The Scariest Animal Horror Movies Ever Made

Ranker Horror
Updated July 15, 2023 45.6K votes 3.5K voters 177.5K views
Over 3.5K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Scariest Animal Horror Movies Ever Made
Voting Rules
Horror films that star animals as villains
Latest additions: Beast
Most divisive: Planet of the Apes

Often when audiences see any sort of animal on the big screen, it is followed by adored oohing and aahing due to the cute and adorable nature of the animal. However, there are certain films where the wonders of nature are construed and represented in a much more dark and sinister light… These are the scariest animal horror movies ever made!

From the scary sea world of Jaws to the rural charm of Cujo to the more outlandish concepts of Anaconda, each and every one of these horrifying animal films turns the things we love into hideous and horrifying monsters. Whether your particular favorite scary animal movies pick lies with dogs, spiders, or sharks, there are unlimited scares to experience by watching movies from this list, but be warned, you may never look at your pets the same way again.

Vote up the scariest animal movies ever made, and be sure to check out the scariest movies of all time!

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  • Jaws
    1

    Jaws

    Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss
    1,922 votes
    • Released: 1975
    • Directed by: Steven Spielberg
    In the classic thriller Jaws, the quiet summer resort of Amity Island is thrown into chaos by a deadly great white shark. Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) must team up with oceanographer Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and grizzled shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) to stop it. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this film redefined the horror genre, creating the concept of a summer blockbuster. The film's tension-filled plot and iconic score won it three Academy Awards, including Best Original Score for John Williams. Despite its simple premise, Jaws remains an enduring masterpiece of suspense and fear.

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  • Jurassic Park
    2

    Jurassic Park

    Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum
    1,679 votes
    • Released: 1993
    • Directed by: Steven Spielberg
    In the thrilling film, Jurassic Park, eccentric billionaire John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) invites a team of experts to visit an island theme park populated by dinosaurs created from prehistoric DNA. The team comprises of paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill), paleobotanist Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), and mathematician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum). When the park's security system fails, these prehistoric creatures start roaming free, causing chaos for the visitors. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this groundbreaking sci-fi adventure won three Academy Awards for its stunning visual effects and sound design.

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  • Pet Sematary
    3

    Pet Sematary

    Dale Midkiff, Fred Gwynne, Denise Crosby
    716 votes
    • Released: 1989
    • Directed by: Mary Lambert
    In the chilling horror film Pet Sematary, Dr. Louis Creed (Dale Midkiff) relocates his family to rural Maine, unaware of the eerie pet cemetery near their new home. The story takes a dark turn when tragedy strikes, leading Louis to an old local named Jud Crandall (Fred Gwynne). A secret, ancient burial ground with sinister powers is unveiled by Jud. As the Creeds grapple with death and its unnatural reversal, director Mary Lambert masterfully unravels a tale of escalating dread and unspeakable horror. Characters plunge into a nightmare where boundaries between life and death hauntingly blur.

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  • Cujo
    4

    Cujo

    Dee Wallace, Danny Pintauro, Daniel Hugh Kelly
    1,340 votes
    • Released: 1983
    • Directed by: Lewis Teague
    In the heart-pounding thriller Cujo, a quiet American town is plunged into terror. Donna Trenton (Dee Wallace) and her son, Tad (Danny Pintauro), find themselves trapped in their car, stalked by a rabid St. Bernard - the once gentle family pet named Cujo. This Stephen King adaptation intertwines horror with suspense, as the mother-son duo fights against time and nature to survive. Director Lewis Teague masterfully escalates tension in this chilling tale of survival, turning an everyday setting into a claustrophobic nightmare. The film's true star, however, remains Cujo, an embodiment of primal fear that leaves audiences on edge long after the credits roll.

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  • The Birds
    5

    The Birds

    Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Suzanne Pleshette
    1,154 votes
    • Released: 1963
    • Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
    In Hitchcock's 1963 suspenseful classic, The Birds, Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren), a socialite from San Francisco, ventures into the small coastal town of Bodega Bay. She's there to deliver a pair of lovebirds to Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor), a man she's taken an interest in. But soon after her arrival, the town is besieged by inexplicably aggressive bird attacks. The once peaceful locality descends into chaos and fear as every corner becomes a potential battleground against these avian assailants. Jessica Tandy plays Lydia Brenner, Mitch's apprehensive mother. Suzanne Pleshette appears as Annie Hayworth, Mitch's former lover and the local school teacher. Amidst this unpredictable terror, human relationships are tested and survival instincts override all else. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for its impressive special effects.

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  • Arachnophobia
    6

    Arachnophobia

    Jeff Daniels, Harley Jane Kozak, John Goodman
    1,179 votes
    • Released: 1990
    • Directed by: Frank Marshall
    In Arachnophobia, Dr. Ross Jennings (Jeff Daniels), a recently relocated city physician, finds himself in a rural town's worst nightmare. A new species of deadly spiders, accidentally transported from the Amazon rainforest, begins to breed and kill when they hatch. The town's only hope lies with Jennings and the eccentric exterminator Delbert McClintock (John Goodman). This thrilling comedy-horror flick, directed by Frank Marshall, is a chilling exploration of the primal human fear of spiders. It weaves suspense, humor, and horror into a web of unforgettable moments.

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