12 Best Blumhouse Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked

Few production companies foresaw the contemporary horror boom like Blumhouse. While other studios blew huge budgets on star-studded, over-produced remakes of classic films (the $35 million "A Nightmare on Elm Street" remake from 2010 comes to mind), veteran Hollywood executive Jason Blum saw the potential in backing films with intriguing concepts that could be accomplished on budgets of about $5 million — sometimes even less.

After executing the business model to tremendous financial success with Oren Peli's "Paranormal Activity" in 2009, James Wan and Leigh Whannell's "Insidious" in 2010, and Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill's "Sinister" in 2012 (all of which grossed over ten times their budgets and spawned at least one successful sequel), Blumhouse became a dominant force in the world of horror. 25 years after the company's founding, we're taking a look back at some of their most beloved horror movies to determine which terrifying projects will continue to haunt the House of Blum for years to come.

Writer-director Christopher Landon is a foundational figure in the informal Blumhouse stable of filmmakers. He gained traction in his early career as a screenwriter with credits on the first three sequels in the "Paranormal Activity" series before helming 2014's "Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones." Fortunately for Landon, that film was a smash hit at the box office despite lukewarm reviews, earning him enough good will for his 2017 breakout horror comedy "Happy Death Day," also produced by Blumhouse.

Landon and Blumhouse have been a match made in heaven (or hell?) ever since, with "Happy Death Day," "Heart Eyes," and "Drop" all being considered for inclusion on this list. Ultimately, however, it was clear to us that their 2020 collaboration "Freaky" was a cut above the rest, owing largely to its leading performances and brilliantly gimmicky premise. Kathryn Newton and Vince Vaughn star as a hapless high school student named Millie and a prolific serial killer called the Blissfield Butcher, who magically swap bodies after he attempts to kill her using a cursed dagger. As Millie attempts to regain her body (with Vaughn doing some decent teenage girl acting) and stop the Butcher from using her identity as a cover for bloodshed, "Freaky" positions itself as one of the best slasher comedies since "Scream."

It's still a bit unbelievable that "M3GAN" works as well as it does. Taking a glance at the premise on paper, there's nothing all that immediately interesting about what it has to offer. In fact, even putting aside already obvious comparisons that could be made to the entire killer-doll subgenre that came before it, the general plot-concept and shape of "M3GAN" is nearly identical to the 2019 "Child's Play" remake, which dreadfully reimagined the iconic Chucky character (now voiced by Mark Hamill) as a rogue AI doll that takes "protecting" his child companion to violent extremes. So why does such a familiar plot feel so singular, memorable, and culturally impactful when M3GAN is around?

The short answer is that "M3GAN" has a quietly deft understanding of its own tone. Screenwriter Akela Cooper and director Gerard Johnstone avoid the pitfall of taking the story too seriously. They also create a uniquely irreverent, sassy, and ludicrously cold sense of humor that wouldn't work without a villain as iconic as M3GAN herself (physically portrayed by actor and professional dancer Amie Donald; voiced by Jenna Davis). Allison Williams and Violet McGraw dutifully balance the tone as needed, with grounded, human performances as the film's stock grieving-horror-movie-protagonists.

One could argue that being too aware of itself has introduced a few minor glitches into the future of the "M3GAN" franchise, but the original product still shines on its own. Funny, bloody, and incredibly rewatchable, she's the best friend a horror fan could ask for.

Spoiler alert: this list is gonna have several Mike Flanagan jumpscares on it. Before a string of lauded Netflix collaborations launched him fully into the mainstream (where he pitched and penned the script for a DC Comics movie produced by James Gunn), Flanagan's earlier work with Blumhouse had already helped to earn him a dedicated following among hardcore horror fans.

In 2016, Flanagan partnered with the studio to help bail them out of the mess they'd gotten into with their budding "Ouija" franchise. While the 2014 film (co-produced by Michael Bay at the height of the post-"Transformers" Hasbro IP gold rush) was so successful financially that a sequel was all but inevitable, Blumhouse was spooked enough by the dismal critical reception (it currently sits at 6% on Rotten Tomatoes) that Flanagan was given the freedom to restore as much of the property's good will as possible. In turn — and despite hating the subtitle mandated by the studio — Flanagan made one of the most redemptive sequels in film history.

Even without making easy comparisons to the original "Ouija," 2016's "Ouija: Origin of Evil" is a remarkable modern horror film that combines contemporary blockbuster-style scares with gorgeous period filmmaking. This far more compelling visual style, combined with Flanagan and Jeff Howard's thankfully solid script, make this prequel a worthwhile watch for those disappointed by Blumhouse's initial offering. Moreover, the fact that it is a prequel means everyone else can bypass the first film entirely.

Though they haven't been as solely dedicated to Blumhouse as Christopher Landon or even Mike Flanagan during his early years, writer-director Scott Derrickson and writer C. Robert Cargill have teamed up to give the studio some of its most popular horror films. And while 2012's "Sinister" just barely missed the cut for this list (aside from those incredible super 8 snuff films, it's essentially just an above average horror-mystery thriller), their 2021 follow-up "The Black Phone" is easily one of the best movies to ever carry the Blumhouse banner.

