15 Horror Movies That Are Even Scarier Than 'Hereditary'
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Daniel is a 27-year-old List Writer for Collider living in the south suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. As an avid film buff, he watches and analyzes many films and TV shows, especially in the horror genre, and regularly attends movie screenings.
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Auteur filmmaker Ari Aster terrified the world with his chilling 2018 masterpiece Hereditary. A film best described as a darkly atmospheric, inescapable nightmare, Hereditary has stood out as a benchmark of the modern horror genre, a film so intense and foreboding that it's liable to leave anyone scared out of their minds long after the end credits. With its eerie tone, menacing presence, and enduring influence on the films made today, it's undeniable that it's one of the scariest horror movies in history.
Truly, it's hard to beat the terrifying brilliance of Aster's film. Few others even came close to reaching its impressive scare factor. But, like any film credited as the scariest of all time, there are those who have challenged Hereditary's legacy. The following are such terrifying and memorable horror classics that some could arguably be far scarier, more unsettling, and profound than Hereditary. Some are timeless classics; others are modern rivals, but they all provide tons of fear that no one will ever forget.
15 'Poltergeist' (1982)
The most iconic haunted house story starts off this list, providing the biggest, most iconic scares that defined the early 1980s horror scene. The late Tobe Hooper's Poltergeist is an absolute terror train, a benchmark for horror that established the modern paranormal formula and delivered scares we still can't stop talking about no matter how much we try.
It was actually one of the first of its kind, before Hereditary, that explored the supernatural toll on family dynamics and how they become affected over time. We follow the poor Freeling family throughout this film, seeing just how powerless and terrified they are when confronted by such a terrifying evil plaguing their home. It has so much shock, terror, and unforgettable imagery that can't be ignored. Truly, it's a nightmare that rivals the intensity of Hereditary.
14 'Weapons' (2025)
From Zach Cregger, the man in top contention as the modern trailblazer of horror filmmaking, comes Weapons, his 2025 magnum opus of terror. A non-linear roller-coaster ride of horror and endless thrills, Weapons is a film unlike anything anyone has ever seen before, providing a pulse-pounding supernatural narrative that's deep, complex, and utterly shocking.
Weapons is an icon that transcended its awesome year for horror to become one of the scariest, most gripping horror films of the 21st century. Its scary moments, eerie suspense, and nail-biting moments are undeniable, not to mention it features a powerhouse performance by Amy Madigan as the sinister, witchy antagonist Aunt Gladys, a character so horrifying and intense it earned the performer a rare Oscar win to cement the character's legacy. Overall, Weapons challenges Hereditary for its ability to deliver even more incredible scares and riveting performances. Time will tell which one of these two will stand the test of time better.
13 'Obsession' (2026)
The horrifying highlight of 2026 has come to upstage Hereditary, and it does not disappoint. Directed by rising filmmaking star Curry Barker, Obsession is the trailblazing instant horror classic that's stirred up a lot of interest in the genre recently. What this achieves with its minuscule budget and relatively unknown cast is remarkable, as it delivers a unique and undeniably terrifying story that everyone needs to see.
Though fairly recent, Obsession has become endlessly praised as the most shocking, stress-inducing film to date, thanks to Barker's exceptional storytelling and, of course, the help of its lead actress, Inde Navarrette, who delivers a tremendous, Oscar-worthy performance as a nightmarish antagonist who we simply can't ignore. Overall, Obsession delivers pulse-pounding moments and excitement that have kept the horror genre scary well into the late 2020s.
12 'When Evil Lurks' (2023)
A feverish nightmare unlike anything audiences had ever experienced, the modern international horror classic When Evil Lurks is truly a disheartening film. It's the most unbelievable horror film of this century, a film so scary, so monumentally intense that it can make viewers physically sick by what they've seen on screen.
Really, its greatest strength is that its shocking imagery and suspense are impossible to look away from. When Evil Lurks provides the ultimate horror experience that hasn't been felt since Hereditary and a few others, it's utterly depraved, unforgettable, and packed with grizzly deaths and violence that a lot of us who have seen it now can wish to unsee. That's how profound this film is.
