Scream is the OG slasher movie – the perfect concoction of horror, mystery and black comedy. Yes, Scream might have become somewhat of a hoot in today’s culture thanks to all the parodies but to be fairly honest – Scream never took itself too seriously anyway. And maybe that’s how it won over the audience.
The movie has and continues to have many wannabes but only a handful of flicks have been able to truly rise up to the challenge. And because there’s only so many times you can rewatch this classic (and I do mean all 4 parts) – here is a list of movies like Scream for you to dig into.
How does a movie become truly scary? Surely not by including nuns in terrible make-up, hideous dolls with colourful braids and levitating figures. No, to really get under the audience’s skin, you need to inject the true feeling horror in them – an infectious feeling of unease that this could all too easily turn to reality for you too. Wes Craven’s Scream does that with no difficulty.
Well, that is essentially if a serial killer was loose in your neighborhood.
Here are 10 movies like Scream that will have you glued to the edge of your seat, biting your nails and terrorizing your dreams:
I Know What You Did Last Summer
For anyone who thinks slasher movies are dumb and poorly executed, call them over for a movie night of the 90’s I Know What You Did Last Summer and we promise you they will have a new-found respect for the genre.
One ominous night four teens get involved in a hit-and-run case. Desperate to cover up their marks and leave the horrific accident behind, they decide to pretend like it never happened while simultaneously parting ways.
When it almost seemed like they got away with it, they start receiving sinister letters threatening to spill their dirty little secret. When a mysterious figure begins attacking the clique they know the threat is all too real.While the plot is twisted enough to keep you intrigued it is the cast that truly gives shape to the movie.
Needless to say, the movie nailed the casting with Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. playing the roles of 4 attractive, hapless teens. The movie maybe a little too gory and bloody for some but hey what did you expect from a Scream companion.
Available on Amazon Prime |Netflix
It Follows
Okay, so this is one of those movies that bodes well with critics but not so much with the audience. Does that mean the movie is not worth watching? Certainly not. If anything it proves the movie is way ahead of its time and will slowly but surely settle in with its viewers.
High school teen Jay is totally smitten with her new boyfriend and soon enough follows him into bed.
Little did she know that sleeping with him would result in a lethal and age-old curse that is transferred via sexual intercourse to latch onto her. Jay’s friends initially dismiss her cries for help as nothing but paranoid ravings until they experience the presence of evil spirits in their midst. The only for Jay to save herself? To pass the curse to an unsuspecting person.
First up, that’s a bizarre synopsis, right? And while this would make for a great addition to any sex ED class it probably won’t be included since it can really creep you out. With its ominous music, strong acting, terrific camerawork, unusual plot and the feeling of impending doom, It Follows really does follow you long after you are done with the movie.
Available on Amazon Prime |Netflix
Jennifer’s Body
In case you ever find yourself wondering where all those drop-dead gorgeous Megan Fox clips and pictures that keep circulating the social media are from, the answer would be Jennifer’s Body. And yes, the movie may essentially be popular thanks to the temptress that is Megan Fox, we assure you that is not the sole reason it is watchable.
Popular high school girl Jennifer (Megan Fox) turns to a succubus after she is sacrificed to Satan. As Jennifer makes her way through her high school killing every other “trash” misogynistic boy, her best friend Anita (Amanda Seyfried) must find a way to stop Jennifer before she offs her boyfriend Chip.
Jennifer’s Body makes for a worthy Scream competitor. It has the same air of satire, similar disturbing and gory killings and quite a few amusing surprises up its sleeve. But what makes Jennifer’s Body all the more engaging is that it quite deftly tackles real issues like misogyny, women objectification and homophobia in its own unique way. Definitely, worth a watch, Jennifer’s Body will scare you and scar you.
Available on Amazon Prime |Netflix
Disturbing Behaviour
This is quite different than the other mentions in the list significantly for its mix of sci-fi with horror. Although the movie has been received as warmly as any low-budget horror movie does, it had the potential to become so much more. No thanks to studio interference the movie was also cut down by a whopping 20 minutes.
Inspired by Ira Levin’s highly acclaimed novel The Stepford Wives, Disturbing Behaviour spins the tale of a Steve who has recently moved to the solemn town of Cradle Bay. He along with a couple of his outcast friends soon grow increasingly suspicious of their “Blue-ribbon” classmates who are widely considered to be model upstanding citizens. As he digs deeper into their history he finds himself face to face with shocking secrets and people with nefarious agenda.
The cast of James Marsden, Katie Holmes and Nick Stahl definitely make for a very impressive teen trio to go an adventure with. But what steals the cake is the movie’s outlandish and zany script.
Available on Amazon Prime
The Cabin in the Woods
We have never really understood why teens keep making trips in the woods and spending nights in isolated cabins but here we are. Yes, the plot is kind of done-to-death but we promise there’s more to the movie than meets the eye.
What was meant to be a fun vacation for five college friends takes an eerie turn when they start being attacked and killed by paranormal creatures of the night. As the body count keeps increasing the youth are left wondering what’s more terrifying; the inside of a doomed cabin packed with evil creatures or the pitch-black night of untold horrors in the woods.
