The 20 Best Slasher Movies, Ranked

Starting off the list with an entry that could work well as both a Halloween and a Christmas movie, this film strays from the usual formula and immediately focuses on the killer. A young Billy Chapman witnesses his parents’ murder by a man dressed as Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, and is thus raised in a Catholic orphanage where his fears and association of horrible things with Christmas are only reinforced. An older Billy dons a Santa suit at a Christmas Party and goes on a murderous rampage after the experience triggers him.

Billy is a fine slasher to include on the list, but since he is the focal point of the movie, much of the suspense and stalking associated with most killers is missing. While the movie itself wasn’t revolutionary, the backlash it received for making Killer Santa the main character drew a lot of criticism from viewers and critics.

Taking place six years after a terrible tragedy, six high schoolers (who were responsible for the death of a young girl named Robin Hammond) are getting ready for their high school prom. The six kept this horrible crime a secret, but that evening they realize someone may know about their past as a group, as they start being picked off one by one the night of the prom.

Robin Hammond’s older sister, Kim (Jamie Lee Curtis), is thrown into the mix as they race to figure out who’s knocking off these students before the night is over. The killer in this film isn’t particularly interesting aesthetically, as he’s pretty much a man in a ski mask, but the kills are decent for the time the movie was made and greatly utilized the great Scream Queen Jamie Lee Curtis.

It doesn’t measure up to fellow slashers like Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers, but Prom Night is a solid entry in your slasher movie marathon.

This entry is very unique and a very fun take on the slasher genre. Obnoxious college student Tree Gelbman is murdered on the night of her birthday by a serial killer wearing a creepy baby mask, seemingly one of many victims of this Babyface killer’s rampage. Unlike every other slasher victim, Tree wakes up in bed the second she is killed and is forced to relive her birthday (which is consequently also her Death Day) over and over again until she can figure out who wants her dead and try to stop her murder.

While this is a clever concept and an entertaining film, it definitely leans more toward comedy, and being a PG-13 movie means much of the violence is toned down. A funny Halloween-style romp for sure, but there are better slashers out there.

In 1945, a young couple was murdered by a man dressed in military fatigues during a graduation dance. Years later, when the school has its first graduation celebration since the murder, more students are starting to get killed off again, as it seems the killer from 1945 has returned, donning WWII fatigues and a hood to hide his identity.

While The Prowler follows a pretty standard slasher formula, the killer’s unique look and the gore from master of practical effects Tom Savini make it a strong entry in the genre. The pacing isn’t quite there, and the characters aren’t particularly memorable, but the kills drive the movie, and they’re quite violent for an early-80s horror film. It’s not an overly complicated film, but that’s perhaps its greatest strength: easy-to-digest slasher fun.

A premise similar to Prom Night: a group of high schoolers is out celebrating their graduation when they accidentally strike a man on a dark road. Believing him to be dead, the group decides to dispose of the body and swear that none of them would ever speak of the events of that night ever again. A year passes, and messages reading “I Know What You Did Last Summer” start popping up, showing the students that someone out there knows what happened a year ago and driving them into fear and paranoia. The participants in the man’s murder start to get stalked and murdered by a man in a black raincoat, a rain hat, and armed with a giant fisherman’s hook.

The story may not be game-changing, and the ending is pretty predictable once you think about it, but the cast was great, and the Fisherman killer had a strong aesthetic. Unfortunately, the kills aren’t memorable, which is why it’s so high on the list, but the story and killer left their cultural mark for years to come.

One of the earlier films of the slasher genre, and perhaps one of the more iconic due to how much was drawn from it for later films, Black Christmas set the stage for what was to come in horror cinema for generations.

Right before Christmas break is set to begin, a group of college sorority girls is targeted by a hidden killer, starting off with obscene anonymous calls to the house, then murdering them in horrible fashion. After the first girl disappears, police get involved to find the missing girl, not realizing that the killer is already hiding in the sorority house and is able to kill these girls one by one and hide their bodies, so the survivors by and large have no idea what’s going on. We only know the killer’s supposed name: Billy. We don’t know what he looks like or his motives, but judging from the creepy calls he has with his victims, the man is clearly deranged. Seemingly having no identity or clear motive makes this slasher extra effective.

Another early example of what the slasher genre would become, The Town That Dreaded Sundown includes many elements that carry over into horror movies today.

Based on the real-life Texarkana Moonlight Murders of 1946, the citizens of the city of Texarkana are terrorized by a killer wearing a sack over his head (very similar to the one Jason Voorhees would eventually wear in Friday the 13th Part 2), known as the Phantom Killer.

This movie carries the familiar slasher archetype but also has a sense of realism, based on actual events and the way the killer targets his victims. Mostly focusing on young couples in parked cars, this killer’s modus operandi can be applied to a lot of serial killers in the real world, plus throw in the fact that we never know who he actually is makes him all the more terrifying.

