Top 10 Paranormal Horror Movies of the Decade

Top 10 Paranormal Horror Movies of the 2010s



It’s been a pretty spooky decade. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down the Top 10 Paranormal Horror Movies of the 2010s.



For this list, we’ll be looking at the scariest horror movies from 2010 to 2019 that focus on ghosts, hauntings and possessions. Paranormal horror movies have made a huge comeback in recent years, and this resurgence in the genre has given us arguably some of its greatest entries.

Moving into a house that was previously the site of a grisly murder doesn’t really sound like a fun lifestyle change. But for Ethan Hawke’s character, true crime writer Ellison Oswalt, it’s just the sort of inspiration that he’s looking for to help him pen his next book. By the time a scraggly-haired ghost starts menacing his family, however, you can be he’s regretting this particular decision - especially the part where he kept them all in the dark about the house’s history. A solid modern horror movie with some memorable scaress and a strong lead performance from Hawke, this entry is sure to appeal to genre enthusiasts.

After being kicked out of their community, a puritan family in 1630’s New England strike out on their own and establish a farm in the secluded New England countryside. But when the youngest child goes missing, the family slowly succumb to paranoia and distrust as they come to believe that eldest child Thomasin has turned to witchcraft. Robert Eggers’ debut feature put him on the horror map in a big way, drawing rave reviews from fans and critics alike for its oppressive atmosphere, top-notch presentation and the incredible performance of lead actress Anya Taylor-Joy. It’s now regarded as one of the finest horror movies of the decade - and continues to serve as a solid argument as to why you really, really shouldn’t mess with goats.

Another entry that came out of nowhere only to take the horror scene by storm, this contemporary horror flick puts an interesting twist on the haunting/monster movie formula and capitalizes on its unique concept thanks to the excellent direction of David Robert Mitchell. After a date, protagonist Jay finds herself relentlessly pursued by a sinister entity intent on her death, and subsequently learns that its terrifying presence is passed on through sex. But will Jay try and overcome the curse, or pass it on to another victim? With a premise rich in subtext and a soundtrack evoking classic John Carpenter movies, it’s no wonder this movie has gained quite a…wait for it…following.

Movies based on board games don’t have the best track record, but if anyone could succeed in putting together a prequel to the less-than-well-received “Ouija” movie, it was director Mike Flanagan. An eerie and genuinely frightening story, this entry in the nascent franchise focuses on a family of fraudulent spiritual mediums who get much more than they bargained for after stumbling across the titular board. With tons of retro charm, this feels like a wonderful and eminently spooky throwback to the horror movies of yesteryear, mixing nostalgia with scares to great effect. Add in some terrifying imagery like the glowing-eyed creature that haunts the family and you’ve got a surprise horror hit.

This film from critically-acclaimed director Guillermo Del Toro is almost as heavily drenched in Gothic atmosphere as it is blood. Aftering marrying a mysterious aristocrat, a young girl is whisked off to her new husband’s home to live with him and his sister. Given the look of the house, it should come as no surprise that it’s super-duper haunted, and our young heroine is soon beset but blood-dripping ghosts. Thanks to Del Toro’s flair for luscious, decadent production design, this movie is stunning to look at even when the ghosts are keeping to themselves, and the excellent performances by leads Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska help make the movie a memorable and enthralling watch.

This contemporary horror classic laid a whole ton of the groundwork for what would come after, bringing new life to the supernatural horror genre. It all starts the way you’d expect, with an idyllic family moving into a new home to begin a new chapter of their lives together. But after their son Dalton falls into a coma, parents Josh and Renai begin to suspect that there’s something much more terrifying in their new home than bedbugs and dry rot. With its abundance of scares and terrifying, claw-handed villain, this contemporary haunted house movie drew in audiences by the droves and kickstarted a whole franchise. Of course, this isn’t the only major mark that filmmaker James Wan would leave on the genre.

The best horror flicks are often ones that use the fantastical to tackle real subjects, and this is an example of near perfect execution. After reading a mysterious and disturbing storybook, a single mother and her son are plunged into a terrifying ordeal as they come face to face with a terrifying entity known only as Mister Babadook. While on the surface it may seem like a typical ghost movie, Jennifer Kent’s debut film has a lot more going on than spirits and scares, painting a vivid picture of the mental health struggles faced by both mother and child. It’s this powerful subtext that helped the film become the horror sensation of 2014.

After making his feature debut with 2013’s “Mama”, director Andy Muscietti made the bold move on signing on to write and direct an adaptation of Stephen King’s seminal horror novel. Taking over the role once filled by the legendary Tim Curry, Bill Skarsgård’s turn as Pennywise the Dancing Clown terrified audiences from the very first scene, ensuring the film a high place in the pantheon of modern horror movies. While it may rely heavily on jumpscares, the film’s atmosphere is thick enough to cut with a knife, and Muscietti’s refusal to shy away from some of the more graphic elements, like the horrible fate of poor Georgie Denbrough, definitely leaves a lasting impression.

It’s the film that spawned not just a horror franchise, but a cinematic universe. Based on the casefiles of Ed and Lorraine Warren, James Wan’s trendsetting horror blockbuster terrified audiences upon release, and still does with repeat viewings. One again we focus on an all-American family getting settled into their new abode, only to be plunged headlong into terror when a dark presence makes itself known. Only this time, a husband and wife team of paranormal investigators are on hand to help the family survive their terrifying ordeal. Spawning numerous sequels, spinoffs and imitators, Wan’s film continues to influence modern horror films, and probably won’t stop doing so any time soon.







Before we reveal our number one pick, here are some hair-raising honorable mentions.



“The Woman in Black” (2012)







“Lights Out” (2016)







“Verónica” (2017)





“Evil Dead” (2013)







“The Last Exorcism” (2010)

As much a family drama as an utterly terrifying horror movie, this explosive debut from director Ari Aster will have you squirming in your seat even during something as mundane as a dinner scene. The story of a family rocked by grief after the death of their young daughter, the film strikes a careful balance, mining the pain and resentment of loss masterfully, while also presenting us with genuinely terrifying supernatural encounters. On their own, either of these would be enough to carry a great film, but when combined, they make for a filmgoing experience that will leave you rattled to your very core . . . and scared to ever hear someone clicking their tongue again.