The 10 Best Oscar-Winning Horror Movies, Ranked
The Academy Awards have a long tradition of overlooking horror movies, often dismissing them in favor of more “prestigious” genres. But over their 97-year history, a handful of horror films have managed to break through, earning nominations—and, in rare cases, taking home Oscars. While The Silence of the Lambs dominated in 1992, such moments remain exceptions rather than the rule. However, this award season, we have 3 horror movies nominated across many different categories - The Substance, Nosferatu, and Alien: Romulus - and probably will take home some of the golden goods.
Horror fans know the Oscars can be frustrating, with incredible performances and eccentric films frequently snubbed (Lily-Rose Depp in Nosferatu—you deserved that nomination). Still, a few horror movies have managed to win, some in technical categories and others in main categories, like Best Actress or Best Original Screenplay. From psychological thrillers to supernatural nightmares, these Oscar-winning horror films proved that terror deserves a place at the table.
10 PHOTOS
10. 'Misery' (1990)
Oscar Won: Best Actress for Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes
After a serious car accident, bestselling novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is rescued by former nurse Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), his self-proclaimed "number one fan." At first, she seems kind and eager to help him recover in her remote cabin. But when she discovers he plans to kill off her favorite character, her obsession turns dangerous. Trapped, injured, and completely at her mercy, Sheldon must outwit Annie before her love for his work turns into his worst nightmare.
Misery is a masterclass in suspense, but what makes it unforgettable is Bates's chilling performance. She brings Annie to life with unsettling sweetness one moment and terrifying rage the next. Her portrayal earned her an Oscar, making her the only actor to win for a Stephen King adaptation. With a tight, claustrophobic setting and nerve-wracking tension, Misery remains one of the best psychological thrillers ever made.
9. 'Black Swan' (2010)
Oscar Won: Best Actress for Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers
Black Swan follows Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman), a dedicated ballerina striving for perfection in a New York City ballet company. When she lands the lead in Swan Lake, she must embody both the pure White Swan and the seductive Black Swan. But under pressure from her controlling mother, demanding director, and mysterious rival, Nina begins to unravel. As obsession takes hold, her grip on reality slips, leading to a haunting transformation. Black Swan is one of the best thrillers of the last 25 years, and Portman's performance is a big reason why this movie is both terrifying and beautiful.
Portman delivers a mesmerizing performance, fully committing to Nina’s physical and psychological breakdown. Her dedication to the role, including months of ballet training, paid off with a well-deserved Oscar win. Black Swan was a critical and commercial triumph, earning five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, despite its small budget. Aronofsky’s direction, striking cinematography, and sharp editing make this psychological thriller an unforgettable masterpiece.
8. 'The Omen' (1976)
Oscar Won: Best Original Score for Jerry Goldsmith
Robert (Gregory Peck) and Katherine Thorn (Lee Remick) adopt a baby boy after their newborn dies, unaware that their new son, Damien, is the Antichrist. As Damien grows, disturbing events unfold—his nanny’s shocking suicide, a priest’s cryptic warnings, and a series of violent deaths. Robert slowly uncovers the horrifying truth: his child is destined to bring chaos and destruction to the world. Like many horror franchises, The Omen started with a masterpiece that remains unmatched. Despite sequels and remakes, nothing has come close to the power of the original.
A defining film of 1970s horror, The Omen delivers slow-building tension and unforgettable scares. Despite mixed reviews, it became one of the year’s biggest hits. Its chilling atmosphere owes much to Jerry Goldsmith’s Oscar-winning score, including the haunting Ave Satani, his only Academy Award win despite an iconic career (L.A. Confidential, Star Trek: First Contact). From its unforgettable graveyard scene to its shocking finale, The Omen remains a horror classic.
7. 'Get Out' (2017)
Oscar Won: Best Original Screenplay for Jordan Peele
Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and his girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams), take a trip to meet her parents. At first, her family seems overly accommodating, but soon, strange behavior from their house staff and unsettling encounters with guests hint at something far more sinister. What begins as awkward racial tension spirals into a horrifying revelation, forcing Chris to fight for his life. Get out has been cited as one of the best horror movies of the last 25 years, with Kaluuya giving one of the most incredible performances in the horror genre.
Get Out is one of the most culturally significant horror films of the last decade, offering a sharp critique of modern racism disguised as politeness. Jordan Peele’s debut feature won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, making him the first African American filmmaker to achieve this honor. Also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, this psychological horror masterpiece blends terror and satire in a way that remains both timely and terrifying.
6. 'Rosemary's Baby' (1968)
Oscar Won: Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Ruth Gordon
Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) and her husband, Guy (John Cassavetes) move into an old Manhattan apartment with a dark history. When Rosemary becomes pregnant, her eccentric neighbors, Minnie (Ruth Gordon) and Roman Castevet (Sidney Blackmer), take an unusual interest in her. As Rosemary experiences terrifying visions and increasing isolation, she suspects her husband and neighbors may have sinister plans for her unborn child.
