17 of the Scariest Haunted House Movies of All Time

The haunted house subgenre is easily one of my all-time favorites. The thought of something sinister lurking in your own home is so genuinely terrifying. That kind of fear feels so personal, and it’s why I never get tired of these stories.

We are days away from the release of Presence (January 24th), a new horror/thriller film about a family experiencing a supernatural phenomenon in their home. I’m super excited for it, and when I get excited for a film release I like to watch similar movies to prepare.

So here is my list of some of the best haunted house movies of all time. This list pulls together some of the best haunted house movies, blending early 2000s gems with a few timeless classics.

1. The Others (2001)

Directed by Alejandro Amenábar, The Others stars Nicole Kidman as Grace, a devout mother living in a dark, isolated mansion with her two light-sensitive children. The arrival of mysterious new servants sets off a series of eerie events. It’s a masterclass in tension, with a twist you’ll never see coming.

2. The Conjuring (2013)

James Wan delivers one of the best modern haunted house movies in The Conjuring. Based on a true story, it follows paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) as they help a family plagued by terrifying events in their farmhouse.

3. Sinister (2012)

This creepy horror film directed by Scott Derrickson stars Ethan Hawke as Ellison Oswalt, a true-crime writer who moves his family into a house with a dark past to research his next book. When he discovers a box of disturbing home movies in the attic, he unknowingly invites an evil entity into their lives.

4. Poltergeist (1982)

Directed by Tobe Hooper and produced by Steven Spielberg, Poltergeist is the story of a suburban family tormented by dark spirits after their home is built on a cemetery.

5. Crimson Peak (2015)

Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak is a visually stunning haunted house film with a gothic romance twist. Starring Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, and Jessica Chastain, it tells the story of a young woman who marries into a mysterious family and moves into their crumbling, ghost-infested mansion.

6. House on Haunted Hill (1959)

Vincent Price shines in this campy yet genuinely creepy classic. Directed by William Castle, it’s about a millionaire who offers $10,000 to anyone who can survive a night in his haunted mansion.

7. Insidious (2010)

Directed by James Wan, Insidious is a modern horror favorite that combines haunted house vibes with astral projection. Starring Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne, the film follows a family whose son falls into a mysterious coma, drawing the attention of malevolent spirits.

8. Thirteen Ghosts (2001)

This gory haunted house flick, directed by Steve Beck, is a remake of the 1960 classic. It follows a family who inherits a glass-walled mansion that, unbeknownst to them, is designed to imprison 13 vengeful spirits. The movie stars Tony Shalhoub, Shannon Elizabeth, and Matthew Lillard.

9. House on Haunted Hill (1999)

Although the original movie is clearly superior, the remake brings so much campy fun to the haunted house genre. Directed by William Malone, it stars Geoffrey Rush as a twisted amusement park mogul who invites a group of strangers to spend the night in a supposedly haunted asylum-turned-mansion. With a promise of $1 million for surviving the night, the guests quickly realize it won’t be as easy as they thought.

10. His House (2020)

Remi Weekes’ His House follows Bol and Rial (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù and Wunmi Mosaku), South Sudanese refugees adjusting to life in the UK while being terrorized by a vengeful spirit in their new home.

11. Beetlejuice (1988)

While not a traditional horror film, Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice is a hilarious twist on the haunted house genre. After a young couple (Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin) dies in a car crash, they find themselves haunting their former home, now occupied by an eccentric family. To get the family out of their house, they enlist the help of a mischievous and chaotic ghost, played by Michael Keaton.

12. Paranormal Activity (2007)

This found-footage phenomenon, directed by Oren Peli, brought haunted house horror to a new level of realism. Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat star as a couple documenting the strange happenings in their home.

13. The Haunting (1963)

Based on Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, it follows a group of people investigating a supposedly haunted mansion.

14. The Amityville Horror (1979)

This spine-chilling tale, directed by Stuart Rosenberg, is based on the alleged true story of the Lutz family. After moving into their dream home, they discover it comes with a dark history and some terrifying supernatural inhabitants.

15. The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)

Based on a supposedly true story, The Haunting in Connecticut is directed by Peter Cornwell and follows the Campbell family as they move into a former funeral home to be closer to treatment for their son’s cancer.

16. The Innocents (1961)

Directed by Jack Clayton and based on Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw, it’s about a governess (Deborah Kerr) caring for two children in a remote, eerie mansion. As she starts seeing ghostly figures, the question becomes: Is the house haunted, or is it all in her head?

17. The Changeling (1980)

This underrated classic, directed by Peter Medak, stars George C. Scott as a grieving composer who moves into a mansion to start fresh. But the house has a dark history, and its restless spirit won’t leave him alone.