5 Horror Comedy Movies That Are Terrifying (& 5 That Are Just Hilarious)

The two genres of cinema which elicit the most bodily responses from viewers are horror and comedy. Since the feelings are worlds apart, it doesn’t necessarily feel that way, but a laugh and a scream are quite similar due to the extreme nature of their manifestation in the body. So, when the genres unite, they often create the perfect cocktail of entertainment and excitement. The anticipation of fear coupled with the livening effect of hilarity turns the viewing experience into a lived experience. Hence, to maximize entertainment value, sometimes a successful horror franchise will switch to comedy.

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The best horror comedies terrify on a consistent basis, using comical premises to set up the scares. This is why many of them employ jumpscares; the humor puts viewers at ease so they’re unprepared for a jumpscare. Similarly, situational comedy is the primary form of humor because writing a good joke into the script is particularly difficult when characters are in a horrifying situation. The situation creeps up on an unsuspecting viewer who’s still reeling from the fear. This appealing binary is why films of the horror genre often become cult classics, even if they initially bombed.

10 Terrifying: Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)

Directed by Halina Reijn

Bodies Bodies Bodies Key Poster

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ScreenRant logo 7/10 Bodies Bodies Bodies RComedyHorrorThriller

Bodies Bodies Bodies is a comedy/horror/thriller from 2 AM. When Bee (Maria Bakalova) travels to a hurricane party with her girlfriend Sophie (Amanda Stenberg), they find themselves surrounded by affluent 20-somethings with very different world views. When the party finally kicks off amidst the coming storm, the debauchery leads to a game of “Bodies Bodies Bodies.” However, when a power outage occurs during the game, and a murder occurs in its stead, the party takes a turn for the deadly.

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*Availability in US Director Halina Reijn Release Date August 5, 2022 Studio(s) A24 Distributor(s) A24 Writers Sarah DeLappe , Kristen Roupenian Cast Pete Davidson , Maria Bakalova , Rachel Sennott , Chase Sui Wonders , Amandla Stenberg , Lee Pace , Myha’la Herrold Runtime 95 minutes Expand

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Bodies Bodies Bodies is the quintessential locked-room mystery masquerading as a horror-comedy. If the color palette were brighter and the characters less paranoid, it would have been a mystery thriller. Instead, there’s a cacophony of accusations, Gen Z lingo, comically exaggerated arguments, and terrifying murders. The humor is based entirely on the lack of self-awareness of these self-centered characters who use therapy talk to circumvent acknowledging their flaws, leading to funny dialogue that aren’t jokes inside the movie, but function as punchlines for viewers.

It's What's Inside's cast looking in a mirror Related If You Liked It’s What’s Inside, Watch This Twisted Horror-Comedy With 86% On Rotten Tomatoes Next

The perfect movie to watch after It’s What’s Inside on Netflix is another atmospheric horror comedy with a shocking twist: Bodies Bodies Bodies.

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However, most shots use claustrophobic frames with barely enough negative space, and the score is anxiety-inducing, so the comedy of the interactions is barely a cushion against the terror that the movie teases the entire time. The paranoia of the characters crosses through the screen and takes over the viewer’s mind. The kills aren’t spaced apart enough for the anxiety to wane off at any point during the well-reviewed Bodies Bodies Bodies. It’s only with the climax, which renders the whole experience simultaneously tragic and comical, that the film resolves the tension.

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9 Hilarious: Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Directed by Edgar Wright

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ScreenRant logo 9/10 10/10 Shaun of the Dead RHorrorComedy

From director Edgar Wright, Shaun of the Dead stars Simon Pegg as Shaun, an ambitionless slacker who one day finds his world overrun by zombies. From a script by Wright and Pegg, Shaun of the Dead injects comedy into a typically horror-focused subgenre as Shaun and his lazy friend Ed (Nick Frost) attempt to rescue Shaun’s estranged girlfriend and make it through the apocalypse unscathed.

