The Greatest Movies About Serial Killers, Ranked
Vote up the best movies that feature serial murderers.
If you love a good thriller with suspense and a little (or a lot of) blood, check out some of the best serial killer movies of all time. From Alfred Hitchcock's classic film Psycho to modern horror like The Silence of the Lambs and American Psycho, these movies have kept us on the edge of our seats with gripping performances and unforgettable imagery.
Serial killers make for some of the scariest villains: they’re unpredictable, deadly, and often shrouded in mystery. But it’s this very same thrill that has made them such an enduring presence on the silver screen for decades . Whether it’s through psychological exploration or simply offering up intense scares, these movies have captivated audiences since their release with stories about twisted minds and grisly crimes committed by seemingly normal people. And while there will always be debates over which movie about serial killers is the very best, plenty that deserve recognition as some of cinema's most unforgettable works featuring truly terrifying characters.
Do they wish to seek what makes the minds of these warped individuals tick? What could have possibly made them become this way? Who are they going to target next? All of these questions excite and horrify the everyday filmgoer, and it is these exact questions that made this seemingly bizarre subgenre in horror.
So now it is up to you to decide the answers to these questions, and vote up the best serial killer movies, and be sure to check out the goriest horror movies ever made!
- 1Ronald M. Bozman, Edward Saxon, Kenneth Utt
- Actors: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, Anthony Heald
- Released: 1991
- Directed by: Jonathan Demme
The Silence of the Lambs is a classic horror-thriller movie that follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling as she seeks the help of an imprisoned serial killer, the brilliant psychopath Hannibal “the Cannibal” Lecter, to catch another serial killer known as Buffalo Bill. The film won all the “Big Five” Oscars (Best Picture, Best Actor [Anthony Hopkins], Best Actress [Jodie Foster], Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay) and remains one of the most influential movies ever made.
- 2Arnold Kopelson, Phyllis Carlyle
- Actors: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, R. Lee Ermey, Richard Roundtree
- Released: 1995
- Directed by: David Fincher
Seven follows retiring Detective William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and new transfer David Mills (Brad Pitt) as they investigate elaborate and grizzly murder scenes based on the seven deadly sins. With many dark twists and surprising turns, the film by David Fincher has unforgettable shots that will haunt viewers for years.
- 3Alfred Hitchcock
- Actors: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam
- Released: 1960
- Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 masterpiece Psycho is considered one of the greatest films ever made and one of the most influential films in cinematic history. The film follows Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), on the run with stolen money, as she checks into the Bates Motel, run by a shy, gentle man named Norman Bates. Psycho set new standards for violence and terror in cinema, making it a great serial killer movie that still stands out today due to its psychological themes and thrilling plot twists.
- 4Debra Hill, John Carpenter
- Actors: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Nancy Kyes, P.J. Soles, Charles Cyphers
- Released: 1978
- Directed by: John Carpenter
Fifteen years ago, 6-year-old Michael Myers stabbed his sister Judith to death. On October 30, 1978, Myers escapes the sanitarium where he's been locked away and returns to his quiet hometown to slay as many victims as he can without breaking a sweat. John Carpenter's original Halloween set the standard for suspense and violence in the slasher genre, making it a must-watch for any horror fan.
- 5Mike Medavoy, Arnold Messer, Bradley J. Fischer
- Actors: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey, Anthony Edwards, Dermot Mulroney
- Released: 2007
- Directed by: David Fincher
In the late-1960s, a mysterious “Zodiac killer” terrorizes northern California and taunts local newspapers with encrypted letters. David Fincher's 2007 retelling of the frustrating, suspenseful case follows San Francisco police inspector Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) as he attempts to uncover Zodiac's true identity.
- 6Dino De Laurentiis, Martha De Laurentiis
- Actors: Anthony Hopkins, Ed Norton, Ralph Fiennes, Harvey Keitel, Emily Watson
- Released: 2002
- Directed by: Brett Ratner
Ex-FBI agent Will Graham (Edward Norton) is an expert investigator who quit the Bureau after almost losing his life in the process of capturing the elusive Dr. Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). After a ...more
