The 2010s were a transformative decade for the horror genre. After the J-horror and “torture porn” trends of the 2000s, the decade that followed brought a wave of original, stylistically bold films—especially in the latter half of the ten years. Many movies that once might have been relegated to cult status through DVD or VHS found far larger audiences via streaming platforms. Indie projects that might never have been made found backing through crowdfunding. Directors who honed their craft in the 2000s were given chances to build films that evoked the dread of 1970s horror while taking full advantage of modern craft and effects. Mid-decade, filmmakers were delivering masterpieces unlike anything previously seen. As the decade closed, it’s worth revisiting the films that shaped, inspired, terrified and redefined horror between 2010 and 2019. Below are standout horror films that best represent each year of the 2010s.
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Honourable mentions: The Devil Inside (2010), It Follows (2014), Creep (2014), Goodnight Mommy (2014), Crimson Peak (2016), The Visit (2016), It (2017), Suspiria (2018), Mandy (2018), A Quiet Place (2018).
2010: Insidious
James Wan moved away from the gore-driven traps of the Saw franchise to deliver a taut paranormal thriller with Insidious. Released at a moment when found-footage and low-budget ghost stories were resurging, the film helped define modern paranormal horror. It balances sudden shocks with lingering dread, and Joseph Bishara’s unnerving score—in particular its high, scraping strings—became an influential sonic signature in genre sound design. Insidious demonstrated how economical filmmaking and strong atmosphere can produce mainstream success and helped build momentum for low-budget horror that prioritizes mood and craft.
2011: The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence)
The Human Centipede 2 represents the peak of shock-driven horror in the mainstream. Designed to disgust, it succeeds at being viscerally unsettling while also offering a distinct visual approach from its predecessor. The black-and-white cinematography and the film’s intentionally unhinged style amplify discomfort while hinting at the director’s formal intentions. Though divisive, the picture accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do: provoke a strong emotional reaction and challenge viewers’ limits.
2012: Sinister
Sinister arrived during a quieter year for horror but stood out for its effective use of POV elements and its persistent atmosphere. Scott Derrickson blends first-person horror with modern supernatural tropes to create a slow-burn mystery enriched by disturbing Super 8-style home movies. The unsettling image of children committing violent acts on film and a committed lead performance help the movie maintain tension and deliver meaningful scares. It underscores how strong character focus and premise can elevate a genre picture.
2013: The Conjuring
James Wan scored another major hit with The Conjuring, a period ghost story that channels a classic, restrained approach reminiscent of 1970s exorcism cinema. The film’s power comes not from novelty but from precise execution: carefully timed scares, strong production design, and an effective score that elevates tension even without visual cues. Its success established a successful cinematic universe and demonstrated that traditional haunted-house storytelling, when handled with craft and control, can still be wildly effective at the box office and with audiences.
2014: The Babadook
Jennifer Kent’s debut feature, The Babadook, arrived quietly and then grew into a modern classic through festivals and streaming platforms. With a modest budget, the film delivers a powerful exploration of grief, parenting and mental anguish while remaining genuinely frightening. The Babadook creature and its pop-up book are unforgettable props, and Kent’s direction keeps the film emotionally grounded even as it leans into nightmare imagery. The result is an intimate, haunting horror film that resonates long after it ends.
2015: The Witch
Robert Eggers’ The Witch is a rigorously constructed period horror set in colonial New England. Its meticulous attention to historical detail—language, costume, lighting and behavior—creates an immersive atmosphere that heightens the film’s themes of superstition, religious fervor and family breakdown. The movie’s bleak, isolating landscapes and Anya Taylor-Joy’s breakthrough performance contribute to a sense of creeping dread. The Witch signals a director with a distinct voice and a commitment to authenticity in crafting unsettling cinema.
2016: The Autopsy of Jane Doe
2016 offered several notable genre releases, but The Autopsy of Jane Doe stands out for its inventive simplicity. The story takes place mostly in a morgue, where a father-and-son coroner team confronts an unidentified corpse whose secrets escalate from clinical mystery to grotesque supernatural terror. The film relies on strong performances, atmospheric design and smart pacing to deliver genuine scares without resorting to excessive gore. It’s a compact, cleverly executed horror picture that showcases how much can be achieved in a confined setting.
2017: Get Out
Jordan Peele’s Get Out redefined what mainstream horror could accomplish. Blending sharp social commentary with suspenseful storytelling, the film uses genre convention to examine race, privilege and subtle forms of prejudice. Its terrifying concept—the mind-control “Sunken Place” and the manipulative veneer of liberal complicity—resonated widely and sparked conversations about horror’s potential as cultural critique. Winning awards for its screenplay and receiving major recognition, Get Out helped confirm a renaissance for smart, provocative horror films.
2018: Hereditary
Ari Aster’s debut, Hereditary, is one of the most emotionally devastating and stylistically daring horror films of the decade. The film explores family trauma and inherited grief, using precise framing, long takes and unsettling mise-en-scène to build a mounting sense of doom. Toni Collette’s performance anchors the film with raw intensity, and Aster’s direction turns personal anguish into cinematic terror. Hereditary lingers in the mind long after viewing and is widely regarded as a landmark release of the late 2010s.
2019: It: Chapter Two
It: Chapter Two reunites an ensemble cast to complete a story that balances supernatural terror with real-world trauma. The sequel expands the emotional stakes and offers a range of scares, from fantastical manifestations to disturbingly realistic violence. By blending nostalgic continuity with grown-up consequences, the film aims to honor the source material while addressing darker social realities. As a 2019 release, it stands as a notable mainstream example of contemporary horror that seeks to combine spectacle with meaningful themes.
These ten films, one for each year of the 2010s, highlight how horror evolved during the decade—shifting between intimate psychodramas, social allegories, and bold genre experiments. Whether you prefer atmospheric dread, shocking body horror, or horror with a social conscience, the 2010s offered something for every fan. Do you agree with these selections for the best horror films of each year? Share your thoughts and your own favorites in the comments.