Horrormovies have been captivating audiences since the film industry’s early days. German Expressionist pictures like F. W. Murnau’s 1922 silentNosferatu: A Symphony of Horrorwere among the first films to introduce the archetypes of on-screen terror. Considering the movie was remade over a century later withRobert Eggers’Nosferatu, it’s clear that the adoration for the genre has persisted over time. However, despite its popularity among moviegoers, horror has an unusual relationship with industry critics.
It’s rare for the average scary film to have a high Rotten Tomatoes score, let alone bring home an Oscar.The first horror movie to be put up for Best Picture wasThe Exorcistin 1973. In total, only seven have been nominated for the top category, withTheSilence of the Lambsbeing the sole winner. TheOscar’s 2025 Best Picture nomineesbrought this number to seven afterCoralie Fargeat’sThe Substancewas recently added to the roster. Unfortunately, the Academy has missed its mark on many deserving titles.
It’s easy to gauge a movie’s influence when it inspires a four-installment franchise and a remake. Richard Donner’sThe Omeneffectively established the demonic child trope that is now all too familiar in horror.There’s something so unsettling about pure evil under the guise of an innocent face. The original version was the first try at the concept, and it hasn’t been matched since. This film introduced Damien (Harvey Spencer Stephens), an adopted evil toddler set on wreaking havoc on the world around him.
All 7 Horror Movies Nominated For Best Picture At The Oscars
Only seven movies in the history of the horror genre have been nominated for the Best Picture award at the Oscars, creating a small, elite club.
After its 1976 release,The Omenwas nominated for two Academy Awards, Best Song and Best Score, for which Jerry Goldsmith won the latter. Given how strong the atmosphere and performances are, it seems crazy that the movie didn’t receive a Best Picture nomination. The recent 2024 prequel dubbedThe First Omen is also surprisingly strong and will hopefully give more recognition to the story moving forward.
Rosemary’s Babyinspired an entire generation to stop hanging out with their neighbors. It’s as classic of a horror film as they come, and one of the most recognizable titles of the genre.Considering its critical acclaim, it seems like a Best Picture nomination would be an expectation, if not a guarantee.Unfortunately, the movie failed to strike gold at the 41st Academy Awards.Rosemary’s Babywas nominated for two awards in total, with the only winner being Mia Farrow for Best Supporting Actress.
However, it isn’t surprising that the film came up short. No other horror movie had been nominated for the award previously, and nobody expected anything to change. Nevertheless,Rosemary’s Babyelevated the genre to new heights that deserve recognition.The unique paranoia-driven dynamic of the plot is relatable to broader audiences, which makes the premise all the more terrifying. It was recently given a prequel with Natalie Erka James’Apartment 7A, but the reviews have been less than stellar.
In 2018, Ari Aster pulled off an incredibly difficult feat: a critically acclaimed modern horror film. Although movies likeGet OutandThe Witchdemonstrate that it’s still possible for these directors to strike gold, it’s a rare occurrence.Hereditaryexcels in all measures of quality. It’s a refreshingly original story that takes the genre in a new direction while incorporating an approach to terror that doesn’t leave anyone safe.
While it is surely upsetting thatHereditarywas never nominated for Best Picture,the fact that Toni Collette didn’t win or was even nominated for Best Actress is regarded as one of the biggest Oscar snubs in modern history.There have been few performances in recent years that hold a candle to her work as the seemingly ordinary mother slowly transforms into a nightmarish demon that terrorizes the family. Although the competition at the 90th Academy Awards was strong,Hereditaryshould still have been a contender. It’s easily one of thebest A24 moviesand a marvel of modern horror.
It’s funny how critical reception tends to change in retrospect; there are plenty ofpoorly received movies that became classics. Sometimes, individuals of the period don’t recognize greatness immediately. In the case of John Carptenter’sThe Thing, hindsight was 20-20. Despite being regarded as one of the greatest sci-fi movies ever made, the critics and audiences of 1982 didn’t hold the same opinion. It wasn’t just that people thought the film was bad, they actively piled on the negativity.
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The Thing’sscore was nominated for a Razzie Award, meaning that it was collectively recognized for its lack of quality. The same score is now held on a pedestal for its eerie innovation. This movie is second to none in its ability to create a chilling atmosphere. A monster that can assume the form of its victim is terrifying enough, but when it’s framed in an isolated setting, the result is hard to watch. For being hailed as one of the genre’s greats,The Thingdeserved so much more.
Robert Eggers has continued his run as one of the most exciting filmmakers of the modern generation. His full-length feature resume reflects a career of quality over quantity, consisting ofThe Lighthouse, The Northman,Nosferatu,and most importantly,The Witch.It was his first attempt at a commercial horror movie, but the result made it seem like a product of a seasoned director.Eggers specializes in his exploration of folklore,andThe Witchis no exception.
