The horror genre has always been one of the greatest cinematic innovators and a place to find emerging visionary talent. The past few years have been especially rewarding regarding horror’s contributions to film and the wild risks these movies have been willing to take.

During the past five years, the genre has revived dormant franchises, birthed entirely new ones, and produced many unconventional projects that blend genres and established new traditions and tropes. While it’s easy to celebrate the evergreen horror titles that remain excellent after several decades, a new generation of horror movies is just as worthy of attention and accolades.

Updated March 15, 2024, by Anthony Jeanetta and Robert Vaux. With recent releases like Talk to Me, the horror genre continues to make some of the most successful and exciting films. This list has been updated by removing several films that have passed the "five-year" date and replacing them with more recent horror films. In this manner, the list can stay timely in perpetuity with periodic updates. In addition, the formatting has been adjusted to reflect CBR’s most recent style guidelines.

25 His House Is A Poignant Allegory For The Horror Many Immigrants Face

Centering on South Sudanese refugees, His House is the horrifying story of Bol and Rial, a husband and wife who manage to escape the violence of their home country and emigrate to England. However, even after escaping the tumult of South Sudan, they’re placed in a dilapidated house that serves as an almost equally hostile new environment.

To compound the couple’s troubles, in His House, they soon realize a witch is haunting their new home. This supernatural horror, combined with their discomfort in England and their struggles to assimilate, results in Bol and Rial taking a psychological pounding inside and outside their house. With an outstanding twist at the end, His House stays with viewers through its haunting depiction of refugee life.

24 Talk To Me Marks One Of The Best Feature Film Debuts In Years

Upon its release, A24’s Talk to Me immediately took cinema by storm. This creepy tale, which tracks Mia and her group of teenage friends, who play a lethal game of possession with a dangerous talisman, thrilled and chilled audiences and critics alike. The movie’s unpredictability was a notable highlight, keeping viewers on their toes throughout its runtime.

In Talk to Me, Mia’s irreverence towards responsibility, rules, and knowledge leads her and her friends down a dark path, whereupon they unleash frightful supernatural forces upon them. Interwoven with themes of grief and loss, the movie demonstrates how the evil spirits manipulate Mia through these feelings, taking well-trod horror formulae and refreshing them. While Mia seemingly faces karmic retribution for her actions, the ambiguity of Talk to Me’s ending only adds to the enigma of the movie.

23 Huesera: The Bone Woman Is An Instant Body Horror Classic

Huesera: The Bone Woman is an ideal watch for fans of the body horror subgenre. Directed by Michelle Garza Cervera, the film follows Valeria, a young woman who gets pregnant for the first time after leading a life of wild abandon. Unfortunately, this pregnancy is anything but the usual tender affair for Valeria.

As Huesera: The Bone Woman advances, Valeria’s pregnancy slowly turns into a nightmare as she has visions of death and gruesome injury. The physicality of pregnancy becomes a thing of horror, challenging traditional ideas of maternity and domesticity. Huesera needles and raises the tension by creating a palpable dread without relying on cheap jump scares.

22 Influencer Details The Terror An Online Life Can Bring

Influencer breaks from traditional horror setups, fusing social media with psychological horror, but not in the way one might initially think. The movie, starring Emily Tennant and Cassandra Naud, doesn’t necessarily paint the Internet in a bad light; instead, it reinforces the real world is also full of dark people who do bad things.

Influencer tracks a famous social media influencer, Madison, who lives a dual life. She simultaneously has a beautifully curated online presence while reconciling with loneliness and heartbreak in her day-to-day reality. After meeting a kind stranger called CW on her holiday in Thailand, Madison’s life goes off the rails in a terrifying fashion.

21 A Quiet Place Part II Satisfyingly Builds Upon Its Predecessor

Hot on the heels of its first installment, A Quiet Place Part II filled the unanswered questions remaining after the original A Quiet Place. This sequel added more depth and uneasiness to its soundless universe. Not only does it explore the disastrous advent of the sound-sensitive creatures, but it also expounds on Emmett’s character and history.

A Quiet Place II’s expansion of this backstory made the follow-up all the more haunting by getting audiences to connect with the character even more. Life and death situations isolate each character in uncomfortable scenarios, and sudden high-octane action sequences keep the audience in a push-and-pull, ratcheting up the horror each time. The well-crafted sequel admirably carries its predecessor’s legacy while building on it.

20 Evil Dead Rise Is A Refreshingly Frightening Reboot For A Classic Series

Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy was a formative franchise for countless genre fans. The 2013 reboot, with an increased focus on horror and gore, was also well-received by critics and audiences. So, it wasn’t surprising when the movie’s quasi-sequel, Evil Dead Rise, which applied an unflinching and visceral approach to the franchise’s iconic and disturbing Deadites, found success at the box office.

Evil Dead Rise shifts the series from its iconic cabin in the woods setting to a cramped apartment complex. Still, the film’s focus on a fractured family makes the most significant impact. Young siblings struggling to comprehend the horrors that have possessed their mother make for a bleak spin on Evil Dead’s haunted mayhem. It’s a bloody and brutal revival the series needed.

