Top 30 Ranked

The Greatest Horror Movies of 2022

Unforgettable Screams and Modern Nightmares

Explore the top rated horror films of the year. From supernatural slashers to psychological thrillers, discover which movies redefined the genre.

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About 2022 Horror Movies

In the long and bloody history of horror cinema, certain years act as pivot points where the genre shifts from niche entertainment into the center of the cultural conversation. Many critics look back at 1968 or 1978 as those golden vintages, but 2022 arguably earned its place on that prestigious list. It was a year that felt like a relentless barrage of creativity, proving that horror is currently the most flexible, profitable, and daring corner of the film industry.

What made 2022 so remarkable was the sheer variety of voices and styles on display. We moved past the era of so-called elevated horror, a term that always felt a bit backhanded to begin with, and entered a phase where filmmakers felt comfortable being both smart and unashamedly gross. Nowhere was this more evident than in Zach Cregger’s Barbarian. It was the ultimate word of mouth hit, a film that delighted in pulling the rug out from under the audience not just once, but twice. It reminded us that the best horror experiences are often the ones where you have absolutely no idea where the story is headed.

While Barbarian was disrupting the traditional narrative structure, Ti West was busy building a brand new franchise from scratch. With X and its technicolor prequel Pearl, West and his muse Mia Goth created a double feature that explored the dark, hungry side of ambition. Goth’s performance in Pearl specifically was a masterclass in psychological disintegration, giving the year one of its most indelible images in that final, agonizingly long frozen smile during the end credits. It was a signal that horror could still provide a platform for some of the best acting in the business.

The year also saw the return of legacy icons and the birth of new ones. David Lynchian dread met suburban satire in Parker Finn’s Smile, a film that used high-concept jumpscares to tap into the very real anxiety of generational trauma. Meanwhile, Damien Leone’s Terrifier 2 proved that there is still a massive, hungry audience for the kind of practical effects and transgressive gore that defined the eighties. Art the Clown became a modern slasher icon, proving that you do not need a massive studio budget to dominate the social media discourse.

Even the veteran masters returned to the fold to show the newcomers how it is done. Jordan Peele delivered his most ambitious work yet with Nope, a film that functioned as both a thrilling creature feature and a biting critique of our obsession with spectacle. It was horror on a grand, cinematic scale, reclaiming the summer blockbuster for the macabre. At the same time, David Cronenberg returned to his body horror roots with Crimes of the Future, reminding us that nobody understands the intersection of the flesh and the soul quite like he does.

Looking back, the landscape of 2022 was one of total fearlessness. Filmmakers stopped apologizing for being part of a genre that was once dismissed as lowbrow. Instead, they used the language of fear to talk about grief, technology, and the American dream. Whether it was the experimental grain of Skinamarink or the polished thrills of The Black Phone, 2022 showed that horror is not just thriving. It is leading the way.

The Complete Rankings

Based on the top picks in drafts on SnakeDrafts

See Top Ten
30
2022 Horror in Frank and Penelope (2022)
Frank and Penelope
2022

A tale of love and violence when a man on his emotional last legs finds a savior seductively dancing in a run-down strip club. And a life most certainly headed off a cliff suddenly becomes redirected - as everything is now worth dying for.

Thriller
Horror
1h 52m
Sean Patrick Flanery
Billy Budinich, Caylee Cowan, Johnathon Schaech, Brian Maillard
29
2022 Horror in Holy Spider (2022)
Holy Spider
2022

A journalist descends into the dark underbelly of the Iranian holy city of Mashhad as she investigates the serial killings of sex workers by the so called "Spider Killer", who believes he is cleansing the streets of sinners.

Thriller
Drama
1h 58m
Ali Abbasi
Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Mehdi Bajestani, Arash Ashtiani, Forouzan Jamshidnejad
28
2022 Horror in Blood Relatives (2022)
Blood Relatives
2022

A nomadic recluse living on the fringes of society reconsiders his bloodthirsty legacy when a teenage girl shows up claiming to be his daughter.

Horror
Comedy
1h 28m
Noah Segan
Victoria Moroles, Noah Segan, Akasha Villalobos, C.L. Simpson

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27
2022 Horror in Unicorn Wars (2022)
Unicorn Wars
2022

An army of bear cubs train and indoctrinate young recruits for the war against the unicorns, which threatens the safety of the cubs. Brothers Bluey and Tubby, along with a group of inexperienced cadets, are sent on a dangerous mission to save the Magic Forest, where the unicorns live, and start a terrible battle.

