Lists about terrifying creatures that stalk worlds both real and fictional.

The Monster Mash

Total Nerd

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/scariest-demonic-movie-monsters/tyler-mitchell">Movies about unexplained entities and monsters</a> have become a major favorite amongst audiences. With deep lore, unforgettable images, and haunting performances, it's really no wonder why fans can't seem to get enough. But, certain movies and moments really manage to stay with audiences throughout the years, and everyone has favorites.&nbsp;Check out these moments from&nbsp;our favorite <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/modern-horror-monster-moments/griffin-peters">movies about entities and monsters</a>.

Moments About Our Favorite Movie Entities And Monsters That Are Burned Into Our Brains

General

Loren O'Connell

Looking back at underrated scenes and clever details in our favorite 2000s movies of every genre.

Rewatching the 2000s

Entertainment

Disclaimer: This article was written using generative AI tools and reviewed by a human.Monster movies have been a staple of cinema since its earliest days, captivating audiences with tales of horrifying creatures and epic battles between good and evil. In the 2000s, a surge of innovative filmmaking techniques breathed new life into the genre, offering a fresh spin on the classic monster movie trope. Despite the technological advances, not all monster films from the 2000s garnered the attention they rightly deserved. Whether due to stiff competition at the box office, a lack of marketing, or simply being ahead of their time, these films slipped under the radar of the mainstream audience.These overlooked gems of the 2000s range from stories of legendary beasts to rogue alien species, from indie horror flicks to blockbuster productions. They feature diverse plots, unique perspectives, and unexpected twists, making them ideal for viewers seeking something out of the ordinary. Moreover, they are imbued with a distinct flavor of the 2000s era, transporting you back to a time of rapid change and discovery in film-making.So, whether you're a lifelong fan of the monster genre or a curious newcomer, these movies are sure to offer a fresh and exciting experience. Dive in and explore the unchartered waters of underrated 2000s monster cinema. Don't forget to vote up the movies that you believe deserve a second look.

Underrated 2000s Monster Movies That Deserve A Second Scream-ing

Film

David Wills

Monsters

For&nbsp;generations, fans have shown up with popcorn for every <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/strongest-movie-monsters/orrin-grey">monster movie</a>, no matter the budget. After all, there's a joy watching powerful creatures - big or small - chasing around human beings for self-defense, or vengeance, or just plain fun.&nbsp;Jurassic Park and&nbsp;Godzilla&nbsp;may be famous entries in the genre with their unparalleled budget and spectacle, but there are a host of mid-budget monster movies that deliver the same thrills as their more expensive counterparts.Whether you've gotten tired of watching the monster blockbusters, or simply want something a little more under-the-radar, these less-heavily pushed monster films will still get the scares you need.

Underrated Mid-Budget Monster Movies That Deliver Big-Budget Thrills

Sergio Pereira

Watchworthy

There's something enduringly appealing about <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/strongest-movie-monsters/orrin-grey">monsters</a>. Even though they haunt the collective human imagination - a reminder of the unknown, the deadly, and the sinister - there's also something oddly desirable about them, as they can give people the chance to vicariously express their most forbidden desires and urges.It’s thus not surprising to find malevolent creatures everywhere in the movies. What's perhaps more surprising is the number of films that withhold the terror from the audience for an extraordinary length of time. Such movies are a reminder of the extent to which the unseen and unknowable are often <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/scariest-fictional-monsters/ranker-characters">more terrifying</a> than what can be seen and understood.Warning: some list items contain spoilers.

Monster Movies That Really Make You Wait To See The Creature

Film character

Thomas West

Looking back through the filmography of any famous actor is always a fun experience. Unless they were lucky enough to hit it big with their first role, most actors have some forgotten roles early on in their careers that. It's a treat to discover a monster role where the performer is obscured behind layers of makeup or special effects.Sometimes a famous actor will take a monster role after they're already pretty famous, but these roles sometimes still get overlooked, especially in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-underrated-monster-movies/orrin-grey">underappreciated movies.</a> Whatever the reason, not many fans associate these famous actors with their roles as movie monsters, or at least not these particular forgotten monsters.&nbsp;

Famous Actors You Forgot Played Movie Monsters

Actor

Sean Migalla

The 2000s were a fantastic decade for fans of all kinds of horror movies. For those who enjoy <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/modern-horror-monster-moments/griffin-peters">creature features</a>, there was everything from Bong Joon-ho's The Host to Neil Marshall's The Descent to Matt Reeves's Cloverfield (does a kaiju qualify as a creature? Thoughts?) Like zombie movies? The 2000s had both 28 Days Later and its sequel 28 Weeks Later, as well as the remake of Dawn of the Dead. The decade also saw multiple highly rated entries from auteurs like M. Night Shyamalan, Diablo Cody, and Guillermo del Toro, just to name a few. Don't forget strong foreign language entries like Rec or Let the Right One In, either.&nbsp;All of those films fall into many different genres under the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/underrated-movie-monsters/mike-mcgranaghan">horror umbrella</a>, but what they all have in common are shocking, terrifying moments that become seared in your brain the moment you see them. Here's the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/scariest-movies-of-the-2000s/ranker-horror?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">2000s horror movie</a> highlight reel.&nbsp;

