20 Best Movies Like Twilight

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Vampire stories have been around for ages, but they got a major boost in the young adult market when Stephanie Meyer wrote the "Twilight" series, revolving around a teenage girl who falls in love with a handsome vampire. It was an instant phenomenon, and a film adaptation was a foregone conclusion. Over the course of five films, Bella (Kristen Stewart) is torn between vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and werewolf Jacob (Taylor Lautner), and her forays into the supernatural lead to out-and-out war.

For many viewers of a certain age, this was their first introduction into the world of supernatural romance. But there are so many other films that can go hand-in-hand with "Twilight" for audiences wanting more, whether they focus on vampires, came out during the same very specific era as "Twilight," or simply have ties to the supernatural. 

Here are the best movies like "Twilight" to take a look at now.

Released in the wake of the all-consuming "Twilight" phenomenon, "Beautiful Creatures" (adapted from the book series) is YA fantasy with a complicated supernatural family. It stars Alice Englert as Lena Duchennes, a teenage girl on the cusp of a life-changing event. She comes from a family of witches, and when she turns 16, she will be claimed for either the light or the dark.

Caught up in this chaos is Ethan, an ordinary teen played by Alden Ehrenreich, who is inexplicably drawn to Lena before he even meets her, after having strange visions of her in a recurring dream. On the surface, "Beautiful Creatures" seems like it's just trying to cash in on a supernatural trend, but it has enough of a gothic atmosphere to make it interesting on its own merits. Even here, it's hard not to see Ehrenreich's star power as he makes a massive impression in an early role.

Unlike "Twilight," "The Hunger Games" isn't plagued by supernatural beings — just the cold, hard destruction of human cruelty. But it does have one thing in common with its fellow YA adaptation of Suzanne Collins' books, and that's the shoehorning of a forced love triangle between Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence), her best friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth), and her fellow tribute Peeta (Josh Hutcherson).

Katniss is a teenage girl living in District 12 whose entire existence is under a dark shadow: Every year, a boy and a girl from each district are chosen to fight to the death for the entertainment of the Capitol, as punishment for a decades-old rebellion. When Katniss steps up as the District 12 female tribute in place of her younger sister, her journey from a determined yet humble hunter to the literal symbol of a revolution is thrilling, making each of the "Hunger Games" films a heartbreaking gem.

Long before Bella in "Twilight," or indeed, before the hit series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, there was the original film "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," which starred Kristy Swanson as a California teenager tasked with hunting vampires. Nowadays, it's most famous for inspiring the TV show that went on to much greater pop cultural relevancy, but "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is a lot of fun in its own right. 

In addition to Swanson in the lead role, the film is filled with an excellent cast of supporting characters, like Luke Perry as Pike, Donald Sutherland as Buffy's austere Watcher, Rutger Hauer as the dastardly lead vampire, and even Paul Reubens as his bumbling sidekick. Although this is just a taster for the character's ultimate potential, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is nonetheless an exciting glimpse into a greater exploration of the intersection between horror and femininity.

You know the clique of vampires who roll up while the Cullens are playing thunderstorm baseball, gleefully eager to ruin their good time? They have a similar vibe to the group of baddies in the 1980s vampire film "The Lost Boys." In it, two teen brothers (Jason Patric and Corey Haim) move to Santa Carla, and both face their own struggles to fit in. 

For Michael (Patric), this is exacerbated by the fact that he falls in with a group of punk vampires led by Kiefer Sutherland's David, and begins to start turning into a vampire himself. It's only with the help of vampire hunters Edgar and Alan Frog (Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander) that Sam (Haim) is able to save his older brother. A rollicking good time that never deigns to take itself too seriously, "The Lost Boys" is one of the definitive vampire movies of the 1980s.

"Twilight" can be fairly described as a teen-friendly take on vampires, and "Warm Bodies" is the same for the zombie genre. Nicholas Hoult stars as a zombie who spends each day stumbling around, incapable of speech aside from a few short words. But his un-life changes forever when he meets Julie (Theresa Palmer), a human survivor. 

Slowly, he begins to find his way back to humanity, their relationship helping him to evolve. But things aren't easy when they return to the human settlement, where anti-zombie sentiment runs deep. Based on the story of "Romeo & Juliet," "Warm Bodies" offers up a supernatural take on the star-crossed lovers, this time between human and zombie. If you thought Edward's ability to read humans' minds was intrusive, wait until you see R (Hoult) eat their brains to relive some of their most powerful memories.

Ah, forbidden love. Most of the characters in "Twilight" were not exactly thrilled about Bella and Edward's union — after all, they come from entirely different worlds. And the same can be said about the two main characters, Vivian (Agnes Bruckner) and Aiden (Hugh Dancy), in "Blood & Chocolate." Vivian is a teenage werewolf who has caught the eye of Gabriel (Oliver Martinez), the leader of their pack, who's in the market for a new mate. 

But against her better judgment, she finds herself drawn to Aiden, a human artist with almost as many secrets as she has. Their relationship causes a lupine hullaboo, one that ends with both of them in the crosshairs of Gabriel's followers. Entertaining for both its wolfy mythology and the chemistry between Bruckner and Dancy, "Blood & Chocolate" is an underrated supernatural pick for fans of "Twilight."

