Another year is gone, and it has been another year filled with some pretty good horror films. There have been years previously that had a higher quantity of good horror than 2025, but we still got a lot of great quality options. This year, there was also an impressive rise in mainstream horror. Usually, it seems like the best horror films are ones that are more independently made; this year, it seemed like an even split.
Many people still think that they don’t make good horror movies these days, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Horror is thriving, and we are seeing all different types of movies. The genre is even being taken a little more seriously, being nominated for several awards. This year, we got vampires, Stephen King, sequels, old people, and a lot more. There were indeed some disappointments, such as Him, The Woman in the Yard, and I Know What You Did Last Summer. Seriously, what was that ending? We are here to talk about the gems, though, so here are the top 10 best horror films of 2025.
Honorable Mentions
- Until Dawn
- Conjuring: Last Rites
- Death of a Unicorn
- Drop
- Frankenstein
- Clown in a Cornfield
- 28 Years Later
- Dangerous Animals
- Black Phone 2
- Companion
- The Monkey
10. The Rule of Jenny Pen
This is not your typical horror movie at all, and that is one thing that makes it pretty great. The movie tells the story of a former judge who is sent to a retirement home after having a stroke. There, he encounters an elderly psychopath who tortures the other residents at night.
What makes this horror movie work is that it could potentially really happen. There are no ghosts, monsters, etc. Just elderly people. John Lithgow plays the sadistic elderly patient who, by day, acts as if he is meek and innocent, but by night, he is everyone’s worst nightmare. Geoffrey Rush plays the judge, who is the only one brave enough to stand up and defend himself. Both actors play their parts tremendously. The movie is a great cat-and-mouse horror that shows the terror of aging as well as what happens behind closed doors.
9. Good Boy
A dog repeatedly tries to save his owner from supernatural forces when they move to a new home. When I heard there was a horror movie that was entirely from the point of view of a dog, I knew I needed to see it right away. What I didn’t expect, though, was a movie with a lot to say.
Indy the dog is so adorable as our lead, and you can truly appreciate how long a project like this would take because dogs aren’t actors. No matter how good a dog listens, the patience one must have as a director should be applauded. It helps when the dog belongs to the director, and this is a passion project. The movie took over 3 years to film, but it was worth the wait. The movie is a great metaphor for illness and loss, as we don’t even really know if what is happening in the movie is real or just how the dog sees death.
8. The Ugly Stepsister
This is a dark retelling of the classic fairy tale Cinderella but through the point of view of one of the ugly stepsisters. The oldest one is named Elvira. She longs for the Prince and to help give her family a better life. How far will she go to make herself beautiful?
This movie is full of body horror that will certainly leave you squeamish in your seat. The movie does a good job talking about beauty standards and showing just how far someone will go to raise their status. Every character is a victim here, even Cinderella herself. Everyone wants to get away from the life they have. Reminds me of The Substance from last year, which is a great thing.
7. Together
Tim and Millie decide to move to a new house together after being together for quite some time. Their relationship is put to the test when an unnatural force starts to take over their bodies and minds.
This movie was a trip in the best way possible. Real-life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie star as our leads, and the chemistry they have helps us connect with the movie so much more. Due to something supernatural, the movie has Tim and Millie’s bodies constantly fusing. It is gross beyond belief and really tells a message about space in a relationship and how sometimes couples can feel trapped or as if they have lost their individuality. The movie is a fun horror ride that surprised me for sure.
6. Bring Her Back
Andy and his sister Piper face unsettling events while living with their foster mother Laura, whose grief and secrets draw them into a chilling supernatural ordeal.
Bring Her Back is definitely one of my favorite horrors of the year, and such an impressive sophomore feature from the Phillippou brothers, who had previously directed Talk to Me. The movie is filled with dread, and it was a genius idea to cast Sally Hawkins as the foster mother, Laura. Sally is usually seen as comforting and warm in movies, and in this, she is allowed to go crazy but still somehow keep that warm nature. She is one of the most interesting characters of 2025. The movie also has my favorite ending shot of the year, as it is so horrific yet so sad.