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*Availability in US Director Edgar Wright Release Date September 24, 2004 Studio(s) Universal Pictures Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Simon Pegg , Edgar Wright Cast Kate Ashfield , Nick Frost , Simon Pegg , Lucy Davis , Dylan Moran Runtime 99 minutes Expand

There are many genres that cross paths with each other in Shaun of the Dead, but the most prominent ones are romcom, sitcom, and zombie apocalypse. The titular main character, played by a particularly disillusioned Simon Pegg, has too many problems in his personal life to even realize a zombie outbreak has happened until the end of the first act. Shaun of the Dead is a darkly comedic satire on how people feel dead in a Capitalist work culture where they have no meaningful source of self-worth beyond what they might have to offer as commodities.

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The zombies can be scary, but they’re not Shaun’s biggest problem. The bright lighting, the use of zooms and pans to create visual absurdity, and the physical comedy in the performance of the people who haven’t yet been zombified all help to make the situation less scary. Plus, the emotional hook isn’t even based on the need to survive a zombie apocalypse. There’s a romcom premise of Shaun needing to win over his girlfriend while trying to keep her alive. Add to that a cricket bat as a weapon, and this horror-comedy just becomes all comedy.

8 Terrifying: Jennifer’s Body (2009)

Directed by Karyn Kusama

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ScreenRant logo 3/10 6.4/10 Jennifer’s Body RHorrorComedy

Directed by Karyn Kusama and written by Diablo Cody, Jennifer’s Body is a horror-comedy film starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried. When a newly possessed high school cheerleader (Fox) turns into a succubus specializing in seducing and killing her male classmates, her best friend (Seyfried) is the only thing that stands in the way of her sultry killing spree.

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*Availability in US Director Karyn Kusama Release Date September 18, 2009 Studio(s) 20th Century Distributor(s) 20th Century Writers Diablo Cody Cast Megan Fox , Adam Brody​ , J. K. Simmons , Johnny Simmons , Amanda Seyfried Runtime 102 minutes Expand

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Practical effects make Jennifer’s Body not just terrifying but disgusting as well. From half-eaten faces to excessive black goo vomit that includes a chicken carcass, the film doesn’t shy away from gore without using any CGI. It was initally poorly received on release, which is why it’s a great horror movie but with a bad Rotten Tomatoes score. Now celebrated as a feminist cult classic that allegorically reads like a rape-revenge narrative, Jennifer’s Body uses its horrifying visuals in accordance with the genre to highlight the depraved and extreme nature of both assault and vengeance.


In a recent interview with Bloody Disgusting, Cody revealed that a Jennifer’s Body sequel may be in the works.
” –
Brady Entwistle

Megan Fox’s Cult Classic Horror-Comedy Gets Exciting Sequel Update 15 Years Later

Endlessly quotable, Jennifer’s Body has snappy one-liners peppered throughout the screenplay which serve as the source of humor. In many ways, it’s campy and queer, offering a world of pop femininity where vapid mean girls control the social order which is then exposed to satirical critique. An atmosphere of discomfort takes over the lives of the characters as murders become rampant, but the tension is undercut by humorous exaggerations of pop culture, through a boy band singing a tribute song that’s equal parts heartfelt and parody. But despite the gimmicks, the horror is effective due to the gloomy visuals.

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7 Hilarious: Lisa Frankenstein (2024)

Directed by Zelda Williams

Lisa Frankenstein Poster With Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse Sitting Atop an Electrified Tanning Bed

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ScreenRant logo 5/10 8.7/10 Lisa Frankenstein PG-13ComedyFantasyHorror

Lisa Frankenstein is a comedic fantasy-horror film by first-time director Zelda Williams and is a twist on the classic Frankenstein formula. Set in 1989, a high school outcast named Lisa accidentally revives a handsome corpse from the Victorian era and resolves to rebuild him into the perfect man. 

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*Availability in US Director Zelda Williams Release Date February 9, 2024 Studio(s) MXN Entertainment , Lollipop Woods Distributor(s) Focus Features Writers Diablo Cody Cast Kathryn Newton , Cole Sprouse , Liza Soberano , Henry Eikenberry , Joe Chrest , Carla Gugino Runtime 101 Minutes Expand

Since they’re both written by Diablo Cody, there are theories that claim there’s a connection in the universes of Lisa Frankenstein and Jennifer’s Body. The vibes are similar, and they’re both feminist horror comedies that reclaim monstrosity as a form of resistance against cisheteropatriarchy. However, Lisa Frankenstien is decidedly lighter in mood. It’s practically a romcom between a misunderstood girl who’s ignored and the subject of patriarchal scrutiny and a “monster” who accepts her for who she is.

