10 Best Horror Remakes of the 2010s, Ranked

Unfortunately, horror remakes tend to be pretty bad. While they promise to reinvigorate old classics, most wind up being soulless cash grabs or pale imitations. That said, a few horror remakes do succeed (even if their ranks are criminally lean). The 2010s saw a slew of horror remakes, most of which were disposable, but a handful stuck the landing, remaining compelling years later.

With this in mind, this list looks at some of that decade’s best horror reinterpretations. They range from wild carnage to elevated horror, slashers to Stephen King adaptations, hardcore pulp to impressive exercises in style. From the brutality of Evil Dead to the artful eeriness of Suspiria, these 2010s movies prove that horror remakes can hit hard as long as they’re done right.

10

‘Child’s Play’ (2019)

Directed by Lars Klevberg

“That’s not a knife. This is for Tupac.” Lars Klevberg’s Child’s Play reimagines the story of the murderous doll Chucky with a tech-savvy twist. Instead of a supernatural origin, this version centers on a malfunctioning AI doll programmed with a corrupted safety protocol. The film follows young Andy Barclay (Gabriel Bateman) and his single mother Karen (Aubrey Plaza) as they grapple with the escalating violence caused by Chucky’s growing obsession with Andy.

While no masterpiece, this version of Child’s Play is a lot better than the flaming dumpster fire it could have been. While it may lack the voodoo curses and Brad Dourif‘s iconic scary-comic performance, the AI angle is decent. Some of the one-liners are admittedly terrible (so much so that a few of them became memes), but the movie as a whole is moderately entertaining, at least for fans of this subgenre. It helps that Mark Hamill‘s voice-acting is so good, infusing the killer doll with a lot of personality.

9

‘We Are What We Are’ (2013)

Directed by Jim Mickle

“It’s tradition. It’s who we are.” This version of We Are What We Are relocates the 2010 Mexican original to the Appalachian Mountains. There, the Parker family, seemingly devout and reserved, harbors a dark secret: they adhere to a generations-old ritual of cannibalism. When a torrential storm unearths human remains near their home, the local authorities start closing in on the truth, threatening to unravel the family’s tightly held-traditions.

This take on the tale is a little more accessible, sanding down the original’s extremely dark edges. This new approach still works, however, turning We Are What We Are into a somber meditation on inherited trauma and blind faith. It’s a great slow burn, with the filmmakers expertly delaying the inevitable descent into carnage. The climax, when it finally rolls around, is worth it. In short, mounting tension, psychological realism, and explosive bloodshed are the order of the day.

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8

‘Maniac’ (2012)

Directed by Franck Khalfoun

“You shouldn’t have done that. You shouldn’t have killed her.” Maniac is a slasher co-written by Alexandre Aja, the filmmaker behind High Tension and Crawl. It updates the 1980 cult classic with a stylistic twist, presenting most of the film from the first-person perspective of its disturbed protagonist, Frank Zito (Elijah Wood). Frank is a reclusive mannequin shop owner with a twisted obsession: he stalks and murders women, preserving their scalps to adorn his mannequins, which he sees as his only companions.

This bleak and uneasy movie unfolds in a cold and uncaring world: the killer commits many crimes in the open, yet no one seems to notice. Wood delivers a suitably chilling performance in the part, subverting his typically sympathetic on-screen persona. It’s jarring to see Frodo butchering people, to say the least. Some viewers may find the gore to be a bit overwhelming, but that’s also precisely what’ll endear Maniac to a certain subset of viewers.

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7

‘I Spit on Your Grave’ (2010)

Directed by Steven R. Monroe

“Looks like you found what you were looking for.” 1978’s I Spit on Your Grave is a controversial cult film, both loved and loathed for its extreme content. Director Steven R. Monroe‘s remake revisits the tale with a similarly unflinching approach. The story follows Jennifer Hills (Sarah Butler), a writer who retreats to a secluded cabin for inspiration but becomes the target of a brutal assault. Left for dead, she survives and exacts revenge on her attackers in increasingly gruesome ways.

The resulting movie is certainly not great, but it deserves props for staying true to the spirit of the source material, something increasingly rare with remakes. The violence is brutal, unrestrained, and far more competently executed than in the messy, amateurish original. I Spit on Your Grave is not everyone’s cup of tea but, like its predecessor, a small coterie of fans embraced the movie, with it too becoming a cult film.

6

‘Fright Night’ (2011)

Directed by Craig Gillespie

“Welcome to Fright Night… for real.” This remake also had big shoes to fill, as the original Fright Night is something of a minor ’80s classic. It centers on Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin), an average high schooler who suspects his charming new neighbor Jerry (Colin Farrell) is a vampire preying on the community. Enlisting the help of a Las Vegas magician and vampire expert (David Tennant), Charley confronts the terrifying truth and takes matters into his own hands.