Action
Animation
1h 33m
Alberto Vázquez
Jon Goiri, Jaione Insausti, Ramón Barea, Txema Regalado
26
2022 Horror in Sissy (2022)
Sissy
2022

Cecilia is a successful social media influencer living the dream, until she runs into her ex-childhood best friend and is invited away on her bachelorette weekend. Suddenly, Sissy finds herself stuck in a remote cabin with her school bully... and a taste for revenge.

Horror
Comedy
1h 42m
Kane Senes
Aisha Dee, Emily De Margheriti, Hannah Barlow, Daniel Monks
25
2022 Horror in Umma (2022)
Umma
2022

Amanda and her daughter live a quiet life on an American farm, but when the remains of her estranged mother arrive from Korea, Amanda becomes haunted by the fear of turning into her own mother.

Horror
Mystery
1h 23m
Iris K. Shim
Sandra Oh, Fivel Stewart, Dermot Mulroney, Odeya Rush
24
2022 Horror in Significant Other (2022)
Significant Other
2022

Ruth and Harry decide to take a romantic backpacking trip through the Pacific Northwest, but amongst the beautiful scenery, Ruth makes an unexpected discovery that sets her off on a strange, frightening new path. The couple aren't alone in the woods, and they might not be the same when they come out...if they come out.

Science Fiction
Mystery
1h 25m
Robert Olsen
Maika Monroe, Jake Lacy, Matthew Yang King, Dana Green
23
2022 Horror in Hatching (2022)
Hatching
2022

12 year old Tinja is desperate to please her mother, a woman obsessed with presenting the image of a perfect family. One night, Tinja finds a strange egg. What hatches is beyond belief.

Horror
Fantasy
1h 27m
Hanna Bergholm
Siiri Solalinna, Sophia Heikkilä, Jani Volanen, Reino Nordin
22
2022 Horror in Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
2022

After nearly 50 years of hiding, Leatherface returns to terrorize a group of idealistic influencers who accidentally disrupt his carefully shielded world in a remote Texas town.

Horror
Thriller
1h 23m
David Blue Garcia
Sarah Yarkin, Elsie Fisher, Mark Burnham, Jacob Latimore
21
2022 Horror in Master (2022)
Master
2022

At an elite New England university built on the site of a Salem-era gallows hill, two black women strive to find their place. Navigating politics and privilege, they encounter increasingly terrifying manifestations of the school's haunted past… and present.

Horror
Drama
1h 38m
Mariama Diallo
Regina Hall, Zoë Renee, Amber Gray, Talia Ryder
20
2022 Horror in Speak No Evil (2022)
Speak No Evil
2022

A Danish family visits a Dutch family they met on a holiday. What was supposed to be an idyllic weekend slowly starts unraveling as the Danes try to stay polite in the face of unpleasantness.

Horror
Thriller
1h 38m
Christian Tafdrup
Morten Burian, Sidsel Siem Koch, Fedja van Huêt, Karina Smulders
19
2022 Horror in Hellraiser (2022)
Hellraiser
2022

A young woman struggling with addiction comes into possession of an ancient puzzle box, unaware that its purpose is to summon the Cenobites, a group of sadistic supernatural beings from another dimension.

Horror
Thriller
2h 1m
David Bruckner
Odessa A'zion, Drew Starkey, Jamie Clayton, Adam Faison
18
2022 Horror in Deadstream (2022)
Deadstream
2022

A disgraced internet personality attempts to win back his followers by livestreaming one night alone in a haunted house. But when he accidentally unleashes a vengeful spirit, his big comeback event becomes a real-time fight for his life.

Horror
Comedy
1h 28m
Joseph Winter
Joseph Winter, Melanie Stone, Jason K. Wixom, Pat Barnett Carr
17
2022 Horror in Resurrection (2022)
Resurrection
2022

A woman's carefully constructed life is upended when an unwelcome shadow from her past returns, forcing her to confront the monster she's evaded for two decades.

Drama
Horror
1h 44m
Andrew Semans
Rebecca Hall, Tim Roth, Grace Kaufman, Michael Esper
16
2022 Horror in You Won't Be Alone (2022)
You Won't Be Alone
2022

In an isolated mountain village in 19th century Macedonia, a young feral witch accidentally kills a peasant. She assumes the peasant's shape to see what life is like in her skin, igniting a deep seated curiosity to experience life inside the bodies of others.

