The 35 Best Movies Like 'Hereditary', Ranked By Fans
Vote on the movies that fans of Hereditary are sure to love.
- Photo: A24
Both The Witch and Hereditary delve deep into themes of family dysfunction and disintegration, subtly emphasizing the eerie influence of supernatural elements on familial bonds. Central characters in each film wrestle with the dark and oppressive presence of maternal figures, serving as compelling symbols of the more sinister aspects of matriarchy. Furthermore, these films weave a rich tapestry of symbolic elements, foreshadowing, and a slow build-up of tension, crafting a pervasive and eerie sense of imminent horror.
For fans of: slow burning horror movies
More The Witch
- #59 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
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- Photo: Poltergeist / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Poltergeist and Hereditary are both engrossing narratives that utilize familial bonds and relationships as a vehicle for horror, laced with supernatural elements that disrupt the perceived normality. They share the theme of homes being haunted or influenced by malevolent entities, creating damaging rifts within the family unit. Intricately crafted sequences of escalating tension combined with well-placed foreshadowing are key narrative elements in these films, adding to the constant sense of dread and suspense.
For fans of: horror movies about families
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- #199 of 769 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
- Photo: A24
Midsommar and Hereditary, both helmed by visionary director Ari Aster, are compelling explorations of emotional trauma, grief, and their impact on human relationships. Shot in distinctive stylistic detail, these films cinematically convey the aftermath of personal loss and its psychological implications. The intricate layers of tension, suspense, and horror are created not just through explicit frights, but predominantly through the characters' emotional turmoil and disintegration, a testament to Aster’s ability to weave psychological horror into everyday human experiences.
For fans of: slow burning horror movies
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- #149 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- Photo: Goodnight Mommy / Stadtkino Verleih
Goodnight Mommy and Hereditary are both rooted in exploring the unsettling aspects of motherhood and the resulting psychological impact on the family structure. They delve into the themes of trauma and identity loss, investigations of sinister undercurrents running through seemingly normal familial relationships. The narratives are driven by meticulous pacing, gradual tension-building, and intense suspense, elements that make them successful psychological horror films.
For fans of: horror movies about mothers
- Photo: The Hole in the Ground / Wildcard Distribution
The Hole in the Ground and Hereditary are profoundly unsettling horror films that delve into the complexities of motherhood and the fear of losing a child to unknown forces. They both focus on the unraveling of familial relationships under the strain of supernatural influences, underpinned by a sense of dread that gradually intensifies. Each narrative employs suspense-building tactics and masterful storytelling to explore themes of identity, paranoia, and the blurred line between reality and nightmare.
For fans of: horror movies with creepy kids
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- Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
The Conjuring and Hereditary both revolve around families being tormented by malevolent supernatural forces that infiltrate their lives and homes. The narratives are underpinned by an escalating sense of fear and suspense, skillfully executed through the filmmakers' attention to detail in plot, setting, and character development. Adding to this are their explorations of themes around sacrificial love and familial bonds, creating a deep psychological impact that extends beyond the usual boundaries of the horror genre.
For fans of: horror movies about families
- Photo: The Others / Warner Sogefilms
The Others is a gothic horror film, focusing on a mother and her light-sensitive children in a seemingly haunted house, leading to chilling revelations about their true circumstances. Similar to Hereditary, it explores the themes of motherhood, existential dread, and supernatural occurrences that disrupt the family dynamics, showcasing a profound psychological horror interweaved with the intricate complexities of family relationships.
For fans of: horror movies about mothers
More The Others- #385 of 769 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
- #42 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #63 of 125 onThe 100+ Grossest Movies Ever
- Photo: Rosemary's Baby / Paramount Pictures
Rosemary's Baby and Hereditary are psychological horror masterpieces that delve into the themes of family, motherhood, and the occult. Both films hone in on a family being manipulated by a malevolent outside force, blurring the lines between reality and the supernatural. They are punctuated by narrative techniques such as gradually intensifying suspense and thoughtfully placed foreshadowing to respectively explore the terror of maternal paranoia and the inheritance of family trauma.
For fans of: horror movies about mothers
More Rosemary's Baby- #47 of 252 onThe 200+ Best Psychological Thrillers Of All Time
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- Photo: The Visit
The Visit and Hereditary are horror films that use the lens of family dynamics to elicit fear, focusing on themes of estrangement, trauma, and the disturbing unknown. Both movies revolve around unsuspecting families grappling with eerie and terrifying situations that unravel the deeper, darker truths about their familial lineage. They successfully build an atmosphere of tension and suspense by employing gradual reveals, foreshadowing, and the permeation of an unknown malevolent force, highlighting the psychological elements that make up the horror in these films.
For fans of: horror movies about families
More The Visit- #199 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #14 of 73 onThe 65+ Best Found Footage Movies
- #53 of 108 onThe Best Intelligent Horror Movies
- Photo: Oculus / Relativity Media10
Oculus is a psychological horror film that tells the story of two siblings attempting to destroy a haunted mirror that they believe was responsible for the tragic events that befell their family years prior. Like Hereditary, it explores the themes of inherited trauma, supernatural influences, and the breakdown of family relationships, showing the amplification of horror through the psychological distress and unraveling of familial ties.
