List Rules Monsters must be GIANT! No human-sized beasts or creatures.
List of the scariest giant monster movies of all time, as ranked by monster movie aficionados and film critics. Ever since 1925’s The Lost World, monster movies have graced the film world with their stunning and sometimes head-scratching special effects, screaming human victims, and interesting fight scenes. In the 1950s, giant monster movies became the hottest genre of the decade, spanning dozens of movies about made up creatures. The special effects were like nothing anybody had ever seen before, which was part of what made the movies so scary. As special effect technology advanced, so did the scariness of these monster films. Compared to the building crushing monster from 2008’s Cloverfield, monsters like The Blob, Giant Leeches, and Mothra aren’t as scary. However, in the time they were made, they were terrifying audiences everywhere.
Creatures in these monster movies ranged from a woman who grow 50-feet tall to killer T-Rexes that have grown in a scientist’s lab. Each monster villain causes destruction of property, loss of life, and chaos to the lives of the protagonists. This list is filled with the monsters that are the most frightening to audiences around the world.
What are the scariest giant monster movies ever made? This list features a large portion of the movies that can cause chills to ever the toughest of moviegoers.
list ordered by
1
733 362
Jurassic ParkSamuel L. Jackson, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is the first installment of the Jurassic Park franchise. It is based on the 1990 novel of the ...more
2
621 105
AlienSigourney Weaver, John Hurt, Ian Holm Alien is a 1979 science-fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott, and starring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto. ...more
3
580 111
JawsSteven Spielberg, Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Scheider Jaws is a 1975 American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. The prototypical summer blockbuster, its release is regarded as a ...more
4
642 199
MountainMan 2013 added The ThingKurt Russell, Keith David, John Carpenter The Thing is a 1982 American science fiction horror film directed by John Carpenter, written by Bill Lancaster, and starring Kurt Russell. The film's title refers to its primary antagonist: a ...more
5
481 380
King KongFay Wray, Merian C. Cooper, Bruce Cabot King Kong is a 1933 American fantasy monster/adventure film directed and produced by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack. The screenplay by James Ashmore Creelman and Ruth Rose was from an ...more
6
517 289
TremorsKevin Bacon, Reba McEntire, Fred Ward Tremors is a 1990 American western monster film directed by Ron Underwood, written by Brent Maddock, S. S. Wilson and Underwood, and starring Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Michael Gross, ...more
7
454 86
AliensSigourney Weaver, Bill Paxton, Michael Biehn Aliens is a 1986 American science-fiction action horror film written and directed by James Cameron, produced by his then-wife Gale Anne Hurd, and starring Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael ...more
8
467 291
CloverfieldOdette Annable, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas Cloverfield is a 2008 American science fiction found footage monster film directed by Matt Reeves, produced by J. J. Abrams & Bryan Burk, and written by Drew Goddard. Before settling on an ...more
9
518 341
GodzillaMatthew Broderick, Hank Azaria, Jean Reno Godzilla is a 1998 American science fiction monster film directed and co-written by Roland Emmerich. A reimagining of the popular Japanese film monster of the same name, the film focuses on a ...more
10
442 231
The MistThomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden The Mist is a 2007 American science fiction horror film based on the 1980 novella of the same name by Stephen King. The film was written and directed by Frank Darabont, who had previously ...more
11
339 296
The Lost World: Jurassic ParkJulianne Moore, Steven Spielberg, Camilla Belle The Lost World: Jurassic Park is a 1997 American science fiction adventure directed by Steven Spielberg. It is the second installment in the Jurassic Park franchise. The film was produced by ...more
12
376 283
Starship TroopersNeil Patrick Harris, Denise Richards, Amy Smart Starship Troopers is a 1997 American military science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier. The story follows a young soldier named Johnny Rico and his ...more
13
342 264
GhostbustersBill Murray, Sigourney Weaver, Dan Aykroyd Ghostbusters is a 1984 American sci-fi-fantasy comedy film, directed and produced by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis as ...more
14
304 244
The BlobSteve McQueen, Aneta Corsaut, Lee Payton The Blob is an independently made 1958 American horror/science fiction film directed by Irvin Yeaworth. In the style of American International Pictures, Paramount Pictures released the film as a ...more
15
269 217
Them!Leonard Nimoy, James Arness, Fess Parker Them! is a 1954 American black-and-white science fiction film from Warner Bros. Pictures produced by David Weisbart, directed by Gordon Douglas, and starring James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, Joan ...more
16
337 242
Pacific RimIdris Elba, Charlie Hunnam, Ron Perlman Pacific Rim is a 2013 action sci-fi film directed by Guillermo del Toro.
