Top 15 Horror Movies of 2021 - best time pass movies

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Top 15  Horror Movies of 2021

Thank you for returning! Here at Thrillist, it's our fifth continuous "best of horror" annual—check out our 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 entries here—and we're thrilled you're back for another round. In 2021, horror filmmaking is expected to have a banner year, partly because so many promising genre films were postponed due to the pandemic, and partly because, let's face it, filmmakers make scary films because we live in scary times. And every now and then, they're just decent movies. So let's get started.

(As usual, keep in mind that the "rankings" are mostly for entertainment purposes.) If you only have a small amount of time, the top films may have something extra special to offer and are true must-sees.

Image credit by DARK STAR PICTURES

15. Honeydew Release date: March 12 

Cast: Sawyer Spielberg, Malin Barr, Barbara Kingsley 

Writer: Devereux Milburn, Dan Kennedy 

Director: Devereux Milburn

Why it's a smart idea: While it's a bit too long and plot-wise a little too familiar, there's still something viscerally vivid and memorably eerie about this one. It's essentially just an artsy version of what we've seen (again and again) in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Wrong Turn franchises—clueless city folk arrogantly stumble upon a remote, frightening village deep in the woods—but its creepiest moments are undoubtedly efficient.

VOD is where you can watch it.

Image credit by WARNER BROS. PICTURES

14. March 31

Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall

Writer: Eric Pearson, Max Borenstein

Director: Adam Wingard

Why it's a smart idea: Sure, the non-kaiju scenes aren't as entertaining as the full-fledged monster mania, but there's just enough humanity here to save it from sounding like a Transformers sequel. This entertainingly deep sequel to Godzilla, Skull Island, and King of the Monsters features all of the peaks and valleys of its predecessors, as well as some of the craziest large-scale kaiju madness ever! It also functions as an exciting adventure film.

It's available to watch in theatres and on HBO Max.

Image credit by NEON

13. In the Earth

Release date: April 16

Cast: Joel Fry, Ellora Torchia, Reece Shearsmith

Writer: Ben Whealtey

Director: Ben Wheatley (Kill List)

Why it's a smart idea: During a mysterious pandemic, a researcher and a desert guide hike deep into a foreboding forest and come across not only an unhinged madman (of sorts), but also a hypothesis that our world is actually attempting to destroy humanity. This artsy horror film, with a great Clint Mansell score, isn't interested in traditional scares, but it does leave an eerie impression.

Where to see it: It's playing in theatres now.

Image credit by THE HORROR COLLECTIVE

12. Slaxx

Release date: March 18

Cast: Romane Denis, Brett Donahue, Sehar Bhojani

Writers: Elza Kephart, Patricia Gomez

Why it's a smart idea: There's still space for another decent absurdist horror comedy, and this unholy combination of So Fine (1981) and Exte: Hair Extensions (2007) is frequently a fast-paced, hilarious little romp. The storyline is merely a structure for the film's willfully ridiculous premise—yes, it's about denim jeans slaughtering a large number of people—but the ensemble is enthusiastic, the acting is entertaining, and the devastation is bizarre.

Shudder is the only place to watch it.

Image credit by SCREEN MEDIA FILMS

11. Willy's Wonderland

Release date: February 12

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Beth Grant, Emily Tosta

Director: Kevin Lewis

Why it's good: Nicolas Cage is trapped in an empty arcade with a zoo of colossal murderous creatures. Please add me to the list. There's even a rudimentary slasher film framework thrown in to keep it going, but this film shines when it's all Cage slaying Chuck E. Cheese-style animatronic aggressors and/or a retro pinball machine. Obviously, none of this is supposed to be taken seriously, but in a tongue-in-cheek midnight movie kind of way, it works.

VOD is where you can watch it.

Image credit by SHUDDER

10. Lucky

Release date: March 4

Cast: Brea Grant, Dhruv Uday Singh, Leith Burke

Writer: Brea Grant

Director: Natasha Kermani (Imitation Girl)

Why it's a smart idea: Many horror films begin with "a young woman is stalked by an unseen intruder," but this one has a lot more on its mind than yet another series of gory dispatches. It's basically a clever and increasingly convincing "time loop" tale about the cyclical essence of brutality and how impossible it is to recover from terrifying memories. (It's also entertaining.)

Shudder is the only place to watch it.

Image credit by SHUDDER

9. The Power

Release date: April 8

Cast: Rose Williams, Diveen Henry, Amy Beth Hayes

Writer: Corinna Faith

Director: Corinna Faith

Why it's a smart idea: In this low-key but completely entertaining British chiller about a nurse forced to work in a dingy old hospital that keeps losing control, it's all about the environment. The plot is straightforward enough, but the location and production design are top-notch, and the overall vibe of the film is endlessly creepy. Rose Williams, who plays the lead, does an excellent job, particularly considering the weight of the film on her shoulders.

Shudder is the only place to watch it.

