Serial killer movies or series have a different pull to them, mainly because these tell you that reality is far more scary than you imagined. Here are the best of them!
In 2017, one nonprofit organization analyzing unsolved murders in the FBI database estimated that there could be as many as 2,000 serial killers active in the United States at any moment.
It Is safe to say that not all of them resemble classic horror film characters. Very few are cannibals or inhabit sprawling old mansions with hidden passages and dungeons. A smaller number leaves behind intricate cryptographs for a frazzled, chain-smoking detective and his partner to puzzle over while having greasy diner breakfasts with black coffee. The more unsettling truth is that many appear as “average” individuals we encounter daily. These narratives often imply that a serial killer isn’t the creepy stranger in town but rather the quiet neighbor who “mostly keeps to himself.” Yet, that is not the image portrayed in serial killer movies.
Perhaps this is why films are captivated by the more dramatic, erratic portrayal of serial killers. These tales excite us, diverting our attention from the more immediate threats and banalities of daily evil. Still, the notion of “a killer on the loose” has provided fertile ground for cinematic storytelling since the dawn of film. If we trace back to the 1920 classic The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, we find a fundamental serial killer narrative – though one where a hypnotized sleepwalker commits the killings. Nonetheless, the underlying theme remains important.
Below we have gathered a list of the 19 best serial killer movies that you cannot miss if you are a fan of true crime or crime-thriller fan.
1.The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Jonathan Demme’sSilence of the Lambs is a haunting, Oscar-winning thriller that made Hannibal Lecter an unforgettable cinematic villain. Played by Anthony Hopkins, this role is one of his career-best and made people permanently hate the character. Though not the first to feature Lectoer, this film centered on his place in popular culture as a brilliant but twisted psychiatrist who savors human liver with a nice Chinati. While Buffalo Bill, another disturbing killer who skins his victims, is a threat, Lecter remains the true danger. Even locked away in prison, his intelligence and manipulative power make him the ultimate predator. The tension between him and FBI agent Clarice Starling drives the film’s psychological depth and suspense.
2.Psycho (1960)
Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is often called a masterpiece and for a good reason, the groundbreaking film has reshaped 1960s cinema, challenging old taboos surrounding violence, and sex, and even showing a toilet on screen. It helped birthed the slasher genre, influenced splatter films, and elevated horror into a respected art form. The movie has inspired countless imitations, parodies, sequels, a TV spinoff, a biopic, a documentary, and even a shot-for-shot remake. However, what often gets overshadowed is Anthony Perkins’ unforgettable performance as Norman Bates. It is hard to imagine anyone else playing the role, and the film’s lasting impact would be far less powerful without the chilling portrayal.
3.Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1990)
Even the darkest, most violent slasher films usually try to make crime exciting or thrilling. Henry; Portrait of a Serial Killer does not do that. Based on the real-life killer Henry Lee Lucas, the film shows a brutal, cold, and realistic view of psychopathy, unlike anything Hollywood typically portrays, It was so shocking that for years no distributor would touch it, and it even received an X rating from the MPAA. Filmed in a raw and intimate style with no cinematic tricks, Michael Rocker’s performance as Henry is chilling. Though he seems less evil than his partner Otis (played by Tom Towles), who commits even more horrific acts. Why recommend it? Because it evokes a feeling that few films do – even if it is disgust.
4.The Night of the Hunter (1995)
Here is a tip: if you only make one movie in your lifetime, make it The Night of the Hunter. Charles Laughton’s only directorial effort is a one-of-a-kind film, unlike anything else from its era. The movie has an eerie, dreamlike quality, like a troubling memory from childhood, which fits the story of two kids on the run from a psychopath. This killer, a serial murderer pretending to be a preacher is played by Robert Mitchum in a haunting performance that is calm yet terrifying. His philosophical view on his villainy makes him a precursor to characters like Anton Chigurh, in No Country for Old Men, and his iconic ‘Love/Hate’ knuckle tattoos have inspired references in films and TV, including Spike Lee and The Simpsons.
5.M (1931)
Fritz Lang’s first sound film, M, helped create the police procedural, psychological thriller, and film noir. But what stands out is its moral ambiguity. Set in a distorted, nightmarish version of Berlin, the film centers on the murder of a young girl, shown through shadows and an abandoned balloon. This crime sends shockwaves through the city and its criminal world, which does not want the attention a child murderer brings. The audience knows the killer is Peter Lorre, but as both criminals and police close in on him, Lang asks a tough question: in a corrupt society, is a child killer worse than the mob that seeks revenge?