The Cabin in the Woods is not your typical horror movie with ghosts dressed in white gowns and scratching tin surfaces with their overgrown nails. This is a movie that dared to be different. It’s intelligent and riveting despite the first half of clichés. It’s fast, it’s intricate and will leave you stunned. If you’re a little faint of the heart but still enjoy the occasional suspense of the horror genre, The Cabin in the woods will make for a great watch. If not, watch it all the same.
Available on Amazon Prime |Netflix
The Final Girls
A genuine gem that seemed to somehow have missed the audience, The Final Girls is due for so much credit. Although we have crafted quite the list for you, this horror meta-movie is the closest as it gets to Scream.
Mourning the loss of her famous 80’s scream queen mother, Max (Taissa Farmiga) and her quirky group of friends find themselves teleported to one of her mother’s most famous movies. Trapped in a slasher movie, the group must fight their way out of the movie with a dangerous killer on the loose.
Incredibly funny, this clever meta-movie has one of the best casts who do a top-notch job in bringing out the best of their characters. Paying homage to some of the most popular horror movie clichés, The Final Girls is cheesy, silly and has its heart in the right place. An entertaining watch from the very beginning till the credits roll in, the movie is a must-watch for Scream lovers.
Available on Amazon Prime |Netflix
Cherry Falls
Cherry is something we associate with feelings of love, lust and aesthetic but those who have seen the Cherry Falls might find it easy to contradict such sentiments.
Cherry Falls follows the story of a Brent Marken, the sheriff of a small town tasked to hunt down the serial killer targeting male and female virgins and killing them off brutally. The case becomes much more personal to him as he learns his daughter Jody (Brittany Murphy) is yet to be deflowered and is thus a potential victim. As the town of Cherry Falls is thrown in a state of chaos and the youngsters are caught in a frenzy to lose their V-card, it only becomes that much more difficult to apprehend the killer.
Much like Scream, Cherry Falls too includes heavy doses of satire and comic elements although it is much heavier on the horror genre. The late Brittany Murphy is a treat to watch in every movie she has appeared in and she fulfils the role of the innocent and pure Jody to the T. An above-average teen slasher movie, Cherry Falls makes for a great Scream copycat.
Available on Amazon Prime
Happy Death Day
The instant hit of 2017, Happy Death Day has a sequel and is currently in the works of part III too. And trust us when we say, the movie is bound to do well in the box-office thanks to its loyal fan base.
There Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) keeps getting killed only to be revived each time. For her each day or rather that one singular day (sadly also her birthday) becomes a vicious cycle of life and death and a race against time to apprehend the killer before they strike again.
Inspired by Bill Murray’s Groundhog’s Day and Scream, Happy Death Day is campy and suspenseful in equal measures. As we navigate through the day with Theresa trying to catch the cold-blooded killer we are met with fun, over-the-top characters, action-packed scenes and ridiculous scenarios. While Scream lovers will absolutely love it, it makes for a fun watch for just about anybody. Also, it’s the new popular horror franchise, might as well get behind it.
Available on Amazon Prime |Netflix
Campfire Tales
If you are here, reading this, you love horror this much is a given. So it would be almost unnatural for you to not have sat with your friends in a dimly lit room sharing the most gruesome and bone-chilling spooky stories. Campfire Tales promises to deliver the same experience.
Stranded on a desolate highway with nowhere left to go, a bunch of teens take refuge and settle in for the night around a makeshift fire.
To make things interesting they begin exchanging scary stories.1997 Campfire Tales was the movie that was released in DVD and being the latest craze back then the movie disc was exchanged, borrowed, lent on numerous occasions and to numerous people and thus managed to rake up quite a loyal fan base.
The horror anthology presents 3 small stories that explore some popular urban legends and horror tropes supported by a sharp script with its fair share of twists and turns. The film was made on a shoestring budget so you know the stories were the star attraction and we promise you they will make for some quality tales on your next spooky huddle.
Urban Legend
We don’t know about you, but the name itself is enough to make us a little weak in the knees. We have never been fortunate enough to hear an urban legend that did not end on a sinister note. The movie thereby keeps perfect harmony with its name.
College student, Michelle Mancini happens to be the first victim in a long series of brutal murders inspired by chilling urban legends. The college of Pendleton soon realizes there’s a killer in their midst and they have some sick ways of offing them and anyone on campus could be the next dead person.
Screenwriter Silvio Horta wrote an inventive script, it is indeed quite similar to Scream’s teen slasher whodunit but make no mistake, he did a commendable job no matter what the reviews on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes suggest. Strong acting chops from the protagonist Alicia Witt, cameos from Tara Reid, Jared Leto and Joshua Jackson, and wacky albeit ingenious murders makes Urban Legend just the movie for Scream enthusiasts.
Available on Amazon Prime |Netflix
Conclusion
Just as Scream is best enjoyed with your best buds, these movies will make for ideal choices for movie nights with your friends. So call in your mates, get the popcorn popping and get ready to have the living daylight scared out of you while also rolling on the floor laughing the very next moment.