There's nothing more frightening than the prospect of a murder happening right in the backyard, and Hollywood has capitalized off of this horrifying prospect with some of the best killer-next-door movies. Hollywood has always been obsessed with bad neighbors, as there's little scarier than realizing evil's made its home in the supposed safety of the suburbs. Killer neighbors make great antagonists to a movie's protagonist because whatever bad behavior they're up to always provides the main characters with a problem they're unable to get away from due to their proximity. Not only that, but the idea that a serial killer could be so close is a terrifying possibility, leading to some of the best serial killer horror movies.
There have been many movies made about annoying neighbors but the worst, of course, is when happy homeowners find themselves living next to a killer, which is the last thing anyone wants to discover about their new neighborhood. Usually, the main character must prove whoever lives next door is not who they seem lest they become their next victim. The horror genre has made a killing with the best killer-next-door movies, sometimes staying within the realm of believability by placing a run-of-the-mill serial killer next door and other times venturing into more supernatural territory. Here are the best killer-next-door movies, ranked from worst to best.
10 House At The End Of The Street (2012)
- Stream now on HBO Max.
Hot off the success of indie favorite Winter's Bone, actress Jennifer Lawrence dove into the horror genre with House At The End Of The Street, one of the best killer-next-door movies. Lawrence stars as Elissa, who moves into a new house with her mother (Elizabeth Shue), and discovers a house on her block was the site of a gruesome double murder. She begins a relationship with the house's only resident: the son of the victims and brother of the culprit, only to learn the culprit may still be alive. House proved Jennifer Lawrence was a star, and it performed moderately well at the box office.
9 Summer Of 84 (2018)
- Stream now on Shudder and AMC+.
Summer of 84 is a tale of lost innocence and one of the best killer-next-door movies. The teen horror flick follows a group of boys in 1984 who believe that their police officer neighbor is a serial killer, responsible for killing 13 teenage boys over the course of a decade. While they spend their hard-earned summer spying on Officer Mackey, more evidence comes to light and the boys find themselves closer to danger than ever before. Summer of 84 is a nostalgic thriller that lures audiences into a false sense of security before its harrowing ending. All in all, Summer of 84 was a surprise hit, and worth the watch.
8 The 'Burbs (1989)
- Currently unavailable for streaming.
Directed by Gremlins' Joe Dante, The 'Burbs stars Tom Hanks as Ray Peterson, who becomes convinced that his new neighbors, the Klopeks, might be murderers, after hearing strange noises emanating from their basement as well as other odd behavior. In one of the best killer-next-door movies, he and his other neighbors eventually attempt to investigate with hilariously disastrous results. The 'Burbs is a clever look at the weirdness that potentially lurks within boring small-town suburbia and Dante directs with his usual visual and comic flair. While reviews were mixed upon release, the movie has become something of a cult classic.
7 Arlington Road (1999)
- Stream now on Starz.
Arlington Road's tagline was "Fear Thy Neighbor," and the movie earns it, as one of the best killer-next-door movies. Instead of serial killers or vampires living next door, Jeff Bridges' Michael finds himself suspecting his new neighbors, Oliver (Tim Robbins) and Cheryl (Joan Cusack), aren't just killers but domestic terrorists. An expert in terrorism himself, Michael begins to believe the blueprints that he finds in his neighbor's house aren't for any architectural project but for blowing up a building. Of course, no one believes him, so he must prove it and foil their deadly plans.
Arlington Road is a thriller with many chilling ideas and might make audiences think twice about their seemingly nice new neighbors next door. Evil could be lurking around any corner and look like anybody. The film received great reviews but, while not a hit at the box office, a television show version is in development for Paramount+, proving that Arlington Road had an impact despite its box office.
6 The Woman In The Window (2021)
- Stream now on Netflix.
The incomparable Amy Adams displays her acting talents tenfold in one of the best killer-next-door movies, The Woman in the Window. Following the blueprint that Rear Window created, The Woman in the Window follows the agoraphobic Anna Fox (Adams) as she lives alone in her NYC apartment. Her new across-the-street neighbor Jane (Julianne Moore) pays her a visit and the two strike up a friendship — until she witnesses Jane being murdered while spying on the apartment across the way.