The Most Terrifying Monster Moments From 2000s Horror Movies

Scariest Monster Moments In 2000s Horror

Jim Rowley

Looking closer at actors and actresses who have played the *exact* same role.

Familiar Faces

Count Dracula

Whether he's called Count, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/nosferatu-vs-dracula-copyright/michelle-nati">Nosferatu</a>, or Vlad, Dracula is almost synonymous with vampires - <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/strongest-version-of-dracula/tyler-mitchell">especially on television and film</a>. Several famous actors have played Dracula in film and TV. Some of the best Dracula characters were portrayed by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/every-oscar-winning-film-ever/drake-bird?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Academy Award winners</a>, but many won our hearts rather than awards. Some actors even portrayed that fanged fiend of the night in multiple films.Here you'll find folks who officially played the role. Grandpa Sam claiming he's the Dracula on one episode of The Munsters doesn't count. That lets us focus on actors who were the most memorable, like Gary Oldman in Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 film Bram Stoker's Dracula.Bela Lugosi is perhaps the actor best associated with the character. He portrayed the iconic vampire in Universal's 1931 original, Dracula. Other actors who have played Dracula include Gerard Butler and Jonathan Rhys Meyers - and of course Christopher Lee, who played the count 10 times. Which actors do you think were the best Dracula? Vote up your favorites, then be sure to check out the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-dracula-movies/all-genre-movies-lists">best Dracula movies</a>.

The Best Actors Who Played Dracula

Actors Who Played Dracula In Film & TV, Ranked

Celebrity Lists

It's 2023 and people are obsessed with cryptids more than ever. Since popular cryptid TV shows vary wildly from real life monster hunt shows like Monster Mountain to classic fictional series like The X-Files, we've created our ranked list of the best monster and cryptid shows, which is ordered by votes cast by users like you. Over 1,000 people have already weighed in on this ranking, so rest assured that the order of these recommendations is directly influenced by fellow cryptid enthusiasts like yourself.Some monster TV shows share stories both scripted and unscripted about encounters with the beasts that roam urban legends. Monsters and Mysteries in America is one of these popular documentary-style monster series - it features stories and witness encounters directly from the mouths of those who claim to have seen cryptids. There are even children's shows about monsters and cryptids, like Disney's Gravity Falls. Although it's a fictional cartoon marketed towards children, Gravity Falls is actually a wonderful show that cryptozoology fans both young and old can enjoy.What are television's best cryptozoology shows? Join the 1000+ people who have already voted up their favorites and help fellow monster hunters find the best recommendations.

In Search of...

The Best Cryptid & Monster TV Shows To Watch In 2023

TV Program

Ranker TV

When it comes to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/strongest-movie-monsters/orrin-grey">movie monsters</a>, we tend to see the same ones again and again. Multiple films have featured King Kong, Godzilla, mummies, werewolves, vampires, and so on.Seeing an old favorite hauled out again can admittedly be enjoyable, especially if the film uses a fresh angle; even so, it's hard not to occasionally feel a sense of “been there, done that” when watching yet another monster movie.There's a whole slew of lesser-known monsters worthy of more big-screen treatments. They have <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/real-world-origins-of-monsters/orrin-grey">engaging backstories</a>, terrifying appearances, and sinister abilities. Any of them could be used to make a first-rate creature feature. All they need is a director with a vision for how to present them to audiences.Hopefully, that will happen someday. These underrated monsters deserve to have more screen time.

