List Rules Monsters must be GIANT! No human-sized beasts or creatures.
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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
741 366
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
630 105
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
592 112
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
650 200
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
487 382
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
525 290
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
462 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
472 293
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
519 344
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
446 233
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
345 298
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
380 285
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
347 266
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
310 246
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
273 218
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
338 244
Pacific RimIdris Elba, Charlie Hunnam, Ron Perlman Pacific Rim is a 2013 action sci-fi film directed by Guillermo del Toro.
17
276 233
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
279 208
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
176 203
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
252 252
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
206 216
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
190 89
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
183 194
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
186 99
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
122 80
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
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List Rules: Monsters must be GIANT! No human-sized beasts or creatures.