5. Heart Eyes
A masked maniac with glowing red eyes returns every Valentine’s Day to slaughter unsuspecting couples. When a cynical ad executive and her hopelessly romantic colleague become the next target, they decide to fight back and end the reign of terror.
Heart Eyes is one of the most fun movies of the year. I don’t think I have ever seen a romantic horror film before. There is a risk when putting two genres together that none of them will work, or you spend too much time focused on one. This movie has a fantastic balance. I cared about the leads who are played by Mason Gooding and Olivia Holt. If the movie were just a romance, it would work. If it were just a horror, it would work. The kills are great. The chemistry is great. This is one I will definitely be revisiting on Valentine’s Day.
You can read my colleague Gabby’s review of Heart Eyes here.
4. Final Destination Bloodlines
Plagued by a violent and recurring nightmare, a college student heads home to track down the one person who might be able to break the cycle of death and save her family from the grisly demise that inevitably awaits them all.
When a sequel comes back after years of being away, there is no telling how it will turn out. Luckily, in the case of Final Destination Bloodlines, this is one of the best in the franchise. We watch these movies for the great set pieces and gnarly kills. We want to see people die. But Bloodlines is the first movie in the franchise to make you really care. The people in trouble are a family this time around, and you care about seeing them survive this. The additional lore is welcomed, and it’s interesting to see a curse passed down from family members.
This installment also has one of the best kill sequences in any Final Destination film. The movie also has a tear-jerking scene with the late great Tony Todd, who meant the world to the horror community.
You can read my full review of Final Destination Bloodlines here.
3. Weapons
When all but one child from the same classroom mysteriously vanish on the same night at the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
Zach Cregger made one of the best horror movies of 2022 with Barbarian, and he does it once again here with Weapons. What works great with Weapons is the storytelling. The movie is cut up into different sections, each giving us more information about a different character. We are left on the edge of our seats right until the very end. Speaking of endings, this was probably the best theatre experience of the year because the theatre erupted with laughter, and everyone was going crazy during the ending sequence.
The performances are also noteworthy, especially from Amy Madigan, who plays Aunt Gladys. She is unrecognizable, and I hope she gets Oscar love. Her character is so popular that I must have seen dozens of her on Halloween. The script is also really good. It was reported that Jordan Peele fired his management team for losing the script in a bidding war. That is how good the potential for this movie was, and it certainly succeeded.
2. The Long Walk
Teens participate in a gruelling high-stakes contest where they must continuously walk or be shot by a member of their military escort.
This is easily one of the best of the year in just about every category. The movie throws you right into the chaos from the beginning and doesn’t let up. The performances are solid throughout, especially from David Jonsson, who I can guarantee is going to become famous. The film is gripping, very emotional, tense, and a solid adaptation of a Stephen King story. King wrote the story as a metaphor for war and senseless death, and that comes through clearly. This is for sure director Francis Lawrence’s best film yet.
1. Sinners
Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their Mississippi hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
What can I say that hasn’t been said about this movie? It is the best horror film of the year, and it deserves that. The acting and performances are amazing. The music and score transport the audience to a higher plane. It is a vampire movie, but it also works as a drama, a comedy, a story about losing your authenticity, and genocide.
Sinners isn’t only the best horror movie of the year, but it’s also one of the better horror movies in a while. The movie is so much more, though, filled with historical culture, beautiful music, and memorable characters. The movie does everything right and leaves the audience feeling fulfilled. From its performances to the camerawork to the excellent script, it’s simply wonderful to see everything come together. The movie is scary, funny, sexy, and hopeful. This is the type of movie that reminds me why I love movies to begin with, and that is truly the best compliment that I can give.
What was your favorite horror movie of 2025? What are you looking forward to seeing in 2026? Let us know in the comments below.