Underrated Monsters That Deserve More Screen Time

Mike McGranaghan

Monster Movies

Some of the biggest and best villains in the history of cinema all come from the horror genre. From bombastic and larger-than-life killers who become part of the culture to gigantic monstrosities who send a shiver down audiences' spines every time they see them, these antagonists are some of the most beloved and acclaimed of all time. Of course, sometimes good things come in small packages as well, and sometimes the smallest monsters can be the scariest. Horror movies with small creatures prove this point fantastically, as they are often unforgettable horrific adventures that manage to toe the line of fright, fun, and funny beautifully to deliver audiences an unforgettable experience, oftentimes the whole family can enjoy.&nbsp;While there have been a plethora of small creatures in horror movies long before the 1980s, it was 1984's Gremlins that truly stood out as the blueprint for how to make this bizarre subgenre popular for the mainstream. A film that took the world by storm, suddenly copycats and films that had their own tiny creature gimmicks were coming out of the woodwork. From films that tried to copy the blueprint exactly in films like Munchies, Critters, and Ghoulies to films that took their own radically different spin on the subgenre like Puppet Master and Arachnophobia, horror movies with small creatures were all the rage throughout the decade, and while we may not see them too often anymore, this beloved time and style of film is one of the most fun and frightening the horror genre has ever seen.&nbsp;Vote up The Best Horror Movies with Small Creatures, and don't forget to check out <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/list-of-all-monster-movies/ranker-film">The Best Movie Monsters of All Time</a> to see where these pint-sized terrors rank up against some of the scariest monsters of all time.&nbsp;&nbsp;The 11 Best Horror Movies With Small Creatures Of All Time

The 11 Best Horror Movies With Small Creatures 

David De La Riva

Myths & Legends

Here is a list of all your&nbsp;favorite vampire movies as voted on by the Ranker Community. This is a Crowdranked list, so if you don't see your picks for the best vampire movies already on here, or see some good vampire movies missing, go ahead and make your own version of the list so you can vote&nbsp;them up.Vampires have been a mainstay in film since its earliest days. In fact, among the most legendary and famous films of the silent era was Nosferatu, a retelling of the story of Dracula directed by German expressionist F.W. Murnau. (A fictionalized version of the making of this film, suggesting that the actor portraying Nosferatu was, in fact, a real vampire was made, called <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/shadow-of-the-vampire-underrated/michelle-nati" target="_blank">Shadow of the Vampire</a>.)The typical staples of the vampire genre and great vampire movies remain surprisingly consistent from their origins - particularly the Bram Stoker Dracula novel. They are undead monsters capable of changing forms, sometimes to a bat but also in the form of mist, or wolves, or other creatures, and they feed off the blood of the living. They are also sometimes noted for their charm and sophistication, monsters capable of seducing and charming victims rather than simply attacking prey.There have been a number of iconic movie vampires throughout the first century of filmmaking, including a number of memorable takes on the Dracula character specifically. (Actors including Christopher Lee, Bela Lugosi, and even Gary Oldman have all taken on the role.) Vampires have always been a staple of mainstream entertainment. If you are looking for&nbsp;a more romantic twist than normal, check out the Twilight series of films that can be found below. There are also several other <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-vampire-movies-based-on-books/ranker-film" target="_blank">vampire&nbsp;book adaptions</a> on this list.What are the best vampire movies? This list will give you an idea.&nbsp;For more bloodsucking action, be sure to see Ranker's <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/all-vampire-movies-list-of-vampire-movies-and-vampire-films/all-genre-movies-lists">Guide to all Vampire Movies</a>,&nbsp;our <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-sexiest-vampire-movies-ever-made/all-genre-movies-lists">list of the Sexiest All-Time Vampire Films</a>, and the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-dracula-movies/all-genre-movies-lists" target="_blank">best Dracula movies</a>.

Near Dark

The Greatest Vampire Movies of All Time

Best Vampire Movies | List of Top Vampire Films

Ranker Community

Throughout the history of horror, audiences have often more closely associated traditional male figures as the blueprint for creating a terrifying creature that withstands the test of time in the genre. From the likes of Frankenstein to Leatherface to Pennywise, these characters are all portrayed by stereotypical lumbering and massive males who often overpower or manipulate their victims. However, there are but a brief few moments in the history of horror where female horror monsters have gotten their time to shine, and shine they did by showcasing to audiences that it's not just the boys who can have malicious and sadistic fun.&nbsp;Films like The Bride of Frankenstein and Cat People were some of the first in horror to showcase women in the driver's seats of terror, and while it may have been a bit jarring for audiences in the 30s and 40s, it helped pave the way for female horror monsters to become more of a norm and less of an exception. From aliens and succubus to vampires to werewolves and everything in between these deliciously devilish monsters and creatures have helped revolutionize horror, and have all looked damn good and spooky doing so.&nbsp;Vote up The Best Female Horror Monsters Movies of All Time, and don't forget to check out <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/list-of-all-monster-movies/ranker-film">The Best Monster Movies of All Time</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-horror-films-ever-made">The Best Horror Movies of All Time</a> to see where these monstrous women of horror rank up against some of the greatest films and characters of all time.&nbsp;