6.Se7en (1995)
Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt star as two mismatched detectives investigating a serial killer whose victims are punished for committing one of the Seven Deadly Sins: Pride, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, and Sloth. Each of the killer’s methods is shockingly creative and grotesque, leaving a disturbing impression. Directed by David Fincher, Se7en is set in a grim, morally bankrupt world where the innocent are doomed to be victims, and evil often seems to prevail. The film’s dark, oppressive atmosphere mirrors its heavy themes of sin, guilt, and corruption. Initially, Se7en might seem like an exercise in style over substance, but its visual design and mood perfectly complement its somber message. While the film is a tense and gripping thriller, it is also a profound meditation on human nature and morality. With its haunting story and unforgettable performances, Se7en stands as a masterpiece in both the thriller genre and cinema as a whole.
7.Memories of Murder (2003)
Directed by Bong Joon-Ho, Memories of Murder follows South Korean detectives investigating the country’s first known serial killer. The detectives quickly realize they are underprepared for such a complex case. Song Kang-Ho and Kim Sang-Kyung play detectives with very different approaches. One forces false confessions out of suspects, while the other tries to understand the killer’s strange pattern which involves striking when a specific song plays on the radio. The film is not about solving the crime or catching the killer, but about showing what happens when the police, often heroes in these stories, fail miserably. It adds a fresh, much darker layer to the crime genre.
8.Copycat (1995)
It is ironic that Copycat, a film about a serial killer who mimics other famous serial killers, came out just a month after the huge hit Se7en since it seemed like a copy of that film. However, both films were made at the same time, and despite some surface similarities – like a killer with a unique method, mismatched investigators, and a dark view of the world, both films are very different, but equally great films. Holly Hunter plays a detective searching for the mysterious copycat, while Sigourney Weaver portrays an agoraphobic psychologist who tries to help from the safety of her apartment. The film is well-written, visually chilling, and features a surprisingly creepy performance by Harry Connick Jr. as one of the criminals whose actions are about to be repeated.
9.The Stepfather (1987)
Terry O’Quinn plays a man who goes by different names. He marries single mothers, trying to live the perfect suburban life promised by America in the Reagan Era. But when his new family does not meet his expectations, he kills them and moves to the next one. Directed by Joseph Ruben with Hitchcok-style suspense, The Stepfather builds tension as it follows the killer and delves into his disturbed mind. With each new failure, he becomes more monstrous. O’Quinn gives an outstanding performance as a murderer who constantly pretends to be someone else. One of the scariest moments comes when he forgets his many fake identities and asks his wife, “Who am I here?”
10.Manhunter (1986)
Michael Mann’s film Manhunter, based on Thomas Harris’ novel Red Dragon, stars William Peterson as Will Graham, an FBI agent who gets into the minds of serial killers to solve crimes. In the process, he risks his own mental health. Tom Noonan plays a killer who targets families across the U.S., and Brian Cox is the first actor to play Hannibal Lecter (spelled Lecktor in this version), bringing a down-to-earth yet chilling charm to the character. This is similar to Anthony Hopkin’s famous portrayal. The film contrasts the horror of the killers’ minds with the professionalism of the FBI agent, making the sense of vulnerability feel even more disturbing. Manhunter is considered one of the best serial killer films, later remade as Red Dragon, but the remake by Brett Ratner does not compare to Mann’s haunting version.
11.Cure (1997)
In Cure, a body is found with an “X” carved into it, and the killer is discovered next to the corpse, but with no memory of committing the crime, this strange pattern repeats itself as a serial killer manipulates ordinary people into carrying out the murders for him. KōjiYakusho plays the detective trying to unravel this bizarre case while Masato Hagiwara portrays a young man who appears to be at the center of the mystery, drifting in a strange, confused state, as the story unfolds, the solution seems almost supernatural, yet director Kiyoshi Kurosawa makes it feel believable, partly by using the same mind games that the killer uses on his victims to engage the audience, the film is known for its stark, haunting imagery, reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick’s work, and it stands out as one of the most terrifying and unsettling films of the 1990s.
12.I Saw the Devil (2010)
Kim Jee-woon’s film blends police procedural with horror to create a mind-bending experience. It blurs the line between cop and criminal, removing it entirely as the two characters go on a violent rampage of revenge, anger, and shocking moments, including a surprise guillotine scene. The film follows Lee Byung-huri’s detective as he tracks down and tortures the serial killer who murdered his pregnant fiancée but allows him to live to continue his revenge. The killer, played by Oldboy’s Choi Min-Sik, brings a cold and menacing performance. While he is not eating live octopuses this time, he does get a fire extinguisher to the face.