19 Skinamarink Is An Unconventional Yet Interesting Representation Of A Child's Fright

There has never been a better time for low-budget, independent filmmakers to create a reputation for themselves through breakout horror movies. Micro-budget affairs like Terrifier 2 and Kyle Edward Ball’s Skinamarink, which typically wouldn’t receive a theatrical release, have achieved unthinkable box office returns, proving audiences will show up even for unconventional horror.

And Skinamarink, which feels like a fever dream brought to life, is definitely unconventional. The film’s loose narrative involves two children lost and frightened in their home after they wake up in the middle of the night. It’s a chilling representation of what it feels like to be scared and alone in a big home as a child, even if this format won’t satisfy everyone.

18 Smile Explores The Fear Mental Health Issues Play Upon

Initially planned as a direct-to-streaming release for Paramount+, positive test screenings for Smile led the studio to release it for a successful theatrical run and already greenlight a sequel. The movie is a grim meditation on grief and the guilt it often manifests, which works like a parasitic virus that infects its victims’ minds.

Smile proved much more than The Ring rip-off some detractors claimed it was. Through careful character development and a steady thrum of tension, Smile garnered an overall positive critical reception. Its final act is especially fun and features incredible practical effects and monster designs that will stick with viewers long after it ends.

17 Doctor Sleep Is An Ambitious Sequel To An Iconic Film

Many fans had reservations when Stephen King announced he was writing Doctor Sleep, a sequel to his totemic novel, The Shining. There was even greater skepticism when Warner Bros. greenlit a cinematic adaptation of the book.

Doctor Sleep, directed by horror master Mike Flanagan, follows an adult, Danny Torrance as he protects a young girl with Shining abilities who finds herself battling a cabal of psychic vampires. Flagangan, who, through several attempts, has proven himself to be one of the best adapters of King’s work, is likely one of a select few who could pull off Doctor Sleep this well. The film is appropriately frightening but also accomplishes the Herculean feat of connecting the dots between the wildly different events in The Shining novel and Kubrick’s iconic movie.

16 M3gan Is A Campy Romp For The Artificial Intelligence Age

With pre-existing franchises like Annabelle and the real-life rise of artificial intelligence, the killer doll and evil robot subgenres are at all-time highs in terms of audience interest. So, when M3gan debuted in early 2023, it was the ideal movie to take advantage of these current trends.

M3gan is a melancholy tale where an aunt must reluctantly step into the role of guardian for her orphaned niece, which puts her on a collision course with her intelligent creation, M3gan. Like the Chucky franchise, M3gan has darkly humorous deaths and features a heightened final act that goes all out with its robot combat. The movie is as campy as it is scary, and with at least one sequel on the way, audiences haven’t seen the last of M3gan.

15 Sputnik Combines Genres For A Delightful Extraterrestrial Frightfest

Sputnik, the directorial debut of Russian filmmaker Egor Abramenko, is an incredibly polished freshman film that feels like Alien meets Silence of the Lambs. The film depicts a Russian astronaut's return home from outer space. Unfortunately for this returning hero, the government suspects they're carrying an extraterrestrial being with them.

In Sputnik, a psychologist evaluates the commander's mental state, and it's unclear if a parasitic alien is actually present and, if so, what the government should do with the returning astronaut. With evident influences from Cloverfield and an exceptional design for Sputnik's alien passenger, the film is as visually intense as it is psychologically intimidating. Furthermore, it's proof an alien story can succeed in a small-scale, low-budget setting.

14 Possessor Announces A New Face Of The Body Horror Subgenre

Through Possessor, Brandon Cronenberg, the son of body horror genius David Cronenberg, demonstrated he's ready to follow in his father's footsteps. The film, a follow-up to his debut Antiviral, plunges deep into a world of science fiction with a tale of assassins who execute their targets through a temperamental form of body swapping.

Possessor thrives on the audience's confusion, which mirrors that of its displaced characters. Bold, bloody sequences bookend the movie, while a perpetual sense of tension festers throughout. Ultimately, Possessor is a terrifying look into humanity's growing reliance on technology and our increasingly slippery grip on identity and a sense of self.

13 Prey Is A Taught Thriller And Of The Best Entries In A Storied Franchise

Predator is a foundational action, sci-fi, and horror hybrid that's been a genre staple since the 1980s. Despite its place in cinematic history, the franchise has struggled to find its footing through modern sequels, reboots, and even crossover showdowns with Alien's Xenomorphs. Thankfully, Dan Trachtenberg has finally done the monster series justice with Prey.

Prey, which turns the franchise's clock back a couple of hundred years, takes the Predator and audiences to the plains of 18th-century America. The film understands less can be more by pitting the Yautja against a Comanche Nation tribe. Amber Midthunder excels as Naru, a female warrior who uses a lifetime of survival training to subdue this extraterrestrial and its advanced killing technology. Prey delivers in every regard, hyping fans up for the next hunt.

