10 Horror Movies To Watch If You Love Hereditary

Ari Aster’s modern horror classic Hereditary was truly one of the best movies of the 2010s, and it has left audiences craving similar films to check out. Whether it was the deep-rooted issues of intergenerational trauma at the heart of its story or the occultism of the Graham family, these are themes that have been seen time and again across horror history, meaning there’s a wealth of films that echo the style and appeal of Hereditary. With an unmatched performance from Toni Collette as the traumatized mother Annie, several other horror releases had similarly powerful performances.

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Hereditary was one of the best horror movies in living memory, and fans of Ari Aster’s incredible work should be sure to go back and discover some of the true classics of the genre that helped inform this supernatural tale. Aster himself has a distinctive style, which means viewers may also be interested in watching his other work and seeing how it compares to the masterpiece that was Hereditary. As one of the defining horror movies of the 21st century, Hereditary was just the tip of the iceberg regarding powerful and effective psychological horror releases.

10 The Witch (2015)

Directed by Robert Eggers

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11 9.1/10 The Witch RHorror

Distributed by A24, The Witch marks the feature directorial debut of Robert Eggers and the first film appearance of Anya Taylor-Joy. Written by Eggers, The Witch follows a puritanical family in New England in the 1630s who are forced to leave their community after a religious dispute. Attempting to set up a farm in the New England countryside, the family soon find themselves beset by malevolent and supernatural forces beyond their comprehension.

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*Availability in US Director Robert Eggers Release Date February 19, 2016 Studio(s) A24 Distributor(s) A24 , Universal Pictures Writers Robert Eggers Cast Kate Dickie , Wahab Chaudhry , Ellie Grainger , Ralph Ineson , Sarah Stephens , Lucas Dawson , Anya Taylor-Joy , Bathsheba Garnett , Harvey Scrimshaw , Julian Richings Runtime 92minutes Budget $4 million Expand

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Alongside Hereditary director Ari Aster, another major name that stands out in modern horror is Robert Eggers, who also makes deeply atmospheric and effective scary movies. Much in the same way that Aster captured the psychologically rich themes of motherhood, grief, and mental health in Hereditary, Eggers’ directorial debut, The Witch, hinted at the religious extremity, misogyny, and madness of a Puritan family in 1630s New England. This period horror film was one of the most extraordinary filmmaking debuts of the 21st century and signaled the dawning of a brand new voice in the world of horror.

Not only was The Witch an extraordinary debut from Eggers, but it also featured future The Queen’s Gambit and Furiosa star Anya Taylor-Joy in one of her very first roles. As a thought-provoking and visually stunning piece of filmmaking, The Witch showcased a family’s steady descent into religious hysteria and madness as the superstitions and prejudices of their era escalated their supernatural fears. With slow-building tension, Eggers kept audiences on the edge of their seats right up to the enthralling climax of The Witch.

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9 The Babadook (2014)

Directed by Jennifer Kent

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6/10 The Babadook RHorrorDrama

The Babadook, directed by Jennifer Kent, explores the struggles of a single mother grieving her husband’s death while confronting her son’s fear of a lurking monster. As they contend with this unseen entity, the sinister presence grows increasingly pervasive in their lives.

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*Availability in US Director Jennifer Kent Release Date November 28, 2014 Writers Jennifer Kent Cast Essie Davis , Noah Wiseman , Hayley McElhinney , Daniel Henshall , Barbara West , Ben Winspear , Cathy Adamek , Craig Behenna , Hachi , Tim Purcell , Chloe Hurn , Jacquy Phillips , Bridget Walters , Adam Morgan , Pippa Wanganeen , Peta Shannon , Michelle Nightingale , Tony Mack , Carmel Johnson , Michael Gilmour , Craig McArdle , Terence Crawford , Tiffany Lyndall-Knight , Lucy Hong , Sophie Riggs , John Maurice , Stephen Sheehan , Alicia Zorkovic , Lotte Crawford , Chris Roberts , Annie Batten Character(s) Amelia Vanek , Samuel Vanek , Claire , Robbie , Gracie Roach , Oskar Vanek , Prue , Warren , Bugsy , The Babadook , Ruby , Beverly , Norma , Sergeant , Eastern Suburbs Mum 1 / Eastern Suburbs Mum 2 / Eastern Suburbs Mum 3 , Principal , Teacher , Young Policeman 1 / Young Policeman 2 , Doctor , Supermarket Mum , Supermarket Little Girl , Checkout Chick , Car Guy , Magician , Fast Food Mum , Kissing Woman / Kissing Man , Old Woman in Corridor Runtime 94 Minutes Budget $2 million Main Genre Horror Expand

Both Hereditary and The Babadook explored themes of family trauma and repression but in wildly different ways. From writer and director Jennifer Kent, The Babadook was a deeply moving horror that blended genuine scares with a poignant story exploring the darkest aspects of motherhood, loss, and grief. The Babadook tells the story of a widowed single mother who, with her son, must confront a mysterious humanoid monster in their home, who stands as a powerful metaphor for grief itself.

