Summary

• Horror had another big year throughout 2024, with the genre seeing a consistent amount of notable releases each month.
• The best horror movies of 2023 include Beau Is Afraid, Totally Killer, and M3GAN. These films offer a mix of absurd tragicomedy, a Back to the Future-inspired slasher with a bold twist, and killer AI.
• While many of 2023's best horror movies got a lot of attention, some of them were smaller releases that are still worth a watch.

It's been another monumental year for horror, but a specific handful of titles stand out as the best horror movies of 2023. Expectations were high for the genre in 2023 after an outstanding 2022. In addition to noteworthy theatrical releases like Scream, Nope, X, The Menu, and Bodies, Bodies, Bodies, horror dominated on the small screen throughout 2022, with streaming hits such as Barbarian and even The Prey. Those heavy hitters carried momentum into 2023, paving the way for another massive year for the genre. Based on the prevalence of the genre and continued dominance, horror wasn't a letdown in 2023.

Horror's dominance in mainstream pop culture has been one thing, but the genre has also been dominating the box office. Since releases ramped back up following pandemic shutdowns, horror has been an absolute force at the box office. While there will always be a loyal fan following linked to the genre, horror movies are continuing a positive box office trend. Terrifier 2 was a prime 2022 example, making over $15 million from a budget of $250,000. Whether it's word of mouth or intriguing sequels and original stories, horror will never die, especially with women at the forefront of the stories. That said, here are the ten best movies to release in 2023.

15 Beau Is Afraid

A Horror-Comedy For The Ages

Beau is Afraid, starring Joaquin Phoenix as the titular Beau, is an absurd tragicomedy horror about a man who is deeply scared of many aspects of everyday life. Early in the picture, Beau learns of his mother's death, and due to being hit by a food truck and several other odd incidents, his attempts to travel to her funeral are hindered. Beau is Afraid walks the line between horror and comedy, with brutal killers and bizarre happenings throughout that create an unsettling reality for the fearful hero.

14 Saw X

A Milestone Installment

Saw X is the tenth installment in the Saw franchise. However, the movie goes back in time to bridge the gap between the first and second films. With Tobin Bell's John Kramer still alive, the film sees him chasing a last-ditch attempt to find a cure by traveling to Mexico and meeting with a doctor who has supposedly had success in treating his illness before. However, when Kramer learns he has been duped, he captures the people who were involved in conning him and delivers his own brand of fatal justice with his meticulously designed, torturous games. A solid addition to the Saw franchise that builds on the history of the series and provides another grotesque exploration of The Jigsaw Killer.

13 Totally Killer

A Back To The Future-Inspired Slasher

The Totally Killer movie premiered on Amazon Prime Video in October 2023. The movie stars Kiernan Shipka as a young woman who finds herself transported to the past in a fortuitous position that might lead her to stop the Sweet 16 Killer and save her mother in the present. The film features dark comedy elements and provides an innovative twist on the classic slasher with a heroic protagonist who knows when and to whom the attacks will happen up until Totally Killer's ending twists. Though a late release, Totally Killer does a great job blending genres and keeping audiences on edge with a fun and thrilling story.

12 Infinity Pool

A Twisted Sci-Fi/Horror Entry

The incredible Mia Goth and Alexander Skarsgård star in Infinity Pool, a sci-fi horror about a man vacationing with his wife to try and get inspiration for his next book. While visiting the fictional island of Li Tolqa, Skarsgård accidentally hits someone while driving and is informed that the punishment on Li Tolqa is death. However, the unassuming island has a dark secret that could free Skarsgård. Infinity Pool is twisted and terrifying as a man descends into hopelessness, with incredible performances from the cast and a unique horror story.

11 Influencer

A Dark Tale About Online Presence

Influencer tells a terrifying tale of a woman who portrays her life as deeply satisfying to her significant online following, but she is plagued with loneliness and relationship struggles. While vacationing in Thailand and using the trip to grow her brand and create content for rs, Madison (Emily Tennant) meets a woman who lives her life with far fewer inhibitions. However, things take a turn when her new friend reveals a darker, more menacing motivation for spending time with Madison. Influencer plays on themes of loneliness and stolen identity, and while it toured festivals in late 2022, it wasn't until 2023 that it got a wider release.