Much like "Twilight," "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones" is based on a YA novel series set in a supernatural world. But while its universe is filled with monsters, the heroine in "City of Bones" has much more in common with Buffy than Bella. Clary Fray (Lily Collins) has her world turned upside down when she learns that she belongs to a line of demon fighters. Her mother was a Shadowhunter, an angel-human hybrid tasked with protecting the world. And as the child of a Shadowhunter, Clary has inherited some of her mother's abilities. 

Despite its interesting premise and talented cast, "City of Bones" didn't become the next big YA film franchise. But luckily, that wasn't the end for the popular book series, because it received a TV reboot in the form of "Shadowhunters," which ran for three seasons on Freeform.

Although Edward Cullen in "Twilight" doesn't drink human blood, for a while, there's this lingering question of whether he's safe to be around Bella and her human friends, especially whenever blood is inadvertently spilled. The Irish indie horror "Boy Eats Girl" operates in a similar space, although it revolves around zombies rather than vampires. 

After Nathan (David Leon) finally tells his crush Jessica (Samantha Mumba) how he feels about her, he has the extraordinarily bad luck to die the same day. So imagine his surprise when he comes back to life, albeit with a taste for human flesh. "Boy Eats Girl" has a lot in common with its 1980s predecessor "My Boyfriend's Back," including its clever and often surreal sense of humor. It may not be well known, but it's a fresh enough take on the zombie genre to be worth exploring.

You know how "Twilight" took some of the scariest supernatural beings and turned them into sparkly little guys? That's what "Beastly" did for the Beast from "Beauty and the Beast." This guy is supposed to be cursed with a horrifying visage, but in "Beastly," he's just sort of ... well, Alex Pettyfer with a shaved head and tattoos. 

Set in modern-day New York City, "Beastly" gives us the Beast's side of the story. Kyle is a selfish, entitled prep school kid who ends up on the wrong side of a goth classmate (Mary-Kate Olsen in her last on-screen performance) — she turns out to be a witch, and curses him until he can find someone who actually loves him in spite of his new look. Enter Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens), who is exactly the kind of person he needs to become a better version of himself. What can we say? The premise had potential, even if the execution was way off.

Stephanie Meyer hasn't written too many other books outside of the "Twilight" series, but she does have one other standalone novel that was adapted for the big screen, and that's "The Host." It stars Saoirse Ronan as Melanie, a young woman who has the misfortune of living in the midst of an alien invasion. These aliens, referred to as "Souls," are capable of taking over the bodies of humans, which is what happens to Melanie. 

The alien Wanderer has put itself in the driver's seat, helping itself to all of her feelings and memories. But it doesn't take Wanderer long to become attached to being human — and a certain human boy named Ian (Jake Abel). The very concept itself means that "The Host" has some murky consent issues, but as the follow-up from "Twilight" author Stephanie Meyer, it's a must-watch for die-hard fans.

Like "Twilight," "Vampire Academy" revolves around teen vampires, and was based on a popular novel series. But buckle up, because there's a lot of lore here. Basically, in the world of "Vampire Academy," there are Dhampir, who are responsible for protecting the Moroi vampires, who are mortal and thus in need of protection. There are also the Strigoi, the hideous monsters that Moroi can turn into if they make a wrong move by draining a body completely. 

Zoey Deutch and Lucy Fry star as Rose and Lissa, respectively, who begin the film by rebelling against their unique responsibilities and running away but later get caught up in a frenzy of mysterious kidnappings and disappearances that plague the school. It has a lot going on, which is perhaps why it was better suited for the page than the screen, but it's a worthy follow-up for those looking for more teen vampires.

You can't help who you fall in love with. Sometimes it's the extremely handsome vampire from your high school, and other times it's the monster hiding in your closet. In the sly horror comedy "Your Monster," Melissa Barrera stars as Laura, an actress whose world is shaken when she gets a cancer diagnosis. Although she ultimately recovers, she struggles to put her life back together, especially after her long-term boyfriend Jacob (Edmund Donovan) abandons her during her time of need. 

Laura returns to her childhood home to recuperate, which is where she's reunited with Monster (Tommy Dewey). Initially, neither is particularly thrilled at the other's presence, but they quickly develop a bond that gets them through some of Laura's darkest moments, as she grapples with career struggles and ex-boyfriend woes. "Your Monster" may have more in common with "Drop Dead Fred" than "Twilight," but they're both about humans who embark upon unconventional relationships with supernatural beings.

In the world of "Twilight," each of the vampires have subtly different sets of skills: Alice can see the future, for example, while Jasper can manipulate the emotions of those around him. The classic "Dracula" showcases similar abilities in its interpretation of the vampire, with Dracula himself being able to hypnotize humans and bend them to his will. Renfield becomes a devoted servant to Dracula, powerless to do much besides obeying his master's commands and eating bugs. But what if he was able to escape this extremely toxic relationship? 