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As a modern cult classic that has endured due to LGBTQ+ interpretations and a queer subtext that linked the movie’s monster to other sexuality-charged horror icons like Frankenstein or Dracula, The Babadook was a deeply layered film. With intense pain hidden just below the surface, The Babadook explored family dynamics, trauma, and complex emotions in a way that was not dissimilar to Hereditary.

8 Antichrist (2009)

Directed by Lars von Trier

Antichrist (2009) - Poster - Willem Dafoe & Charlotte Gainsbourg

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Antichrist NRDramaHorrorThriller

Antichrist is a psychological horror film directed by Lars von Trier, starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg. Following the devastating loss of their child, a grieving couple retreats to their cabin in the woods, where they encounter strange and terrifying events. The film explores themes of grief, trauma, and the human psyche, set against an unsettling forest backdrop.

Director Lars von Trier Release Date May 20, 2009 Studio(s) Zentropa Entertainments , Slot Machine , Memfis Film , Trollhättan Film , Zentropa International Köln , Lucky Red , Zentropa International Poland , Arte France Cinéma , ZDF/Arte , Liberator Productions , Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen , DR , Arte , Film i Väst , SVT , Canal+ , CNC , Det Danske Filminstitut , Deutscher Filmförderfonds (DFFF) , Nordisk Film & TV Fond , PISF , Svenska Filminstitutet , ZDF Writers Lars von Trier Cast Willem Dafoe , Charlotte Gainsbourg , Storm Acheche Sahlstrøm Runtime 109 Minutes Budget 11000000.0 Main Genre Drama Expand

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The death of a child was a central theme of both Hereditary and Antichrist, as this deeply disturbing psychological thriller will surely appeal to those who were affected by Ari Aster’s movie. From Danish director Lars von Trier, Antichrist centered on the psychological collapse of a couple whose life was taken over by existential despair after the accidental death of their infant son. With surreal imagery and strange visuals, this unnamed couple, played by Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg, dealt with their grief in a fury of violent sadomasochism.

As a filmmaker, Von Trier has never shied away from the darkest sides of human psychology, and, unlike in Hereditary, Antichrist was less informed by the supernatural and more played like a gritty, realist exploration of humans pushed to the very limits of their own sanity. While this unconventional horror may be too much for some viewers to bear, fans of Hereditary will likely connect with this deeply dark and grotesquely grim story.

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7 What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

Directed by Robert Aldrich

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What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, a psychological thriller from 1962 directed by Robert Aldrich, stars Bette Davis and Joan Crawford as aging sisters with a history of Hollywood fame and sibling rivalry. The film explores themes of jealousy, dependency, and mental instability, set against the backdrop of their decaying mansion in Los Angeles.

Director Robert Aldrich Release Date October 31, 1962 Cast Bette Davis , Joan Crawford , Victor Buono Runtime 2h 14m

The psychological horror What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? explored themes of sibling rivalry, jealousy, codependency, and tragedy, all packaged in the story of a former child star who grew up into irrelevance. Much like Hereditary addresses intergenerational trauma, Baby Jane explores how fame can lead to resentment among family members. With two astounding performances from Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, the pure emotional power of their roles felt not dissimilar to Toni Collette’s Oscar-worthy performance in Hereditary.

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What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? was a campy black comedy that blended horror and humor in a way that made for bone-chilling and often laugh-out-loud viewing. With two leading performances informed by the real behind-the-scenes rivalry between Crawford and Davis, the genuine feelings of distaste the duo had for one another bled into the film itself. A true classic of 1960s horror, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is essential viewing for horror fans of all descriptions.

6 The Wicker Man (1973)

Directed by Robin Hardy

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The Wicker Man RHorrorMysteryThriller

The Wicker Man is a horror film released in 1973 and follows Police Sergeant Neil Howie, who heads to an island on the coast of Scottland in search of a missing girl. Howie discovers that the disappearance is related to a pagan society that conflicts with his Christian values – but his continued search leads him to the heart of something sinister.

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*Availability in US Director Robin Hardy Release Date December 6, 1973 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Anthony Shaffer Cast Diane Cilento , Britt Ekland , Edward Woodward , Ingrid Pitt , Christopher Lee Runtime 88 minutes Budget $810 thousand Main Genre Horror Expand

The occultist themes and demon-worshiping practices of the family in Hereditary were also seen in the much earlier horror classic The Wicker Man. This British cult favorite centered on a policeman visiting an isolated island to investigate a missing girl only to be subjected to a horrific ritualistic sacrifice rooted in Celtic paganism. With slow-building suspense, the true nature of the island and its inhabitants carefully revealed itself as The Wicker Man built towards its fiery conclusion.

