The 6 Greatest Horror Movies of the 2010s, Ranked
The 2010s gave horror a remarkable range: intimate family nightmares, slow-burn folk stories, sharp social satire and supernatural films that made an ordinary room feel dangerous. If you are choosing one of the decade’s best horror movies tonight, the mood matters as much as the monster. This countdown preserves your ranking, starts at number six and climbs to Get Out, with a clear account of what each film is about and why it landed where it did.
These six films helped shape how mainstream audiences talked about horror during the decade. Some drew attention through bold original ideas; some brought familiar forms back with terrific craft; some divided viewers because they were more interested in discomfort than easy thrills. Together they show why a 2010s horror watchlist can move from a haunted-house case to a family tragedy to a nightmare in broad daylight.
Each entry begins with the story, then turns to the performances, filmmaking and ranking logic. You will meet the main characters and understand the initial situation and central conflict without having major surprises spoiled. The order is fixed to your list, so the commentary explains this ranking rather than quietly rearranging it. The goal is to help you decide what kind of scare you want, not recite a release-year list.
Here, “greatest” weighs storytelling, performances, visual identity, tension, influence and how strongly a film stays in the mind. Box-office numbers alone do not decide the order, and a high position does not mean every viewer will find a film equally frightening. If you want a decade-spanning horror marathon or a first step into modern horror, these are six very different ways in. Let’s get into it 👇
These films show how horror can be funny, intimate or socially pointed without losing its ability to frighten. Some build a slow, heavy atmosphere; others use a sharp premise to keep the story moving. The best choice depends on whether you want dread that accumulates or a clean setup that pays off quickly.
UK streaming rights can shift, and a film may be included in one subscription while available only to rent elsewhere. Each entry includes a JustWatch UK lookup rather than promising a particular service has it today. Search the exact title before settling in, especially if you are planning a 2010s horror marathon.
The decade’s range is clear in the way these movies use familiar horror ingredients for different ends. A ghost story can be a case investigation, while a folk-horror film can make family belief and social pressure inseparable. A modern slasher can joke about genre rules while still making the characters’ choices matter. Those shifts are why one watchlist can move from accessible supernatural horror to a quiet, demanding film without feeling repetitive.
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How this ranking approaches horror in the 2010s
The ranking respects your order and weighs narrative control, performances, visual identity, tension, originality and lasting influence. “Greatest” is not the same as “scariest for every person”: The Conjuring supplies classic jolts, The Witch works through atmosphere, and Get Out’s social suspense has a different kind of bite. The countdown explains why the films above each other feel more complete for this list’s mix of craft and impact.
The decade’s horror moved from the house to the forest, the suburb and the festival field, but many of its best films made private relationships part of the threat. Family grief, social performance, religious certainty and romantic vulnerability are not side topics; they shape what the characters fear and what the camera lets us see. That is why the strongest entries remain compelling even when their supernatural rules are simple.
A ranked list is most useful when it explains the experience as well as the reputation. Some films are easy to recommend to a group; others are better saved for a quiet evening when you can give their atmosphere your attention. The entries note the tone, pace and broad content concerns, so the list works as a watch guide as well as a ranking.
6. Midsommar (2019)
Dani (Florence Pugh) is grieving a family tragedy and remains in a strained relationship with her boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor). When Christian and his friends travel to a remote Swedish commune for a midsummer festival, Dani joins them and finds herself in a community whose rituals grow more unsettling as the days pass. The story places private grief inside a sunlit landscape, where the visitors’ assumptions about safety and belonging are steadily tested.
Film details: 2019. Directed by Ari Aster. Starring Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Vilhelm Blomgren.
Aster refuses the comfort of darkness. Bright fields and painted spaces make the disturbing images feel exposed, while long scenes let unease gather without rushing toward a conventional scare. Dani’s need for support and Christian’s reluctance to offer it give the trip emotional tension before the commune becomes the central danger. Pugh lets vulnerability and anger coexist, so the film’s folk-horror imagery remains tied to a recognisable emotional break.
Midsommar takes sixth because its atmosphere, imagery and lead performance are exceptional, but the five films above it balance concept, pacing and emotional control more consistently. Hereditary is the more concentrated Aster film; Get Out is the sharper combination of suspense and social observation. Midsommar is deliberately divisive and occasionally overlong, but its daylight horror gives it a distinctive place in the decade’s conversation.
Choose it for folk horror, a slow build and an emotionally raw lead performance. It suits viewers who enjoy atmosphere and do not need every symbol explained. Its setting and colour palette make it a memorable alternative to dark-house scares, and its relationship story gives the ritual horror an emotional point of entry.
It contains disturbing imagery and deals with grief, relationship breakdown and violence. The pace is patient and the mood remains heavy.
