*Keep up with our ongoing end of the decade coverage here*

The end of 2019 has marked the end of an entire decade, which means we’ve been spending the last few weeks reflecting not only on the past year of horror but on the past *ten years* of the genre’s offerings. In an effort to profile the decade’s best here at the start of 2020, Brad Miska, Meagan Navarro, William Bibbiani and myself (John Squires) put our heads together to compile a list of the 25 most exceptional horror films that were released between 2010 and 2019. But before we get to that, let’s talk a little bit about the past decade of horror as a whole.

Reflecting, it’s become pretty clear to me that this past decade was a time of great change for the horror genre, ushering in a fresh and diverse wave of new voices and new kinds of horror films. Particularly in the past few years, it feels like the gates have been fully opened up for anyone to come through and use the genre to tell their stories, allowing for what many (myself included) consider to be a whole new “golden age” for horror – both films and television.

Sadly, a new golden age can only come when the previous one ends, and the past decade was indeed ravaged by a whole lot of loss. We lost Wes Craven, George Romero and Tobe Hooper in the past ten years, and though the decade kicked off with films from both Craven and John Carpenter, we mostly went without many of our favorite horror masters in the 2010s. But with one era behind us, these past ten years have brought some clear focus to what the future of the horror genre is going to look like, with new masters rising up and making their presence known as leaders of this particular golden age. Jordan Peele, Mike Flanagan, Ari Aster, James Wan, Robert Eggers, Jennifer Kent, Andy Muschietti and Fede Alvarez are just a handful of the filmmakers who each have at least one film on this list, and the originality and variety they’ve brought to the genre has played a huge part in the past decade being so extraordinary.

One horror master who can be found three times on the list? Stephen King, whose recent resurgence – not that he ever went anywhere – has proven his work is truly timeless.

In addition to box office success and even Oscar nominations (and wins!) for a string of studio horror films in theaters, indie horror also thrived in the past decade, with countless streaming services coming along and allowing for all kinds of new stories to be told. There was a time when “direct-to-video” horror was something that was looked down upon, but that couldn’t be further from the truth today. The landscape has been flooded with so many original (and quality) horror movies that it’s become impossible to even keep up. This is a good problem to have, of course; even if it makes putting together a list such as this incredibly difficult.

Which brings us to the list, which hopefully captures the past decade of horror and makes it clear why it was so great. While we tend to stray a bit from full-on horror movies in our daily coverage on the site, it was important for us to stick as close as possible to the horror genre for this list, so that will probably explain the absence of a few titles that you maybe would’ve expected to see on here. And it’s important to also note that many, many other horror films came up in our discussions but ultimately didn’t make the cut; several of those movies will be listed off underneath the core list as runners-up, as they at least deserve a mention.

As chosen by the BD staff, here are the 25 best horror films of the 2010s. We don’t expect everyone to agree with every decision we’ve made – truth be told, even the four of us had no shortage of internal disagreements – but we do hope you’ll read along as we celebrate one hell of a decade for the horror genre. And please do feel free to disagree in the comments below!

25. A Quiet Place (d. John Krasinski / Paramount Pictures / 2018)

With A Quiet Place, John Krasinski took a simple, stale concept and transformed it into a refreshing standout of the decade with smart and thrilling execution.

The pared-back simplicity of this tension-wrought creature feature lets what matters most take center stage: the characters and an intriguing setting. Superb sound design, genuine scares, a riveting cast, and lean, mean pacing makes for a brisk and unnerving viewing experience with still much left of the universe awaiting exploration.

The “B” Monster Movie got a classy upgrade, and audiences showed up in droves. That’s no small task. – Meagan Navarro (@hauntedmeg)

24. The Lords of Salem (d. Rob Zombie / Anchor Bay / 2012)

After House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil’s Rejects, and two Halloween films, I don’t think many of us were prepared for Rob Zombie’s sharp change in direction. In fact, I don’t know what the hell I was expecting when I attended the World Premiere of his Blumhouse-produced The Lords of Salem, a film in which Sheri Moon Zombie plays a Salem radio DJ tormented by a coven of witches.