The movie benefits considerably from the talent of its stars, particularly Tennant and Farrell. It also features creative input from some true heavy-hitters; Steven Spielberg is said to have helped with the storyboarding, while the music was handled by Game of Thrones‘s Ramin Djawadi. While it’s debatable whether a remake was actually necessary, this movie is enjoyable thanks to its straightforward storytelling and a nice blend of jokes and scares.

5

‘The Crazies’ (2010)

Directed by Breck Eisner

“Don’t ask me why I can’t leave without my wife, and I won’t ask you why you can.” This remake of George A. Romero‘s 1973 cult movie is slick and modern but no less effective. The movie takes place in an ideal American small town that spirals into chaos when some sort of toxin infects the water supply, turning the citizens into homicidal maniacs. The Sheriff, David Dutton (Timothy Olyphant), and his wife, Judy (Radha Mitchell), must fight to escape the town before it’s wiped out by the government’s efforts to contain the outbreak.

The original movie won fans over with its blend of pulp and social commentary, a feat that Breck Eisner‘s version also pulls off. Where this remake differs is with its polished style and high production value, a marked contrast with the lo-fit grit of its predecessor. Most fans and critics seemed to appreciate this new direction and the amount of care and effort it required. The Crazies made a solid profit and earned positive reviews, with many considering it better than the original.

4

‘Evil Dead’ (2013)

Directed by Fede Álvarez

“I will rip your soul out, Daddy!” Fede Álvarez‘s Evil Dead is a relentless, blood-soaked reinterpretation (though not a full remake) of the beloved Sam Raimi film. The story follows a group of friends who gather at a remote cabin to help Mia (Jane Levy) overcome her drug addiction. Their efforts take a horrifying turn when they discover the Necronomicon, inadvertently unleashing a demonic force that consumes them one by one. The carnage that follows eschews the campy humor of the original for a darker, more visceral vision.

It’s not the most original movie out there, but Evil Dead compensates with hard-hitting violence, a few solid frights, and a winning performance from Levy. Audiences responded, with the film raking in an impressive $97.5 million against a budget of just $17 million. Most of all, 2013’s Evil Dead works because it simultaneously respects its progenitor while also carving out an individual identity, a hellish balance to get right.

3

‘Suspiria’ (2018)

Directed by Luca Guadagnino

“When you dance the dance of another, you make yourself in the image of its creator.” 2018’s Suspiria is Luca Guadagnino‘s wintry take on the colorful Italian gem. Dakota Johnson leads the cast as Susie Bannion, an American dancer who joins a prestigious Berlin academy run by a coven of witches. As Susie’s talents emerge, so do the academy’s dark secrets, culminating in a grotesque and operatic climax.

Guadagnino very much imbues the material with his singular personality, changing the tone and aesthetic considerably. This works to the film’s benefit, making it more of a spiritual successor than a total rehash. While not all the themes and historical messages land, the cinematography, music (courtesy of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke), and acting are great across the board. Tilda Swinton, in particular, steals the show, as is often the case. While not to everyone’s taste, Suspiria is further proof of Guadagnino’s formidable, wide-ranging talents.

2

‘Let Me In’ (2010)

Directed by Matt Reeves

“Do you think there’s such a thing as evil?” Let Me In is a haunting remake of the 2008 Swedish film Let the Right One In, one of the best vampire movies of the 21st century. The plot in this one follows Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a lonely boy who befriends his enigmatic new neighbor, Abby (Chloë Grace Moretz). As their bond deepens, Owen discovers Abby’s dark secret: she is a centuries-old vampire reliant on blood to survive.

Rather than being a stereotypical vampire flick, Let Me In is a stark, intimate coming-of-age story, drama, romance, and subtle horror. It’s artful and immersive, conjuring up an abundance of moods that can’t help but draw the viewer in. That this strange tale works at all is a testament to the talents of the young leads, who turn in performances well beyond their years. The film’s admirers included Stephen King, who called it “the best American horror film in the last 20 years.”

1

‘It’ (2017) and ‘It Chapter Two’ (2019)

Directed by Andy Muschietti

“You’ll float too!” Speaking of King, the movie claiming the top spot on this list is, perhaps unsurprisingly, Andy Muschietti‘s two-part adaptation of his magnum opus It. It focuses on the Losers’ Club, a group of misfit kids (and later adults) in Derry, Maine, who band together to confront Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgård), a shape-shifting entity that preys on children. The TV movie version is beloved, but Muschietti still impressively breathed new life into the material and made it his own.

There’s horror aplenty, but the movies really shine in their quieter, more intimate moments, relying on characterization, rich writing, and strong performances. It’s as much a coming-of-age story as a horror, in this regard harking back to films like Stand By Me. The breakout villain from Skarsgård is also a highlight, paving the way for his brilliant work in several creepfests, not least Robert Eggers‘s Nosferatu. ​​​​​​

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