What ensues is a twisty and dark tale of gaslighting, violence, and mistaken identity as Anna tries to prove a murder that no one believes happened. The Woman in the Window features a stellar cast, starring the likes of the aforementioned Adams and Moore, Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. There are plenty of twists, turns, and thrills to keep audiences engaged until the very end of director Joe Wright's bizarre tale.
5 The Lovely Bones (2009)
- Stream now on Paramount+.
Based on the book by Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones takes a unique spin on the killer-next-door genre and is one of the best killer-next-door movies. Set in 1973, a young girl, Susie (Saoirse Ronan), is murdered by her neighbor. What follows are parallel stories as Susie finds herself in the "in-between" afterlife world while her family searches for her killer. Eventually, Susie discovers how to help them find her murderer (Stanley Tucci) from the beyond.
Directed by Peter Jackson, The Lovely Bones combines horror, tragedy, mystery, and wonderment all in one movie. The film received mixed reviews and a cool box office reception, however, Stanley Tucci received an Oscar nomination for his role as the killer neighbor, and the film definitively kickstarted Irish actress Saoirse Ronan's career. She received three accolades for her performance in The Lovely Bones from the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards, the Saturn Awards, and the Irish Film and Television Awards.
4 Disturbia (2007)
- Available to rent and purchase on multiple platforms.
Considered to be Rear Window for teens, Disturbia revolves around a teenager Kale (Shia LaBeouf), who gets put on house arrest after a fight with a teacher, and is one of the best killer-next-door movies. While stuck at home he becomes convinced that his next-door neighbor is a serial killer, and it's up to him and his friends to prove to the authorities he's telling the truth about his neighbor's identity.
While the clever use of Rear Window's aspects were praised, many viewed the film as paling in comparison. However, Disturbia was a huge box-office hit and launched Shia LaBeouf's movie star career. The teen horror performed an awards sweep at the 2007 Teen Choice Awards and even won something at the ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards. It may be another iteration of Rear Window, but early Shia LaBeouf is definitely worth the watch and David Morse is particularly formidable as Mr. Turner.
3 Fright Night (1985)
- Stream now on Sling.
Fright Night takes the Rear Window formula but adds a supernatural twist, and it's definitely one of the best killer-next-door movies. The story revolves around a horror movie-obsessed teenager, Charley, who believes his neighbor is a vampire. Despite an abundance of evidence, no one believes him, so he enlists the help of a washed-up actor, who's famous for playing a vampire killer in movies, to help uncover his neighbor's ghoulish secret. Upon release, the film was a hit and along with great reviews made it one of the most popular horror movies of the 1980s. A remake was released in 2011, however, it failed it attain the original's popularity.
2 Apt Pupil (1998)
- Stream now on Prime Video.
Based on the novella by horror master Stephen King, Apt Pupil tells the story of a teenage boy, Todd, who discovers his next-door neighbor is a Nazi war criminal (Ian McKellan) in hiding. Obsessed with Nazism and the Holocaust, Todd takes an interest in his neighbor, however, the friendship awakens evil within him. One of the best killer-next-door movies of all time, Apt Pupil is highly underseen, and it's darkly compelling narrative draws audiences in almost immediately.
A previous attempt at filming King's novella took place in the late 1980s and 40 mins of the film were shot, but the production ran out of money and was never revived. Bryan Singer took over the direction for this version, after his Usual Suspects success, and while the film failed at the box office, critics praised it, especially for Ian McKellan's performance. Apt Pupil ended up raking in five awards in total, including a Critics Choice Movie Award, two Saturn Awards, and accolades from the Tokyo International Film Festival and the Florida Film Critics Circle Awards.
1 Rear Window (1954)
- Available to rent and purchase on multiple platforms.
Considered one of director Alfred Hitchcock's best and definitively the best killer-next-door movie of all time, Rear Window is based on a short story and stars Jimmy Stewart as a photographer confined to a wheelchair who witnesses a murder taking place through the window of the neighboring apartment. Unfortunately, no one believes him until it's too late. The film has acted as a blueprint for a ton of killer-next-door movies, and its thrills and chills have managed to stand the test of time.
With Rear Window, Hitchcock earns his reputation as the "master of suspense" as he crafts a tense build-up that delivers exciting thrills. The film has been noted for exploring the idea of voyeurism, which might even be a metaphor for "film" itself. Since its release in 1954, critics and audiences have hailed Rear Window for being a masterpiece and one of cinema's greatest films, and it's easily the best killer-next-door movie made so far.