11 'Pulse' (2001)
Though relegated to obscurity by Western audiences, the 2001 J-horror masterpiece Pulse deserves a place on this list. An inescapable nightmare from start to finish, this international cult classic needs to be seen just to witness what's made it stand out in the most horrifying ways imaginable this century.
You'll never forget it the first time watching it. Pulse is a masterclass of dread and suspense, even more compelling than just Hereditary in that regard. The imagery and score are enough to leave you sleeping with the lights on at night, not to mention it's bleak and unrelentingly cruel all the way through. Pulse delivers the biggest scares modern horror can only dream of.
10 'It' (2017)
Adapted from the bestselling novel by horror legend Stephen King, Andy Muschietti's 2017 version of It is a terrifying roller-coaster ride of a film, one that's become wildly praised for its intensity and memorable acting. It's one of King's most celebrated adaptations now, hailed for its shocking jump scares, intense dread, and a now iconic performance by then-newcomer Bill Skarsgård as the sinister Pennywise.
Though Hereditary has this one beat in terms of mood and atmosphere, It excels at giving audiences what they want: unrelenting terror from start to finish. Skarsgard's terrifying presence as Pennywise is enough to evoke an intense feeling of fear every time he appears on screen, and it's not just the appearance, but the voice and mannerisms that truly sell his performance as an otherworldly monster. These scares are too captivating to ignore, making It a contender for one of the scariest films of the 2010s.
9 'Ringu' (1998)
Terrifying the horror community by taking full advantage of rising technology, Japan's 1998 classic Ringu is a film drenched in paranoia and dread. As a prime example of the techno-horror subgenre, it was one of the first films to popularize the genre, blending modern technology with supernatural terror, featuring a monumentally frightening story of a vengeful ghost who uses a videotape to curse her victims.
Even those who haven't seen this film are at least aware of its legendary shot of the ghost Sadako (Rie Ino) slowly creeping out of a TV screen. It's a timelessly unsettling and unforgettable moment in horror history, perfectly showing how utterly terrifying Ringu truly is. Like Hereditary, it shocks audiences to their very cores and burrows deep beneath the skin. Who can ever truly forget this one?
Collider Exclusive · 8 Questions · 2 Minutes What Is Your Biggest Horror Nightmare? Elm Street · Chucky · Scream · The Conjuring
Four horror franchises. Four completely different ways of scaring you. One waits until you fall asleep. One makes sure nobody believes you. One is already in your group of friends. And one is in the house with your family. Answer eight quick questions about how you actually watch horror, and find out which nightmare was built for you.
😴Elm Street(Freddy Krueger)
🧸Chucky(Child's Play)
📞Scream(Ghostface)
🕯️The Conjuring(The Warren Files)
01
Which horror scene makes you cover your eyes? Four classic images. One of them is worse than the others for you.
02
You are home alone and you hear a noise. First thought? Everybody has one. It arrives before you have decided anything.
03
Which horror movie rule would you break first? Everybody thinks they would survive. Almost nobody actually does.
04
Something genuinely frightening happens. What do you do? Not in a film. In your actual living room, tonight.
05
How do you actually watch a horror film? Be honest about this one. Nobody is checking.
06
Somebody offers you serious money. Which do you still refuse? The amount does not matter. There is one on this list you are not doing.
07
Which feeling stays with you a week after the film? Good horror does not stop when the credits do.
08
Something wakes you at 3am. What is the worst possibility? Eight questions in, this is the one that decides your nightmare.
The Lights Just Went Out Your Nightmare Is…
Four franchises, four completely different ways of getting underneath your skin. This is the one built out of your particular fear, why it works so well on you, and what it would leave behind.
Elm Street
Your nightmare does not wait outside the door. It waits for you to close your eyes, which you are going to have to do eventually, because nobody has ever won that particular argument.
- Freddy is horror's cruellest idea: a threat that lives in the one place you cannot guard, cannot lock, and cannot avoid forever.
- You are the one who is fine during the film and wide awake at two in the morning. Your own head is where this does its damage.