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As one of Christopher Lee’s best horror roles that wasn’t Count Dracula, the actor’s characterization of Lord Summerisle, the eerily enigmatic leader of the island, was a defining role in his career. As a major influence on Hereditary director Ari Aster’s later film Midsommar, the influence of the occultist themes in The Wicker Man can be felt throughout the filmmaker’s work. While the Nicolas Cage-led remake of The Wicker Man was a disappointing but highly memeable adaptation, the original was truly an essential 1970s cult classic.

5 Get Out (2017)

Directed by Jordan Peele

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8.7/10 Get Out RHorrorMysteryThriller

Jordan Peele made his directorial Horror debut with Get Out, a terrifying Psychological Horror film starring Daniel Kaluuya. In the 2017 release, Chris Washington heads to Upstate New York to meet the family of his girlfriend, Rose. What follows is a horrifying ordeal for the anxious photographer.

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*Availability in US Director Jordan Peele Release Date February 24, 2017 Studio(s) Universal Pictures Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Jordan Peele Cast Lyle Brocato , LaKeith Stanfield , Caleb Landry Jones , Betty Gabriel , Allison Williams , Marcus Henderson , Erika Alexander , Bradley Whitford , Jeronimo Spinx , Catherine Keener , Daniel Kaluuya Runtime 1 hour, 44 minutes Budget 4.5 million Expand
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As a true modern horror classic released just one year before Hereditary, Get Out was a must-watch movie that similarly explored deeply unsettling and psychologically complex themes. From writer and director Jordan Peele, Get Out signaled this filmmaker’s shift from comedy into horror as he tackled issues of class and race in a deeply clever story about a young Black man uncovering shocking secrets of his white girlfriend’s family. With an astounding lead performance from Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out was one of the best horrors of the 2010s.

While Hereditary focused on family trauma, Get Out instead focused on systemic racism and exploitation and used the horror genre to showcase the ongoing fetishization and cultural appropriation of white people toward Black culture. As a suspenseful satire that used its intriguing premise to deliver sharp social commentary, Get Out was funny, scary, and thought-provoking all at once. As two horror movies that have had a major cultural impact, fans of Hereditary will certainly get a lot out of Get Out.

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4 The Shining (1980)

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

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16 9.4/10 The Shining RHorrorDrama

Stanley Kubrick’s horror classic starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall tells the story of the Torrance family, who move to the isolated Overlook Hotel so that father Jack Torrance can act as its winter caretaker. Stuck at the hotel due to the winter storms, the malevolent supernatural forces inhabiting the building slowly begin to drive Jack insane, causing his wife and psychically gifted son to be caught up in a fight for their lives when Jack is pushed over the edge. 

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*Availability in US Director Stanley Kubrick Release Date June 13, 1980 Writers Diane Johnson , Stanley Kubrick Cast Danny Lloyd , Shelley Duvall , Jack Nicholson , Scatman Crothers Runtime 146 minutes Budget $19 Million Expand

A lot of comparisons can be made regarding the unresolved family issues of the Graham family in Hereditary and the sinister undertones of alcohol-infused abuse at the heart of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. With both movies being masterpieces of their eras, lovers of Hereditary should check out this classic release from one of the greatest directors who ever lived. Telling the story of Jack Torrance, an aspiring writer who moves his family to become a caretaker in a vacant hotel over the winter, things soon turn dark as madness takes hold and Jack goes on a murderous rampage.

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Much like in Hereditary, supernatural forces come to the forefront as the spirits of the Overlook Hotel tap into Jack’s dark nature, and his violent outbursts put the lives of his wife and child at risk. While The Shining received mixed reviews upon release, it has since been reappraised as an essential horror movie and a highlight of Kubrick’s esteemed career. As one of Jack Nicholson’s greatest and most menacing roles, the image of him wielding an axe as he screamed, “Here’s Johnny!” to a terrified Shelley Duvall has gone down as a defining moment in horror movie history.

3 Beau Is Afraid (2023)

Directed by Ari Aster

Beau is afraid movie poster 2

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9/10 Beau Is Afraid RComedyHorrorSupernatural

Beau Is Afraid (formerly known as Disappointment Blvd.) is a new supernatural horror/comedy film from Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar.) Joaquin Phoenix stars as the titular Beau in his older years, as a young man with a strained relationship with his mother. After her death, his return home is marked by strange supernatural occurrences.