At first, I hated it. What’s crazy about my initial hatred of Lords of Salem is that the film is so incredibly on-brand for me; I love pretentious, slow burn, Satanic-themed arthouse horror movies with cool imagery. Salem has it all and then some.

It’s hard to look away from Lords of Salem, which flourishes from colorful palettes and striking set design, all pinned down by John 5 and Griffin Boice’s crushing theme that continually hammers chills down your spine. But what makes Salem really special is that underneath a brooding horror film soaked in dread is something intensely personal – a love letter from Zombie to his wife, Sheri Moon, who he endlessly worships with his camera.

It’s true that Salem is a weird film and, in the end, will continue to be divisive. With that said, it truly has endured the test of time and proven itself to be a horror classic. – Brad Miska (@bradmiska)

23. Spring (d. Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead / IFC Films / 2014)

The past ten years brought many exciting new voices into the genre, and that list of hot newcomers wouldn’t be complete without Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, the duo who kicked off the decade with Resolution and ended it with Synchronic. In between those two films you’ll find the duo’s biggest masterpiece to date, a romantic creature feature titled Spring.

Lou Taylor Pucci and Nadia Hilker star in Spring as Evan and Louise, young lovers falling for each other in beautiful southern Italy. The horrific twist to this seemingly ordinary love story? Well, to make a long story short, Louise is a monster. As Evan ultimately learns, she’s a 2,000-year-old immortal being who evolves into different creatures every 20 years; again, long story short, only true love can strip Louise of her immortality and keep her in her current form.

Benson and Moorhead blend a beautiful love story together with a Lovecraftian mythology in Spring, making for the most downright romantic creature feature you’ll likely ever see. Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water may have been the standout “human falls in love with a monster” story of the decade – it won four Oscars, after all – but Benson and Moorhead’s tale is every bit as good, building to a final moment that seals the deal on Spring being one of the horror genre’s all-time best love stories. Even del Toro himself raved on Twitter back in 2016 that’s it “one of the best horror films of this decade.” Obviously, all of us here on BD agree. – John Squires (@FreddyInSpace)

22. Attack the Block (d. Joe Cornish / Screen Gems / 2011)

An effective and charming genre mashup that blends sci-fi and comedy with creature feature horror, Joe Cornish’s debut offers up tension, laughs, and engaging social commentary. Most of all, it delivered a cast of endearing characters and fantastic creature work by Mike Elizalde and Spectral Motion.

It’s the precise type of blockbuster spectacle that has something for everyone, while done on a smaller budget.

John Boyega’s had one hell of a decade, and it’s no surprise that it began with his masterful performance as Moses, the teen leader of the gang tasked with protecting their block from an alien invasion. – Meagan Navarro (@hauntedmeg)

21. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (d. André Øvredal / IFC Films / 2017)

Hey… would you like to see a dead body?

André Øvredal’s uncannily creepy The Autopsy of Jane Doe takes place almost entirely in a morgue, where father/son coroners (played by Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch) find one medical mystery after another in their latest anonymous corpse.

Unusually structured and moody as hell, this autopsy was one of the biggest and best horror surprises of the decade, a truly inventive idea that’ll scare the life out of you. – William Bibbiani (@WilliamBibbiani)

20. The Invitation (d. Karyn Kusama / Drafthouse Films / 2015)

There’s something wrong about this party. Or maybe, there’s something wrong with you.

Karyn Kusama’s insidiously subtle nightmare toys with the audience’s hyper-awareness in the horror genre. So while Logan Marshall-Green takes his ex-wife up on a dinner invitation, we see every weird detail and start piecing together a shocker in our heads, even though it (probably) isn’t what’s actually happening.

Maybe uncomfortable social interactions and our own psychological scars are scary enough on their own, or maybe they’re just the foundation for the unthinkable. – William Bibbiani (@WilliamBibbiani)

19. The Final Girls (d. Todd Strauss-Schulson / Sony / 2015)

A slasher film that’s so emotionally powerful it just might make you cry… now that’s a new one! On paper, director Todd Strauss-Schulson‘s 2015 horror-comedy The Final Girls would seem to be a complete failure as a slasher film, as it’s rated PG-13 and favors emotional beats over gory slashings; but that’s precisely what makes this one such a special slasher.