12 Scary Female Horror Monsters That Changed Horror Forever

To many, rats are some of the most unsettling, horrifying, and disgusting creatures known to man. The hairy little rodents that scurry around desperate for food, shelter, and survival make audiences irrationally uncomfortable at times, so it only makes sense that these creatures would be showcased in some as some of the most horrific and blood-curdling monstrosities known to man in the movies. Horror movies with rats manage to play on the innate fear and paranoia that arises in audiences when they see the beasts scurrying across the floor and amplify that feeling tenfold when they force audiences to sit through dozens of hundreds of rats running rampant, or worst of all, giant mutant rats that simply want to devour everything in their path.&nbsp;The Killer Shrew is widely considered one of the first and most important horror movies with rats as it set the blueprint for how audiences saw the rodents in the mainstream and set the tone for how these movies should be created. Throughout the next few decades films like Ben, Deadly Eyes, and The Food of Gods would further solidify rats as some of the scariest creatures ever put to film, but films like Willard would use the creatures as a vessel for pain, sorrow, and profound storytelling that many simply didn't think movies with rats could achieve. From the campy to the profound to the horrifying, each of these movies managed to not only elevate the horror genre, but showcase the creatures in fascinating new lights.&nbsp;Vote up The Best Horror Movies With Rats, and don't forget to check out <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/scariest-animal-movies-ever-made/ranker-horror">The Scariest Animal Horror Movies Ever Made</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/scariest-horror-movie-animals/ranker-horror">The Scariest Horror Movie Animals</a> to see where audiences' favorite rodents stack up against some of the best and scariest animals of all time.&nbsp;

The 11 Best Horror Movies With Rats And Rodents Of All Sizes

Monsters are weird by definition, but there's a wide range of how weird they can be. Certain <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-underrated-monster-movies/orrin-grey">underrated monster movies</a> perhaps take things too far in the weirdness department, preventing them from breaking out into mainstream fame, in spite of their other fine qualities.&nbsp;Perhaps the featured monsters have an incredibly bizarre design that put viewers off, or the production suffered from budgetary constraints that prevented filmmakers from realizing their ambitions. Other times, these movies simply featured ideas that were too off-the-wall for audiences to fully embrace. From dangerous rocks to sinister Santas, vote up the freakiest monster movies that aren't mainstream, but should be.

Freaky Monster Movies That Aren't Mainstream For A Reason

Weird Monster Movies That Aren't Mainstream For A Reason

Orrin Grey

Ranking the scariest, creepiest, goriest, most traumatizing, gut-wrenching, and heartwarming scenes ever to pop up in horror movies.

Spooky Scenes & Jump Scares

Horror

Monster movies are one of the quintessential corners of the horror genre, and Hollywood has been churning them out since the 1920s with early hits such as 1922's Nosferatu and&nbsp;1931's Frankenstein. Despite plenty about the genre shifting and changing over the course of the last near century, the director's goal of scaring the audience is still usually priority number one.Those first monster films relied heavily on makeup and clever camera work to show off their creatures, but now in the present day, thanks to CGI and advanced prosthetics, movies can flaunt their monsters as much as they want. This has resulted in exponentially more scenes in which the monster’s full face is revealed, often for prolonged periods of time as they terrorize the film’s characters. This also means even spookier scenes in which nightmarish images can be revealed with extreme detail and definition.<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-new-monster-movies/ranker-film?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Modern monster movies</a> have evolved and now largely rely on jump-scares. In this genre, you have to hold onto your popcorn tight, or it might go flying through the air at the first pop-out.

The Most Terrifying Monster Moments In Modern Horror Movies

Terrifying Monster Moments In Modern Horror Movies

Griffin Peters

In the early &#39;90s, the World Wide Web hadn&#39;t yet swept the world up in an&nbsp;Internet frenzy. People didn&#39;t have smartphones, and they didn&#39;t have Netflix. What&nbsp;they did have, though, was the checkout aisle at the grocery store. And it was in this aisle&nbsp;that young kids forced to grocery shop with their parents&nbsp;sat in their&nbsp;shopping carts&nbsp;and stared longingly at bubble gum, Tic Tacs, and - of course - the face of Bat Boy, the Weekly World News phenomenon.

Weekly World News was a tabloid full of fake stories presented as real, often specializing in the supernatural. Dick Kulpa, a Weekly World News editor, created Bat Boy in 1992. However, many of us may not have realized that the terrifying face of<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/7-mythical-creatures-that-were-found-in-real-life/kier-harris" target="_blank"> Bat Boy</a> would follow us throughout the rest of our lives - that Bat Boy would live a defiant but accomplished fictional life that many&nbsp;millennials would&nbsp;not even dream to be possible for a sharp-toothed, pointy-eared, inbred bat creation, and maybe, that was the point.

The Strange And Twisted Tale Of Bat Boy, America’s Most Infamous Tabloid Monster

The Strange And Twisted Tale Of Bat Boy, America’s Most Infamous 'Real' Monster

Matthew Lavelle

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