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*Availability in US Director Ari Aster Release Date April 21, 2023 Studio(s) A24 Distributor(s) A24 Writers Ari Aster Cast Joaquin Phoenix , Nathan Lane , Patti LuPone , Amy Ryan , Kylie Rogers , Parker Posey , Stephen McKinley Henderson , Hayley Squires Runtime 179 minutes Budget $35 million Expand
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The Hereditary director Ari Aster is truly one of the most experimental and unusual directors working in the mainstream today. While these more idiosyncratic impulses came to the forefront in the unique visuals of Hereditary, with his 2023 film Beau Is Afraid, Aster leaned much more heavily into his more bizarre and surreal impulses. Starring Joaquin Phoenix as Beau, this anxiety-inducing story about a mild-mannered man riddled with paranoia trying to get home to attend his mother’s funeral was truly not for the faint of heart.

Beau Is Afraid was both funny and frightening in equal measure, as this neurotic odyssey of epic proportions truly had to be seen to be believed. Phoenix’s performance was full of strange and unusual choices as his voice, expressions, and mannerisms captured the pure confusion and terror at the heart of his experiences. While many viewers will have discovered Aster’s unique style of filmmaking with Hereditary, Beau Is Afraid will push them further out of their comfort zone in a good way.

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2 Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

Directed by Roman Polanski

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10/10 Rosemary’s Baby RHorrorDrama

Directed by Roman Polanski and starring Mia Farrow, Rosemary’s Baby chronicles the chilling tale of Rosemary Woodhouse, the wife of an actor who, after finding out she is pregnant, begins to suspect that her unborn child is something far more sinister than a normal baby. John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, and Maurice Evans also star. 

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*Availability in US Director Roman Polanski Release Date June 12, 1968 Studio(s) Paramount Pictures Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures Writers Roman Polanski Cast Ralph Bellamy , Mia Farrow , Sidney Blackmer , Ruth Gordon , John Cassavetes Runtime 137 minutes Budget $2.3 million Expand

Occultism and Satanic worship were both pressing themes in Hereditary and the 1960s horror classic Rosemary’s Baby. This undeniably influential psychological horror was directed by Roman Polanski and starred Mia Farrow as a young woman who was unknowingly impregnated with the spawn of Satan. Exploring issues around bodily autonomy, feminism, and the overbearing expectations and restrictions of patriarchy, Rosemary’s Baby was a truly powerful adaptation of the original novel by Ira Levin.

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With slow-building suspense, the supernatural aspects of Rosemary’s Baby are quietly hinted at throughout the movie, become more pronounced as the runtime continues, and eventually fully come to the forefront in its shocking conclusion. Farrow captured the intense horror of a woman being exploited and used by everyone in her life and whose agency was being taken away for the purposes of demonic evil. By peeling back layers of psychological and existential fears, Rosemary’s Baby was one of the most effective horror movies of the 1960s.

1 Midsommar (2019)

Directed by Ari Aster

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13 6.4/10 Midsommar RMysteryDramaHorror

Ari Aster’s Midsommar follows a group of American college students who travel to a friend’s isolated rural hometown in Sweden to experience their renowned midsummer festival. What starts out as idyllic quickly becomes a disconcertingly violent pagan ritual, with the friends engaged in a ruthless competition that will test more than just their friendship. Florence Pugh stars alongside Jack Reynor, Will Poulter, and William Jackson Harper.

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*Availability in US Director Ari Aster Release Date July 3, 2019 Writers Ari Aster Cast Julia Ragnarsson , Rebecka Johnston , Henrik Norlén , William Jackson Harper , Gunnel Fred , Anna Åström , Will Poulter , Archie Madekwe , Louise Peterhoff , Björn Andrésen , Isabelle Grill , Jack Reynor , Florence Pugh , Liv Mjönes Runtime 147 minutes Budget 9million Main Genre Horror Expand
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As a film released just one year after Hereditary, it was impressive how quickly Ari Aster was able to follow up his breakout hit with yet another modern horror classic. While Midsommar had plenty of Aster’s signature style, it was also a very different movie as it explored the story of a girl named Dani (Florence Pugh), who was left traumatized following the death of her sister, traveling to rural Sweden to attend a fabled midsummer festival. However, what started as an idyllic retreat soon turned dark as the sacrificial plans of a pagan Swedish cult came to the forefront.

As audiences watched Dani’s relationship with her boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor) fall apart, Midsommar could be described as the most intense breakup movie of all time as she soon found herself embroiled in a pagan ritualistic sacrifice. Midsommar was an unsettling story made all the more powerful due to the incredible performances of its cast and the emotional heft of its writing. With Midsommar, Aster proved the success of Hereditary was no fluke and that audiences could look forward to a fascinating career that’s helping to elevate the reputation of horror films as art.

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