There are countless different horror movie genres, but there is something about religious horror films that makes them particularly terrifying. Whether or not they dive into the realm of the supernatural, they speak to the fears that countless societies have developed over the years through religion. This sets this subgenre apart from the others in a key way, making these films vastly different from films like the best cosmic horror movies.

Filled to the brim with scares, dread, and depictions of grief, many of these religious horror movies are contestants for some of the best horror movies of all time. With storylines that rely on depicting religious scenarios that instill dread in the viewer, films like Apostle and Heretic challenge preconceived notions and offer a view into terrifying worlds. For the perfect scares revolving around religious horror, several movies go the extra mile in their filmmaking.

10

Apostle (2018)

This Netflix Original Is A Surprise Streaming Hit

When a young woman named Jennifer is kidnapped by a dangerous religious cult, her brother Thomas sets out to find her and bring her back home. Apostle takes place back in 1905, depicting a world in which religion is taken with ᴅᴇᴀᴅly seriousness. This only becomes more apparent as Thomas struggles to traverse the world of this dangerous cult, which he quickly discovers has been committing bloody sacrifices.

Featuring performances from incredible actors, including Michael Sheen of Good Omens fame, Apostle is a bloody adventure that uses gore to unsettle the viewer. This is the main selling point of the film, and it is certain to make any viewer’s stomach turn. It also succeeds at instilling a feeling of dread throughout, convincing anyone who watches that Thomas’ quest may end up failing in the end.

9

Heretic (2024)

Hugh Grant Is Cast Perfectly Against Type In This New Horror Film

Following a pair of Mormon missionaries in their quest to spread the word of God, Heretic begins innocuously enough. These girls are summoned to the home of a man named Mr. Reed, who hopes to learn more about the faith in what seems to be his own effort to find a religion that works for him. However, it is slowly revealed that the door has been locked, and it is actually Mr. Reed who hopes to teach the girls about faith and its failings by holding them hostage and putting them through a horrific gauntlet.

Operating as a test of faith for the girls and, in some ways, the viewers as well, Heretic is as much a horror film as it is an exploration of belief and morals. Hugh Grant is cast perfectly against type in his role as Mr. Reed, both charismatic and terrifying in equal measure. It is one of the more interesting horror movies to release this year, offering as much to think about as it does to be scared of.

8

Frailty (2001)

Detective Fiction & Religious Horror Intersect In This Film

Starring Bill Paxton and Matthew McConaughey, Frailty is a horror movie mired in religious delusion. It revolves around a string of murders тιтled the “God’s Hand” killings, where victims have gone missing, supposedly in the name of God. The film takes a close look at the killers who take part in these murders, justifying their sins because they believe they are not killing people, but rather demons in disguise.

Perhaps more sad at times than it is horrific, Frailty takes its time to unravel the deeper plot and meanings lingering below the surface. This is only punctuated by the film’s disturbing imagery, which does not need to rely on the outright jump scares that so many horror films use to their own detriment. Instead, Frailty remains more creepy than anything, giving viewers plenty to think about.

7

The Witch (2016)

Eggers’ Created A Creeping Religious Classic

Following the story of a family who believes they are being haunted by something evil lurking in the woods, The Witch is a movie that relishes in the fear of the dark and the unknown. Taking place during the time of 1600s Puritan New England, this film dives directly into a version of religion that is drastic and dangerous in and of itself. This, coupled with the threat in the woods, makes for a tense atmosphere where nightmares reside in every corner.

Eggers himself is a master of crafting horror that takes time to build, creating something that is greater than the sum of its own parts. Eggers’ films like The Lighthouse, Nosferatu, and even The Witch use their historical settings perfectly, allowing the viewer to become invested in the stories as if they live in those times themselves. This only adds to the religious suspense, inviting viewers to imagine what religious life might have been like during that time period.

6

The First Omen (2024)

A Horror Prequel That Is Terrifying And Thrilling

Acting as a prequel to the classic 1976 horror film The Omen, The First Omen revolves around a Catholic nun who works at an orphanage in Rome. When babies are born, each bearing what the clergy believe to be the number of the devil, they start to worry about the coming of the Antichrist. This is only made more concerning when the people involved start dying in mysterious ways.

