2023 was an unbelievable year for the horror movie genre. There were so many different types from psychological horror, to horror comedy, to the traditional slasher. We had an incredible time this year being terrified as well as laughing and crying at times too. This just shows how elevated and dynamic the genre has become. It is way more than just jump scares. It’s a constant roller coaster of emotions. With that said, here are our top 10 best horror movies of 2023 with four honorable mentions.
10. Totally Killer
Cast: Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Julie Bowen, Charlie Gillespie, Liana Liberato, Lochlyn Munro, Randall Park, Kelcey Mawema, Stephi Chin-Salvo, Anna Diaz, Ella Choi
Synopsis: “When the infamous “Sweet Sixteen Killer” returns 35 years after his first murder spree to claim another victim, 17-year-old Jamie accidentally travels back in time to 1987, determined to stop the killer before he can start.”
Where to watch: Prime Video
9. Insidious: The Red Door
Cast: Patrick Wilson, Ty Simpkins, Sinclair Daniel, Rose Byrne, Hiam Abbass, Andrew Astor, Juliana Davies
Synopsis: “In Insidious: The Red Door, the horror franchise’s original cast returns for the final chapter of the Lambert family’s terrifying saga. To put their demons to rest once and for all, Josh (Patrick Wilson) and a college-aged Dalton (Ty Simpkins) must go deeper into The Further than ever before, facing their family’s dark past and a host of new and more horrifying terrors that lurk behind the red door.”
Where to watch: Netflix
8. The Last Voyage of the Demeter
Cast: Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham, David Dastmalchian, Javier Botet, Woody Norman, Jon Jon Briones, Stefan Kapičić, Nikolai Nikolaeff
Synopsis: “Based on a single chilling chapter from Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula, The Last Voyage of the Demeter tells the terrifying story of the merchant ship Demeter, which was chartered to carry private cargo—fifty unmarked wooden crates—from Carpathia to London.”
Where to watch: Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu
7. Skinamarink
Cast: Lucas Paul, Dali Rose Tetreault, Ross Paul, Jaime Hill
Synopsis: “Two children wake up in the middle of the night to find their father is missing, and all the windows and doors in their home have vanished.”
Where to watch: AMC+, DIRECTV, Hulu, Shudder
6. The Conference
Cast: Katia Winter, Adam Lundgren, Eva Melander, Bahar Pars, Amed Bozan, Maria Sid, Christoffer Nordenrot, Claes Hartelius, Lola Zackow, Cecilia Nilsson
Synopsis: “A ragtag group of public sector employees battle not only their own discord but also a bloodthirsty killer during a seemingly innocuous retreat.”
Where to watch: Netflix
5. Scream VI
Cast: Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Jenna Ortega, Mason Gooding, Jack Champion, Josh Segarra, Liana Liberato, Devyn Nekoda, Henry Czerny, Dermot Mulroney, Courteney Cox, Hayden Panettiere, Tony Revolori, Samara Weaving
Synopsis: “Four survivors of the Ghostface murders leave Woodsboro behind for a fresh start in New York City. However, they soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when a new killer embarks on a bloody rampage.”
Where to watch: Fubo, Paramount+
4. Talk to Me
Cast: Sophie Wilde, Joe Bird, Alexandra Jensen, Otis Dhanji, Miranda Otto, Marcus Johnson, Alexandria Steffensen, Zoe Terakes, Chris Alosio
Synopsis: “When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits with an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill and high-stakes party game — until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.”
Where to watch: Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu
3. Influencer
Cast: Emily Tennant, Cassandra Naud, Sara Canning, Rory J. Saper, Paul Spurrier
Synopsis: “Influencer tells the story of Madison, a popular social media influencer who is having a lonely and uneventful trip in Thailand despite what she tells her followers on Instagram. While reflecting on her boyfriend canceling the trip, she meets CW, a fearless and enigmatic traveler who offers to take her to some of the most Instagram-worthy locations. Together they share authentic meals and drinks with locals, discussing the differences between Madison’s online presence and CW’s lack of one. After showing Madison all of the amazing sights, things take a different turn when CW brings her to a surprise location – a deserted island that is completely off the grid.”
Where to watch: AMC+, DIRECTV, Shudder
2. M3GAN
Cast: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ronny Chieng, Amie Donald, Jenna Davis, Brian Jordan Alvarez
Synopsis: “M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a lifelike doll that’s programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally. Designed by Gemma, a brilliant roboticist, M3GAN can listen, watch and learn as it plays the role of friend and teacher, playmate and protector. When Gemma becomes the unexpected caretaker of her 8-year-old niece, she decides to give the girl an M3GAN prototype, a decision that leads to unimaginable consequences.”
Where to watch: Prime Video
1. Thanksgiving
Cast: Patrick Dempsey, Nell Verlaque, Addison Rae, Jalen Thomas Brooks, Milo Manheim, Rick Hoffman, Tomaso Sanelli, Gabriel Davenport, Jenna Warren, Karen Cliche, Jeff Teravainen, Ty Olsson, Joe Delfin, Gina Gershon
Synopsis: “After a Black Friday riot ends in tragedy, a mysterious Thanksgiving-inspired killer terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts – the birthplace of the holiday. Picking off residents one by one, what begins as random revenge killings are soon revealed to be part of a larger, sinister holiday plan. Will the town uncover the killer and survive the holidays…or become guests at his twisted holiday dinner table?”
Where to watch: Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu
Honorable Mentions
It’s A Wonderful Knife
Cast: Jane Widdop, Jess McLeod, Joel McHale, Katharine Isabelle, William B. Davis, Justin Long, Aiden Howard, Erin Boyes, Sean Depner, Zenia Marshall, Hana Huggins
Synopsis: “A year after saving her town from a psychotic killer on Christmas Eve, Winnie Carruthers’ life is less than wonderful — but when she wishes she’d never been born, she finds herself in a nightmare parallel universe and discovers that without her, things could be much, much worse. Now the killer is back, and she must team up with the town misfit to identify the killer and get back to her own reality.”
Where to watch: AMC+, Shudder
Sister Death
Cast: Aria Bedmar, Maru Valdivielso, Luisa Merelas, Almudena Amor, Chelo Vivares, Sara Roch, Olimpia Roch, Adriana Camarena, Martina Delgado
Synopsis: “In post-war Spain, Narcisa (Aria Bedmar), a young novice with supernatural powers, arrives at a former convent, now a school for girls, to become a teacher. As the days go by, the strange events and increasingly disturbing situations that torment her will eventually lead her to unravel the terrible skein of secrets that surround the convent and haunt its inhabitants.”
Where to watch: Netflix
The Blackening
Cast: Grace Byers, Jermaine Fowler, Melvin Gregg, X Mayo, Dewayne Perkins, Antoinette Robertson, Sinqua Walls, with Jay Pharoah, Yvonne Orji
Synopsis: “Seven friends go away for the weekend, only to find themselves trapped in a cabin with a killer who has a vendetta. They must pit their street smarts and knowledge of horror movies against the murderer to stay alive.”
Where to watch: The Roku Channel, Starz
There’s Something Wrong with the Children
Cast: Alisha Wainwright, Zach Gilford, Amanda Crew, Carlos Santos, Briella Guiza, David Mattle
Synopsis: “When Margaret (Wainwright) and Ben (Gilford) take a weekend trip with longtime friends Ellie (Crew) and Thomas (Santos) and their two young children (Guiza and Mattle), Ben begins to suspect something supernatural is occurring when the kids behave strangely after disappearing into the woods overnight.”
Where to watch: MGM+, Paramount+
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