For fans of: horror films about family
More Oculus- #227 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #52 of 108 onThe Best Intelligent Horror Movies
- #15 of 16 onThe Most Utterly Depressing Horror Movies Of All Time
- Photo: The Blair Witch Project / Artisan Entertainment
The Blair Witch Project is a found-footage horror film that follows three film students into the Maryland woods to document a local legend, leading them deeper into a nightmare with no way out. Similar to Hereditary, the film grapples with the terror of the unseen and unknown, exploiting the fear of escalating, unexplainable events and the dire consequences of past actions.
For fans of: psychological horror movies
- Photo: The Lodge / Neon12
The Lodge
The Lodge is a psychological horror film centered around a soon-to-be stepmother who is left alone with her fiancé's children in a remote holiday village, leading to increasingly disturbing and unexplainable events. Much like in Hereditary, the film delves into the exploration of familial relationships, grief, guilt, and mental instability, with a significant emphasis on dread and the psychological elements of horror.
For fans of: horror movies with creepy kids
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- Photo: RADiUS-TWC
It Follows is a horror film that revolves around a young woman who is pursued by an unknown supernatural entity after a sexual encounter, creating a sense of impending doom as it steadily and relentlessly follows her. Similar to Hereditary, the movie delves into the exploration of deeply-rooted fear passed down involuntarily, underlining the anxiety-inducing aspect of an inescapable curse or entity.
For fans of: innovative horror movies
More It Follows- #85 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #51 of 108 onThe Best Intelligent Horror Movies
- #37 of 53 on50+ Great Movies That Blur the Lines Between Horror and Drama
- Photo: It Comes at Night / A2414
It Comes at Night
It Comes at Night is a psychological horror film that revolves around a family living in isolation following a mysterious apocalypse, their paranoid survivalist existence disrupted by the arrival of another desperate family. Closely paralleling Hereditary, it uncovers the horrifying potential of familial love and protection, the breakdown of relationships under extreme circumstances, and the destructive force of paranoia and fear.
For fans of: supernatural horror films
More It Comes at Night- #71 of 108 onThe Best Intelligent Horror Movies
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- Photo: DreamWorks Pictures15
The Ring is a supernatural horror film about a cursed videotape that seemingly causes anyone who watches it to die seven days later from a terrifying encounter with a vengeful spirit. Like Hereditary, it explores the themes of family curses being passed down, the inevitable encounter with death, and the fearful anticipation that builds up with the ticking clock of fate.
For fans of: supernatural horror films
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- #488 of 769 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
- Photo: Insidious / FilmDistrict[
Insidious is a supernatural horror film that centers around a couple whose son inexplicably falls into a coma and becomes a vessel for ghosts in an astral dimension who want to inhabit his body. Much like Hereditary, it investigates the dynamics of a family in crisis, haunted by supernatural forces, and the distressing themes of possession and the passing down of unwanted legacies.
For fans of: horror movies about families
- Photo: A Tale of Two Sisters / Cineclick Asia
A Tale of Two Sisters is a Korean psychological horror-drama film revolving around two sisters who, after returning home from a psychiatric hospital, experience disturbing events linked to the death of their mother. Like Hereditary, it delves deep into the dynamics of family relationships, psychological trauma, and the exploration of grief and guilt, entwined with elements of horror and suspense.
For fans of: horror movies about families
- #105 of 108 onThe Best Intelligent Horror Movies
- #17 of 114 onThe Best Korean Movies Of All Time
- #27 of 73 onThe Best Movies About Split Personalities
- Photo: Session 9 / Universal Pictures
Session 9 is a psychological horror film focused on an asbestos removal crew working in an abandoned mental hospital, who begin to experience unsettling events, particularly one crew member who discovers old recordings of a patient's hypnotic sessions. Similar to Hereditary, it explores the unraveling of relationships under the influence of an insidious force, underpinned by the disturbing revelations of past traumas and the pressing weight of their consequences in the present.
For fans of: slow-burning psychological horror films
- Photo: IFC Films
The Babadook is a psychological horror film rooted in the life of a widow and her son, as their daily existence is plagued by the ominous presence of a supernatural entity present in a frightening pop-up book. Much like Hereditary, the film effectively explores themes of grief, motherhood, and mental instability, enhanced by the consistent dread of an inescapable, malevolent force.
For fans of: horror movies about grief
More The Babadook- #101 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #46 of 108 onThe Best Intelligent Horror Movies
- #3 of 16 onThe Most Terrifying Figures In Horror With The Lowest Kill Counts
- Photo: White Noise / Artisan Entertainment20
White Noise
White Noise is a supernatural horror film that follows a widower delving into the realm of electronic voice phenomenon (EVP) to communicate with his deceased wife, leading to chilling consequences. In a similar vein to Hereditary, the narrative explores themes of grief, communication with the unseen, and the slip between psychological breakdown and supernatural presence, forming a horror experience with a deep psychological impact.