Where to check UK availability: search the exact title on JustWatch UK for current streaming, rental and purchase options.
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5. The Conjuring (2013)
In the early 1970s, the Perron family moves into an old Rhode Island farmhouse hoping to begin a new chapter. Carolyn (Lili Taylor) and Roger soon notice troubling events around their children and home, so they seek help from paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga). The Warrens try to understand the presence affecting the family while the household’s fear grows difficult to contain.
Film details: 2013. Directed by James Wan. Starring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor.
Wan builds suspense through patient blocking, carefully placed sounds and familiar rooms that gradually stop feeling safe. The Perrons make the haunting domestic: it interrupts bedrooms, routines and the parents’ efforts to protect their children. Taylor gives Carolyn worried determination, while Farmiga and Wilson make Ed and Lorraine feel like partners rather than exposition-delivery ghost hunters. A clap in the dark or an open door becomes a source of genuine anticipation.
At fifth, The Conjuring is one of the decade’s most effective classical haunted-house films, with clean storytelling and strong ensemble work. The titles above take greater risks with form or theme. Its supernatural framework is more familiar than It Follows and less psychologically layered than Hereditary or Get Out, but few studio horrors of the period are as confident at delivering a well-built scare.
This is the most accessible recommendation here for viewers who want a polished supernatural film with a clear case and recognisable investigative leads. It works especially well as a group watch because the suspense is easy to follow and invites everyone to watch the corners of the frame.
It uses jump scares and intense sound cues, and its approach to the Warrens reflects their public paranormal-investigator identities. Viewers who prefer ambiguity may favour another title.
Where to check UK availability: search the exact title on JustWatch UK for current streaming, rental and purchase options.
4. It Follows (2014)
After a date with Hugh (Jake Weary), college student Jay Height (Maika Monroe) is told that an unseen entity will follow her. It can appear as an ordinary person, moves slowly and keeps coming until it reaches its target. Jay turns to friends including Paul (Keir Gilchrist), Kelly and Yara (Olivia Luccardi) to work out how the threat operates and how they can stay ahead of it.
Film details: 2014. Directed by David Robert Mitchell. Starring Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Olivia Luccardi.
The rule is simple enough to understand and flexible enough to sustain dread. Wide compositions encourage you to search distant backgrounds, while the synth-led score and unsettled sense of time create a dreamlike atmosphere. Jay’s friends are young people trying to make sense of an impossible problem, not expert investigators. Monroe plays Jay as frightened but never passive, and the entity’s steady walk makes an ordinary crowd feel unsafe.
At number four, It Follows places above The Conjuring’s familiar haunted-house mechanics because its idea produces a complete visual language and persistent vulnerability. It sits below the top three because those films connect their horror to more fully developed family or social conflicts. The unresolved edges are part of its personality; they may frustrate viewers who want every rule explained.
Pick it for slow, atmospheric supernatural horror and a threat that can appear anywhere, even in a crowd. It rewards viewers who like debating a film’s rules and noticing distant details. Watching with friends can make the background movement especially fun to track.
The movie includes sexual-violence themes and sustained anxiety. Its dream logic is intentional, so it is not ideal if you want firm answers and fast pacing.
Where to check UK availability: search the exact title on JustWatch UK for current streaming, rental and purchase options.
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3. The Witch (2015)
In 1630s New England, William and Katherine (Ralph Ineson and Kate Dickie) are expelled from their Puritan settlement and try to build a farm at the edge of a vast forest. Their fragile routine breaks when their infant son disappears. As hardship deepens and unexplained events continue, suspicion turns inward, and Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy), the eldest daughter, becomes the focus of her family’s fear.
Film details: 2015. Directed by Robert Eggers. Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie.
Eggers uses period speech, natural light and an austere landscape to make the setting feel historically specific rather than like a generic haunted forest. The woods are beautiful, but their scale makes the family look exposed and small. Thomasin is caught between adults whose certainty is failing and children whose behaviour increases the pressure. Taylor-Joy gives her toughness and vulnerability, so the conflict is more than a question of whether a supernatural threat exists.
The Witch earns third place for atmosphere and for its careful connection between folk horror and family power. It outranks It Follows because its historical texture and moral conflict give the fear a richer setting; it remains below Hereditary and Get Out, whose contemporary ideas land with greater immediacy. Its old-fashioned approach may divide viewers, but the craft is exceptionally coherent.
Choose it for slow-burn period horror, folklore and a film where landscape matters as much as dialogue. It is rewarding if you like to notice how belief and family hierarchy shape the way people interpret danger. The performance at its centre is one reason the film keeps launching discussion.
The dialogue can feel distant at first, and the movie offers little conventional comic relief or action. It is not a jump-scare-driven watch.