12 Hellbender Is A Metaphor For The Terrifying Potential Of Domestic Dangers

Shudder has become an essential home for independent horror. The streaming service has fostered relationships with many talented filmmakers on the cusp of their big break and helped them achieve more widespread notoriety. Hellbender and its directors, John Adams, Zelda Adams, and Toby Poser, is one such example of this phenomenon. The movie's unconventional and off-kilter quality helps it stand out from the pack and, ultimately, gin up many scares.

Hellbender depicts the life of an isolated teen who yearns for more as she faces a frightening crossroads while she recklessly experiments with black magic. A haunting story about motherhood and codependency, Hellbender is also full of slick and scary visuals, especially once Izzy's magic releases upon the world. Hopefully, the Adams family will have a rich career ahead of them as they deconstruct more domestic dangers.

11 Host Puts A Hair-Raising Supernatural Story In The COVID-19 Era

The COVID-19 pandemic seemingly forever changed the world, and it's fascinating to see how movies, especially horror movies, quickly incorporated this totemic event into their storytelling. Host is one of the first and best examples of a film using the pandemic to tell a narrative.

But Host is also an evergreen story about community, identity, and cultural appropriation. Told entirely through a series of Zoom windows, a prevalent sight throughout the pandemic, Host effectively employs this format to the movie's advantage. It's a clever story about paranormal activity, told in a highly modern fashion, that, through its clever scares, is also timeless.

10 Malignant Is a Wild Funhouse Ride

Malignant is an example of what a good horror movie can accomplish on sheer craftsmanship alone. Director James Wan has been a genre staple for decades, leaving an uneven record of projects in his wake. High points such as the early entries in the celebrated Saw franchise have become horror classics, though he depends far too much on sequels sometimes, and original films like 2007's Dead Silence have a way of misfiring. Malignant is an almost perfect embodiment of Wan's sensibilities: shocking, thrilling, full of twists, and built like a terrifying roller-coaster ride as much as a movie.

The story concerns an abused woman named Madison who appears to be stalked by a vengeful twin she never knew, with whom she seems to have a psychic connection. That's just the start of the curveballs the film throws out with gleeful abandon. Though an obvious gimmick, the big surprise is equal parts clever and audacious, leading to delighted gasps from even veteran horror fans. As time goes on, Malignant looks to be a significant entry in Wan's increasingly influential canon.

9 The Less You Know About Barbarian’s Twists The Better

Barbarian was easily one of 2022’s most significant horror movies. Director Zach Cregger successfully channels his experience in comedy with a pitch-black horror hybrid that’s as unpredictable as it is disturbing and hilarious.

Barbarian begins with a simple misunderstanding regarding a double-booked Airbnb in a Detroit suburb. From there, the film slowly unravels a sinister tale that fans need to see to truly believe. Anchored by strong performances by Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, and Justin Long, Barbarian is a testament to experimental storytelling and straying from longstanding formulas.

8 In The Night House, Grief Is As Scary As Any Ghost

The Night House is one of an increasing number of emotionally exhausting horror films that turn on phenomenal actors committed to their tortured characters. Rebecca Hall stars as Beth, a raw widow who's still numb from her husband's recent suicide, and her performance is an appropriate tour de force in pain.

In The Night House, Beth's attempts to mourn her husband reveal an unsettling piece of architecture and a supernatural entity within that's more alarming than any secrets from her late husband. Director David Bruckner has proceeded to channel the heavy grief omnipresent in The Night House into his reboot of the Hellraiser series.

7 The Menu Turns Horror into Class Warfare

The Menu is as much black comedy as horror movie, benefiting from a sharp script and a talented cast at the very top of their game. Ralph Fiennes plays a celebrated chef who serves outlandishly expensive meals at an exclusive restaurant on an isolated island. He sets up a single evening with invites to various targets for a carefully orchestrated revenge -- anything from swindling him out of money to making a movie he didn't like -- who learn of his plans for them during an increasingly horrific seven-course meal.

The premise is strong enough even without Fiennes' presence as the terrifying madman at the center of it all. The movie slowly turns into a duel of wits between his unhinged chef and Anya Taylor-Joy's unexpected guest, whose presence destroys the moral symmetry of what he's trying to do. And while it blends a number of other genres, it ultimately contains all the thrills and suspense that any good horror movie should.

6 Midsommar Demonstrates The Daylight Can Be Dreadful Too

Ari Aster has only directed three feature films, but this troika has already proven him to be one of this decade's most exciting voices in horror. His first, Hereditary, is an aggressive and gruesome ordeal that's too much for some. His follow-up, Midsommar, is also an intense experience but is also thematically deeper and more palatable to the average viewer than Hereditary.

In Midsommar, Florence Pugh stars as Dani, a woman within a seemingly tight-knit friend group who travels to a remote Swedish village to observe the community's midsummer festival. While there, these friends learn the town is more cult than commune. Midsommar excels through a unique tone, expert world-building, and top-notch performances and is the rare horror film that plays out almost exclusively during the day and with little to no jump scares.