Despite being part of such an old film series, The First Omen manages to stay fresh with its storyline and engaging throughout the entirety of the film. It is quite frightening, managing to draw in viewers and terrify them with graphic imagery and chilling revelations. The film expertly flips back and forth between delightful and disgusting, making it an engaging watch to leave viewers wondering what will happen next.

5

Immaculate (2024)

This Horror Film Takes Notes From Rosemary’s Baby

Another film following the story of a nun, Immaculate begins when Sister Cecilia joins a mysterious Italian convent. Upon arriving, she starts to notice things aren’t quite right, something that becomes especially important when she befriends a pregnant nun named Sister Gwen. This leads Sister Cecilia down a rabbit hole that leads to many horrific discoveries, including what is actually happening to the nuns staying at this convent.

Using pregnancy as an aspect of horror is nothing new, with Rosemary’s Baby being one of the most famous for a variety of reasons. Immaculate follows in these footsteps, creating a genre of religious horror that is distinct compared to other film genres. It is personal and frightening, weaving a narrative that brings incredible storytelling together with genuine scares.

4

Carrie (1976)

Stephen King’s First Adaptation Was One Of The Best

Stephen King is known for his horror novels and perhaps even more so for his novels’ adaptations, and Carrie is perhaps one of the most famous of these adaptations. Featuring a high school girl named Carrie who realizes that she has psychic powers, the film depicts Carrie as a girl who faces countless struggles in life. These struggles come in the form of her abusive, religious mother, as well as the bullies she faces at school.

The most famous scene in the film comes right at the very end, when a bucket of blood is dumped on Carrie’s head at the school dance, where she then proceeds to trap and kill everyone there. This comes after an entire film of Carrie being pushed past her limits, leading the viewer to feel a sort of sympathy for her. While Carrie isn’t the scariest horror film, it is a movie that dares to take a look into the mind of a character that, anywhere else, would be its villain.

3

Midsommar (2019)

This Daytime Horror Film Takes Religious Horror In A Different Direction

Midsommar is a unique religious horror film for a variety of reasons, namely because, instead of Christianity, the film focuses on a pagan cult. After a murder-suicide ends the lives of Dani’s sister and parents all in one night, she takes a trip with her boyfriend and his friends to a Swedish religious festival. The cult at the center of the festival is more than it initially seems, and it slowly digs its claws into the lives of the entire friend group, especially Dani.

Although Midsommar takes place mostly during the daytime, the film still manages to be a tense addition to the religious horror genre. The villains of the film still manage to offer a sense of family, even after committing horrific acts to people that Dani considered to be friends. Dani is not the only one who is brainwashed as the film goes on, but the viewer as well, making Midsommar a terrifying exploration of what it takes to change a person’s mind.

2

Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

Even Now, This Movie Is Still Terrifying To Watch

When Rosemary finds out that she is pregnant, she initially celebrates and prepares for the coming of her child. However, as Rosemary’s Baby progresses, she begins to suspect the world and people around her. Not only does she uncover a conspiracy to bring about the Antichrist, but she also realizes that everyone in her life has been placed there purposely, and even her own husband has been lying to her.

Mired in paranoia and subtle storytelling, Rosemary’s Baby takes its time for its main character to discover what is truly going on around her. Each reveal makes the situation that much more sickening, and when it becomes clear to Rosemary that she is being gaslit, the film explodes with tension. Even now, that tense feeling remains, despite the fact the movie was released in the ’60s.

1

The Exorcist (1973)

A Timeless Classic That Remains Popular Today

The Exorcist is one of the most iconic horror movies of all time, depicting the possession of a young girl named Regan. She is beset upon by a pair of priests who attempt to free her from the demon inside of her, but this task is more Herculean than either of them could have ever imagined. This leads not only to the deaths of those involved, but danger for the young girl as well.

Seeing such a young girl do such horrifying things is what makes The Exorcist so difficult to watch at times. At the time, a demon in the form of a little girl was an incredible idea for a horror movie, and it is something that has been repeated time and time again since. This movie is a classic for a reason, complete with great writing and famous moments that are well-known even by people who have never seen the movie.