17
273 231
AnacondaJennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Owen Wilson Anaconda is a 1997 adventure-horror film, directed by Luis Llosa, starring Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon Voight, Eric Stoltz, Owen Wilson, Kari Wuhrer and Jonathan Hyde. It centers on a film ...more
18
276 205
Lake PlacidBetty White, Mariska Hargitay, Bridget Fonda Lake Placid is a 1999 American monster horror comedy film. The film was written by David E. Kelley and directed by Steve Miner, starring Bill Pullman, Bridget Fonda, Oliver Platt, Brendan ...more
19
175 201
MothraTakashi Shimura, Kyōko Kagawa, Akihiko Hirata Mothra is a 1961 kaiju/tokusatsu film from Toho Studios, directed by genre regular Ishirō Honda with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. It is the genre film debut of screenwriter Shinichi ...more
20
246 249
Jurassic Park IIITéa Leoni, William H. Macy, Laura Dern Jurassic Park III is a 2001 American science fiction adventure monster film. It is the third installment in the Jurassic Park franchise and a sequel to the 1997 film The Lost World: Jurassic ...more
21
203 215
Super 8Elle Fanning, AJ Michalka, Kyle Chandler Super 8 is a 2011 American science fiction horror film written, co-produced, and directed by J. J. Abrams and produced by Steven Spielberg. The film stars Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, and Kyle ...more
22
185 88
Pitch BlackVin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Keith David Pitch Black is a 2000 science fiction horror film co-written and directed by David Twohy. The film stars Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser, and Keith David. Dangerous man Richard B. ...more
23
181 193
RodanAkihiko Hirata, Yumi Shirakawa, Kenji Sahara Rodan, released in Japan as Sora no Daikaijū Radon, is a 1956 Kaiju film produced by Toho Studios. It was the studio's first Kaiju movie filmed in color. It is one of a series of "giant ...more
24
181 98
An American Werewolf in LondonJenny Agutter, Frank Oz, Rik Mayall An American Werewolf in London is a 1981 horror comedy film written and directed by John Landis, and starring David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, and Griffin Dunne. The film starts with two young ...more
25
120 78
Clash of the TitansUrsula Andress, Maggie Smith, Laurence Olivier Clash of the Titans is an 1981 British-American fantasy adventure film involving the Greek hero Perseus, and features the final work of stop motion visual effects artist, Ray Harryhausen. It was ...more
26
165 161
20,000 Leagues Under the SeaNoble Johnson, Matt Moore, Joseph W. Girard 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a 1916 silent film directed by Stuart Paton. The film's storyline is based on the novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. It also incorporates ...more
27
160 200
Godzilla MilleniumAmy Hill, Hiroshi Abe, Ron Yuan Godzilla 2000: Millennium is a 1999 Japanese science fiction kaiju film directed by Takao Okawara and written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara and Wataru Mimura. It was the twenty-third film released in ...more
28
140 176
Tremors 2: AftershocksFred Ward, Michael Gross, Helen Shaver Tremors II: Aftershocks is a 1996 direct-to-video sequel to Tremors, in which the character of Earl Bassett, returning from the first film, is hired to deal with a subterranean ...more
29
143 144
The Beast from 20,000 FathomsLee Van Cleef, Cecil Kellaway, Kenneth Tobey The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms is a 1953 American science fiction monster film from Warner Bros., produced by Jack Dietz and Hal E. Chester, directed by Eugène Lourié, and starring ...more
30
174 63
The Evil DeadBruce Campbell, Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi This film is a 1981 American horror film written and directed by Sam Raimi and executive produced by Raimi and Bruce Campbell, who also stars alongside Ellen Sandweiss and Betsy Baker. This film ...more
31
112 191
The HostBae Doona, Scott Wilson, Song Kang-Ho The Host is a 2006 South Korean monster film. The movie concerns a monster taking a man's daughter, and his attempts to rescue her. According to the director, his inspiration came from a local ...more
32
149 169
The BlobErika Eleniak, Shawnee Smith, Julie McCullough The Blob is a 1988 monster horror film written by Chuck Russell and Frank Darabont, and directed by Russell. It stars Kevin Dillon, Shawnee Smith, Donovan Leitch, Jeffrey DeMunn, Candy Clark and ...more
33
135 89
Dawn of the DeadVing Rhames, Ty Burrell, Kevin Zegers This film is a 2004 American horror film directed by Zack Snyder in his feature film directorial debut. A remake of George A. Romero's 1978 film of the same name, it is written by James Gunn and ...more