13.Scream (1996)
In the 1980s, Wes Craven helped shape the slasher genre with A Nightmare on Elm Street but later, with a series of increasingly ridiculous sequels, contributed to this decline. A decade later, Craven brought the slasher genre back with Scream, partly by poking fun at the clichés he helped create. While Scream cleverly parodies the horror films that had lost popularity by then, it also stands out as a great slasher movie on its own. With the sequels becoming less impressive, the original remains smart, scary, and thrilling. Let’s be honest- you still get a little creeped out when you see that ghost face mask at a Halloween party.
14.Black Christmas (1974)
Before A Christmas Story became a holiday classic, Bob Clark directed a very different kind of holiday movie. In this film, a group of sorority sisters on winter break are stalked and killed one by one by an unseen killer. While it may sound like a typical slasher film, many others, including Halloween (which came out four years later), followed its formula. Despite the many films that copied its style, Clark keeps the story simple but effective, delivering a tense atmosphere with unexpected shocks. Even after decades of imitation, the film still manages to surprise and unsettle viewers, making it a standout in the genre.
15.Zodiac (2007)
Unlike the murders in Se7en that were purely the result of screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker’s imagination, Zodiac is based on real-life events, specifically by the notorious Zodiac Killer. This killer terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1960s, committing a series of brutal murders that remain unresolved to this day, The film’s focus on real-life details, portrayed through David Fincher’s meticulous direction, adds an unsettling level of authenticity to the story, making the killings all the more chilling. One particularly intense scene, the Lake Berryessa murders, is unforgettable and deeply disturbing to watch, Zodiac is not just a true-crime thriller, but a stylish, haunting reconstruction of real events. Its influence can still be seen in films like The Batman, and many other movies that came after it. This showcases how the film continues to shape the thriller and crime genres even years later.
16.Longlegs (2024)
Director Osgood Perkins’ thriller, which plays a homage to the dark FBI crime dramas of the 1990s stands out for creating a strong sense of unease that many other films of its kind struggle to match. It Follows star Maika Monroe plays a rookie detective in a small Oregon town, investigating a series of unsettling murder-suicides. Nicolas Cage, with pale makeup, messy hair, and a strange voice plays the main suspect in a chilling performance, however, the film truly belongs to Monroe. Her captivating presence fits perfectly with the movie’s slow, hunting pace, and once it gets under your skin, it lingers long after it ends.
17.American Psycho (2000)
Mary Harron’s blistering indictment of the male ego and 1980s yuppie values stars Christian Bale as a handsome investment banker who commits brutal murders and gets away with them because, you guessed it, he’s a handsome investment banker. It’s a situation Harron finds darkly humorous, a story about a man without a soul who suspects maybe he’s supposed to have one and just doesn’t know how to go about it, latching generic mainstream pop music as deeply meaningful art, and eventually coming to an unexpected personal crisis. Eventually, even Patrick Bateman finds out that although he’s a devil, he’s also living in hell, and is tormented almost as much as he torments others.
18.Man Bites Dog (1992)
This Belgian film was made before the rise of reality TV and the true-crime trend became widespread. It is a mockumentary about a charming serial killer named Ben, who lets a film crew follow him as he carries out horrific acts of violence, targetting women, children, and immigrants, the film explores how people’s obsession with watching violence can desensitize them. As the crew documents Ben’s crimes, they begin to get drawn into his actions, becoming more and more complicit in his wrongdoings. The show challenges the audience to reflect on their own role as viewers, questioning how their consumption of such content impacts their morals. Over time, the line between the killer and the crew blurs, showing how easily people can be influenced by the lure of sensationalism and how passive observers can unwittingly become participants in harmful behavior. It is a dark commentary on voyeurism and society’s growing tolerance for violence.
19.Snowtown (2011)
Snowtown is a dramatized version of a real-life murder spree that started in a poor Australian neighborhood in the 1990s. Like the film Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, it breaks the usual distance between the audience and the violence, making it feel more real. Directed by Justin Kurzle, the film shows the story of an abused teenager who gets involved with a killer after helping drive his mother’s abusive boyfriend out of town. It is not meant to entertain – some critics even called it a “glorified snuff film”. But it is hard to look away from if you are able to handle its intense and disturbing content.
This list of 19 films will make sure that your crime-thirsty and thriller-hungry mind is satisfied!