Where to check UK availability: search the exact title on JustWatch UK for current streaming, rental and purchase options.
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2. Hereditary (2018)
After the death of her secretive mother, artist Annie Graham (Toni Collette) tries to keep her family functioning while grief exposes old tensions. Her husband Steve (Gabriel Byrne), son Peter (Alex Wolff) and daughter Charlie (Milly Shapiro) each respond differently to loss, and a sudden tragedy deepens the family’s isolation. Annie begins to uncover troubling connections between her mother’s past and the events unfolding around the home.
Film details: 2018. Directed by Ari Aster. Starring Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro.
The Grahams are not a unit that simply reacts together: each person carries a separate burden, and their inability to speak openly makes the house emotionally airless. Annie’s miniature models echo the film’s controlled rooms, while the camera and sound turn small details into warnings. Collette moves between control and despair; Wolff makes Peter’s guilt and fear difficult to look away from. The supernatural dimension grows from the family conflict rather than replacing it.
Hereditary is second because it fuses family drama and supernatural horror with unusual force. It ranks above The Witch for its performances and escalating structure, but behind Get Out, which is nimbler in its blend of suspense, humour and social argument. Its operatic intensity can be exhausting; the confidence of the craft and the cast’s commitment still make it one of the decade’s defining horror films.
Watch it for a demanding story about grief, inherited trauma and family resentment. It rewards focused attention and a willingness to sit with discomfort, and Toni Collette’s central performance is reason enough to see it even if you already know its reputation.
The film contains bereavement, family trauma and disturbing imagery. Its slow opening is essential to the experience, while its final movement is deliberately heightened.
Where to check UK availability: search the exact title on JustWatch UK for current streaming, rental and purchase options.
1. Get Out (2017)
Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya), a Black photographer, travels with his white girlfriend Rose Armitage (Allison Williams) to meet her parents at their secluded country home. The visit begins with awkward reassurances, but the behaviour of the family and their Black employees becomes increasingly unsettling. Chris pieces together what the gathering is really about and realises that his hosts’ friendliness conceals a direct threat.
Film details: 2017. Directed by Jordan Peele. Starring Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford.
Peele balances suspense, comedy and social observation with unusual precision. Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener play Rose’s parents with a carefully performed warmth that becomes part of the unease; Lil Rel Howery gives Chris’s friend Rod a contrasting voice and welcome humour. The film shares Chris’s point of view without making every scene grim, so the comedy sharpens the danger rather than canceling it. The Sunken Place gives a vivid form to the loss of agency at the story’s centre.
Get Out takes the top position because its concept is gripping, its characters are specific, its scares work and its social argument grows directly from the plot. Hereditary may be more punishing and The Witch more austere, but Get Out is the sharpest combination of entertainment and meaning. It is the 2010s horror film that most confidently makes every element count.
This is the broadest recommendation in the countdown: it works for horror fans, thriller fans and viewers who usually avoid the genre but enjoy smart suspense. The story is clear on a first watch, while the performances and visual details invite a second. Its humour also makes it an effective group watch.
It deals directly with racism and uses horror to make social pressure felt, alongside violence and tension. It is a purposeful film rather than a lightweight comedy with a twist.
Where to check UK availability: search the exact title on JustWatch UK for current streaming, rental and purchase options.
Why these films still matter
The best 2010s horror movies do more than supply a creature, killer or twist. They give the threat a shape connected to ordinary lives: work, family, trust, memory or the need to get home. That is why these titles still appear in conversations about the decade’s most effective scary movies and continue to introduce new viewers to the genre.
They also show how much variety a horror marathon can hold. Move between a haunted-house film, a slasher, a psychological thriller, a science-fiction nightmare or horror-comedy and the emotional tempo changes each time. If you are planning a double feature, pair films with different pacing: a brisk, plot-led choice can make a slow-burn follow-up feel even more absorbing.
Choose your next film by mood
The decade’s subgenres make a useful viewing map. The Conjuring is the classic haunted-house choice, while It Follows gives a supernatural threat a simple rule and a dreamlike visual style. The Witch is for folk horror and period atmosphere; Midsommar moves that folk-horror unease into daylight. Hereditary uses family grief as the road into its supernatural story, and Get Out wraps social suspense around an immediately clear thriller setup.
If you are planning a double feature, pair a film with a contrasting pace. The Conjuring’s familiar scare structure can lead into The Witch’s slow burn, or Get Out’s sharp momentum can be followed by Hereditary’s heavier family drama. That kind of pairing is a better marathon than watching six similarly paced films in a row. It also shows how the decade stretched horror without leaving the genre behind.
