The 2020s have ushered in a new era ofhorror, with filmmakers pushing boundaries and blending genres to deliver innovative and terrifying experiences.Horror films are not only designed to scare, but also to explore complex themes such as trauma and societal resilience.
From psychological thrillers to supernatural thrillers, movies from the 2020s reflect the anxieties of the modern world while offering unique twists. They delve into deep issues and use horror to comment on real-world fears like abuse and isolation while maintaining a gripping entertainment value. The best horror films of this decade have redefined the genre through dark humor or chilling atmospheres that offer a blend of terror and thoughtful commentary. The standout films will showcase how horror can entertain and provoke audiences.
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Nope
Cast
Written and directed by Jordan Peele, Nope follows the owners of a family-run Hollywood horse ranch whose lives are changed by extraterrestrial phenomena. Siblings Otis (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald (Keke Palmer) scramble to understand events that seem to defy all explanation, even as their neighbor (Steven Yeun) tries to turn the strange occurrences into a alien tourist attraction.
Jordan Peele’sNopeis a sci-fi horror mashup that follows siblings O.J. (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald (Keke Palmer) Haywood as they attempt to capture proof of an apparent UFO lurking in the sky near their family’s horse ranch. Little do they know, their quest for fame and fortune that could come from this will be challenging once they realize what they’re actually dealing with.
Following the success of Peele’sUsandGet Out, Nopeis another showcase of the filmmaker’s talent thanks to how he masterfully blends horror with sci-fi and social commentary.Nopeis filled with horror moments shown through Peele’s signature humor and breathtaking cinematography. What setsNopeapart, however, is the intelligent storytelling that explores deep themes like Hollywood’s exploitation of animals, the ethics of spectacles, and how individuals cope with traumatic experiences. The result is a complex yet entertaining film that offers amodern-day, paranormal,Jaws-like thrillerthat calls for multiple viewings to appreciate its layered themes better.
M3GAN
M3GAN follows a toy company roboticist who creates an AI doll designed to emotionally bond with her orphaned niece. As the doll’s programming becomes excessively protective, it leads to unforeseen and alarming consequences. The film explores themes of artificial intelligence and emotional connections.
M3GAN’sstory revolves around the titular doll (Amie Donald), a lifelike android designed to be a child’s companion and help with their upbringing. However, asM3GAN’sartificial intelligence evolves, she breaks free from her programmed restraints, resulting in terrifying consequences.M3GANis an exceptional horror film of the 2020s due to its fresh take on the killer doll trope. The android’s unsettling appearance comes from fusingAnnabelle’seeriness with the AI-driven dangers ofThe Terminator.Combined with sharp wit,that makes for a creepy, unpredictable horror villain who’s as sassy as she is dangerous.
The horror comes from her rebellion against her creators and fears stemming from humanity’s reliance on technology.M3GANis the perfect antagonist for a film with excellent tonal balance, combining moments of genuine emotion and chilling thrills with campy fun for a story about over-dependence on technology. With themes ofA.I. dependence, tongue-in-cheek humor, and an iconic villain,M3GANmakes for a terrifying, entertaining, and thought-provoking ride that was popular even before the film’s official release, thanks to anexcellent horror movie marketing campaign.
The Black Phone
Based on Joe Hill’s short story of the same name, The Black Phone follows teen Finney Blake (Mason Thames) after he is abducted by a man known only as the Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Trapped in a basement with only a disconnected phone, Finney begins to hear from the Grabber’s previous victims, each of which gives him cryptic clues to help him fight back against his captor.
Based on Joe Hill’s short story,The Black Phoneimmerses audiences into its 1970s setting to follow teenager Finney and his abduction by a local serial killer, The Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Finney discovers an old phone in his captor’s basement, which he uses to communicate with past victims, who do all they can to help him escape. What setsThe Black Phoneapart from other films is its blend of serial killer crime drama and supernatural horror that captures real-world fears. The film’s atmosphere and setting are the perfect backdrop, giving off haunting nostalgia that aligns with Hawke’s alarming masked performance.
Despite the dark subject matter,The Black Phonemanages to be optimistic as it showcases the resilience of youth, be it Finney’s escape attempts or his sister (Madeleine McGraw) using her clairvoyance to find him. The film’smagical realism, solid scares, and nostalgic 1970s vibemakeThe Black Phonea standout horror movie of the 2020s, offering both spine-tingling terror and a gripping story of hope.
