The Scariest Movies Ever Made

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated October 24, 2020 523.9k votes 27.1k voters 748.8k views488 items

List RulesOnly major releases - no made-for-TV or direct-to-video. May include movies outside the straight horror genre.

These are the all-time scariest movies ever made. Many of these movies have become part of the pop culture lexicon due to their popularity. This list features movies from across the horror spectrum. The definition of "scary" isn't restricted or limited to a specific type of horror movie, for example, The Exorcist, a supernatural horror movie would be on here similarly to serial killer movies like Halloween, The Amityville Horror, and Saw. The same goes for psychological thrillers like Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, which is one of the scariest movies of all time. There are also horror movies from all over the world on this list like 28 Days Later.

Some of these films are considered the best of all time, while others feature some of the greatest actors and best directors of all time.

Vote for the best horror movies you think deserve the highest ranking, vote down any you don't like and be sure to rerank this list any way you like - your reranks will affect the final tally.

Photo:

...more

1
8,628
3,440
The Exorcist
Max von Sydow, Ellen Burstyn
Released: 1973
Directed by: William Friedkin
The Exorcist is a 1973 American supernatural horror film directed by William Friedkin, adapted... more on Wikipedia
More The Exorcist
Did A Malevolent Spirit Actually Curse 'The Exorcist' From The Get-Go?The Story Of Roland Doe Inspired The Exorcist – But It's Way More Terrifying Than The Movie
2
7,067
2,257
The Conjuring
Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson
Released: 2013
Directed by: James Wan
The Conjuring is a 2013 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and the first... more on Wikipedia
More The Conjuring
Why Do People Stop Watching 'The Conjuring' At The Moment Lorraine Falls Through The Floor?#17 of 242 The Best Psychological Thrillers of All Time
3
4,979
2,245
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Gunnar Hansen, Marilyn Burns
Released: 1974
Directed by: Tobe Hooper
This movie is a 1974 American slasher film, directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote... more on Wikipedia
4
3,632
1,907
The Amityville Horror
James Brolin, Margot Kidder
Released: 1979
Directed by: Stuart Rosenberg
The Amityville Horror is a 1979 American supernatural horror film, directed by Stuart... more on Wikipedia
More The Amityville Horror
#12 of 20 20 Horrifying Crime Movies Whose True Stories Are Way More Terrifying#117 of 553 The Best '70s Movies
5
3,655
2,093
The Omen
Gregory Peck, Lee Remick
Released: 1976
Directed by: Richard Donner
The Omen is a 1976 British/American supernatural horror film directed by Richard Donner. The... more on Wikipedia
6
3,580
2,041
Pet Sematary
Stephen King, Fred Gwynne
Released: 1989
Directed by: Mary Lambert
Pet Sematary is a 1989 American horror film adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same... more on Wikipedia
More Pet Sematary
Real Burial Grounds And Locations That Could Have Inspired 'Pet Sematary'#24 of 144 The Best Zombie Movies Of All Time
7
5,414
3,177
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Johnny Depp, Robert Englund
Released: 1984
Directed by: Wes Craven
A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 1984 American supernatural slasher horror film written and... more on Wikipedia
More A Nightmare on Elm Street
Ranking Freddy Krueger's Best Kills from A Nightmare on Elm StreetBehind The Scenes Of Glen's Death In 'A Nightmare On Elm Street'