- These films understood exhaustion as a horror engine. The kids on Elm Street do not lose because they are weak. They lose because they are tired.
- You can lock every door in the house. You still have to sleep.
Chucky
Your nightmare is not really the doll. It is the face of the person you tell, and the way they decide, very kindly, that you have imagined all of it.
- Chucky works precisely because he is absurd. That is the trap: the more accurately you describe him, the less anybody is going to believe you.
- You are the one shouting at the screen because the characters are not listening. You know that feeling from real life too.
- The franchise is at its best when the adults in the room are the real obstacle, and you have met those adults.
- By the time somebody finally believes you, you will have handled most of it on your own.
Scream
Your nightmare has your number, knows your name, and has almost certainly been inside your house before. The worst part is that you already know them.
- Scream is the only one of these where the killer takes the mask off and turns out to be somebody who was at the party.
- You are the person who calls the twist out loud before it lands. You watch people the same way you watch films.
- The franchise made the rules of horror part of the plot, which means the survivors are the ones paying attention. You would be paying attention.
- Everybody is a suspect, including the person who just offered to walk you home.
The Conjuring
Your nightmare is not really about you. It is about the people asleep down the hall, and the feeling that whatever is here is not interested in leaving.
- The Conjuring films are domestic horror. The house, the family, the perfectly ordinary room that quietly stops feeling ordinary.
- Your instinct is to get everybody into one room. Your fear is protective rather than personal, which is rarer than it sounds.
- This is the one franchise where belief is the weapon. The people who come through it are the ones who are not alone and refuse to be.
- Whatever is here did not come for you. It came for the household, and you are the one standing in the hallway.
8 'The Descent' (2005)
Neil Marshall, the man behind the cult classic werewolf action movie Dog Soldiers, gave his greatest contribution to horror with his intense, claustrophobic survival thriller film The Descent, released in 2005. Viewers with deep-seated fears of the dark or tight spaces might find this film too hard to watch, as it amplifies these fears and a lot more in a frightening story of a group of women trapped in a collapsed cave full of flesh-hungry humanoid monsters.
The Descent's greatest strength relies heavily on its build-up, leading to the reveal of the monsters. The first act is more of a survival and psychological thriller, but it then picks things up once the cave dwellers make their presence known. If being trapped alone in a cramped cave was bad enough, the second is where things really get hardcore as the monsters arrive and things get bloody and shocking really quickly. Like Hereditary, this film starts off a bit slow, but leads to a wild second half that'll make everyone cower in their seats.
7 'The Witch' (2015)
Showing that he's a master of suspense and dread, director Robert Eggers stunned audiences in 2015 with his tense, slow-burning supernatural film The Witch. A film that's tightly written, expertly acted, and darkly oppressive, The Witch powerfully digs right under the audience's skin, terrifying them beyond belief slowly but effectively with its story about a Puritan family in 17th-century New England being picked off one at a time by a witchly presence in the woods.
The Witch and Hereditary are today considered quintessential elevated horror masterpieces. They're classics that share compelling themes, slow-rising tension, and a great use of atmosphere to give audiences the best horror experience. But arguably, The Witch is more atmospheric, as its dark forest setting and lack of warmth and sunlight make it more oppressive and make it obvious that something terrifying is about to occur at any moment. It truly needs to be experienced by those who appreciate mood and tension more than just jump scares.
6 'It Follows' (2014)
Providing something terrifyingly new to the monster genre, 2014's It Follows instantly hooks audiences in with its creative premise about a slow-moving, shapeshifting entity that calmly approaches its victims. It's hailed as one of the most disturbingly original horror films of the modern century, one that's packed with suspense and paranoia, as the main character, Jay (Maika Monroe), is in incredible danger as she's the only one who can see this creature as it moves towards her.
It's a simple yet very effective premise that's frighteningly unique and imaginative, much like Hereditary. But what makes it a step above is its unrelenting suspense; the monster can be anywhere and anyone, and attack Jay at any moment. Some of the forms the creature turns into look utterly unsettling and help keep it mysterious and unpredictable. It even ends on an eerie cliffhanger to keep the audience deeply disturbed and thinking long after seeing it.
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