As 2025 draws to a close, it’s time to take stock of what we’ve seen on the big and small screen. Over the next few days, I’ll be giving some of my picks in a wide variety of categories. Up today, it’s the best horror films I saw in 2025.

Before I dive into the top five, I thought I’d give a couple honorable mentions. These were films I liked that just didn’t quite make the cut.

• Together: This one featured some great work from Dave Franco and Alison Brie. It was unsettling in the right ways.
• The Monkey: This follow up from Osgood Perkins, based on the Stephen King story, was fun.
• Drop: Perhaps more of a thriller, they made the most of the set up. It also had some good laugh lines.

No. 5: Black Phone 2
About: This sequel from Scott Derrikson was the rare sequel that surpassed the original for me. I thought the first film was fine, but this one captivated me in a different way. I liked the exploration of the themes and the great setting in a blizzard.

No. 4: The Long Walk
About: It was a big year for adaptations of Stephen King’s work. I mention The Monkey above, but this was the superior exploration for me. It was an emotional and engaging film that hits like a gut punch at the end. Great performances and an engaging story.

No. 3: Frankenstein
About: Not everyone loved what Guillermo del Toro did with this adaptation, but I thought it was visually quite stunning. There were also some good performances, including from Jacob Elordi and Oscar Isaac. It was a moving and engaging tale, and I liked the way the story was told.

No. 2: Weapons
About: I don’t know how, but Zach Cregger did it again. He crafted a really engaging and original story that has a crazy ending. I liked this even better than Barbarian. It’s a well-crafted tale that ends up being one of the year’s best.

No. 1: Sinners
About: Ryan Coogler did an amazing job bringing this film to life. The music and performances are awesome. But when the vampire action really kicks in during the latter half of the film, it’s quite stirring. It’s one of the best films of the year, and for me the best of the horror genre I saw in 2025.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.