Best Horror Franchises

From Ridley Scott, starring Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright
Rated R

Alien is a science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and released in 1979. The story follows the crew of a commercial towing spaceship called the Nostromo as they investigate a distress signal from a nearby planet. Upon arriving, the crew discovers an egg-shaped structure that contains a terrifying creature, an extraterrestrial life form. The creature, known as the Xenomorph, kills all of the crew members, except for Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver). Ripley is then forced to fight for her life against the Xenomorph as she and the remaining survivors attempt to escape the planet. Along the way, Ripley learns valuable lessons about the fragility of life and the power of teamwork. Ultimately, Ripley manages to defeat the Xenomorph and survive, making her the first human to defeat an alien.

From James Cameron, starring Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn, Paul Reiser
Rated R

Aliens is a science fiction action horror film directed by James Cameron and starring Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, and Lance Henriksen. Set 57 years after the events of the first film Alien (1979), Aliens follows protagonist Ellen Ripley as she is rescued after drifting through space in stasis for 57 years. She is then recruited to help a team of Colonial Marines investigate the disappearance of colonists on LV-426, the same planetoid where her crew first encountered the hostile Alien species. When they arrive, they discover that the planet is now home to a hive of Aliens. Ripley and the Marines must battle their way out of the planet, all while trying to protect a young girl, Newt, who is the lone survivor of the colony. In the end, Ripley is triumphant, destroying the Alien Mother and escaping with Newt.

From William Friedkin, starring Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb
Rated R

The Exorcist is a 1973 horror film directed by William Friedkin, based on a 1971 novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty. The film revolves around the demonic possession of twelve-year-old Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair). It follows a young Catholic priest, Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), who is sent to investigate and perform an exorcism on Regan. Along with another priest, Father Lankester Merrin (Max Von Sydow), they battle the dark forces threatening Regan and her family's lives. The Exorcist is considered one of the greatest and most influential horror films of all time and was nominated for ten Academy Awards, winning two.

From John McTiernan, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Kevin Peter Hall, Elpidia Carrillo
Rated R

Predator is an action film released in 1987 and directed by John McTiernan. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Major Alan "Dutch" Schaefer, a commando who leads a team of mercenaries into the jungle to rescue hostages from guerrillas. As they fight their way through the jungle, they realize that they are being stalked and hunted by a mysterious and seemingly unstoppable alien creature. The team must use all of their strength and cunning to survive the creature's onslaught and to discover its true identity and purpose. Along the way, Dutch must confront not only the alien hunter, but also his own inner demons.

From John Carpenter, starring Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tony Moran, Nancy Kyes
Rated R

Halloween is a 1978 American slasher film written and directed by John Carpenter, co-written with producer Debra Hill, and starring Jamie Lee Curtis in her debut role. The film tells the story of Michael Myers, a psychopathic killer who stalks and kills teenage babysitters in the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois, on Halloween night. The film also stars Donald Pleasence as Dr. Sam Loomis, the psychiatrist who unsuccessfully attempts to stop Myers' reign of terror. Halloween has become one of the most successful independent films of all time and has spawned numerous sequels, remakes, and reboots. The film's legacy has also led to its being considered one of the most important horror films of all time.

From James Wan, starring Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, Danny Glover, Ken Leung
Rated R

Saw is a 2004 American horror film directed by James Wan and released by Lionsgate Films. The film follows two men—Adam (Leigh Whannell) and Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes)—who find themselves chained in a dilapidated bathroom, with neither remembering how they got there. They soon discover that they are part of a game orchestrated by a mysterious figure known as Jigsaw (Tobin Bell), who has been monitoring their progress and punishing them for any transgression. To survive, they must find a way to escape before a certain time is up or face certain death. As the game progresses and more horrifying secrets are revealed, Adam and Lawrence must work together to solve the mystery of Jigsaw and find a way out.

From Wes Craven, starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Skeet Ulrich
Rated R

From Wes Craven, starring Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp, Robert Englund, John Saxon
Rated R

From Tobe Hooper, starring JoBeth Williams, Heather O'Rourke, Craig T. Nelson, Beatrice Straight
Rated PG

From Gore Verbinski, starring Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Brian Cox, David Dorfman
Rated PG-13

From Len Wiseman, starring Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Shane Brolly, Michael Sheen
Rated R

From Clive Barker, starring Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence, Sean Chapman
Rated R

From James Wong, starring Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, Kerr Smith, Kristen Cloke
Rated R

From Len Wiseman, starring Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Bill Nighy, Tony Curran
Rated R

From Scott Derrickson, starring Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Campbell Scott
Rated PG-13

From Paul W.S. Anderson, starring Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Ryan McCluskey, Oscar Pearce
Rated R

From John Dahl, starring Steve Zahn, Paul Walker, Leelee Sobieski, Jessica Bowman
Rated R

From Chuck Russell, starring Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund, Craig Wasson, Patricia Arquette
Rated R

From Darren Lynn Bousman, starring Donnie Wahlberg, Beverley Mitchell, Franky G, Emmanuelle Vaugier
Rated R

From Rick Rosenthal, starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Charles Cyphers, Jeffrey Kramer
Rated R

From Patrick Tatopoulos, starring Rhona Mitra, Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Steven Mackintosh
Rated R

From William Peter Blatty, starring George C. Scott, Ed Flanders, Brad Dourif, Jason Miller
Rated R

From Sean S. Cunningham, starring Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Jeannine Taylor, Robbi Morgan
Rated R

From Wes Craven, starring Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund, Jf Davis, Miko Hughes
Rated R

From David Fincher, starring Sigourney Weaver, Charles S. Dutton, Charles Dance, Paul McGann
Rated R