10 Best Horror Movies To Watch If You Love Scream

The Scream films are famous within the horror genre for their shocking violence, mystery storylines – where viewers try to guess the killer’s identity – and the unforgettable Ghostface mask. What fans also love is how the movies are ‘self-aware’ – the characters acknowledge horror movie tropes and often talk about them.

The mix of thrills and suspense has been a winning formula for the Scream films for nearly thirty years. But Scream isn’t alone – many other great movies use similar scary ideas, each offering a unique take on the slasher genre.

If you enjoy movies like Scream and are looking for thrilling horror, here are some of the best options – whether you’re in the mood for masked villains or suspenseful mysteries where anyone could be the next victim.

10. I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

If you enjoyed the original Scream, you’ll likely enjoy I Know What You Did Last Summer too, since both movies were written by the same person, Kevin Williamson.

It’s easy to see the connections between these two films. Both center around a group of teenagers trying to figure out who’s hunting them before they become victims. And, as you might expect, revenge is a key part of the story, adding an extra layer to the suspense.

While I Know What You Did Last Summer tackles a more serious tone than Scream, it hasn’t held up quite as well over time. However, it’s still enjoyable, especially if you’re a fan of the slasher genre, and its sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, offers more of the same thrills.

9. Happy Death Day (2017)

Like the film Scream, Happy Death Day involves a masked killer and characters who understand horror movie clichés. However, Happy Death Day adds a clever and original element: a time loop that sets it apart.

In the movie Happy Death Day, Tree Gelbman, portrayed by Jessica Rothe, is murdered on her birthday. But instead of staying dead, she wakes up the next morning—again on her birthday—and has to relive the day, including the attack.

This story isn’t so much about who committed the crime, but rather a mystery focused on Tree’s efforts to stop a repeating, violent pattern. While it has comedic elements – more so than Scream – Happy Death Day offers a fresh and exciting take on the classic slasher movie.

8. Urban Legend (1998)

Released two years after the original Scream during the height of the 90s slasher movie craze, Urban Legend uses a similar formula. Both films center around a group of good-looking people who are systematically targeted by a hidden killer.

This movie is a classic ‘who done it?’ mystery, but what really sets it apart are the inventive ways people are killed – each murder is inspired by a popular urban legend. It’s enjoyable for viewers to recognize these stories and see how they play out on screen. A good example is the old myth about swallowing Pop Rocks and soda causing your stomach to explode.

While Urban Legend might not be as clever as other films in the same genre, it’s still a fun watch and really nails the 90s atmosphere of Scream.

7. Valentine (2001)

The movie Valentine shares similarities with the popular Scream films. Like those movies, it centers around a masked killer and a group of young people desperately trying to figure out who is hunting them before it’s too late.

The murderer hides behind a disturbing cherub mask and commits crimes using Valentine’s Day decorations and gifts. This offers a unique twist on the typical slasher film, and the movie featured a strong cast for the genre, including well-known actors like Denise Richards, David Boreanaz, and Katherine Heigl.

Although Valentine isn’t as funny as Scream, it’s still a fun horror movie from the 2000s. The director, Jamie Blanks, also made Urban Legend, and the two films share a lot of the same elements.

6. Black Christmas (1974)

It’s worth noting that Black Christmas came out over 20 years before Scream. While the two films have different overall feels, fans of the suspenseful phone calls in Scream will likely appreciate the chilling conversations in this classic horror movie.

Fans of slasher films really love Bob Clark’s Black Christmas, and with good reason. It’s widely seen as one of the very first movies in the slasher genre, actually coming out before Halloween in 1979. While it doesn’t rely on a lot of graphic violence, it creates a chilling atmosphere, and the ending is still debated by fans even now.

The killer is unsettling and seems completely unstable when speaking on the phone. The movie also uses disturbing camera angles, showing scenes from the villain’s perspective.

If you like Scream because it’s fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously, Black Christmas might not be for you. However, it’s interesting to see where Scream got some of its ideas – this movie came out in the 70s and shares similar themes.