Horror
Drama
1h 48m
Goran Stolevski
Sara Klimoska, Anamaria Marinca, Alice Englert, Félix Maritaud
15
2022 Horror in Orphan: First Kill (2022)
Orphan: First Kill
2022

After escaping from an Estonian psychiatric facility, Leena Klammer travels to America by impersonating Esther, the missing daughter of a wealthy family. But when her mask starts to slip, she is put against a mother who will protect her family from the murderous “child” at any cost.

Horror
Thriller
1h 39m
William Brent Bell
Isabelle Fuhrman, Matthew Finlan, Julia Stiles, Rossif Sutherland
14
2022 Horror in The Invitation (2022)
The Invitation
2022

After the death of her mother, Evie is approached by an unknown cousin who invites her to a lavish wedding in the English countryside. Soon, she realizes a gothic conspiracy is afoot and must fight for survival as she uncovers twisted secrets in her family’s history.

Horror
Thriller
1h 45m
Jessica M. Thompson
Nathalie Emmanuel, Thomas Doherty, Sean Pertwee, Hugh Skinner
13
2022 Horror in Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)
Bodies Bodies Bodies
2022

In an isolated family mansion, a group of rich 20-somethings decides to play Bodies Bodies Bodies, a game where one of them is secretly a "killer" while the rest tries to "escape". Things take a turn for the worse when real bodies start turning up, setting off a paranoid and dangerous chain of events.

Horror
Comedy
1h 34m
Halina Reijn
Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha'la, Rachel Sennott
12
2022 Horror in The Menu (2022)
The Menu
2022

A young couple travels to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.

Comedy
Horror
1h 47m
Mark Mylod
Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, Nicholas Hoult, Janet McTeer
11
2022 Horror in Watcher (2022)
Watcher
2022

As a serial killer stalks the city, Julia — a young actress who just moved to town with her husband — notices a mysterious stranger watching her from across the street.

Horror
Mystery
1h 36m
Chloe Okuno
Maika Monroe, Karl Glusman, Burn Gorman, Mãdãlina Anea
10
2022 Horror in Men (2022)
Men
2022

In the aftermath of a personal tragedy, Harper retreats alone to the beautiful English countryside, hoping to find a place to heal. But someone — or something — from the surrounding woods appears to be stalking her, and what begins as simmering dread becomes a fully-formed nightmare, inhabited by her darkest memories and fears.

Horror
Thriller
1h 40m
Alex Garland
Jessie Buckley, Rory Kinnear, Paapa Essiedu, Gayle Rankin
Why it ranks

Alex Garland crafts a surrealist folk-horror fever dream that uses body horror to explore the persistence of patriarchal trauma. The film’s final act is a hallucinogenic masterclass in visual provocation and repetitive monstrosity.

9
2022 Horror in Fresh (2022)
Fresh
2022

Frustrated by scrolling dating apps only to end up on lame, tedious dates, Noa takes a chance by giving her number to the awkwardly charming Steve after a produce-section meet-cute at the grocery store.

Horror
Thriller
1h 54m
Mimi Cave
Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sebastian Stan, Jojo T. Gibbs, Charlotte Le Bon
Why it ranks

This biting satire on the perils of modern dating pivots into a stylish, grotesque exploration of physical and social consumption. Its sharp rhythmic editing and predatory charm create a uniquely delicious discomfort.

8
2022 Horror in Terrifier 2 (2022)
Terrifier 2
2022

A year after the Miles County massacre, Art the Clown is resurrected by a sinister entity. Art returns home, where he must hunt down and destroy teenage Sienna and her younger brother Jonathan on Halloween. As the body count rises, the siblings fight to stay alive while uncovering the true nature of Art's evil intent.

Horror
Thriller
2h 18m
Damien Leone
David Howard Thornton, Lauren LaVera, Elliott Fullam, Sarah Voigt
Why it ranks

Damien Leone pushes the boundaries of practical effects with an uncompromising, maximalist descent into carnivalesque depravity. This is an endurance test of gore that cements Art the Clown as a modern icon of silent, sadistic nihilism.

7
2022 Horror in The Black Phone (2022)
The Black Phone
2022

Finney Blake, a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use. When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer’s previous victims. And they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney.

Horror
Thriller
1h 43m
Scott Derrickson
Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Ethan Hawke, Jeremy Davies
Why it ranks

Scott Derrickson excavates childhood vulnerability within a gritty, supernatural soundscape that feels hauntingly tangible. The film thrives on its oppressive atmosphere and a chillingly restrained antagonist that lingers in the periphery of the frame.

6
2022 Horror in Scream (2022)
2022

Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past.