The blend of horror and comedy works most effectively in
Lisa Frankenstein,
as the violent sequences perpetrated by the “monster” are mostly played for gags.

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The blend of horror and comedy works most effectively in Lisa Frankenstein, as the violent sequences perpetrated by the “monster” are mostly played for gags. They’re emotional triumphs as they mostly occur in retaliation to injustice. The lead pair’s chemistry and comically overdramatic demeanors turn the genre on its head, creating horror out of the regular world’s restrictive norms, and comedy out of the romantic dispositions of the “monster”. None of the usual scare tactics are employed for scares. They instead carve out a safe space for the female lead, who’s unfairly villainized by the rest of the world.

6 Terrifying: Ready or Not (2019)

Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett

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ScreenRant logo 8/10 8/10 Ready or Not RHorrorComedyThriller

In Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett’s 2019 black comedy Ready Or Not, newlywed bride Grace Le Domas participates in a violent game of hide-and-seek with her fiancé’s family, who attempt to kill her during her wedding night as part of a long-standing ritual. The film stars Samara Weaving as Grace, Mark O’Brien as Grace’s husband Alex, Adam Brody as Alex’s brother Daniel, Andie MacDowell as their mother Becky, and Henry Czerny, Melanie Scrofano, Kristian Bruun, and Elyse Levesque as other members of the murderous family.

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*Availability in US Director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin , Tyler Gillett Release Date August 21, 2019 Studio(s) Mythology Entertainment , Vinson Films , Radio Silence Productions Distributor(s) Fox Searchlight Pictures Writers R. Christopher Murphy , Guy Busick Cast Nat Faxon , Kate Ziegler , Elyse Levesque , Chase Churchill , Elana Dunkelman , Andie MacDowell , Liam MacDonald , Mark O’Brien , Nicky Guadagni , Adam Brody​ , Henry Czerny , Ethan Tavares , Kristian Bruun , Melanie Scrofano , Samara Weaving , Etienne Kellici , John Ralston Runtime 95 minutes Expand

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Based on a folklore-tinged imagined familial curse, Ready or Not is a slasher where the main threat is opulence. Set in a mansion whose residents are all aristocrats, Ready or Not plays out like a gory survival game where the female lead, played by Samara Weaving, must fight off murderous relatives. The dimly lit location provides ample space for anxiety to creep up on Weaving’s character and on the viewer, who can only sit and watch her turn corners in anticipation of another deadly booby trap or hidden human.

Samara Weaving's Grace from Ready or Not looking intensely toward Melissa Barrera's Joey from Abigail Related Melissa Barrera Offers Exciting Ready Or Not 2 Update (But Hasn’t Had Director Reunion Talks)

Melissa Barrera offers an intriguing update on Ready or Not 2, but notes no official talks have occurred to reunite with the movie’s directors.

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The biting satire of aristocratic politeness and high society behavior crescendos in the manner in which these uber-rich socialites descend into manic behavior at the slightest provocation. From creepy skeletons to exploding heads, while the horror is both gory and disturbing, there’s a darkly comical tone to it. Some of the deaths are literally accidental, and there’s something satisfyingly hilarious about the despicable people just dying due to their greed. But when Weaving screams and gets her due in a loud and profane monologue at the end of Ready or Not, one can only feel fear and triumph, too.

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5 Hilarious: Mayhem (2017)

Directed by Joe Lynch

As a modern scream queen, Samara Weaving has made a name for herself as a star of satirical horror-comedies. While Ready or Not is the best of Samara Weaving’s horror movies, Mayhem is the funniest. A satire on the corporate world, it plays almost like a video game, due to the existence of literal levels that the protagonists must clear on their way to justice against corporate greed. Using a zombie apocalypse premise, Mayhem parodies the emptiness of an existence that’s entirely focused on wealth accumulation.

The director Joe Lynch has a cameo in
Mayhem
as an underappreciated employee who helps the characters find the CEO. It’s an instance of self-insertion employed to highlight the thematic rejection of the corporate order.

