10 Best Horror Movies of 2025 That You Can't Unsee
The world is terrifying sometimes. But one of the best ways to manage the horrors of the real world is to contain those extremes in a movie. Unlike life, horror movies actually end, and so, even if you're scared out of your mind while watching, there's some kind of mental release when it's over. At least in theory.
In any case, 2025 was a massive year for big horror movies, so picking the 10 most essential of the genre was a bit of a scary task. So, if you're too afraid to make a selection yourself, or you're a big horror fan looking for a movie that you maybe didn't see, here's our 10 best horror movies of 2025, and where to watch each. But, be warned, you can't unsee any of these.
10. Black Phone 2
Was the sequel to the first 2021 Black Phone as bone-chilling and original as the first? Well, not exactly, but this Blumhouse flick still delivers. With a 71 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this sequel flick is very much worth your time, if you dare.
Black Phone 2 is available to rent on YouTube, Fandango, and elsewhere.
9. Together
Starring Dave Franco and Alison Brie, this is one body-horror movie that is also, on some level, a comedy. Can a couple's body get too connected? The indie-movie quality of Together makes it feel even more frightening, but you've been warned, this one is weird.
Together is available to rent on YouTube and Prime Video.
8. Predator: Badlands
Because there's no human blood in this new Predator movie, this is the first film in the franchise that doesn't have an R rating. And yet, there's plenty of gore and mayhem in this film to make any fan of the franchise happy. Refreshingly, though, director Dan Trachtenberg has reimagined the Predator franchise as a buddy-survival story. Elle Fanning plays a Thai, a Weyland-Yutani droid from the Alien franchise, though that's pretty much just an Easter egg. She teams up with the titular Predator, Dek, played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi. Together, they create a monster mash you don't want to miss.
Predator: Badlands is available to purchase on YouTube.
7. The Long Walk
There never seems to be a shortage of Stephen King stories to adapt, but, like The Running Man, The Long Walk imagines a derranged kind of contest of physical endurance. Cooper Hoffman leads the cast here, but keep an eye out for memorable appearances from Judy Greer and Mark Hamill, too.
The Long Walk is available to rent or buy on Fandango, Prime Video, and elsewhere.
6. Vicious
An underrated direct-to-streaming flick, this horror movie has a very simple, almost Twilight Zone-esque premise. A woman named Polly (Dakota Fanning) receives an hourglass that foretells her supposed impending death. It's direct, convincing, and utterly terrifying.
Vicious streams on Paramount+.
5. Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro's take on Mary Shelley's immortal novel may not be what everyone expected, but this faithful-ish take on the story of an undead creature (Jacob Elordi) and its disturbed creator (Oscar Isaac) is jolted to life in what feels like, in a way, the first Frankenstein movie ever. Mia Goth is also exceptionally good as Elizabeth, and the film restores one crucial aspect of the novel: the idea that the real showdown between Dr. Frankenstein and the creature takes place in the frozen wilds of the Arctic.
Frankenstein streams on Netflix.
4. Weapons
Easily the most disturbing movie of 2025, Weapons is about scary kids, a scary teacher, and more freaky imagery than you can imagine. If you've got kids, this one might be too much, but for major horror fans, this was one of the biggest movies of the year.
Weapons streams on HBO Max.
3. 28 Years Later
The sequel to one of the most beloved zombie movies ever, 28 Days Later, delivered the goods, and then some. No, we didn't see Cillian Murphy's Jim in this one, but the cast, including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Erin Kellyman, Emma Laird, and Ralph Fiennes, are all fantastic. Director Danny Boyle's return to this horrific world proves he is capable of doing new things with an old concept. Watch 28 Years Later, before the third film, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, hits theaters on January 16, 2026.
28 Years Later is streaming on Netflix.
2. Five Nights at Freddy's 2
Josh Hutcherson and Elizabeth Lail returned for this 2025 sequel, a follow-up to the 2023 Five Nights at Freddy's, and a loose adaptation of the second video game in the series. Scream legend Matthew Lillard was also back, making this film a solid entry in a new Scream-worthy franchise.
Five Nights at Freddy's 2 is available for purchase on Google Play, YouTube, and elsewhere.
1. Sinners
Not just one of the best horror movies of the year, Ryan Coogler's Sinners was also one of the best movies of 2025, period. Starring Michael B. Jordon in a dual role as twin vampires named Smoke and Stack, this historical place in 1932 in Mississippi. Full of grumesome twists, this was one of the most talked-about movies of the year for a reason. We're not rocking the boat by putting this at number one, but it's worth a watch (or a rewatch) if only for the fantastic performance from Jordan, the great turn from Hailee Steinfeld, and the killer soundtrack from Ludwig Göransson, famous for the music of The Mandalorian, and Christopher Nolan's upcoming 2026 epic, The Odyssey.