Talk to Me
While trying to cope with the death of her mother, Mia (Sophie Wilde) becomes enthralled with an embalmed hand that can conjure spirits. While Mia and her group of friends get a thrill out of communicating with spirits, things go too far when Mia doesn’t close the door to the other side.
Talk To Mefollows Mia (Sophie Wilde) as she becomes entangled in a dangerous new trend involving a mysterious embalmed hand. Initial reactions will have everyone believe it’s all a bizarre party trick, but everything quickly spirals out of control when the hand leads to more evil forces.Talk To Meis a unique horror film that stands out for its chilling portrayal of grief and addiction. What could’ve been a standard ghost story is elevated by emotional depth becauseTalk To Mesprinkles supernatural elements intoexploring loss and the destructive behavior addiction can bring.
The nightmarish imagery, depictions of human vulnerability, and relentless tension create an experience that will linger long after the credits roll.
Sophie Wilde gives a phenomenal performance by displaying these themes as a grief-stricken teenager who becomes addicted to the hand’s power in a desperate attempt to reunite with her late mother. The Philippou brothers don’t glamorize the sensitive themes but deliver them through spine-chilling visuals and inventive camera work. The nightmarish imagery, depictions of human vulnerability, and relentless tension create an experience that will linger long after the credits roll.
Terrifier 2
Picking up one year after where the original film left off, Terrifier 2 again sees Art, a serial killer clown, return to Miles County to bring terror and murder. After mutilating the survivor of the first film Victoria Hayes and committing suicide at the end of the first film, Art is brought back from the dead by a mysterious evil being. Newly resurrected, Art sets his sights on two new victims, siblings Sienna and Jonathan, during Halloween. Unfortunately, the two siblings must do their best to survive another terrifying ordeal with an evil that can’t seem to stay dead. David Howard Thornton reprises his role as the titular clown.
Set a year after the events of the first film,Terrifier 2sees the return of the sinister Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton), who embarks on another Halloween night of gruesome mayhem.Terrifier 2pushed the boundaries its predecessor started doing, gaininginfamy for its extreme violence and gory practical effectsand leading toaudiences becoming physically sick. Despite this,Terrifier 2became a box-office success and was praised for Thornton’s performance as the now-iconic clown. Art’s unnerving silence, paired with his sadistic creativity, cements him as one of the most terrifying modern horror villains.
Terrifier 2also offers Lauren LaVera’s portrayal of the final girl, Sienna Shaw, a likable protagonist who is emotionally vulnerable and powerful enough to face Art in the film’s climax.Terrifier 2is a testament to filmmaker Damian Leone’s vision and the power of independent horror filmmaking. It balances its brutality with a darkly comic tone, making it a gleeful, if unsettling, ride that solidifies its place as a modern cult classic in the slasher genre.
The Invisible Man
Inspired by H.G. Well’s novel of the same name, The Invisible Man is a modern retelling of the sci-fi horror classic. After narrowly escaping her abusive and powerful tech mogul boyfriend (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) is relieved to hear of his death. However, she soon becomes convinced that he’s watching her, and little by little, she comes to believe that he’s found a way to not only cheat death but the laws of reality, too.
The Invisible Manreimagines the 1933 classic, changing the tale of a man corrupted by power to a chilling metaphor for abuse and trauma by following Cecilia Kass' (Elisabeth Moss) journey after she escapes her abusive partner Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), only to be haunted by his presence after his supposed death. As her mental health unravels from becoming convinced that Adrian is stalking her, this results ina brilliant metaphor for the lingering scars left by toxic relationships.
What makesThe Invisible Manexceptional is its exploration of the terrifying reality of domestic abuse and the gaslighting that accompanies it, adding depth to a story once centered on sci-fi. Cecilia’s isolation and paranoia make for a gripping psychological horror, as the invisible threat mirrors the way abuse lingers after the abuser is gone. Moss delivers a phenomenal performance as Cecilia, portraying her with raw vulnerability and determination, while Jackson-Cohen embodies a chillingly manipulative presence, even when unseen, making himone of the best Blumhouse horror villains.The Invisible Mandoesn’t just scare but also resonates deeply with audiences.
Host
Host is a Shudder original horror mystery released in July 2020. The story revolves around six friends on a Zoom call during the COVID-19 lockdown that performs a seance. Unsurprisingly, their fun idea quickly takes a turn for the worse as supernatural events plague the group performing the dangerous ritual.
Hostis an innovative horror film that captures the eerie isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. It uses a computer screen format to tell the story of a friend group who decide to conduct a seance over Zoom, which quickly gets out of hand as they accidentally invite an evil spirit. One ofHost’sgreatest strengths is how it taps intothe real-world fears of social alienationand the new normal of digital interaction that the COVID lockdowns brought by artfully encapsulating the anxiety and loneliness of 2020 while still delivering an intense and terrifying experience.