After Kane Hodder had the role of Jason Voorhees unceremoniously taken away from him, another project was greenlit, making him an unstoppable killing machine once again: enter Victor Crowley.

The film Hatchet focuses on the legend of Victor Crowley, a deformed, unstoppable mass killer (sound familiar?) who protects his swamp in the Louisiana Bayou and savagely murders anyone who dares enter. The Hatchet series is known for its modest budgets, less-than-stellar acting, but incredibly gory practical effects, with on-screen kills never seen before. The victims are stupid and ridiculous, and Victor Crowley literally can’t die, finding new ways to horribly mutilate people. There really isn’t much else to say about Hatchet, but that’s what makes it great: stupid, simple, and a whole lot of fun.

Five years after a cruel prank leads to the disfigurement of Cropsy, the caretaker at Camp Blackfoot, kids and campers start to get brutally murdered by the horribly burned caretaker and his trademark pair of giant shears.

This movie has everything a classic slasher needs: a tragic backstory, a disfigured killer, and unique methods of dispatching young co-eds. The shears alone make Cropsy a very unique killer that sets him apart from other slashers.

Unlike most other killers, Cropsy doesn’t only operate at night, as he will attack a group of teens all at once in broad daylight, as shown in the infamous boat murder. The Burning wasn’t initially well received by critics, but it developed a massive cult following, helped by the fact that gore master Tom Savini was at the helm of the effects.

One of the more unique entries on this list is that the killer is also the film’s main protagonist.

The story of Maniac focuses on Frank Zito, an extremely troubled psychopath who lives with a large number of store mannequins. Zito stalks and murders women, scalps them, and applies their scalps and hair to the mannequins in a strange way of preserving his victims. Later on in the film, there seems to be hope for Zito’s psychosis as he meets a young photographer, Anna, and shows signs of developing a healthy relationship with her. We learn that this isn’t meant to be, and Frank’s habits and tendencies break through and ruin any chance of a normal life.

Zito’s career isn’t as lengthy or notorious as other slashers, but this is a very effective film showcasing a side of the slasher we don’t normally see.

If the first Terrifier was Art the Clown’s grand entrance (although not technically his debut), then Terrifier 2 established him as someone to be reckoned with in the world of horror.

Despite being one of the more brutally violent franchises in film history, Art has become beloved by the masses with tons of appearances in film, TV, video games, and, of course, a plethora of merchandise. Terrifier 2 was everything everyone loved from the first one but cranked up to 11 (the bedroom murder alone has become stuff of legend).

They somehow found a way to increase the gore, depravity, and utter meanness of Art while adding a taste of extremely dark humor the franchise is now famous for. The only real detraction is that the story is not very good across all films, and the movies are blatant gore for gore’s sake, but the franchise shows no sign of slowing down whatsoever.

Eli Roth made his name in grindhouse-style gorefests, but he didn’t really touch the slasher genre until the out-of-nowhere hit that was Thanksgiving. After a Black Friday sale goes extremely wrong, resulting in multiple deaths, the following Thanksgiving season is plagued by a series of murders perpetrated by a man dressed in a pilgrim outfit, dispatching his victims in holiday-themed murders. The killer targets the people he deems responsible for the deaths at the black Friday sale, even going so far as to turn a victim into a Thanksgiving dinner.

This movie is signature Eli Roth, with plenty of gore and dark humor to satiate every horror fan. The killer may not have the most intimidating looks compared to his counterparts, but the way he brutally ends the lives of his victims is what makes this movie shine, well worth the price of admission.

When a mining disaster occurs on Valentine’s Day, the sole survivor seeks revenge and goes on a murder spree, killing those in charge of the mine whom he blames for the disaster.

Legend has it that the survivor, Harry Warden, vows that nobody will ever celebrate Valentine’s Day again, or they will incur his wrath. Years later, bodies start to pile up, and human hearts are delivered to residents in candy boxes; people fear the miner has returned. Armed in full miner’s gear, a mask, and a pickaxe, the miner has become one of the most iconic killers in slasher history because of his unique look and brutality, using the mines and his surroundings to his advantage.

Holiday-themed horror movies are always fun, and this one delivers, giving you a sense of bloody holiday cheer.

Perhaps the most uniquely creative film on the list, Behind the Mask takes the slasher genre in directions not usually explored.

When an aspiring serial killer invites a documentary crew to follow his journey to become the next legendary slasher, all is not as it seems, as the filmmakers start to realize that not only are they documenting Leslie’s escapades, but they are helping him concoct his murders. One of the better horror mockumentaries, the performances and the fact that the killer is a likable guy at first make this movie a lot of fun.

The transition from documentary to traditional slasher film halfway through is done spectacularly. It’s easy to see why this film has garnered such a large cult following despite not doing huge box office numbers upon its release. Every horror fan should give this one a go for something different but also familiar.

