7 Great Horror Movies That Turn 10 In 2026, Ranked

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It’s amazing to think that films like Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Captain America: Civil War, Zootopia, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Doctor Strange, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them are almost ten years old! It doesn’t feel that long ago that they were released in theaters. Viewers were shocked by moments like Darth Vader’s appearance in Rogue One, Johnny Depp’s cameo in Fantastic Beasts, and the lengthy runtime of Dawn of Justice. However, 2016 was a particularly strong year for genre films, and many of the best ones still feel remarkably good today.

While some 2016 horror films didn’t quite hit the mark—like The Darkness, The Boy, and Cell—there were many more that were genuinely good. In fact, we received so many strong contenders that we couldn’t include them all in our list. Films that narrowly missed making the cut included Lights Out, 10 Cloverfield Lane, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, The Belko Experiment, Hush, Terrifier, and The Purge: Election Year.

7) Ouija: Origin of Evil

“Ouija: Origin of Evil” is a significant step up from the first film. It creates a truly creepy atmosphere, makes the demonic possession feel genuinely frightening, and features strong acting throughout.

Mike Flanagan first demonstrated his talent for horror with Origin of Evil. He proved he could elevate even a weak film into a genuinely compelling story, suggesting limitless potential.

6) The Conjuring 2

While not quite as strong as the first Conjuring movie, The Conjuring 2 is still one of the best films in the series. It continues to succeed by giving equal attention to the investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, and the family they’re helping, who feel very real and sympathetic.

While The Conjuring 2 is a solid horror film, it occasionally relies too heavily on scares from the first movie. The new demon, Valek, is a great addition to the series’ mythology, though he isn’t featured as much as he could be. When Valek is on screen, Bonnie Aarons delivers a truly terrifying performance, making her one of the most memorable villains in The Conjuring universe (though Annabelle is always creepy, even if she doesn’t do much!).

Stream The Conjuring 2 on HBO Max.

5) Don’t Breathe

Don’t Breathe offers almost no breathing room for the audience. From beginning to end, it’s a relentlessly tense and gripping experience.

The success of the film hinged on finding the right actor to play the villain, and Stephen Lang from Avatar delivers a perfect performance. For most of the movie, it’s unclear whether we should sympathize with his character, Norman Nordstrom – a war veteran blinded in the Gulf War who is targeted by thieves. While we enjoy the thieves, they don’t quite feel like the heroes of the story. It’s not until the final act that a shocking twist reveals Nordstrom is actually the most villainous character of them all.

Stream Don’t Breathe on Hulu.

4) The Shallows

If you’re looking for a great shark movie besides Jaws, The Shallows delivers. It’s a relentlessly tense thriller, and Blake Lively gives an outstanding performance. The movie smartly holds off on showing the shark much until the final act, which is something these kinds of films should always do to build suspense.

What makes the movie The Shallows so effective is trapping the main character, Nancy Adams, in incredibly limited and dangerous spaces – like on top of a whale carcass or a small buoy. This constantly makes you wonder how she’ll survive, creating intense suspense for most of the film’s 86 minutes.

Stream The Shallows on Starz.

3) Train to Busan

As a huge fan of horror, I can tell you Train to Busan is one of the most thrilling and genuinely scary Asian horror films I’ve seen in years. It’s a fantastic zombie movie, and honestly, it’s what World War Z should have been – a film that really cares about its characters. Busan doesn’t skimp on developing people you actually root for, and that makes all the difference.

We genuinely connect with the characters in this movie – we know their motivations and who they care about deeply. This is important, because most of the story unfolds on a train or at a train station, both of which are dangerous places when a zombie outbreak is happening.

Stream Train to Busan on Netflix.

2) Green Room

From the very beginning of Green Room (released in 2016, though it first premiered in 2015), you know you’re in for a relentlessly harsh experience, and the film absolutely delivers on that promise. It doesn’t shy away from violence or difficult situations.

I was completely blown away by this film. It centers around a punk band that makes a terrible mistake – taking a gig at a bar run by Nazis. Things quickly spiral out of control when they stumble upon a murder, and suddenly they’re the only witnesses. The Nazis will stop at nothing to eliminate them, and the movie doesn’t pull any punches in showing just how truly evil people can be. It’s honestly the most disturbing and depraved horror film I’ve seen from the 2010s. Plus, it’s a fantastic performance from Anton Yelchin, and the casting is brilliant – seeing Patrick Stewart, who’s usually such a warm presence, play the head of a hate group is incredibly unsettling and effective.

1) The Witch

Robert Eggers’ The Witch is widely considered one of the best horror movies of the 2010s. It quickly gained popularity with both viewers and critics for its original and unsettling take on folk horror. The film also launched the careers of Anya Taylor-Joy and director Robert Eggers, and provided Ralph Ineson with a standout role.

The Witch isn’t a movie that relies on jump scares or obvious thrills; it gradually creates a deeply unsettling atmosphere. It doesn’t offer viewers a comforting ending or even brief moments of relief for the family at the story’s center. Although it first showed at Sundance in January 2015, because it reached a wider audience in February 2016, we’re considering it a 2016 film.

Stream The Witch on HBO Max.

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2025-12-28 04:14