Horror
Mystery
1h 54m
Tyler Gillett
Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy Brown
Why it ranks

By interrogating the toxic landscape of modern fandom, this 'requel' successfully revitalizes the franchise’s meta-commentary for a new generation. It manages to be both a bloody love letter to its roots and a sharp indictment of cinematic obsession.

5
2022 Horror in Pearl (2022)
Pearl
2022

Trapped on her family’s isolated farm, Pearl must tend to her ailing father under the bitter and overbearing watch of her devout mother. Lusting for a glamorous life like she’s seen in the movies, Pearl’s ambitions, temptations, and repressions collide.

Horror
Thriller
1h 42m
Ti West
Mia Goth, David Corenswet, Tandi Wright, Matthew Sunderland
Why it ranks

Mia Goth delivers a volcanic performance in this saturated Technicolor nightmare that unmasks the psychopathology of ambition. It is a lonely, visceral character study that elevates the slasher genre into the realm of domestic tragedy.

4
2022 Horror in Smile (2022)
Smile
2022

After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can't explain.

Horror
Mystery
1h 55m
Parker Finn
Sosie Bacon, Kyle Gallner, Jessie T. Usher, Robin Weigert
Why it ranks

Parker Finn transforms a simple facial contortion into a relentless, suffocating metaphor for the cyclical nature of trauma. The visual grammar here is impressively cruel, utilizing negative space to fuel a lingering sense of psychological inevitability.

3
2022 Horror in X (2022)
X
2022

In 1979, a group of young filmmakers set out to make an adult film in rural Texas, but when their reclusive, elderly hosts catch them in the act, the cast find themselves fighting for their lives.

Horror
Thriller
1h 46m
Ti West
Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, Kid Cudi
Why it ranks

Ti West breathes filthy, vibrant life into the slasher template with this tactile homage to 1970s aesthetics. The film functions as a sharp meditation on the collision between youthful vitality and the bitterness of rot.

2
2022 Horror in Barbarian (2022)
Barbarian
2022

In town for a job interview, a young woman arrives at her Airbnb late at night only to find that it has been mistakenly double-booked and a strange man is already staying there. Against her better judgement, she decides to stay the night anyway.

Horror
Thriller
1h 43m
Zach Cregger
Georgina Campbell, Justin Long, Bill Skarsgård, Richard Brake
Why it ranks

This tonal chameleon weaponizes architectural anxiety and subverted expectations to deliver the year’s most audacious structural pivot. It is a grueling, claustrophobic exercise in pure unpredictable terror.

1
2022 Horror in Nope (2022)
Nope
2022

Residents in a lonely gulch of inland California bear witness to an uncanny, chilling discovery.

Horror
Science Fiction
2h 10m
Jordan Peele
Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea, Michael Wincott
Why it ranks

Jordan Peele orchestrates a masterfully subversive spectacle that interrogates our obsession with the voyeuristic gaze. Its shivering blend of Spielbergian wonder and cosmic dread redefines the scale of modern creature features.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about this list and SnakeDrafts

The top horror films of 2022 often blended genres, mixing horror with thriller, mystery, and even comedy, as seen in movies like 'The Menu' and 'Bodies Bodies Bodies.' This convergence created fresh narrative approaches, with many films exploring psychological horror alongside supernatural elements.

Ti West made a significant mark in 2022 by directing critically acclaimed horror thrillers like 'X' and 'Pearl.' His work showcased a keen ability to blend classic horror tropes with modern storytelling, contributing to the genre's evolution and critical success that year.

'Nope,' directed by Jordan Peele, is a prime example where science fiction meets horror, blending supernatural mystery with psychological thriller elements. Similarly, 'Smile' and 'The Black Phone' successfully integrate psychological horror with supernatural scares to captivate audiences.

Yes, films like 'Terrifier 2' and 'Barbarian' reinvented slasher horror by infusing it with intense suspense and unique characters. These movies pushed the boundaries of gore and tension, offering a novel experience within the slasher subgenre.

2022's horror films achieved a rare blend of profitability and critical praise by innovating within the genre while appealing to mass audiences. Titles like 'Scream' and 'Fresh' managed to attract both horror fans and general viewers by combining engaging storytelling with high production values.

Mystery was a central device in several notable 2022 horror films such as 'Smile,' 'Watcher,' and 'Scream,' driving suspense and deepening plot complexities. This approach helped elevate traditional horror narratives by adding layers of intrigue and psychological depth.

Many 2022 horror movies challenged established norms by merging unexpected genres, experimenting with narrative structure, or highlighting character-driven stories. Films like 'Men' and 'The Menu' disrupted conventional horror formulas by adding fantasy elements or darkly comic social commentary.
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