Image credit by RLJE FILMS/SHUDDER

8. Jakob's Wife

Release date: April 16

Cast: Barbare Crampton, Larry Fessenden, Bonnie Aarons

Writer: Travis Stevens, Kathy Charles, Mark Steensland

Director: Travis Stevens (Girl on the Third Floor)

Why it's good: Combining comedy with horror can be tricky at times, but when you have a couple of lead actors who know what they're doing, the outcome can be fantastic. This is the case in this film, which stars two genre veterans as a low-key, religious couple who run into a serious vampire problem while also dealing with some unforeseen marital tension.

VOD websites are where you can watch it.

Image credit by ARROW FILMS

7. The Stylist

Release date: March 1

Cast: Brea Grant, Najarra Townsend, Laura Kirk

Writers: Jill Gevargizian, Eric Stolze, Eric Havens

Director: Jill Gevargizian

Why it's a smart idea: This nicely filmed, dryly funny slasher film is the newest addition to the canon of convincing horror films that are basically grim character studies of their lead protagonist. Consider the character Maniac (1980 or 2012) This time, though, the murderer is a disturbed hair stylist who enjoys collecting assorted mementos from her victims. It has a disturbingly classy visual theme and a spectacular lead performance from Najarra Townsend, who you may recognise from the horror film Contracted (2013).

VOD is where you can watch it.

Image credit by RLJE FILMS

6. Psycho Goreman

Release date: January 22

Cast: Nita-Josee Hanna, Owen Myre, Adam Brooks

Writer-director: Steve Kostanski (The Void)

Why it's a smart idea: A pair of kids befriend (enslave?) a monstrous alien killer in this gleefully silly (and sometimes gory) 1980s throwback film. It's all quite gory, silly, and entertaining, like a sardonic yet affectionate parody of Harry and the Hendersons that gets a lot of laughs thanks to amiable shock value and unapologetic weirdness. The Astron-6 vibe might or may not appeal to others, but it certainly does to me. (Manborg, The Void, and/or The Editor are all worth checking out!)

VOD is where you can watch it.

Image credit by RLJE FILMS

5. Prisoners of the Ghostland

Release date: TBD

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Sofia Boutella, Nick Cassavetes

Writers: Aaron Hendry & Reza Sixo Safai

Director: Sion Sono (Cold Fish)

Why it's a smart idea: Nicolas Cage leads a diverse foreign cast in this bizarre mash-up of science fiction, westerns, horror, and black comedy. Cage is charged with entering a vicious netherworld in order to save the granddaughter of a crazy kingpin. This film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2021, may be a tad too "gonzo" for most commercial audiences, but fans of Nicolas Cage's latest style of genre insanity will enjoy it.

TBD on where to watch it.

Image credit by SHUDDER

4. The Queen of Black Magic

Release date: January 29

Cast: Ario Bayu, Hannah Al Rashid, Adhisty Zara

Writer: Joko Anwar (Impetigore)

Director: Kimo Stamboel (Macabre)

Why it's a smart idea: When a group of old friends reunites at the eerie old orphanage where they were raised, all hell breaks loose right away. It's a remake of a 1981 film and one of the most interesting and bizarre Indonesian horror films in recent years. You can also read Satan's Slaves, May the Devil Take You, and May the Devil Take You Too if you enjoyed this one.

Shudder is the only place to watch it.

Image credit By DARK STAR PICTURES

3. Dementer

Release date: March 2

Cast: Brandy Edmiston, Larry Fessenden, Katie Groshong

Director-writer: Chad Crawford Kinkle (Jug Face)

Why it's a smart idea: This low-key shocker follows a disgruntled cult member who fears that her disturbing history will catch up with her and spill over into her current life as a caregiver. It's one of the strangest (and best) independent horror releases of the year, thanks to some impressive performances and horrific themes.

VOD is where you can watch it.

Image credit by RAVEN BANNER ENTERTAINMENT/BRAINSTORM MEDIA

2. Bloodthirsty  

Release date: April 23

Cast: Lauren Beatty, Greg Bryk, Katharine King So, Michael Ironside

Writers: Wendy Hill-Tout, Lowell

Director: Amelia Moses (Bleed with Me)

Why it's a smart idea: A beautiful young singer is offered the opportunity to collaborate with a well-known but scary artist, but his studio is situated somewhere remote, so she goes anyway. But this woman has a secret of her own, one that may be far more dangerous than her current patron's. Bloodthirsty, like a lot of really smart horror films, starts out in a very traditional way before branching off into some more imaginative ones.

VOD is where you can watch it.

A24

1. Saint Maud

Release date: January 29

Cast: Morfydd Clark, Jennifer Ehle, Lily Knight

Writer-director: Rose Glass

Why it's a smart idea: Call it a low-key character analysis, a "slow burn" psychological thriller, or simply a truly intriguing storey of religious fervour, but there's no doubt that Rose Glass's debut feature is unique. It's about a young caretaker who is going through a confidence crisis—as well as a mental health crisis—at the worst possible moment. More information will detract from the thrill of exploration.

VOD is where you can watch it.