It’s an anxiety-producing, slow-burn period piece about a child abduction that never fails to be unsettling. Unfortunately, the movie was also nowhere to be seen at the Academy Awards. In all fairness,The Witchisn’t a traditional Best Picture nominee. Even if it weren’t a horror film, the off-beat dynamic of the plot makes the audience appeal niche.That said, the overall quality speaks for itself, and worse alternatives were nominated in its stead. After the success ofNosferatu,Robert Eggers' next horror moviewill undoubtedly be something special.
Although it started as a singular spaceship horror flick,Alienhas slowly carved out a fully fledged cinematic universe since its 1979 release. It’s also considered one of thebest sci-fi movies of all time, and there isn’t much of a debate. Ridley Scott managed to establish a wide array of new cinematic milestones while demonstrating the potential that the space horror genre had to offer.However, creating a film in a sci-fi world doesn’t help its chances with the Academy, and adding an element of horror makes the odds even weaker.
The original title forAlienwasStar Beast.
Alienwas nominated for two awards at the 52nd Oscars ceremony, winning Best Visual Effects but coming up short for Best Art Direction.Scott’s employment of groundbreaking practical effects brought the Xenomorphs to lifein a way that nobody could’ve expected. Better yet, they were incorporated into a gritty, realistic, and terrifying plot with tension that hasn’t been replicated since. It’s a film that outlasted the competition for the year and was snubbed of proper recognition.
Despite its significant box office success,Alejandro Amenábar’sThe Othersremains relatively unknown in the vein of go-to horror films.Armed with a modest budget of $17 million, the movie was a heavy-hitter in theaters, bringing in a worldwide gross of $210 million. Unsurprisingly, the reception was very positive among audiences and critics alike.The Othersuses the small space it’s given and creates a memorable piece of horror.
The plot follows Grace Stewart (Nicole Kidman), a mother living with photosensitive children in a dark estate home that quickly turns into a sinister abode.Considering the fierce competition with the beginning ofThe Lord of the Rings, itwasn’t a strong enough project to bring home the title. With that being said, Amenábar’s direction and Kidman’s performance were strong enough to merit a nomination.The Others’endingalso offers a unique twist that blows the lid off the apparent circumstances.
Often hailed as one of the greatest directors of all time, Francis Ford Coppola is no stranger to memorable films. FromThe GodfathertoApocalypseNow, he’s been massively influential in the evolution of Hollywood. However,Bram Stoker’s Draculais often outshined by the director’s magnum opus,and although the film arrived in the latter part of his career, it’s a criminally underrated addition to the horror genre.
Coppola’s imagination of the Dracula tale benefited from its adherence to the source material. Bram Stoker’s original 1897 novel is horrifying on its own, and Coppola used this to his advantage. Gary Oldman’s masterful portrayal of the cunning Count Dracula only improved the product further. Luckily, the Academy members of the time recognized aspects of its quality. The film brought home awards for Best Costume Design, Best Effects, and Best Makeup, but fell short of a Best Picture nomination.
The Shiningtends to surface quickly in conversations of thescariest movies of all time. From the mind of Stephen King and the directorial prowess of Stanley Kubrick, it’s a perfect storm of two creatives at work. One would expect such an iconic film to garner excellent critical reception from the second it hit theaters, but this wasn’t the case. When it came out in 1980,The Shiningwas considered a complete flop.
Audiences of the period weren’t comfortable with the slow-burn, atmospheric narrative that Kubrick is so famous for. It proved to work for2001: A Space Odyssey, but critics felt like it was boring in a horror-themed environment. The psychological whirlpool was nothing more than a hindrance to the final action. Opposition to the movie was so high thatKubrick and Shelly Duvall were both put up for Worst Director and Worst Actress Razzies.As ridiculous as it sounds now, the Best Picture Nomination was off the table.
If a movie is critically acclaimed, successful at the box office, and armed with the Best Actress winner in the leading role, how can it fail to even be considered for Best Picture?Miseryarguably deserved the nomination more than any other filmin the genre.Dances With Wolveswon the 63rd Academy Awards, but the competition wasn’t strong enough to barMiseryfrom a mere nomination. Considering it’s Stephen King source material, the story was guaranteed to be great. However, the cast and crew went the extra mile.
Kathy Bates’s performance as Annie Wilkes is one of the best to ever hit the screens, a feat that earned her a Best Actress win. It’s easy to forget thatMiserytakes place in one spot for the majority of its runtime. Director Rob Reiner utilizes the horror of isolation and helplessness in a perspective that feels personal. It’s as if the audience is similarly confined to the cabin of solitude.Miserymight not have been the obvious winner, but a Best Picture nomination only seems fair, if it weren’thorror.
