The 2024 film schedule has been a treasure trove for horror fans, delivering among the greatest horror films the style has seen in a decade. Main the pack is Demi Moore’s The Substance, a standout that reaffirms the facility of female-led horror. With its psychological depth, razor-sharp social commentary, and unsettling physique horror, it has cemented itself as one of many greatest physique horror movies.
If, like me, you had been captivated by its exploration of management and transformation, you’re in for a deal with—there’s a wealth of female-led horror that captures those self same gripping, intense vibes. Right here’s my curated checklist of seven must-watch movies that showcase fierce feminine leads, game-changing feminine directed flicks, and sure, I will direct you away from a pair that didn’t fairly hit the mark.
Feminine-Led Horror Movies I would Suggest After The Substance
The Substance is the newest in an extended line of female-led horror films. Listed below are seven movies I would suggest after watching Demi Moore’s newest film.
1. Swallow (2019)
Swallow tells the haunting story of Hunter, a younger housewife portrayed by Haley Bennett, in a career-defining efficiency. Trapped in a stifling life, Hunter develops pica—a compulsion to devour harmful objects—as a method to reclaim a way of management. Every object she swallows, from marbles to security pins, takes her deeper into an exploration of her advanced relationship with autonomy and self-agency. Like The Substance, Swallow journeys by the uncooked, unsettling layers of a girl’s determined want to assert her physique as her personal, set towards a chilling psychological horror backdrop that’s each disturbing and deeply charming.
2. Jennifer’s Physique (2009)
Jennifer’s Physique boasts an unbelievable solid and has earned its place as a cult favourite by flipping conventional horror tropes on their head. This incredible one-off horror flick tells the story of excessive schooler Jennifer, who, after a botched satanic ritual, transforms right into a literal man-eater, taking bloody revenge on the boys round her. It’s a movie that’s unapologetically gory, hilariously darkish, and surprisingly profound in its exploration of betrayal and vengeance—territory few horror comedies dare to tread. For my cash, it’s simply one of many greatest horror films of the 2000s. If The Substance left you craving an identical mixture of sharp humor and blood-soaked catharsis, this Diablo Cody-penned film will certainly hit the mark.
3. The Love Witch (2016)
In the event you’re on the lookout for the greatest horror films on Tubi, I bought ya, as a result of my subsequent suggestion might be discovered streaming there. The Love Witch follows Elaine, performed brilliantly by Samantha Robinson, a modern-day witch with a classic aesthetic who makes use of love spells to ensnare males. With vibrant, retro visuals and a Gothic twist, the movie critiques gender dynamics and the romantic myths girls are fed. Like The Substance, The Love Witch is as stunning as it’s unsettling, proving that horror can dissect gender and autonomy simply as successfully as every other style—whereas serving up some critical type alongside the way in which.
4. We Must Discuss About Kevin (2011)
We’re all conversant in the basic babysitter horror trope: a killer retains calling, just for her to find, “The decision is coming from inside the home.” However what if the true horror wasn’t simply in the home—it was within the household? Or worse, your personal youngster? We Must Discuss About Kevin is a gripping–simply one of many greatest psychological thrillers ever made-drama that dives right into a mom’s harrowing journey as she confronts the horrifying penalties of her son’s violent actions. Tilda Swinton delivers a chillingly nuanced efficiency as Eva, a mom entangled in an online of rigidity, remorse, and resentment along with her son Kevin. Very similar to The Substance, this movie fearlessly explores uncomfortable themes, unraveling the complexities of parenthood, guilt, and the phobia that may come up from inside our personal households.
5. Relic (2020)
Relic presents a chilling portrait of generational trauma and is a horror film that meaningfully handles grief. As three generations of girls reunite to take care of the grandmother in a haunted home, the bodily manifestation of their fears takes maintain. This slow-burn horror reveals how anger, concern, and love intertwine, particularly between moms and daughters. Relic gives a haunting take a look at household dynamics that can linger lengthy after the credit roll.
6. Close to Darkish (1987)
Kathryn Bigelow’s Close to Darkish is an underappreciated female-led gem from the celebrated director, mixing vampire horror with a gritty Western twist. The movie follows a younger lady pulled right into a gang of vampires, delving into themes of rise up, loyalty, and survival. It’s a uncommon mixture of horror, gritty realism, and untraditional romance—all with loads of chunk (pun supposed). Sadly, Close to Darkish has been notoriously troublesome to search out, and it’s not obtainable on any streaming platform. If you wish to expertise this practically forgotten ’80s basic, you’ll want to purchase a bodily copy. However belief me, it’s value each penny to personal this distinctive piece of cinematic historical past.
7. American Mary (2012)
This body-horror movie follows medical scholar Mary, who turns to the world of maximum physique modification after a traumatic expertise. Like The Substance, American Mary makes use of horror as a lens for empowerment and revenge. Gory but oddly cathartic, the movie explores female rage and management over one’s physique with an unapologetic, visceral edge. It’s unsettling, empowering, and an amazing alternative for followers trying to discover horror’s darker aspect.
Feminine-Led Horror Movies That Fall Quick
Whereas the above movies are particular suggestions, not each female-led horror delivers on its promise. Listed below are two that fall quick.
1. The Neon Demon (2016)
The Neon Demon definitely has a visible attraction, however this psychological horror movie directed by Nicolas Winding Refn falls flat on substance regardless of its gorgeous cinematography. It follows an aspiring mannequin whose rise to fame leads her right into a darkish world of jealousy and obsession. Whereas The Neon Demon makes an attempt to discover themes of magnificence and exploitation, it in the end feels shallow, missing the emotional resonance seen in movies like The Substance or Swallow. It’s extra type over substance, and for a movie coping with the horror of feminine competitors, it misses the mark.
2. Carrie (2013)
Whereas the unique Carrie (1976) stands as a horror basic, the 2013 remake has, sadly, earned a spot as one of many worst remakes in cinematic historical past. This try to modernize Stephen King’s story of a bullied lady with telekinetic powers strips away a lot of the uncooked, haunting essence that made the unique so highly effective. Regardless of the presence of a robust solid, together with Chloë Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore, the movie fails to seize the emotional depth and gritty realism of its predecessor, decreasing the story to a predictable, much less intense model. Not like The Substance, which dives deep into themes of management and transformation, the Carrie remake looks like a missed alternative, providing little past surface-level scares. However who is aware of—possibly the third time’s the appeal, because the story is now set for a tv adaptation from a horror legend.
The Energy of Feminine-Led Horror
Feminine-led horror movies provide a novel perspective on autonomy, id, and concern—components that male-centric horror doesn’t at all times seize. These films don’t simply depend on scares; they discover the deeply private struggles girls face, from societal expectations to internal demons. This style proves that girls’s tales can deliver one thing recent and highly effective to horror, difficult the norms and diving into points usually left unexplored.
From classics like Close to Darkish to latest gems like Relic, female-led horror continues to interrupt boundaries, mixing horror and humanity in a manner that few genres can.
Try our 2025 film launch schedule to see what upcoming horror films are headed to a theater close to you within the new yr.