Rather than feeling like a film that sought to capitalize on the global pandemic, it uses the situation as a backdrop to create a unique, modern horror story, as the characters' separation amplifies the fear, with each person alone in their apartment, making the haunting feel personal and inescapable. The short runtime is packed with creative scares, many cleverly crafted around Zoom. From tense trips through apartments to standout jump scares,Hostkeeps viewers on edge from start to finish.
Barbarian
Barbarian follows a young woman who discovers her Airbnb has been double-booked with a stranger already present. Despite initial hesitation, she decides to stay, only to uncover disturbing secrets within the unsettling rental. The film, released in 2022, explores themes of trust and unease in unexpected encounters.
Barbarianbegins with an Airbnb mix-up that quickly snowballs into a nightmare as guests Tess (Georgina Campbell) and Keith (Bill Skarsgard) share a rental house with terrifying secrets lurking beneath the surface. What starts as an awkward inconvenience soon unravels into a dire situation connected to decades of horrific abuse that took place in the home.Barbarianis a clever horror film that balances shocking twists with insightful social commentary. One of its strengths is its ability to subvert expectations at every turn, keeping everyone on their toes.
Another is that throughout the story,Barbariantouches on women’s fears in male-dominated environments, with Tess navigating layers of danger that reflect different types of this antagonism. From the seemingly well-intentioned Keith to the more overtly sinister characters revealed later, the film explores how absolute terror can come from actions with devastating consequences. The film’s true monster isn’t the disfigured woman guarding the house’s dark secrets, but the men who have taken advantage of their power. This brilliant subversion underscores the film’s modern relevance.
Pearl
Pearl, a prequel to the film X, follows the story of a young woman named Pearl residing on a secluded farm during the early 20th century. Directed by Ti West, this psychological horror explores Pearl’s descent into madness, delving into her troubled psyche and the haunting circumstances that surround her. Starring Mia Goth, the film provides a chilling backdrop and a character study of ambition and isolation gone awry.
Pearlis a visually striking psychological horror film that serves as a prequel toX,delving into the early life of the murderous character from its predecessor. Set in 1918, the film follows Pearl (Mia Goth), a young German immigrant with dreams of escaping her farm life to become a star, but her ambitions soon take a dark turn. One ofPearl’sunique elements is its aesthetics, which the Golden Age of Cinema heavily inspires. The bright, theatrical tone contrasts horror with the whimsical, old-Hollywood style, resulting in a visually captivating experience of grim horror.
Pearlis a prequel in Ti West’s horror trilogy, which starts withX(2022) and ends withMaXXXine(2024).
However, much ofPearl’sunsettling horror stems from Goth’s stunning performance as the titular character. She delivers a killer performance by portraying Pearl with innocence, desperation, and cold-blooded determination as her descent into violence feels inevitable and tragic. Her performance elevatesPearlfrom a straightforward slasher prequel toa character study of a young woman unravelingunder the weight of her circumstances, making Pearl a deeply sympathetic yet terrifying figure and instantly cementing her place as a modern horror icon.
Late Night With the Devil
Late Night with the Devil is a horror thriller starring David Dastmalchian as Jack Delroy. Delroy is a late-night talk show host in 1977 trying to keep his broadcast on the air. But when he tries to communicate with the devil through a young girl live on the air, things don’t go according to plan.
Late Night With The Devildelivers aunique blend of supernatural terror and retro nostalgiaas it follows Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian), a late-night talk show host who invites a possessed guest (Ingrid Torelli) onto his show for a special Halloween episode. As the night unfolds, an evil spirit begins to take over the broadcast, plunging the show into chaos.Late Night With The Devilis a brilliant found-footage horror film that channels the eerie atmosphere of 1970s television and stands out for its meticulous production and costume design, perfectly capturing the decade’s look and feel.
The combination creates unsettling authenticity, as viewers feel they are watching a lost episode of a late-night show spiraling out of control. Dastmalchian’s performance as Jack Delroy is another highlight, as he plays a charming host with a tortured soul. Fans of classic late-night hosts like Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien will appreciate the film’s cozy homage to the genre while the horror elements creep in, creating a nightmarish contrast.Late Night With The Devil’scombination of vintage charm, psychological depth, and disturbing possession-themed scares makes it one of the most inventive and entertaining horror films of the 2020s.
