel to Beetlejuice (1988). The aptly-titled follow-up took the right visual approach by utilizing practical effects and set design almost every step of the way, with very little CGI and green screens being used for the film, making for a faithful continuation of the 35+ year old masterpiece. The new cast members fit right in with the returning cast, and it feels tonally very similar to the first film, complete with a sequence that does the same for Richard Harris’ “MacArthur Park” that the first one did for Harry Belafonte’s “Banana Boat (Day O).” One can hope for a third film in the future to completely the namesake trilogy, but much like the first film, this requel does a great job at wrapping things in a way that makes a continuation feel not necessary, but welcome nonetheless.

8. Lisa Frankenstein

Set in the same universe as Jennifer’s Body (2009), this romantic horror comedy film takes on a similar tone and is an insanely fun time altogether. The movie does a great job with the 80s aesthetic, both in the film itself and its marketing, with the bold color palette instantly setting itself apart from other releases. Kathryn Newton does a phenomenal job in the lead role, further cementing her status in modern horror royalty, and the supporting cast is equally superb. The most impressive technical aspect of the film, aside from the acting, might be the makeup and costume design — on top of the costume work for the human characters, the makeup of Cole Sprouse's monster character is phenomenal. Lisa Frankenstein deserved much more love at the box office, but it has thankfully gotten a well-deserved cult following, and will hopefully reach even more fans in the years to come.

7. Terrifier 3

Damien Leone and the Fuzz on the Lens crew truly struck gold with the Terrifier franchise, with each installment reaching stratospheric heights, both commercially and visually. After the second Terrifier film, I've learned not to underestimate or doubt these filmmakers when it comes to pushing the envelope in terms of gore, so it's a compliment when I say I wasn't surprised at just how graphic this latest entry was. However, contrary to popular belief, these films are more than simply overdone onscreen violence — throughout the franchise so far, there has been plenty of experimentation with typical slasher plot devices, signs of expansive worldbuilding, and even biblical imagery. This new film interestingly explores the concepts of PTSD and survivor's guilt with Lauren LaVera and Elliott Fullam's characters, and gives a couple more breadcrumbs into Art the Clown's backstory. This franchise is nothing short of an anomaly, especially after this third film set all sorts of records and made history in many ways as an independent production, so the hype is at an all-time high for what's being teased as the upcoming conclusion of this slasher icon’s story with Terrifier 4.

6. Werewolves

For the last few years, there's been this ongoing narrative that there hasn't been a good werewolf movie in a long time — while I would be one to dispute that by pointing out the number of contributions that unfortunately went under the radar, I'd also advise them not to sleep on the latest gem of the subgenre, simply titled Werewolves. Much like Aliens (1986), there’s a bit of an action approach to this movie, but make no mistake, there’s no shortage of werewolf carnage. Complete with practical effects and Frank Grillo badassery, Werewolves is easily one of the most fun watches of 2024, and one can only hope that this is just the beginning of what could be an interesting franchise.

Read my full reaction to Werewolves here.

5. Longlegs

From the chilling tone to the wicked funny memes after its release, Longlegs was easily one of the most memorable films of last year. Feeling like a mix between The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Se7en (1995) with a little bit of Satan worship sprinkled in, Maika Monroe does an amazing job as FBI Agent Lee Harker, and Nicolas Cage is almost unnoticeable as the titular character, giving a performance that makes his character feel like one of the most unsettling cinematic serial killers that the screen has seen in a long time. While there’s a clear intention to set the suspenseful tone and can probably feel like a bit of a slow burn at times, this film is also home to arguably the most effective jumpscare I’ve ever seen.

4. Late Night with the Devil

It’s hard to compare many of the highlight horror films of last year because of how different they all are from each other, but I would go out on a limb and say that Late Night with the Devil might be one of the most unique horror films of 2024. It genuinely feels like the viewer is behind the scenes of a late-night TV talk show while watching the film, commercial breaks and all. The premise is interesting and original, and David Dastmalchian knocks it out of the park in his first starring role. Some of the CGI effects may leave a little to be desired, the practical effects look amazing in many sequences, and the twist ending really throws the audience for a loop. For a film that was released theatrically in the springtime, it’s also a great movie to watch on Halloween night.

Read my full reaction to Late Night with the Devil here.

3. The Substance

The recent awards season success that Coralie Fargeat’s sophomore directorial effort is extremely well-deserved, and while I personally don’t pay much attention to those shows, I have to admit that it’s nice to see those powers that be finally show some rare recognition to the most creatively limitless genre in all of cinema. Cleverly critiquing the social pressure on women and their beauty standards as they age, this body horror film is a spectacle on many levels. The makeup and effects work is nothing short of breathtaking, and the last twenty minutes of the film will have the viewer’s jaw on the floor. It honestly just needs to be seen, because words don’t do it justice.

2. Nosferatu

As a devout fan of the original 1922 masterpiece from F. W. Murnau, Robert Eggers’ interpretation of Bram Stoker’s classic Dracula story was my most anticipated movie of the year, and it delivered in every way imaginable. This reimagining is a complete tour de force from an aesthetic standpoint, with each shot looking like a work of art. Every performance is a home run, but the true MVPs are, of course, Bill Skarsgård, who is unrecognizable as the titular vampire, and Lily-Rose Depp, who plays his love interest. Eggers was the perfect person to bring this story back to the silver screen, taking risks with new interpretations while still maintaining the foundation that made the original film as iconic as it is. With news of this film’s production first going public almost ten years prior to its release, it’s safe to say that the final product was well worth the wait.

Read my full reaction to Nosferatu here.

1. Immaculate

Religious horror really isn’t my thing, but Immaculate was the one horror release that left the strongest impression on me. Going into this movie completely blind, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but as you can see, it ended up being my favorite movie of the year. Having never heard of or seen any of Sydney Sweeney’s work before this movie, I was really impressed with her acting chops, especially for a role as emotionally demanding as this one. What’s even more admirable is her history with this script, having first auditioned for the film in 2014 before ultimately taking matters into her own hands and buying the rights to the script after the film spent many years stuck in development. The exterior shots of the Italian countryside are stunning for as long as they last, but it’s the overall tone of the film that makes it shine — combining occasional jumpscares with the slow-burn type of suspense, it’s hard for the viewer to know what to expect at first, keeping them on their toes for a good majority of the movie. Along with the statement that this film makes on the topic of bodily autonomy in the wake of recent political events, there’s an interesting commentary on the cult-like nature of institutionalized religion. With a brilliant aesthetic atmosphere and a finale that’s as shocking as it is abrupt, Immaculate deserves all the praise.

Read my full reaction to Immaculate here.

In general, 2024 was another fantastic year for the horror genre, and this year has some solid contenders in the near future as well. Going into many of these movies blind was one of the best moves I could’ve made over the past year, because it introduced me to some of my favorite films that I likely wouldn’t have seen if I’d watched every trailer and learned as much information as possible before walking into the theater. I’m continuing to adopt that approach this year, and hopefully it will yield similarly positive results. With the state of the world today, the one positive thing is that there will be no shortage of inspiration for future productions, so it’ll be very interesting to see where the horror genre goes in the years to come.

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