Taking a meta approach to the sub-genre – that road, of course, was paved by the likes of Scream and Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon – The Final Girls tells the equally heartbreaking and heartwarming story of Max and her mom Nancy Cartwright, an actress who appeared in the beloved slasher Camp Bloodbath back in the ’80s. On the three-year anniversary of her death, a freak occurrence allows Max and her friends to literally step inside Camp Bloodbath, where Max is able to reunite with her mom and fight for survival alongside her.

Just when you thought there was nothing fresh left to do with the meta slasher, the script from M.A. Fortin and Joshua John Miller allowed The Final Girls to shine as a genuinely clever new approach to that very specific type of film. And the performances from Taissa Farmiga and Malin Akerman as the daughter-mother duo at the center of the film ensured that The Final Girls hit all of its emotional beats out of the park.

It may not be a gory slasher, but The Final Girls represents the sub-genre at its most surprisingly beautiful. – John Squires (@FreddyInSpace)

18. Raw (d. Julia Ducournau / Focus / 2016)

Julia Ducournau’s debut declared the director as one to watch with a bold and powerful sexual awakening tale by way of cannibalism. Garance Marillier’s compelling performance as the awkward Justine, a first-year student navigating the social and academic labyrinths of veterinary school, must also contend with body horror and a newfound hunger for flesh.

It’s the way Ducournau approaches the subject matter, with unparalleled visionary style and intensity, that makes Raw such a knock out entry in French horror. – Meagan Navarro (@hauntedmeg)

17. Us (d. Jordan Peele / Universal Pictures / 2019)

Jordan Peele’s follow-up to Get Out is another high-concept masterpiece, in which everyone on Earth as a doppelgänger, and every doppelgänger has been living underground, waiting to take their revenge on us. It’s a terrific opportunity for great actors like Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke to make us love and fear them, often at the exact same moment, in a film that’s jam-packed with unique and terrifying moments and sharp, piercing commentary.

Watching Us is liking watching an ancient secret get revealed, and once it’s out, there’s no going back. – William Bibbiani (@WilliamBibbiani)

16. I Saw the Devil (d. Kim Jee-woon / Magnet Releasing / 2011)

South Korea has a reputation for brutal revenge thrillers, yet none hold a candle to the depravity and viciousness of Jee-woon Kim’s I Saw the Devil. Visceral, gritty, and insanely bloody, this revenge thriller redefines the subgenre as well as what the pursuit of vengeance can cost. In this case, the price might very well be your soul.

The stakes are high, and a cat and mouse game between a serial killer and a secret agent hellbent on revenge gets downright savage. A masterful piece of cinema that’s uncompromising and shocking in its vision, I Saw the Devil puts you through the emotional ringer. – Meagan Navarro (@hauntedmeg)

15. Don’t Breathe (d. Fede Alvarez / Screen Gems / 2016)

It’s not easy to maintain a constant level of intensity and palpable tension throughout an entire film, and yet Fede Alvarez makes it look effortless. His twist on the home invasion subgenre, which he co-wrote with Rodo Sayagues, had him reteaming with Jane Levy to deliver another entry in nihilistic horror that leaves you breathless and on edge.

A brutal assault on the senses with no reprieve, Don’t Breathe will also forever alter your perception of a turkey baster. – Meagan Navarro (@hauntedmeg)

14. Train to Busan (d. Yeon Sang-ho / Well Go USA / 2016)

Zombies had a massive resurgence in pop culture popularity in the 2010s, in large part thanks to AMC’s “The Walking Dead.” The hit series premiered at the start of the decade in 2010, and though the show’s popularity has waned in more recent years, its massive success paved the way for a whole new crop of zombie films and television shows. By the very nature of it being the only zombie film on this list, we’re crowning Train to Busan the very best of the decade.

Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, the South Korean hit focuses on a group of strangers trapped on a train during the zombie apocalypse, with Seok-woo (Gong Yoo) and his young daughter Su-an (Kim Su-an) being the central characters. Train to Busan is a zombie film that fires on all possible cylinders from start to finish, as intense and terrifying as it is emotionally powerful. The fast-moving zombies are as ferocious and unstoppable as gut-munchers come – it helps that the characters are never supplied with guns and never learn the old “destroy the brain” trick – and the film is home to some of the most insanely intense set-pieces the sub-genre has ever seen.

Train to Busan proved that zombies can still be terrifying in the right hands, and that the zombie sub-genre still has a whole lot of bite left in it. – John Squires (@FreddyInSpace)

13. Gerald’s Game (d. Mike Flanagan / Netflix / 2017)

All Gerald and Jessie Burlingame wanted to do was go to their cabin and rekindle their romance after years of marriage, but Gerald takes things a little too far, and now Jessie is securely handcuffed to a bed while her husband’s dead body lies on the floor next to her. A simple, but simply terrifying situation comes alive in Mike Flanagan’s Gerald’s Game, giving Carla Gugino her greatest role to date as a woman who must look inward, at her ugliest memories, to escape a bizarre and threatening predicament.

Frightening, empowering, emphatic and creative horror filmmaking. – William Bibbiani (@WilliamBibbiani)

12. Maniac (d. Franck Khalfoun / IFC Films / 2013)

Right dead smack in the middle of the found-footage boom came Maniac, a remake of the 1980s slasher that would put viewers into the shoes of star Elijah Wood, a mannequin store owner suffering from severe mental illness who’s going on a murder spree.

While completely faithful to William Lustig’s controversial film, director Franck Khalfoun and producer Alex Aja double down on the violence, delivering a pulverizing slasher that’s also chilling and off-the-charts suspenseful. This isn’t for the faint of heart. – Brad Miska (@bradmiska)

11. It: Chapter One (Andrés Muschietti / New Line Cinema / 2017)

An argument was made for Andy Muschietti‘s debut feature Mama making this list – for what it’s worth, I personally feel it’s a far better horror film than it’s really been given credit for – but while it ultimately did not make the cut, there was no internal debate whatsoever about Muschietti’s follow-up. Back in 2017, Muschietti brought the more beloved portion of Stephen King’s IT back to the screen so successfully that it became the highest grossing “R” rated horror film of all time, paving the way for a sequel that was a bit less successful this past year.

Assembling a wonderful cast to play the members of the Losers Club as kids, Muschietti’s IT: Chapter One managed to do far more justice to the novel than the previous adaptation, set in the 1980s and imbued with all the heart and horror that King is such a master at blending together. The group of child actors was one of the most instantly lovable monster-fighting gangs in the genre’s history, and Bill Skarsgård filled Tim Curry’s massive clown shoes so admirably that many were wondering why the hell he wasn’t nominated for an Oscar.

Scary, funny, and with the epic feel that the story demands, Muschietti’s IT: Chapter One was a pitch perfect King adaptation through and through, jam packed with pretty much everything you could ever ask for a horror film to deliver. In a decade that failed Freddy Krueger and went without Jason Voorhees, we were lucky to have such a perfect reinvention of the child-eating Pennywise. A whole new generation will never look at clowns the same way again. – John Squires (@FreddyInSpace)

10. The Babadook (d. Jennifer Kent / IFC Films / 2014)

Essie Davis gives one of the great horror performances of the decade in Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook, an exceptionally eerie supernatural story about a single mother whose deteriorating mental health fuels a macabre demon from a storybook. Kent’s oppressive environments seemingly trap her protagonist in a domestic hell, in which the only person she loves is also her greatest enemy.

The Babadook is emotionally concussive but never truly cathartic; a horror movie that knows the true meaning of pain. – William Bibbiani (@WilliamBibbiani)

9. Doctor Sleep (d. Mike Flanagan / Warner Bros. Pictures / 2019)

There are a few filmmakers whose names are synonymous with Stephen King adaptations, and Mike Flanagan has fast made his way onto the top of that list. Back in 2017, Flanagan brought the seemingly un-adaptable Gerald’s Game to the screen for one hell of a Netflix movie, but if you’re asking me, his most impressive feat to date is his adaptation of King’s Doctor Sleep.