5. Wrong Turn (2003)

Wrong Turn is a well-known horror film that feels particularly unsettling because it’s easy to imagine being in the characters’ frightening situation. The story centers around a group of friends who get lost in the woods of West Virginia after a car accident. When they go looking for help, they stumble upon a terrifying family of cannibals.

Okay, so the premise of Wrong Turn isn’t exactly groundbreaking – you know, stranded folks getting picked off one by one – but honestly, the villains are genuinely terrifying. They’ve really made those woods their home, and it shows. It’s definitely gorier than Scream, but I was still on the edge of my seat the whole time, especially whenever those cannibalistic hillbillies were hunting. It’s seriously suspenseful!

It’s hard not to sympathize with the characters, and their struggles feel surprisingly familiar. We’ve all felt lost or unsure of what to do at some point, and the film makes you consider how you’d react if you were in their shoes. While it doesn’t rely on typical horror tropes like masked villains, it’s still a genuinely scary movie that has spawned several sequels.

4. House of Wax (2005)

House of Wax is a well-made, big-budget horror film focusing on a series of gruesome murders in a deserted town that features a large wax museum. While it doesn’t have the same wit or self-awareness as Scream, its shocking kills and unique masked villain make it a worthwhile watch.

Jaume Collet-Serra’s House of Wax is a reimagining of the 1953 film with the same title. The story follows a group of college students who accidentally stumble into a seemingly abandoned town filled with wax figures.

The wax figures in this movie are more sinister than they appear, and the characters need to escape before they become part of the collection forever. House of Wax features gruesome deaths, and even includes a surprise appearance by Paris Hilton.

3. Cherry Falls (1999)

Cherry Falls is a slasher film that came out during the horror boom of the 1990s. Similar to Scream, the movie keeps the killer’s identity a secret for most of the runtime and playfully references common horror movie clichés.

Unlike Scream, the main twist in Cherry Falls is that the killer is only going after people who are virgins. This leads to a lot of typical high school conflicts, but director Geoffrey Wright also adds a darkly humorous tone to the film.

Cherry Falls is a simple, enjoyable movie that clearly takes inspiration from Scream. While it’s easy to see the similarities, the story stays engaging thanks to the mystery surrounding the killer’s reasons and their choice of victims, as Sheriff Brody (Michael Biehn) uncovers secrets from the town’s history.

2. Final Destination (2000)

The first Final Destination movie came out in 2000, and the series is still popular today. Although it’s different from Scream, fans of that film might also like Final Destination.

The Final Destination films all follow a similar pattern: a small group of people narrowly escapes a deadly accident, only to be hunted down by death itself in the following days and weeks. Death systematically eliminates the survivors, one by one.

The Final Destination movies are fun despite being about people trying to escape death. What makes them enjoyable is that the deaths are surprisingly inventive and startling. The first movie strikes a good balance with its seriousness, and it keeps you guessing about who will be killed next and if anyone can actually cheat fate.

The show isn’t really about who is being killed, but rather how the characters will escape death—or fail in the attempt. This core idea has kept the show engaging for over 25 years, and it still shows no signs of losing popularity.

1. Cabin in the Woods (2011)

Cabin in the Woods is a fun, scary movie that playfully references common horror movie clichés. It also features a surprising twist that I won’t reveal!

This film boasts a fantastic cast, with Chris Hemsworth and Kristen Connolly leading the way. The story follows a group of young people who head to a remote cabin for a getaway, but their trip turns terrifying when they’re hunted by zombies after dark.

It might seem predictable, but that’s intentional. The movie Cabin in the Woods knows exactly what it’s doing, and everything that happens isn’t random – it’s all connected to a bigger story.

The movie is funny and has some mild scares. Fran Kranz delivers some genuinely hilarious lines, and the film takes a wonderfully wild turn in its final moments. I’m avoiding spoilers for those who haven’t seen Cabin in the Woods, but if you’re unsure whether to watch it, know that it has a very high rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a dedicated fanbase. It’s a particularly great choice for fans of the Scream franchise.

2026-03-02 02:03