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Hilarity ensues when a viral outbreak strips every one of their inhibitions, and they start killing each other, letting their jealousy and hatred for each other overpower their survival instincts. The protagonists use the infighting to topple the entire corporate order. The fight sequences may be gory, but they’re over-the-top, often use slow motion, and are shot in bright light. Mayhem is almost an action thriller more than a horror movie, and so, the comedy is the more prominent of the two genres here.

4 Terrifying: The Menu (2022)

Directed by Mark Mylod

The Menu Movie Poster

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ScreenRant logo 7/10 8.7/10 The Menu RComedyHorrorThriller

A darkly comedic horror-thriller, The Menu focuses on a group of diners invited to a high-end restaurant on a private island by one of the world’s greatest chefs. Shortly after arriving on the island, Margot Mills begins to realize something is strange beyond the perceived pompous nature of the menu. Her suspicions are confirmed when the night turns deadly as the restaurant staff begins to descend into a cult-like madness.

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*Availability in US Director Mark Mylod Release Date November 18, 2022 Studio(s) Searchlight Pictures Distributor(s) Searchlight Pictures Writers Seth Reiss , Will Tracy Cast Ralph Fiennes , Anya Taylor-Joy , Nicholas Hoult , Hong Chau , Janet McTeer , Reed Birney , Judith Light , John Leguizamo Runtime 106 minutes Expand

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The Menu barely offers viewers a moment to breathe. So, even if there are laugh-inducing moments of pure satire, they are often undercut by the sheer amount of anxiety that hangs over every frame like a culinary monster, waiting to pounce on any prey that dares bite into what’s on their plate. An intensely thrilling exploration of the extreme angst that hangs over the professionals of the competitive culinary world, The Menu metaphorically and quite literally turns people into the very product of consumption. Every dish in the course of The Menu has a hidden meaning.


Mylod infuses the film with a lot of style and, though the film rarely moves from its central location, remains engaging as the audience waits with bated breath to discover what happens next.



Mae Abdulbaki

The Menu Review: Fiennes Leads Dark Comedy Horror That Entertains & Surprises [TIFF]

Understated in its horror due to most of it being psychological and prepared with rapid editing which heightens the sense of urgency, The Menu delivers a warm and terrifying platter of questionable ethics and cruelty masquerading as leadership. The score, the close-up shots of food, and the quick cuts to and fro the kitchen and dining room, all combine to concoct an acute sense of anticipation. The horrifying truth takes its own sweet time to make itself known after a first half decorated with some impactful but subtle foreshadowing.

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3 Hilarious: What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

Directed by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi

What We Do in the Shadows (2014) - Poster

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7/10 What We Do in the Shadows RComedyHorror

What We Do in the Shadows (2014) offers a comedic glimpse into the lives of four vampire roommates navigating modern society in New Zealand. Through a mockumentary style, the film delves into their struggles with everyday tasks and personal relationships while maintaining their undead lifestyles.

Director Taika Waititi , Jemaine Clement Release Date June 19, 2014 Writers Taika Waititi , Jemaine Clement Cast Jemaine Clement , Taika Waititi , Jonny Brugh , Cori Gonzalez-Macuer , Stu Rutherford , Ben Fransham , Jackie van Beek , Elena Stejko , Jason Hoyte , Karen O’Leary , Mike Minogue , Chelsie Preston Crayford , Ian Harcourt , Ethel Robinson , Brad Harding , Isaac Heron , Yvette Parsons , Madeleine Sami , Aaron Jackson , Morgana Hills Runtime 86 Minutes Expand

Absurdly funny to the point it’s barely scary, What We Do in the Shadows does technically qualify as a horror movie, but is more an allegorical dark comedy dealing with the ostracism faced by those who have been othered by society. While it can be interpreted as an allegory for queerness, the concept of conversion by vampires problematizes such a reading. It nonetheless serves as a brilliant satire on how monstrosity is a perceived trait that may not have any inherent or natural basis in the apparently monstrous.

The cult following of
What We Do in the Shadows
eventually prompted FX to pick up a spinoff series that ran for 6 seasons from 2019 to 2024.