Of course, what’s most impressive about Doctor Sleep is that it’s both an adaptation of King’s novel and a sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, bridging the chasm between King’s warm take on the Torrance family and Kubrick’s cold presentation of their harrowing stay in the Overlook Hotel to create a sort of hybrid experience that melds together the work of three masters: Flanagan himself, who was arguably *the* master of horror of the 2010s – of course being the third.

Telling the story of a grown up Dan Torrance and his own struggles with the demons that his father wasn’t able to overcome – both literal and figurative – Doctor Sleep is as ambitious and epic as a horror sequel could probably ever be, nostalgically revisiting a classic horror film while also using it as the springboard for something powerful and new. Ewan McGregor is terrific as Dan Torrance, Kyliegh Curran shines as Abra Stone, and Rebecca Ferguson turns vampire-like King character Rose the Hat into one of the best on-screen villains in recent years.

Doctor Sleep made for a wholly satisfying return to the Overlook Hotel, and if Mike Flanagan wasn’t already a master of horror before heading off to that iconic location, he damn sure is now. – John Squires (@FreddyInSpace)

8. What We Do in the Shadows (d. Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi / The Orchard / 2015)

Modern spoofs are often terrible, mostly because they’re focused on pop culture and show zero understanding of the movies they’re goofing on. This is why Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s What We Do in the Shadows is a comedy masterpiece. The pic is a docu-style story of a house of vampires who are, quite frankly, idiots. While there are no actual references to specific horror movies, the film makes a joke of all of the tropes and cliches in vampire films, but does so in a loving way that shows Clement and Waititi are clearly huge horror fans at heart.

What I think I love the most about What We Do in the Shadows is that it’s made specifically for us horror fans and isn’t pandering to anyone else. But most of all, it gets funnier with each and every viewing, proving that it has stood the test of time. – Brad Miska (@bradmiska)

7. The Conjuring (d. James Wan / New Line Cinema / 2013)

If there was one horror franchise that dominated the 2010s, it was the ever-expanding universe that began with The Conjuring.

James Wan infused the throwback haunted house horror film with creepy atmosphere and unrelenting scares, but also with a warmth and sentimentality for its characters that gave audiences serious rooting interest. It’s all anchored by the affecting performances of its leads Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, as Ed and Lorraine Warren.

As stylish as it is scary, The Conjuring appeased both critics and viewers alike and demonstrated just how robust the appetite for horror is at the box office. – Meagan Navarro (@hauntedmeg)

6. It Follows (d. David Robert Mitchell / Dimension Films / 2015)

David Robert Mitchell’s It Follows is an homage to classic horrors such as John Carpenter’s Halloween and Wes Craven’s A Nightmare On Elm Street. While It Follows is riddled with plot holes, it’s legitimately scary, which is something I can only say about a handful of movies.

It’s also propelled by Maika Monroe’s astounding performance, as well as heavy social commentary to go along with a timeless look and feel. – Brad Miska (@bradmiska)

5. The Cabin in the Woods (d. Drew Goddard / Lionsgate / 2011)

Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin, where they get more than they bargained for; and so, too, did the audience.

This horror-comedy by Drew Goddard and co-writer Joss Whedon took the meta dissection of the genre to a whole new level with a wickedly unpredictable third act that boasted no shortage of monsters and unforgettable moments.

A love letter to the horror genre whose wit and self-deprecating humor is matched by excessive bloodshed, Cabin in the Woods instantly embedded itself as a horror-comedy fan favorite. – Meagan Navarro (@hauntedmeg)

4. The Witch (d. Robert Eggers / A24 / 2016)

With meticulous attention to period-setting detail and perfectionism, Robert Eggers’ atmospheric debut left viewers asking, “Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?”