Conclusion
This countdown moves from Midsommar at number six to Get Out at number one, but all six films offer a distinct route into 2010s horror. The lower positions are not throwaways: they are strong recommendations with particular strengths, from atmosphere and performances to ingenious premises and genre influence. Your order gives the list its shape, and the explanations show what makes each placement meaningful.
If you want one film to start with, choose Midsommar for the qualities that earned it the top spot. If you have already seen it, use the mood notes to choose another: the best horror movie to watch tonight depends on whether you want a tense thriller, a supernatural story, a classic slasher or a film that will leave you thinking after the room goes quiet.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best horror movie of the 2010s?
For this ranking, Get Out is the strongest overall choice because its story, performances and filmmaking work together with the most force. The list follows your supplied order rather than a changing review score. Other entries may better suit you if you want a different pace, subgenre or intensity.
Set your expectations around tone and content as well as reputation; the film’s entry above identifies whether it leans on atmosphere, suspense, violence or comedy.
What is Get Out about?
Chris Washington’s unsettling visit to his girlfriend’s family estate and the threat he uncovers there. That premise supplies the film’s main source of tension and introduces the character or group whose decisions drive the story. The entry above explains its setup and viewing experience without revealing major turns, so you can decide whether this style of horror suits you.
Knowing the initial setup is enough to decide whether the film suits you; the full experience is better left unspoiled.
Which film here is the scariest?
“Scariest” depends on what unsettles you. A confined survival story may be intense for one viewer; another may respond more to supernatural uncertainty, body horror or a slow psychological build. The entries explain each film’s style so you can match it to your preferences. Check the content notes if graphic effects are a concern.
There is no universal scare ranking, so think about whether you respond more to uncertainty, graphic effects, claustrophobia or an unpredictable story.
Which is the best film here for a horror beginner?
Start with Get Out if you want a clear story and accessible genre setup. It introduces the threat quickly and gives you a character to follow without requiring knowledge of other films. If you are unsure, read the viewer-fit notes above and choose a title whose pace and content feel comfortable.
A clear premise and recognisable character usually make a gentler introduction than a slow, ambiguous or effects-heavy horror film.
Which title is the best slow-burn horror pick?
The Witch is the most atmospheric choice in this ranking. It lets unease build through setting, sound and character behaviour instead of delivering a scare every few minutes. That can be especially rewarding when you are watching attentively, though it may feel patient if you want a fast-moving horror thriller.
Slow-burn horror works best when you have time to notice setting, sound and character reactions instead of watching with distractions.
Are these films ranked by ratings or box office?
No single rating or box-office result determines this list. The ranking follows your supplied order and explains it through story, performances, atmosphere, visual craft, originality, influence and how well each film stays with you. Review scores change over time and cannot tell you whether a particular kind of horror will fit your taste.
Scores can provide context, but the ranking here is editorial and preserves the exact order you supplied.
Where can I watch these horror movies in the UK?
UK streaming, rental and purchase options change over time. Use the JustWatch UK link in the relevant entry and search the exact film title to see which services currently list it. That helps distinguish a subscription option from a rental or purchase and avoids relying on an out-of-date platform claim.
Check the listing on the day of viewing because subscription libraries and rental prices can change by region.
Are these horror movies suitable for younger viewers?
Most are made for adult audiences and include strong horror, violence or disturbing themes. Age classification can vary by title, so check the current BBFC entry before choosing a film for a younger viewer. The caveat in each entry flags broad content concerns but does not replace a full content guide.
The BBFC provides age ratings and content information for UK releases; check the title rather than assuming all horror is alike.
What horror subgenres are represented?
Depending on the title, the list includes psychological and supernatural horror, slashers, body horror, folk horror, found footage, creature features, survival horror, zombie or infection stories and horror-comedy. That variety is part of the recommendation: choose by mood, not only by release decade.
Some movies cross several subgenres, which is why the best choice often comes down to tone and pacing rather than a single label.
How were the six movies selected and ordered?
The films and their order are the ranking you supplied. The editorial explanations discuss how each title handles its premise, characters, atmosphere, performances and place in the decade’s genre conversation. The number-one entry explains why it wins this list; the other entries identify their strengths and their more limited scope.
The position explanation in each entry compares the film with its neighbours, including the qualities that place it above or below them.
More Places to Find Great Movies and TV Shows
IMDb is useful for credits, cast and release information. Rotten Tomatoes gathers critic and audience reviews, while JustWatch UK compares current streaming, rental and purchase listings. For UK age classifications and content advice, check the BBFC.
Visit IMDb for cast and film information.
Browse reviews at Rotten Tomatoes and check current UK listings on JustWatch.
Check UK age ratings with the British Board of Film Classification before choosing a film for a younger viewer.
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