34
130 147
It Came from Beneath the SeaFaith Domergue, Kenneth Tobey, Ian Keith It Came from Beneath the Sea is a 1955 American black-and-white science fiction and giant monster film from Columbia Pictures, produced by Sam Katzman and Charles Schneer, directed by Robert ...more
35
169 74
A Nightmare on Elm StreetJohnny Depp, Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 1984 American supernatural slasher horror film written and directed by Wes Craven, and the first film of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. The film stars ...more
36
133 165
Eight Legged FreaksScarlett Johansson, David Arquette, Kari Wührer Eight Legged Freaks is a 2002 American horror-comedy film directed by Ellory Elkayem and stars David Arquette, Kari Wührer, Scott Terra, and Scarlett Johansson. The plot concerns a ...more
37
112 78
King KongNaomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody King Kong is a 2005 epic monster film and remake of the 1933 film of the same name. Directed, co-written, and produced by Peter Jackson, it stars Naomi Watts as Ann Darrow, Jack Black as Carl ...more
38
109 85
HellboyJohn Hurt, Selma Blair, Ron Perlman Hellboy is a 2004 American supernatural superhero film, starring Ron Perlman and directed by Guillermo del Toro. The film is loosely based on the Dark Horse Comics graphic novel Hellboy: Seed of ...more
39
99 78
FrankensteinBoris Karloff, John Boles, Colin Clive Frankenstein is a 1931 horror monster film from Universal Pictures directed by James Whale and adapted from the play by Peggy Webling, which in turn is based on the novel of the same name by ...more
40
118 135
TarantulaClint Eastwood, Mara Corday, Alan Napier Tarantula is a 1955 American science fiction film from Universal-International, produced by William Alland, directed by Jack Arnold, and starring John Agar, Mara Corday and Leo G. Carroll. The ...more
41
109 96
Men in BlackWill Smith, Sylvester Stallone, Steven Spielberg Men in Black is a 1997 American science fiction action comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, produced by Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald and starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith. ...more
42
79 91
Clash of the TitansGemma Arterton, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes Clash of the Titans is a 2010 British-American fantasy adventure film and remake of the 1981 film of the same name produced by MGM. The story is very loosely based on the Greek myth of Perseus. ...more
43
73 60
Jason and the ArgonautsHonor Blackman, Patrick Troughton, Nancy Kovack Jason and the Argonauts is a 1963 British Columbia Pictures fantasy Greek Mythology feature film starring Todd Armstrong as the titular mythical Greek hero in a story about his quest for the ...more
44
117 157
Mighty Joe YoungBen Johnson, Terry Moore, Regis Toomey Mighty Joe Young is a 1949 American black-and-white fantasy film from RKO Radio Pictures made by the same creative team responsible for King Kong. Produced and written by Merian C. Cooper, who ...more
45
109 158
TrollHunterKnut Nærum, Otto Jespersen, Robert Stoltenberg Trollhunter is a 2010 Norwegian dark fantasy film, made in the form of a "found footage" mockumentary. It is written and directed by André Øvredal, and features a mixed ...more
46
76 143
The Call of CthulhuAndrew Leman, John Klemantaski, Barry Lynch The Call of Cthulhu is a 2005 independent silent film adaptation of the H. P. Lovecraft short story The Call of Cthulhu, produced by Sean Branney and Andrew Leman and distributed by the H. P. ...more
47
74 84
SpeciesMichelle Williams, Ben Kingsley, Natasha Henstridge Species is a 1995 American science fiction horror film directed by Roger Donaldson, and starring Natasha Henstridge, Ben Kingsley, Michael Madsen, Alfred Molina, Forest Whitaker and Marg ...more
48
77 119
The Black ScorpionMara Corday, Richard Denning, Carlos Rivas The Black Scorpion is a 1957 Mexican-American horror film released by Warner Brothers, with stop motion special effects created by Willis O'Brien.
49
72 111
The Deadly MantisCraig Stevens, William Hopper, Pat Conway The Deadly Mantis is a 1957 science fiction film produced by William Alland for Universal-International. It was directed by Nathan Juran from a screenplay by Martin Berkeley, and starred Craig ...more
50
76 158
Attack of the 50 Foot WomanYvette Vickers, Allison Hayes, Roy Gordon Attack of the 50 Foot Woman is a 1958 American low-budget science fiction feature film produced by Bernard Woolner for Allied Artists Pictures. It was directed by Nathan H. Juran from a ...more
not on the list? add item #117
List Rules: Monsters must be GIANT! No human-sized beasts or creatures.
