The 10 Highest Rated Horror Movies Of 2025 So Far

After spending the better part of two decades away from the world of zombies they created with 28 Days Later, director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland reunited this year to bring us the long-awaited 28 Years Later – and it didn’t disappoint. The movie was widely embraced by critics, currently boasting an 88% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, to go with a 64% audience rating. It was also a massive box office hit, taking in $150 million worldwide. The official synopsis for the sequel reads as follows: 

“It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.”

You can read our review of 28 Years Later right here.

Directors Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou, aka the Philippou brothers, made a huge splash in the world of horror in 2023 with their breakout feature Talk to Me. They decided to team back up with A24 for their follow-up, which arrived this year in the form of Bring Her Back. Though it didn’t make quite as big of a splash commercially, it proved that the Philippous were more than just a one trick pony as they delivered one of the most well-liked – and most brutal – horror movies of the year. It currently boasts an 89% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes alongside a 79% audience rating. Though not for the faint of heart, it features a stellar lead performance from Oscar-nominee Sally Hawkins as well as some incredible twists. 

“A brother and sister uncover a terrifying ritual at the secluded home of their new foster mother.”

You can read our review of Bring Her Back right here. 

Real life married couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco got together with director Michael Shanks to bring us the most talked about body horror movie of 2025 thus far. The result is NEON’s Together, which is one of the most acclaimed horror movies of the year.  It boasts an 90% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes to go with a 76% audience score. The film made a splash at Sundance and took off like a rocket from there, with NEON picking it up in a rich deal. From a clever marketing campaign to some unforgettable imagery, this is one that we’ll surely be talking about for years to come. The synopsis for the film reads as follows: 

“Years into their relationship, Tim and Millie (Dave Franco and Alison Brie) find themselves at a crossroads as they move to the country, abandoning all that is familiar in their lives except each other. With tensions already flaring, a nightmarish encounter with a mysterious, unnatural force threatens to corrupt their lives, their love, and their flesh.”

You can read our review of Together right here. 

For as much focus is often placed upon Hollywood, some of the best horror comes from international filmmakers. Case in point, director Thordur Palsson’s The Damned is one of the best-reviewed entries in the genre to come about in 2025. Unfortunately, it sort of flew under the radar when it arrived in January but the consensus is that this one is very much worth your time. It currently boasts a stellar 90% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though audiences are a bit more divided at 47%. Now is the perfect time to watch it and see for yourself! The official synopsis reads as follows! 

“The Damned, an ominous and chilling thriller, follows Eve and her crew as they come across a shipwreck and are faced with the moral dilemma to either help, or prioritize their own survival.”

The cast includes Dessa Young, Joe Cole and Siobhan Finneran. 

Speaking of international horror, Cloud is probably one of the lesser-known movies on this list in the mainstream (at least in North America), but that doesn’t make it any less worthwhile. Hailing from the mind of director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, of Pulse fame, the film had a healthy run on the festival circuit, including Venice at Fantastic Fest. Critics loved it and, at long last, it recently made its way to theaters in the U.S. for all to see. The consensus tells us that Kurosawa has done it again, as his latest boasts an impressive 92% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. So, what’s all the buzz about, exactly? The official synopsis reads as follows: 

“A stylish, subversive thriller from suspense-maverick Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Cure, Pulse), concerning Yoshii, an ambitious, yet directionless, young factory worker from Tokyo who side hustles in the murky realm of black market reselling, cheating buyers and sellers alike. After swindling his way into loads of cash, Yoshii gradually attempts to disconnect from humanity, moving out of the city, shunning his girlfriend, and entrusting duties to his new, devoted assistant. Before long his life is plagued by a series of mysterious, sinister incidents that threaten to upend his success and bring about a most violent demise.”

You can watch the trailer for Cloud right here. 

After a 14-year break, it seemed audiences were finally ready to play Death’s twisted games once again. Luckily, Warner Bros. and New Line answered the call by delivering us Final Destination Bloodlines. Directed by Adam Stein & Zach Lipovsky, it became the biggest Final Destination movie ever at the box office, cementing itself as an instant favorite in the long-running franchise. It currently holds a very impressive 93% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes to go with an 87% audience rating. It was an all around win, paving the way for a forthcoming seventh entry in the series. As for Bloodlines? The synopsis reads as follows: 

“Plagued by a violent recurring nightmare, college student Stefanie heads home to track down the one person who might be able to break the cycle and save her family from the grisly demise that inevitably awaits them all.”

You can read our interview with Final Destination Bloodlines makeup FX artist Todd Masters right here. 

Another Warner Bros. join (and certainly not the last on this list), Companion helped usher in the year of horror that has been 2025. It also started things out on a very strong note as the AI-tinged, futuristic thriller delivered the goods, in no small part thanks to a helping hand from producer Zach Cregger, who was coming off the success of 2022’s Barbarian. More importantly, director Drew Hancock truly delivered the goods, offering up a unique love story, to put it mildly. The film boasts a 93% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes alongside a great 89% audience rating. Thanks in no small part to a killer lead performance by modern scream queen Sophie Thatcher, this one is worth catching up with. The (admittedly vague) synopsis reads as follows: 

“New Line Cinema – the studio that brought you The Notebook – and the unhinged creators of Barbarian cordially invite you to experience a new kind of love story….”

You can read our review of Companion right here. 

Speaking of Zach Cregger, the man stayed busy this year as he also helmed his feature follow-up to Barbarian, which recently hit theaters in the form of Weapons. Safe to say, Cregger is now two for two in his solo directorial efforts, as his latest is easily one of the best reviewed studio movies of the year, once again a Warner Bros. joint, it’s worth pointing out. This twisted mystery currently holds a 94% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes to go with an 87% audience rating. With an all-star cast that includes Julia Garner and Josh Brolin, Cregger once again keeps viewers scared, guessing and laughing at times too. This one is worth seeing with a crowd so see it in theaters while you can. The official synopsis for the film reads as follows: 

“When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.”

You can read our review of Weapons right here. 

Public domain horror has become all the rage, kicked off by the unexpected success of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, and with all due respect, many of these movies aren’t very good. That’s where The Ugly Stepsister comes in. Getting in on the bandwagon with a very twisted take on Cinderella, Emilie Blichfeldt’s feature is one of the most acclaimed horror movies of the year, setting a new standard for this bizarre subgenre. It holds a stellar 96% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes to go with an 87% audience rating. This is one that might have slipped through the cracks for many folks, but don’t let it slip for good. The official synopsis reads as follows: 

“In a twisted take on the classic Cinderella story, The Ugly Stepsister follows Elvira as she battles to compete with her insanely beautiful stepsister. In a fairy-tale kingdom where beauty is a brutal business, Elvira will go to any lengths to catch the Prince's eye. ‘The Ugly Stepsister' is the gory tale of the blood and sweat, grit and gold that goes into making Elvira the belle of the ball.”

You can read our review of The Ugly Stepsister right here. 

Cinema is a subjective medium but, in the realm of horror cinema, director Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is about as close to perfect as it gets. Coogler, coming off of the success of the Black Panther films, reunited with star Michael B. Jordan for a vampire movie like no other. The result is not only the best-reviewed horror movie of the year – it’s easily one of the most acclaimed movies of 2025 regardless of the genre. Not to get too ahead of ourselves, but the acclaim is so universal that we may one day look upon this as one of the greatest mainstream movies in horror history. To that end, it sits at a near-perfect 97% on Rotten Tomatoes with a 96% audience rating. That’s about as good as it gets. The synopsis reads as follows: 

“Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers (Jordan) return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.”

You can read our review of Sinners right here.