Despite being a movie about a killer doll, this psychopathic piece of plastic has impacted the genre for years and is still putting out movies and TV shows. By no means the first killer toy on screen, Chucky from Child’s Play has easily become the most iconic.

At the beginning of the movie, we find serial killer Charles Lee Ray being pursued by the police, and after he is fatally wounded in a shootout, he uses his knowledge of voodoo to transfer his soul into the body of a popular kids’ toy, the Good Guy Doll. Hiding out as a toy child, he is given as a birthday present to a boy named Andy. If Charles Lee Ray has any hope of having a human body once again, he plans on transferring his soul into Andy’s body and continuing his reign of terror.

Soon, a series of unexplained deaths starts happening around Andy, and he insists to the adults that it is Chucky who is alive and committing the crimes. What makes the first Child’s Play movie so great is that the reveal hasn’t happened yet for the people in the film, so not only are people getting picked off left and right, but the kid’s mental health is also in question.

Chucky's methods of murder are varied, and no two kills are alike; plus, throw in some wisecracking dark humor, and you have an extremely entertaining romp in the toy aisle this Halloween.

There have been a lot of Friday the 13th films since Part 1 came out 46(!) years ago, and as of this article’s publication, the Crystal Lake series —which features a new take on the origin story of Pamela Voorhees and her son Jason—will have debuted on Peacock. While all are solid entries, and some not so great, fans generally agree that Part 4: The Final Chapter is the series at its best.

Immediately after the events of Part 3, Jason escapes a hospital and returns to Crystal Lake to keep murdering campers and the lot. By this release, the filmmakers have perfected the Friday the 13th formula: an unbeatable killer, sexy coeds isolated at a campground, and a lone survivor at the end. Throw in a prime Corey Feldman (which was his childhood, it turns out), and you have probably the best overall Friday the 13th in the series.

Arguably one of the most revolutionary slasher films in history, Wes Craven’s meta commentary on all slasher films prior and using the past to create a whole new franchise with its own identity was something to behold. After the murder of teenager Casey Becker (played by Drew Barrymore in one of the greatest cold opens of all time), a killer in a Ghostface mask terrorizes the town of Woodsboro, California.

The killer is clearly a fan of horror films and uses this knowledge of the genre’s trivia to torment and kill his victims. The main protagonist, Sydney Prescott, starts to doubt everyone around her, even her friends, and the reveal at the end was outstanding.

One aspect of the franchise that started here was Ghostface’s ever-changing identity. In each subsequent film, a copycat took over, so you never truly knew who would don the mask next.

Back in 1984, Wes Craven asked the question: if a killer followed you into your dreams, and you could die in real life if you died in said dreams, what would you do? This genius concept was brought to life with A Nightmare On Elm Street, featuring horror icon Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger.

Krueger, a former child killer who was murdered by a vigilante group of pissed-off parents, makes a deal with the devil to become a demon that invades unsuspecting victims’ dreams and uses his dream magic to kill the teens in gruesome ways. If Krueger kills you, you die in real life, and in your dreams nobody can protect you. Jaws made you afraid of going in the ocean, Psycho made you afraid to take a shower, Elm Street made you afraid to sleep!

This movie was a massive success and spawned multiple films, TV series, and of course a hell of a lot of merchandise, and apparently we are getting another reboot in the future. There’s just no stopping Freddy Krueger.

Another film that changed horror as we know it, Tobe Hooper’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre went down in history as not only one of the best, but also one of the scariest horror films of all time.

Taking place in rural Texas, a group of friends on a road trip come across an isolated farmhouse. After deciding to explore the creepy house (because why wouldn’t they?), they start to discover that this house is probably one that was best left alone. Inhabiting this house is a family of cannibal killers, all living with a severely troubled hulk of a man called Leatherface, due to the fact that he skins and wears his victims’ faces in a way to try and hide his ugly visage.

The teens realize that they were being manipulated from the beginning, and their fate was sealed the minute they entered the world of Leatherface and his family. The movie is famous for its found-footage style, which gave many viewers the impression that it was more of a documentary than a Hollywood production.

Leatherface would go on to have a long life in cinema with many sequels and prequels, but nothing has the impact this first one does.

Halloween wasn’t the first slasher film, but it set the tone, established the formula, and showed that a small-budget film with a series of unknowns could deliver one of the most important films of all time.

Fifteen years after murdering his older sister with no motive or reason whatsoever, Michael Myers escapes from a psychiatric institution and returns to his hometown of Haddonfield to continue his relentless campaign of death and destruction. There is no why to Michael Myers; there is no reasoning or remorse behind why he must kill everything he comes across; he just does. Not only that, but he is seemingly unstoppable, as people have put down Michael again and again, only for him to rise and keep killing.

This movie set the tone for what slashers would eventually be famous for: hot coeds having sex and doing drugs when they aren’t supposed to, an unstoppable killer, a high body count with creative kills; you get it all here. That’s why this movie, above all else, is the perfect slasher, front to back.