"Renfield" spins just such a yarn, with Nicholas Hoult playing the hapless Renfield in modern day as a person who has been reduced to a shell of a human by his campy, vampiric overlord (Nicolas Cage). Against all odds, Renfield finds the strength to break the conditioning he's been under for over a century. "Renfield" is possibly one of the silliest takes on the Dracula legend, but on the other hand, it's no cheesier than vampires who glitter in the sunlight.

Although Bella has a frankly unhealthy obsession with the idea of being turned into a vampire, Edward and the rest of the Cullens are quick to remind her that it's more of a curse than a blessing. We get the same bleak view of vampirism in "My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To," an indie film about two siblings, played by Patrick Fugit and Ingrid Sophie Schram, who care for their sickly younger brother Thomas (Owen Campbell). Thomas has some ... well, specific dietary restrictions, putting a reluctant Dwight (Fugit) in the position of procuring human snacks for him.

As time goes on, it's impossible to ignore the heavy weight placed on Dwight in particular, who is trapped in a lonely and violent life that goes against all of his natural instincts. "My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To" certainly saps all the romance out of life as a vampire.

Like Bella, Charley in "Fright Night" is unexpectedly thrust into the world of vampires, which ends up putting him in mortal danger on more than one occasion. But unlike the Cullens, who are practically warm and cuddly by vampire standards, the monster in "Fright Night" is far more nefarious. One night, Charley witnesses his charming new neighbor Jerry (Chris Sarandon) host a gorgeous female guest through his window. But when their encounter ends, Charley is convinced that Jerry is a vampire, and has just killed a woman.

Campy as the day is long, "Fright Night" is a gem of an '80s horror comedy, one that fully acknowledges the seductive nature of the vampire thanks to Sarandon's captivating performance, while still not taking itself too seriously. Although it didn't get its due when it was first released, it eventually developed a cult following and even spawned a 2010s reboot with Anton Yelchin and Colin Farrell.

The Cullen family in "Twilight" serves as inspirational proof that just because you're a vampire who craves the intoxicating taste of human blood doesn't mean you can't live a perfectly normal life. That's kind of the entire point of "Vamps," which is a return to the director's chair for "Clueless" filmmaker Amy Heckerling. It stars Alicia Silverstone and Krysten Ritter as two best friends and fellow vampires, bonded by the fact that they were turned by the same guy and taking Manhattan by storm. 

But when Stacy (Ritter) meets college student Joey Van Helsing (Dan Stevens — yes, that Dan Stevens), she can't help but wish that she could actually have a real relationship with him. Power and immortality, after all, lose their appeal after a while. "Vamps" may not be the most inspired production Amy Heckerling has been involved in, but it has a charm of its own, thanks largely to the game performances from Silverstone and Ritter.

At the heart of "Twilight's" non-romantic plotline is the generational conflict between vampires and werewolves, represented by Bella's two love interests (Edward and Jacob, two characters for whom fans felt such an attachment that your status on either Team Edward or Team Jacob was a defining stance in the early 2000s). "Underworld" features a similar war. For centuries, a battle has been waged between the race of vampires and werewolves, or as they're called here, Lycans. Selene (Kate Beckinsale) is at the heart of this conflict as an elite vampire assassin. 

But when she meets Michael (Scott Speedman), a seemingly ordinary medical student who for some reason is being targeted by the Lycans, she uncovers layers upon layers of secrets that change everything she knows about the vampires and werewolves. Although critics scoffed at it, "Underworld" was the start of a franchise, with three sequels and a prequel to its name.

There's a lot of lore contained within the universe of "Twilight," and in that respect, "Daybreakers" is quite similar. Although it's only one feature film without a pre-existing book series to back it up, "Daybreakers" contains a ton of world-building within its modest runtime. Ethan Hawke stars as Edward Dalton, a reluctant vampire scientist who is working on a synthetic blood substitute that will eliminate the need for feasting on humans. (Like the Cullens in "Twilight," he's a vegetarian for ethical reasons.) 

But he stumbles upon a potential solution with much more far-reaching implications — a cure for vampirism itself. Of course, the Powers that Be (led by Sam Neill in a scenery-gnawing role), aren't particularly interested in finding a cure. After all, there's much more money in marketing a product that meets a specific need than there is in eliminating the need entirely. Even in a dystopian vampire hellscape, we're still subject to the whims and caprices of late-stage capitalism.

The Cullens keep their vampirism pretty well locked down, but we can't say the same for the many other vampires in the world of "Twilight," who embrace the power that they have over humans. And in that raw, predatory allure, we can see a lot of the defining performance from Grace Jones in "Vamp." Two college boys embark on a quest to find strippers for a frat party (you know, as one does), but they end up in a world of trouble when they find themselves at a very strange club. 

This club, it turns out, is owned and operated by vampires, including the captivating Katrina (Grace Jones), who performs a tantalizing dance that lures AJ (Robert Rusler) into her clutches. The film is a campy delight, especially with the ride-or-die friendship between AJ and Keith (Chris Makepeace) and despite the negative reviews it received up on its initial release, but "Vamp" is dominated by Grace Jones, who is positively feral as Katrina.