Religious fanaticism wars with blasphemous evil, making for a unique horror film that prefers to unsettle and instill dread over overt scare tactics. That makes for a divisive, slow-burn brand of horror, but it’s hard to deny the breathtaking level of craftsmanship and artistry on display. It’s the kind of film that elicits thought-provoking discussion long after the credits roll.

Between Anya Taylor-Joy’s mesmerizing performance and an ominous black goat, we’d sign Black Phillip’s book any day. – Meagan Navarro (@hauntedmeg)

3. Hereditary (d. Ari Aster / A24 / 2018)

While each decade is typically dominated by a single subgenre, horror was so hot that the past ten years defied definition. For every Evil Dead, there was a Hereditary, arthouse horror that traded in blood and guts for atmosphere, dread, and drama.

I’m happy that we’ve had a year to let Ari Aster’s masterpiece breathe, ensuring that we’re not acting as prisoners of the moment. Hereditary was hype. If you could get past A24’s marketing that completely misrepresented the film as the scariest since The Exorcist, you’d find a haunting family drama carried by Toni Collette’s Oscar-worthy performance that was actually more reminiscent of Rosemary’s Baby than anything else.

Hereditary is not the kind of film you watch with your parents or take a date to see, it’s one that has a direct relationship with each and every viewer who experiences it. It’s infective and, at times, alarmingly brutal. It’s misery and pain captured in a bottle and the result is punishing look at a family falling apart. While I won’t go as far as to declare it the scariest movie ever made, it’s traumatic in a way that some scenes would have scarred me as a child; you can’t unsee some of the shit thrown at you.

Aster’s filmmaking is both fearless and unapologetic, and at the time of release, the film felt like a break from the norm that offered something fresh and new. Hereditary is timeless, and I feel confident in declaring it not just one of the best films of the 2010s, but one of the greatest horror films ever made. – Brad Miska (@bradmiska)

2. Get Out (d. Jordan Peele / Univeral Pictures / 2017)

Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning screenplay for Get Out is one of the most remarkable pieces of horror writing in memory, a script that works on a different level every time you watch it play out.

Daniel Kaluuya stars as a photographer who visits his white girlfriend’s family, only to discover they’re not nearly as progressive as they claim. But are his nerves jangling because he’s trapped in a house with casual racists, or because underneath that racism there’s a secret, malevolent intent?

Get Out is a witty satire until it’s a suspenseful thriller until it’s a grotesque horror movie, and all the while it’s the most fiercely and intelligently smart social commentary that the genre produced in the decade. – William Bibbiani (@WilliamBibbiani)

1. Evil Dead (d. Fede Alvarez / Screen Gems / 2013)

Maybe it’s because the slapstick-heavy sequel opened with a reshot recap of The Evil Dead, but many horror fans misremember Sam Raimi’s 1981 classic as a horror-comedy. It wasn’t and is about as deadpan serious as horror gets. This is important because I’ve seen a lot of people discredit the Fede Alvarez-directed remake/sequel because it’s “not funny.”

While Raimi didn’t direct and Bruce Campbell didn’t star, the duo did produce the 2013 Evil Dead, one that quietly remains canon within the original trilogy. It’s also a return to the franchise’s roots, one that’s downright nasty.

Interestingly, Alvarez’s Evil Dead didn’t even crack my top 10 that year, but after several viewings, I’ve come to realize that it’s one of the greatest horror films ever made. Each viewing sends me into cringe paralysis, frozen in disbelief as Alvarez contorts the hero-villain-hero story into an unrecognizable glob of gore. It fucking literally rains blood. Evil Dead is mean and gross and ugly and vicious. It’s horror-to-the-fucking-core. It’s also unanimously the best horror film of the 2010s. – Brad Miska (@bradmiska)

Honorable mentions include: American Mary, The Blackcoat’s Daughter, Green Room, Happy Death Day, Insidious, Kill List, The Loved Ones, Mandy, Midsommar, Only Lovers Left Alive, Ready or Not, Revenge, Scream 4, Sinister, The Strange Colour of Your Body’s Tears, Super Dark Times, Suspiria, Terrified, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, The Voices, The Woman and You’re Next.