A classic horror movie and one of the best cult horror movies, Rosemary’s Baby is a slow-burning psychological nightmare fueled by paranoia and betrayal. Farrow delivers one of the most haunting performances in horror history, making Rosemary’s descent into fear deeply unsettling, but it's Gordon who steals every scene she is in. Roman Polanski’s adaptation of Ira Levin’s novel earned two Oscar nominations, including Best Adapted Screenplay, though it lost to The Lion in Winter. More than 50 years later, its influence on the genre remains unmatched.
5. 'Jaws' (1975)
Oscars Won: Best Sound for John Carter, Roger Heman, Robert L. Hoyt, and Earl Madery; Best Film Editing for Verna Fields; and Best Music, Original Dramatic Score for John Williams
In one of the greatest films of the 70s, a great white shark terrorizes the beaches of Amity Island, and police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) teams up with marine biologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) to track and kill the deadly predator. As the trio ventures into open water, their fight for survival turns into a pulse-pounding battle against nature’s most fearsome predator.
A game-changer in horror and blockbuster cinema, Jaws redefined suspense with Spielberg’s masterful direction and John Williams’ legendary score. The film’s troubled production, including a malfunctioning mechanical shark, led to creative choices that heightened tension, making it even scarier. The first horror movie to win three Academy Awards, Jaws remains the ultimate suspense movie and one of the most influential horror films of all time.
4. 'The Fly' (1986)
Oscar Won: Best Makeup for Chris Walas and Stephan Dupuis
Scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) creates a teleportation device that could revolutionize science. But when he tests it on himself, a tiny mistake changes everything—a housefly enters the pod with him, merging their DNA. At first, Brundle feels stronger, but his body soon begins a horrifying transformation, turning him into something far from human.
David Cronenberg’s The Fly is a landmark in body horror, blending emotional storytelling with grotesque practical effects. Goldblum’s haunting performance and Chris Walas’s Oscar-winning makeup create a slow, tragic metamorphosis that remains a masterclass in horror. A new movie set in the universe of The Fly is in the works, written and directed by Nanny's Nikyatu Jusu. More than just a monster movie, The Fly explores love, ambition, and the terrifying consequences of human error.
3. 'Alien (1979)
Oscar Won: Best Effects, Visual Effects for H.R. Giger, Carlo Rambaldi, Brian Johnson, Nick Allder, Dennis Ayling
Alien is, without a doubt,t one of the scariest horror movies ever made. The movie follows the crew of the Nostromo, who answers a distress call from a remote moon. They unknowingly bring back a deadly alien lifeform and, trapped in deep space, are hunted one by one by a terrifying creature that adapts and thrives in the ship’s dark corridors. With nowhere to escape, survival becomes a desperate fight against the unknown.
Ridley Scott’s Alien redefined sci-fi horror with groundbreaking effects, a chilling atmosphere, and H.R. Giger’s unforgettable creature design. Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley became a legendary female lead, proving both fierce and resilient. Winning an Oscar for its visual effects and also earning a nomination for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Alien remains a timeless, nerve-wracking masterpiece that set the gold standard for space horror.
2. 'Silence of the Lambs' (1991)
Oscars Won: Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role for Anthony Hopkins, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Director for Jonathan Demme, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published for Ted Tally
In one of the best psychological thrillers of all time, FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) is assigned to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist and imprisoned serial killer, to gain insight into another murderer, Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). As she navigates Lecter’s mind games, Clarice races against time to stop Buffalo Bill before he claims his next victim, making for an intense psychological thriller.
Winning five Academy Awards - including the prestigious "Big Five" - The Silence of the Lambs cemented its place as a cinematic masterpiece. Hopkins' chilling performance as Lecter is unforgettable, as is Foster’s determined portrayal of Starling. A perfect mix of thriller, horror, and suspense, the film remains one of the most gripping and influential thrillers ever made, proving that terror isn’t just about what you see but what lurks in the mind.
1. 'The Exorcist' (1973)
Oscars Won: Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium for William Peter Blatty; and Best Sound for Robert Knudson and Christopher Newman
When actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) notices her 12-year-old daughter, Regan (Linda Blair,) exhibiting bizarre and violent behavior, medical tests fail to provide answers. Desperate, she turns to Father Karras (Jason Miller), a priest struggling with his faith. As Regan’s condition worsens, the Catholic Church calls in the experienced Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) to perform an exorcism in a terrifying battle between good and evil.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest horror films ever made, The Exorcist was the first horror film (and the scariest) nominated for Best Picture, earning 10 Oscar nominations. With stunning performances, haunting sound design, and shocking practical effects, it left audiences shaken in 1973—and still does today. Its cultural impact is undeniable, influencing countless films and cementing its place in cinema history as the definitive possession horror film.
Keywords: Oscar awards | Oscar winners | Horror movies | Cinema | Horror films | Nominated movies