Horror cinema in 2025 is having a moment—one that’s as creative as it is commercially successful. From big-budget blockbusters like 28 Years Later, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, and The Conjuring: Last Rites breaking box office records, to a wave of under-the-radar gems, this year’s horror landscape is richer and more varied than ever. And while the spotlight often lands on the biggest names, a host of daring, inventive films are quietly redefining what it means to be scared at the movies.
According to Bounding Into Comics, the sheer variety and ambition of 2025’s horror releases have set a new standard for the genre. Audiences are demanding more than just cheap thrills, and filmmakers are delivering—melding psychological complexity, social commentary, and even unexpected warmth into their tales of terror. Let’s take a closer look at the most underrated horror movies of the year so far, and why they deserve a spot on your must-watch list.
One of the year’s most innovative entries is Ben Leonberg’s Good Boy, a film that’s captured the internet’s heart as much as its imagination. As reported by CinemaBlend, Good Boy is told entirely from the perspective of a retriever named Indy, who explores a haunted house with all the curiosity and vulnerability of, well, a real dog. The twist? Indy isn’t just a character—he’s Leonberg’s own pet, trained over several years to star in the movie while the script was being written.
Leonberg and his wife took method filmmaking to a new level, moving into the set—a real house in the woods—for three years. "So we actually did not go back and forth [between set and our home]. We lived on the set, that was our house," Leonberg explained to CinemaBlend. This immersive approach allowed Indy to treat the haunted house as his own, leading to authentic, untrainable moments on camera. "It allowed us to capture some things that otherwise wouldn't happen, like the way a dog falls asleep. When I get out of bed in the morning, he weaves between my legs as a way to start the day. These genuine little moments that you can't really train a dog to do, or at least I don't know how to train the dog to do, we were able to get because the movie, or at least the location, was real for Indy."
The result? Good Boy is not only one of the most anticipated horror films of the year, but also one of the most beloved. With a 91% critic score and an 89% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, plus a 3.5 out of 5 stars from CinemaBlend, it’s clear that the gamble paid off. The film’s unique perspective and heartfelt execution make it a standout in a crowded field, proving that horror can be both inventive and deeply personal.
But Good Boy is far from the only sleeper hit of 2025. David Cronenberg’s The Shrouds was a top contender at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024, but didn’t get the theatrical run it deserved this year. Starring Vincent Cassel as a tech entrepreneur who invents a shroud that creates live 3D images of dead bodies, the film delves into the human obsession with mortality and our inability to let go. When a hacker uses the technology to torment him with images of his deceased wife, the story takes a turn for the nightmarish. As Bounding Into Comics notes, The Shrouds offers a mature, contemplative take on body horror—eschewing jump scares for existential dread.
Then there’s Companion, the directorial debut of Drew Hancok, which blends sci-fi, dark comedy, and horror in a way that feels both timely and timeless. Sophie Thatcher stars as Iris, a companion robot who turns on her abusive owner in a quest for revenge. The film’s real horror isn’t just in its violence, but in the psychological helplessness that pervades every scene. The chemistry between Thatcher and Jack Quaid adds emotional depth, making the audience care as much about the characters’ fates as the scares themselves.
Australian director Michael Shanks delivers a different flavor of terror with Together. This body horror film follows a couple—played by real-life partners Alison Brie and Dave Franco—who undergo strange, irreversible transformations after spending a night in a mysterious cave. The film’s horror lies in the loss of agency, as the protagonists are swept along by forces they can’t understand or resist. The natural chemistry between the leads only heightens the tension, turning a bizarre premise into a deeply relatable nightmare.
Fans of Stephen King will find much to love in Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey, based on King’s 1980s short story. The plot revolves around twin brothers, played by Theo James, who inherit a wind-up toy monkey that brings death wherever it goes. The film is a masterclass in building tension, with unpredictable, gory deaths that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. It’s a bloody, darkly humorous ride that never lets up.
Of course, some franchises never die—literally. Final Destination: Bloodlines continues the saga of death’s relentless pursuit, this time targeting the descendants of Iris Campbell, whose premonitions averted disaster 55 years ago. Every mundane object becomes a potential instrument of doom, and Tony Todd’s cameo as William ‘JB’ Bludworth is a treat for longtime fans. The film’s message is clear: death comes for us all, and it’s never far away.
For those who like their horror with a side of romance, Heart Eyes offers a wild ride. What starts as a Valentine’s Day rom-com quickly morphs into a high-octane slasher, as Ally (Olivia Holt) and Jay (Mason Gooding) find themselves targeted by a serial killer after a case of mistaken identity. The film’s relentless pace and endless twists make it an addictive watch, even if the premise flirts with cliché.
Finally, Bring Her Back stands out for its slow-burning, psychological approach. Directed by the Philippou brothers, the film follows two orphaned siblings—Andy (Billy Barrat) and his visually impaired sister Piper (Sora Wong)—who fall victim to the occult machinations of their foster mother. The story is steeped in grief, longing, and the terror of being powerless, culminating in an ending that’s as explosive as it is unsettling.
With so many creative risks being rewarded—both critically and at the box office—it’s clear that horror in 2025 is more than just a parade of scares. It’s a genre where filmmakers are unafraid to experiment, to tell personal stories, and to push audiences in new directions. Whether you’re a fan of haunted houses, killer monkeys, or existential dread, there’s a film this year that will haunt you long after the credits roll.
