Entertainment
The Best Horror Movies About Puppets and Dummies
Puppets are already creepy enough on their own, but horror movies about puppets take it to another level. This list ranks the scariest movies about evil puppets and dummies, including cult classics, modern horror movies, and everything in-between. We've included the Saw franchise for this list, because although the films aren't really about Billy the Puppet, he is still the mascot of the series and probably the most iconic horror movie puppet of all time.
You can't go wrong with the Puppet Master series if you're looking for scary puppet movies. Even the Goosebumps movie with Jack Black is a decent choice if you're looking for a horror movie about a dummy, and it's definitely one of the rare scary movies you can watch with your kids.
Vote up the best horror movies about puppets and dummies below, and downvote any films that you've seen but did not enjoy. Then, be csure to check out our list of the best scary doll movies.
Ranked by
- 1Catherine Hicks, Chris Sarandon, Alex Vincent
- Released: 1988
- Directed by: Tom Holland
Gunned down by Detective Mike Norris (Chris Sarandon), dying murderer Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif) uses black magic to put his soul inside a doll named Chucky -- which Karen Barclay (Catherine ...more - 2Gabriel Bateman, Aubrey Plaza, Brian Tyree Henry
- Released: 2019
- Directed by: Lars Klevberg
Child's Play is a 2019 American horror film directed by Lars Klevberg, and a reboot of the 1988 film. A mother (Aubrey Plaza) gives her son (Gabriel Bateman) a toy doll for his birthday, unaware of ...more 
3James Garner, Marlee Matlin, Scott Speedman- Released: 1997
- Directed by: Daniel Petrie
Dead Silence is a 1997 made-for-TV thriller based upon the Jeffery Deaver novel A Maiden's Grave. The plot of the book and the film, based upon a true incident, revolved around a group of 8 deaf ...more- 4Paul Le Mat, Irene Miracle, Matt Roe
- Released: 1989
- Directed by: David Schmoeller
Assailed by nightmarish visions, Alex Whitaker (Paul Le Mat) and his fellow psychics descend on the Bodega Bay Inn. There, they discover that their compatriot Neil (Jimmie F. Scaggs) has apparently ...more - 5Anthony Hopkins, Ann-Margret, Burgess Meredith
- Released: 1978
- Directed by: Richard Attenborough
Corky (Anthony Hopkins), a failed magician, adopts a new ventriloquist act with an abrasive dummy named Fats, and suddenly finds himself lined up for a television show. When the unbalanced Corky ...more - 6Karen Black, George Gaynes, Gregory Harrison
- Released: 1975
- Directed by: Dan Curtis
Trilogy of Terror is a made-for-television anthology horror film, first aired as an ABC Movie of the Week on March 4, 1975. The film, directed by Dan Curtis, starred Karen Black. All three segments ...more - 7Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter
- Released: 2004
- Directed by: James Wan
Photographer Adam Stanheight (Leigh Whannell) and oncologist Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) regain consciousness while chained to pipes at either end of a filthy bathroom. As the two men realize ...more - 8Ian Patrick Williams, Carrie Lorraine, Carolyn Purdy-Gordon
- Released: 1987
- Directed by: Stuart Gordon
A group of motorists, including young Judy Bower (Carrie Lorraine), her horrible father (Ian Patrick Williams), her evil queen of a stepmother (Carolyn Purdy-Gordon) and a meek businessman named ...more - 9Tracy Scoggins, Richard Speight, Jr.
