The Scariest Giant Monster Movies
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.
- Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt
- Released: 1979
- Directed by: Ridley Scott
In deep space, the crew of the commercial starship Nostromo is awakened from their cryo-sleep capsules halfway through their journey home to investigate a distress call from an alien vessel. The ...more - 2Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn
- Released: 1986
- Directed by: James Cameron
After floating in space for 57 years, Lt. Ripley's (Sigourney Weaver) shuttle is found by a deep space salvage team. Upon arriving at LV-426, the marines find only one survivor, a nine year old girl ...more - 3Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss
- Released: 1975
- Directed by: Steven Spielberg
When a young woman is killed by a shark while skinny-dipping near the New England tourist town of Amity Island, police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) wants to close the beaches, but mayor Larry ...more - 4Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter
- Released: 1982
- Directed by: John Carpenter
In remote Antarctica, a group of American research scientists are disturbed at their base camp by a helicopter shooting at a sled dog. When they take in the dog, it brutally attacks both human beings ...more - Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum
- Released: 1993
- Directed by: Steven Spielberg
In Steven Spielberg's massive blockbuster, paleontologists Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and mathematician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) are among a select group chosen to tour ...more - Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden
- Released: 2007
- Directed by: Frank Darabont
After a powerful storm damages their Maine home, David Drayton (Thomas Jane) and his young son head into town to gather food and supplies. Soon afterward, a thick fog rolls in and engulfs the town, ...more - 7Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter
- Released: 1990
- Directed by: Ron Underwood
Repairmen Val McKee (Kevin Bacon) and Earl Bassett (Fred Ward) are tired of their dull lives in the small desert town of Perfection, Nev. But just as the two try to skip town, they happen upon a ...more - 8David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne
- Released: 1981
- Directed by: John Landis
David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne), two American college students, are backpacking through Britain when a large wolf attacks them. David survives with a bite, but Jack is brutally ...more - Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Annable
- Released: 2008
- Directed by: Matt Reeves
As a group of New Yorkers (Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman) enjoy a going-away party, little do they know that they will soon face the most terrifying night of their lives. A creature ...more - 10Radha Mitchell, Vin Diesel, Cole Hauser
- Released: 2000
- Directed by: David Twohy
When their ship crashes on an unexplored planet, the survivors of the crash soon discover that this planet that is normally always day is going to soon be in a state of eclipse that will bring out ...more - Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno, Maria Pitillo
- Released: 1998
- Directed by: Roland Emmerich
During a nuclear test, the French government inadvertently mutates a lizard nest; years later, a giant lizard makes its way to New York City. Dr. Niko Tatopoulos (Matthew Broderick), an expert on the ...more - 12James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, Joan Weldon
- Released: 1954
- Directed by: Gordon Douglas
While investigating a series of mysterious deaths, Sergeant Ben Peterson (James Whitmore) finds a young girl (Sandy Descher) who is unable to speak. As Peterson joins forces with FBI agent Robert ...more - 13Bill Pullman, Bridget Fonda, Oliver Platt
- Released: 1999
- Directed by: Steve Miner
When a mysterious creature violently kills a man in a Maine lake, Jack Wells (Bill Pullman), the local game warden, looks into the bizarre case, along with Sheriff Hank Keough (Brendan Gleeson) and ...more - 14Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot, Robert Armstrong
- Released: 1933
- Directed by: Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack
Actress Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) and director Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) travel to the Indian Ocean to do location shoots for Denham's new jungle picture. Along the way, the actress meets and falls ...more - 15Steve McQueen, Aneta Corsaut, Earl Rowe
- Released: 1958
- Directed by: Irvin S. Yeaworth
A drive-in favorite, this sci-fi classic follows teenagers Steve (Steven McQueen) and his best girl, Jane (Aneta Corseaut), as they try to protect their hometown from a gelatinous alien life form ...more - 16Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber
- Released: 2004
- Directed by: Zack Snyder
When her husband is attacked by a zombified neighbor, Ana (Sarah Polley) manages to escape, only to realize her entire Milwaukee neighborhood has been overrun by the walking dead. After being ...more - 17Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack, Gary Raymond
- Released: 1963
- Directed by: Don Chaffey
After saving the life of his royal father's usurper, Pelias (Douglas Wilmer), whom he fails to recognize, Jason (Todd Armstrong) is encouraged by the conniving murderer to begin a quest in search of ...more - Charlie Hunnam, Diego Klattenhoff, Idris Elba
- Released: 2013
- Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Long ago, legions of monstrous creatures called Kaiju arose from the sea, bringing with them all-consuming war. To fight the Kaiju, mankind developed giant robots called Jaegers, designed to be ...more - Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards
- Released: 1997
- Directed by: Paul Verhoeven
In the distant future, the Earth is at war with a race of giant alien insects. Little is known about the Bugs except that they are intent on the eradication of all human life. But there was a time ...more - 20Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis
- Released: 1984
- Directed by: Ivan Reitman
After the members of a team of scientists (Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray) lose their cushy positions at a university in New York City, they decide to become "ghostbusters" to wage a ...more - 21Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Mae Clarke
- Released: 1931
- Directed by: James Whale
This iconic horror film follows the obsessed scientist Dr. Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) as he attempts to create life by assembling a creature from body parts of the deceased. Aided by his loyal ...more - Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall
- Released: 2021
- Directed by: Adam Wingard
Kong and his protectors undertake a perilous journey to find his true home. Along for the ride is Jia, an orphaned girl who has a unique and powerful bond with the mighty beast. However, they soon ...more - 23Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore, Pete Postlethwaite
- Released: 1997
- Directed by: Steven Spielberg
John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) summons chaos theorist Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) to his home with some startling information -- while nearly everything at his Jurassic Park had been destroyed, ...more - 24Harry Hamlin, Laurence Olivier, Judi Bowker
- Released: 1981
- Directed by: Desmond Davis
Perseus (Harry Hamlin), son of the Greek god Zeus (Laurence Olivier), grows up on a deserted island. His destiny is to marry Princess Andromeda (Judi Bowker), who will someday rule the city of Joppa. ...more - 25Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody
- Released: 2005
- Directed by: Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson's expansive remake of the 1933 classic follows director Carl Denham (Jack Black) and his crew on a journey from New York City to the ominous Skull Island to film a new movie. ...more