10 The Angry Black Girl And Her Monster

A New Take On Frankenstein

Horror movies inspired by Frankenstein were obviously a trend in 2023 because The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster is another one that deserves wide notoriety. In this feature film from Bomani J. Story, a teenager named Vicaria (Laya DeLeon Hayes) uses her intelligence to bring her dead brother back to life but finds that she reanimated something more dangerous. Denzel Whitaker and Chad Coleman also co-star in this character-driven reimagination of classic horror with a modern twist.

Before Vicaria attempts to bring her brother back, the young woman was dealing with her mother's death due to violence. Vicaria's mission stems from the unrest within herself at her community and the state of the world, pushing her to go to great lengths to change a tragedy. The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster is a powerful horror movie, but it also has a sense of social relevance.

9 Sick

A Pandemic-Era Scream

Sick came from a genre veteran, Kevin Williamson, who would be best known for writing Scream 1-4 among other notable titles. Written by Williamson and directed by John Hyams, Sick takes a few pages out of Scream's playbook for a slasher but modernizes it by incorporating the coronavirus pandemic. Following a forced quarantine, best friends, played by Gideon Adlon and Beth Million, take refuge in a secluded family lake house, where they are stalked by a masked killer.

Sick's use of COVID and that era of unease was risky, but it ultimately pays off through a timely horror movie in the same vein as Scream and other self-aware titles. The victims are not presented as damsels in distress; instead, they intelligently try to outwit their attackers despite being ill-prepared. Released on Peaock, the movie is short, coming in at only 83 minutes, but it's a quick watch that never outstays its welcome.

8 No One Will Save You

Home Invasion Terror, But With Aliens

Alien movies are one of the hardest subgenres in horror to pull off, but No One Will Save You succeeded. Going under the radar until it was officially released on Hulu in September 2023, No One Will Save You byes the technical sci-fi elements and dives right into the terror. Following Kaitlyn Dever's Brynn as the central character, the Hulu horror movie is essentially an alien home invasion movie, but it also serves as a traumatic personal tale.

What makes No One Will Save You such a standout horror movie in 2023 is Dever's outstanding performance, blending Brynn's tragic past and the sheer terror that comes from the character being chased by aliens. This is highlighted by the fact that Brynn has minimal dialogue in No One Will Save You, relying on other aspects to piece together what's happening. Still, Dever manages to steer Brian Duffield's story without her voice to transform an alien invasion movie into a thought-provoking movie on being an outsider.

7 Evil Dead Rise

A Beloved Franchise Comes Back From The Dead

Arriving a decade after the last installment in the Evil Dead franchise, Evil Dead Rise accomplishes much of what the series' loyal fanbase has hoped for. Rather than rely heavily on past characters and storylines, the 2023 entry stuck with the basics by following a new family encountering the Necronomicon and, in turn, Deadites. Bruce Campbell's Ash Williams and his humor might be missed, but the new cast of Evil Dead Rise led by Lily Sullivan's Beth make for a great successor.

Evil Dead Rise certainly brings the campy gore, but it also sets up a new path for the franchise to take if the series continues. Despite the hype surrounding the franchise's return with Lee Cronin at the helm, Evil Dead Rise exceeded expectations and became one of the most notable horror hits at the 2023 box office. If the franchise takes another break for any reason, this 2023 installment will not be forgotten any time soon.

6 Scream 6

A Familiar Killer In An Unfamiliar Setting

On the surface, Scream 6 may look like a rehash of Scream 2, but the 2023 installment goes much deeper. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett's second Scream movie takes the action to New York City, a risky decision that worked out in the movie's favor. Not only was Scream 6 massive in of the setting, but it also broke box office records, proving the franchise's continued relevance in the world of horror. Story-wise, Scream 6 keeps its meta-narrative but propels it to new levels while still allowing Ghostface to wreak havoc with inventive kills.

The story, however, wouldn't have worked without the Scream 6 cast. In addition to fun returns by Courteney Cox's Gale Weathers and Hayden Panettiere's Kirby Reed, the core four of Sam (Melissa Barrera), Tara (Jenna Ortega), Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown), and Chad (Mason Gooding) allow for more characters to root for. This is especially important due to the absence of franchise veteran Neve Campbell, who played Sidney Prescott in every other Scream movie. Sam's story, in particular, allows for a different kind of final girl to take center stage, considering she's not entirely innocent.