- Released: 1992
- Directed by: Peter Manoogian
Demonic Toys is an American film produced by Charles Band's Full Moon Entertainment and released in 1992. The film features small, killer toys similar to those seen in Puppet Master, a film which ...more - 10Charlie Spradling, George Buck Flower, Alex Band
- Released: 1991
- Directed by: David W. Allen
Puppet Master II is a 1991 direct-to-video horror film written by David Pabian and directed by Dave Allen. It is the second film in the Puppet Master franchise, the sequel to 1989's Puppet Master, ...more - 11Donnie Wahlberg, Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith
- Released: 2005
- Directed by: Darren Bousman
On the hunt for the twisted vigilante and serial killer Jigsaw (Tobin Bell), Detective Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg) and his team must apprehend the elusive murderer to rescue eight people trapped ...more - 12Annabelle Wallis, Ward Horton, Tony Amendola
- Released: 2014
- Directed by: John R. Leonetti
John Form (Ward Horton) thinks he's found the perfect gift for his expectant wife, Mia (Annabelle Wallis) : a vintage doll in a beautiful white dress. However, the couple's delight doesn't last long:Â ...more - 13Denise Crosby, Sam Bottoms, Rip Torn
- Released: 1992
- Directed by: Maria Lease
After Elliot (Sam Bottoms), an American businessman, takes ownership of a doll manufacturing company in Mexico, strange things start happening to his family. Most notably, his young daughter, Jessica ...more - 14Corey Feldman, Vanessa Angel, Silvia Šuvadová
- Released: 2004
- Directed by: Ted Nicolaou
Puppet Master vs Demonic Toys is a 2004 crossover horror film based on the characters of David Schmoeller and David S. Goyer. The film is written by C. Courtney Joyner and directed by Ted Nicolaou. ...more - 15Lysette Anthony
- Released: 1996
- Directed by: Dan Curtis
Trilogy of Terror II is a 1996 made-for-cable sequel to the 1975 television film, Trilogy of Terror, both directed by Dan Curtis. The film follows the formula of the original, with one female lead ...more - 16Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Bahar Soomekh
- Released: 2006
- Directed by: Darren Bousman
Dr. Lynn Denlon (Bahar Soomekh) becomes a pawn in the Jigsaw Killer's (Tobin Bell) latest gory game. Kidnapped and taken to an abandoned warehouse, she finds Jigsaw bedridden and dying. Her task is ...more - 17Karl Holt, David Wayman, Catriona McDonald
- Released: 2020
- Directed by: Karl Holt
Benny Loves You is a 2020 American horror comedy directed by Karl Holt. A man desperate to improve his life throws away his beloved childhood plush, Benny. It's a move that has disastrous ...more - 18Tobin Bell, Scott Gordon-Patterson, Betsy Russell
- Released: 2007
- Directed by: Darren Bousman
During the autopsy of serial killer Jigsaw (Tobin Bell), a cassette tape is discovered in his stomach in which he warns that his gory games will continue. Sure enough, SWAT Lt. Daniel Rigg (Lyriq ...more - 19Jack Black, Odeya Rush, Amy Ryan
- Released: 2015
- Directed by: Rob Letterman
Goosebumps is a 2015 American comedy horror fantasy film directed by Rob Letterman and written by Mike White and Darren Lemke. It is based on the children's book series of the same name by R. L. ...more - 20Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Scott Gordon-Patterson
- Released: 2008
- Directed by: David Hackl
As the apparently last disciple and heir apparent of Jigsaw, Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) goes on the hunt to protect his secret. Using a series of increasingly bizarre and grisly traps, Hoffman ...more - 21Ian Abercrombie, Sarah Douglas, Michelle Bauer
- Released: 1991
- Directed by: David DeCoteau
Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge is a 1991 direct-to-video horror film written by Charles Band, C. Courtney Joyner and David Schmoeller, and directed by David DeCoteau. It is the third film in the ...more - 22Betsy Russell, Chester Bennington, Cary Elwes
- Released: 2010
- Directed by: Kevin Greutert
Saw VII is 2010 horror film written by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton and directed by Kevin Greutert. - 23Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell
- Released: 2009
- Directed by: Kevin Greutert
With Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) still directing events from beyond the grave, Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) emerges as the heir to the killer's twisted legacy. But as the FBI closes in, Hoffman sets in motion a ...more - 24Leslie Jordan, Selene Luna, Elizabeth Bell
- Released: 2009
- Directed by: William Butler
Demonic Toys 2, also known as Demonic Toys 2: Personal Demons is a 2010 horror film written and directed by William Butler and produced by Charles Band. It is a slasher film and is a sequel to ...more - 25Rosalind Allen, Lewis Van Bergen, Tara Hartman
- Released: 1996
- Directed by: Kevin Tenney
Lawyer and single mother Jennifer Garrick (Rosalind Allen) has been exhaustively defending an alleged child killer who is slated for execution. When she unwittingly carries home a Pinocchio puppet ...more