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Shot with a handheld camera and made in a mockumentary format, What We Do in the Shadows uses comedy to create awkward interactions between vampires and humans, where the former becomes terrified of the latter. While the darker implications of the vampires’ experiences determine the themes of the film, it’s rather comical and lighthearted. The mockumentary format provides ample space for good punchlines, and structurally, What We Do in the Shadows operates like a slapstick comedy. Even the horrifying events, like vampires converting people and controlling their minds, are used as setups for situational comedy.

2 Terrifying: Villains (2019)

Directed by Robert Olsen and Dan Berk

Villains (2019) - Poster - Bill Skarscard, Majka monroe & blake baaumgartner

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Villains RHorrorComedyDrama

Villains is a dark comedy thriller directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen. The film stars Bill Skarsgård and Maika Monroe as a pair of amateur criminals who break into a suburban home, only to discover a disturbing secret held by the homeowners, played by Jeffrey Donovan and Kyra Sedgwick. This encounter leads to a tense and twisted face-off with chilling consequences.

Director Dan Berk , Robert Olsen Release Date September 20, 2019 Writers Dan Berk , Robert Olsen Cast Bill Skarsgard , Maika Monroe , Blake Baumgartner , Jeffrey Donovan , Kyra Sedgwick , Noah Robbins , Nikolas Kontomanolis , Danny Johnson Runtime 90 Minutes

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While there is a romance arc in Villains and a bunch of physical comedy from the actors, the situation that the characters find themselves in makes it a terrifying film. A disturbing exploration of the grays of morality, it quietly creeps up on an unsuspecting viewer who gets accustomed to the dark comedy in the first act. There’s gore, but nothing alarming, and it just plays as a twisted thriller until the reveal towards the end of the second act, which turns the protagonists’ lives upside down and immediately gives horror the driver’s seat for the rest of the ride.

Maika Monroe’s scream queen origins before
Longlegs
can be traced to films like
Villains.

While Villains does contain elements common to the slasher genre, the horror is mostly understated. Handheld shots, a muted color palette, a few jump scares, and screams from, most notably, Maika Monroe, create the sensation of horror. Maika Monroe’s scream queen origins before Longlegs can be traced to films like Villains, which would qualify as indie B-movies, but promise loads of entertaining screams and terrifying circumstances. Added to her performance is that of Bill Skarsgård, who actually gets the rare chance to flex some serious chops for great comedic timing, which is a refreshing twist on his usual roles.

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1 Hilarious: Spontaneous (2020)

Directed by Brian Duffield

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ScreenRant logo 7/10 Spontaneous RFantasy Sci-FiComedy

Spontaneous is a dark comedy film directed by Brian Duffield. Starring Katherine Langford and Charlie Plummer, the film centers on high school students who face an unexpected crisis when their classmates begin to spontaneously combust. As chaos ensues, the protagonists grapple with the fragility of life and the urgency of their feelings.

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*Availability in US Director Brian Duffield Release Date October 2, 2020 Writers Brian Duffield Cast Payton Lepinski , Katherine Langford , Yvonne Orji , Chelah Horsdal , Dolores Drake , Kaitlyn Bernard , Charlie Plummer , Piper Perabo , Laine MacNeil , Rob Huebel , Hayley Law Runtime 97 minutes

Equal parts horror and coming-of-age romantic tragedy, Spontaneous feels like a dark comedy with a supernatural premise because the horror component serves as the motivation for the character development. The sight of high school students inexplicably exploding is both terrifying and sad, and the film focuses on the latter. The unpredictability of life becomes the primary theme of the life of the central couple, as they try to reconcile the death of their classmates and make the most of their time together.

Spontaneous Ending explained Related Spontaneous Ending Explained: Why The Teens Were Exploding

Spontaneous’s horrific premise comes to a cautiously optimistic conclusion with the movie’s ending. Here are the themes of the finale explained

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The couple’s chemistry, defined by dark humor, movie references, and a love for ’80s music, distracts from the horror of it all. Spontaneous never lets go of the premise of students exploding, but it uses narrative components more common to the drama genre. it focuses on the lives of the people affected by the explosions instead of creating a horror based on the anticipation for the next explosion. Ending with a life-affirming message, Spontaneous is a bittersweet twist on the horror-comedy that deserves more recognition than it gets.

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