For fans of: horror movies about grief
- Photo: Suspiria21
Suspiria
Suspiria (2018) is a horror film that delves into the world of a renowned dance company, where a young dancer uncovers grim secrets amidst a series of grim murders, leading to a horrifying revelation about the company's true nature. Similar to Hereditary, it explores the themes of the unknown within close circles, the exploration of matriarchy, and the harrowing consequences of manipulative power, all wrapped in an atmosphere of tension and unrelenting dread.
For fans of: slow burning horror films
More Suspiria - Photo: A24 Films22
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
The Killing of a Sacred Deer is a psychological thriller that reflects on the unsettling situation of a successful surgeon who is forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice when the behavior of a teenage boy he has taken under his wing turns sinister. Much like Hereditary, it utilizes the aesthetics of dread and explores the weight of guilt, responsibility, and familial bonds, thereby amplifying the horror of consequences attributed to personal choices.
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- Photo: The Gift / STX Entertainment23
The Gift
The Gift is a psychological thriller that charts the story of a married couple whose lives start to unravel after an old acquaintance from the husband's past brings mysterious gifts and harbors a horrifying secret. Much like Hereditary, it explores themes of past misdeeds reverberating in the present, hidden darkness within seemingly idyllic lives, and the manipulation of family dynamics, resulting in an atmosphere laden with suspense and dread.
For fans of: subtle horror movies
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- Photo: The Invitation / Gamechanger Films
The Invitation is a psychological thriller that centers around a man attending a dinner party at his former house, hosted by his ex-wife, and the increasing paranoia he experiences about the hosts' real intentions. As with Hereditary, the film delves deep into the psychological terror of past trauma resurfacing, revealing the darkness lurking beneath a seemingly calm surface, and the destructive potential when personal agony intertwines with communal ritual.
For fans of: slow burning horror movies
More The Invitation- #180 of 252 onThe 200+ Best Psychological Thrillers Of All Time
- #298 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #9 of 55 onThe Best Horror Movies About Cults and Conspiracies
- Photo: Universal Pictures25
Get Out is a groundbreaking horror film that uncovers the disturbing reality of a young African-American man who visits his white girlfriend's parents' estate, gradually uncovering the sinister plot to capture his body. Bearing resemblance to Hereditary, it delves into the themes of cognizant and subconscious fears in familiar and unfamiliar environments, as well as the unsettling exposure of hidden familial secrets.
For fans of: horror movies with fresh twists
More Get Out- #31 of 252 onThe 200+ Best Psychological Thrillers Of All Time
- #51 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #27 of 108 onThe Best Intelligent Horror Movies
- Photo: Paramount Pictures
Paranormal Activity is a supernatural horror film that centers around a young couple who begin to experience increasingly terrifying hauntings in their home, captured through their home video recordings. Similar to Hereditary, it plays with the intrusion of malevolent supernatural forces disrupting a family and the escalating fear that comes from a seemingly inescapable presence within one’s own home.
For fans of: supernatural horror movies
More Paranormal Activity- #75 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #13 of 73 onThe 65+ Best Found Footage Movies
- #29 of 108 onThe Best Intelligent Horror Movies
- Photo: Lamb27
Lamb is a psychological drama that tells the story of a childless couple working on a remote Icelandic farm who discover a mysterious newborn with an unsettlingly non-human origin and decide to raise it as their own. Like Hereditary, Lamb explores themes of loss, grief, and the implications of disturbing family secrets while combining surreal story elements to create an eerie tension that leaves viewers in constant anticipation of an impending horror.
For fans of: slow-burning supernatural horror movies
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- #15 of 23 onThe Best A24 Horror Movies
- Photo: Apostle28
Apostle is a period horror film that follows a man's journey to a remote island to rescue his sister from a cult while uncovering dark and terrifying secrets about the island community. As with Hereditary, it dissects the complexities of familial bonds, wraps its narrative in layers of unsettling revelations, and uses religious iconography to heighten the tension and horror.
For fans of: slow burning supernatural horror films
- Photo: The Wailing
The Wailing is a South Korean supernatural horror film that focuses on a policeman investigating a series of mysterious illnesses and deaths in a rural village, leading him into a complex web of suspicion and chaos. Similar to Hereditary, the film is imbued with a particular emphasis on the characterization of evil, the broader implications of familial and communal bonds, and building tension through an exploration of deeply rooted cultural superstitions and fears.
For fans of: deeply emotional supernatural horror films
More The Wailing- #313 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #5 of 114 onThe Best Korean Movies Of All Time
- #5 of 10 onFantastically Bizarre Horror Films Now Streaming On Netflix
- Photo: Focus World30
Raw
Raw is a French-Belgian horror drama that centers around a vegetarian veterinary student who develops a taste for human flesh after being forced to consume raw meat during a hazing ritual. Much like Hereditary, it delves into themes of familial bonds, the exploration of instinctual horrors, and the terrifying aspects of personal transformation, bringing to the forefront the visceral and psychological elements of horror.
For fans of: horror movies about family history
More Raw