8
5,011
2,956
It
Tim Curry, Seth Green
Released: 1990
Directed by: Tommy Lee Wallace
It is a 1990 psychological horror/drama miniseries based on Stephen King's novel of the same... more on Wikipedia
More It
Horrifying Things That Happened In The Book 'IT' Way Too Awful for the MoviesHow The Makers Of The '90s 'It' Miniseries Managed To Scare An Entire Generation
9
5,243
2,279
Insidious
Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey
Released: 2010
Directed by: James Wan
Insidious is a 2011 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan, written by Leigh... more on Wikipedia
More Insidious
#1 of 15 Non R-Rated Horror Movies As Scary As Anything#3 of 22 Horror Movies You Can't Even Finish Watching
10
5,493
3,193
The Silence of the Lambs
Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins
Released: 1991
Directed by: Jonathan Demme
The Silence of the Lambs is a 1991 American thriller film that blends elements of the crime... more on Wikipedia
More The Silence of the Lambs
Small Details And Trivia From 'The Silence Of The Lambs' That Left Us Hungry For More#39 of 1,189 Every Oscar Winning Film Ever
11
5,815
3,675
The Ring
Naomi Watts, Pauley Perrette
Released: 2002
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
The Ring is a 2002 American psychological horror film directed by Gore Verbinski and starring... more on Wikipedia
12
5,658
3,606
Halloween
Jamie Lee Curtis, Kyle Richards
Released: 1978
Directed by: John Carpenter
Halloween is a 1978 American independent slasher horror film directed and scored by John... more on Wikipedia
More Halloween
Stories About Jamie Lee Curtis From Behind The Scenes Of The Original 'Halloween''Halloween' Isn't Actually A Fable About The Dangers Of Teenage Intimacy
13
6,434
4,168
The Shining
Jack Nicholsan, Shelley Duvall
Released: 1980
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
The Shining is a 1980 British-American psychological horror film produced and directed by... more on Wikipedia
More The Shining
Fan Theories About 'The Shining' We Can't Stop Thinking AboutBehind-The-Scenes Stories About Shelley Duvall From 'The Shining'
14
4,615
2,982
Poltergeist
Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams
Released: 1982
Directed by: Tobe Hooper
Poltergeist is a 1982 American supernatural thriller film, directed by Tobe Hooper and... more on Wikipedia
15
2,876
1,794
The Evil Dead
Bruce Campbell, Sam Raimi
Released: 1981
Directed by: Sam Raimi
This film is a 1981 American horror film written and directed by Sam Raimi and executive... more on Wikipedia
More The Evil Dead
#483 of 925 The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films#849 of 1,540 The Most Rewatchable Movies
16
4,473
2,952
Alien
Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt
Released: 1979
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott. The crew of the... more on Wikipedia
More Alien
Small But Terrifying Details From 'Alien' That Remind Us Why It's So Legendary50 Surprising Facts You Didn't Know About Alien
17
2,890
1,851
The Descent
Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza
Released: 2005
Directed by: Neil Marshall
The Descent is a 2005 British adventure horror film directed by Neil Marshall. Six women enter... more on Wikipedia
More The Descent
A Look Behind The Scenes Of 'The Descent,' The Classic Claustrophobic Nightmare Film#5 of 20 20 Shocking Horror Movie Endings That Took You by Surprise
18
2,907
1,260
Sinister
Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio
Released: 2012
Directed by: Scott Derrickson
Sinister is a 2012 supernatural horror film directed by Scott Derrickson and written by... more on Wikipedia
More Sinister
#38 of 62 The Best Movies Where the Bad Guy Wins#6 of 67 The Best Demonic Possession Movies
19
2,555
1,538
Jeepers Creepers
Justin Long, Eileen Brennan
Released: 2001
Directed by: Victor Salva
Jeepers Creepers is a 2001 American horror film written and directed by Victor Salva. The film... more on Wikipedia
More Jeepers Creepers
#17 of 70 The Best Teen Slasher Movies#16 of 35 Rainy Day Horror Movies You Can Watch Again And Again
20
3,449
2,262
Saw
Danny Glover, Monica Potter
Released: 2004
Directed by: James Wan
Saw is a 2004 horror film written by Leigh Whannell and directed by James Wan, in Wan's... more on Wikipedia
More Saw
The Best Saw Characters in the Whole Franchise, Ranked#9 of 24 The Best Movies with Twist Endings
21
3,649
2,413
The Thing
Kurt Russell, Keith David
Released: 1982
Directed by: John Carpenter
The Thing is a 1982 American science fiction horror film directed by John Carpenter, written... more on Wikipedia
22
1,642
618
The Conjuring 2
Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson
Released: 2016
Directed by: James Wan
The Conjuring 2 is a 2016 American supernatural horror film, directed by James Wan. It is the... more on Wikipedia
More The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Poltergeist
#6 of 105 The Best Horror Movie Sequels#34 of 136 The Very Best Movies of 2016, Ranked
23
2,575
1,731
Hellraiser
Doug Bradley, Andrew Robinson
Released: 1987
Directed by: Clive Barker
Hellraiser is a 1987 British horror film written and directed by Clive Barker, based upon his... more on Wikipedia
More Hellraiser
#256 of 541 The Greatest Guilty Pleasure Movies#187 of 522 The Greatest Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
24
3,139
2,063
The Grudge
Sarah Michelle Gellar, KaDee Strickland
Released: 2004
Directed by: Takashi Shimizu
The Grudge is a 2004 American horror film and the first installment in The Grudge franchise.... more on Wikipedia
More The Grudge
#49 of 114 The Best Horror Movie Franchises#22 of 69 The Best Horror Movie Remakes
25
2,538
1,640
Seven
Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow
Released: 1995
Directed by: David Fincher
Seven is a 1995 American psychological thriller film directed by David Fincher. The film stars... more on Wikipedia
More Seven
Behind The Scenes Stories From The Making Of 'Se7en'Small, Haunting Details People Found In 'Se7en'