Pulled from the ashes of the creative team's departure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, "The Black Phone" is a supernatural horror crime thriller adapted from a short story written by Joe Hill. Future "How to Train Your Dragon" star Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw (the sister of "M3GAN's" Violet McGraw) play gifted children who must channel their individual and unexplainable paranormal gifts to thwart the sick schemes of the child serial killer known as "The Grabber" ("Sinister" star Ethan Hawke).

Derrickson and Cargill struck gold with their young actors, and better yet give them a story worthy of the kind of talent they bring to the table. The cast and creative team reunited for an even spookier sequel in 2025 that — in addition to giving MCU fans a glimpse into Derrickson's lost "Doctor Strange" sequel — cemented the "Black Phone" duology as one of Blumhouse's most successful projects.

Like many M. Night Shyamalan movies, the final twist at the end of "Split" a jaw-dropping moment at the time, and remains so memorable to this day that it kind of risks overshadowing the great movie that came before it. Yes, as basically everyone knows now thanks to the 2019 follow-up "Glass," "Split" pulled a fast one on audiences in a truly beautiful and audacious way by revealing itself to be a secret sequel to Shyamalan's "Unbreakable."

As "Glass" would ultimately (and unfortunately) prove, however, adding another chapter to the life of Bruce Willis' David Dunn isn't enough to make a movie great. Perhaps the most important thing "revealed" by this twist was that Shyamalan had revived enough of his filmmaking vitality to deliver a film that could make audiences care about a character they hadn't seen in 16 years. "Split" was co-produced by Blumhouse in partnership with the filmmaker, who financed the film himself because he knew major Hollywood money would have zero interest in a movie about a human-looking monster who abducts girls. In the end, betting on his instincts proved to be the smart move, as "Split" made over $278 million worldwide, and earned Shyamalan and star James McAvoy acclaim for their exhaustive work on the film. It's a boon for filmmaker and actor that plays to their individual strengths, with McAvoy specifically carrying the film on his back through the impossibly arresting performances he gives as the film's one-man ensemble of adversaries.

BOO! MIKE FLANAGAN RETURNS!

Arguably the director's most underrated work, "Oculus" was a nightmare in and of itself for Flanagan to get made. With none of the name recognition and trust his future films would earn him, he had to find a way to convince studios that he, a relatively unknown filmmaker, could somehow make mirrors scary. To make matters worse, "Mirrors" had debuted just a few years earlier to muted domestic box office numbers and horrific reviews from critics. Somehow, Blumhouse saw the vision reflected in Flanagan's eye, and the rest was history.

Grossing nearly 10 times its budget worldwide and opening to a warm critical reception, "Oculus" was an unmitigated success for everyone involved. Karen Gillan and Brenton Thwaites star as siblings who reunite with the intent to destroy a paranormal mirror that can distort reality, leading those who gaze into it to act in ways they wouldn't otherwise. Flanagan avoids throwing CGI demons at the audience, and instead smartly portrays the mirror's effects on the human psyche, focusing on the emotional and mental toll of not being able to trust your own eyes. It's a deeply tragic and upsetting film, though one that packs in enough scream-worthy scares to be an entertaining watch regardless.

We love sex-positivity in our horror films almost as much as we love subversive takes on the genre. The fact that "Cam" offers all this and more earns it a spot just outside our top 5. "You" and "The Handmaid's Tale" alum Madeline Brewer leads this 2018 streamer feature, playing a young woman trying to balance a double life as a virtual sex worker (also known as a "camgirl"). Though she hides her work from some of the people in her life, she's fairly proud of what she does, treating it as a means of counter-cultural artistic expression that pushes the boundaries of what an online sex show can be. Her passionate pursuit of internet stardom (tinged by hints of a toxic need for fame and validation) goes off the rails when her page is disturbingly taken over by an entity that looks, sounds, and behaves like the persona she sells to her fans online.

Broadly speaking, "Cam" is a love-it-or-hate-iu kind of movie, with critics praising it almost universally upon its release while it drew polarizing reactions from general audiences. For our part, we feel that it manages to be refreshing stylistically, thematically, and narratively, using techno-horror thrills to introduce viewers to a side of the internet they might avoid or visit only in the dark. It also boasts unique credibility with regard to its subject matter, as screenwriter Isa Mazzei wrote "Cam" based on her days working in this industry.

Best known as the co-creator and one-time star of the "Saw" films, Leigh Whannell has been a reliable pillar of the House of Blum since Jason Blum backed the first "Insidious" back in 2010. In addition to producing every Whannell-written "Insidious" sequel thereafter (including a forthcoming sixth installment as of writing), Blumhouse helped bring audiences Whannell's sleeper hit action horror thriller "Upgrade" and his frankly amazing reimagining of "The Invisible Man."

Released in February of 2020, just as anxieties surrounding the COVID-19 virus were beginning to mount, Whannell's updated take on this classic Universal monster blew audiences away by straddling the line between simple, understated dread and full-blown sci-fi terror. Elisabeth Moss plays Cecilia Kass, a woman attempting to flee her abusive partner, Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen). If his predilection for violence weren't scary enough, Adrian also happens to be a wealthy tech entrepreneur who is capable of using his resources to ensure that he remains a controlling presence in her life — even after his sudden, mysterious death. "The Invisible Man" is a surprisingly twisty film that's best left unspoiled, so if you were forced to skip this feature for the sake of your health, don't hesitate to add it to your watch list.

AH! NO! MIKE FLANAGAN! AGAIN!

The last and best of the Flanagan-Blumhouse flicks to make our list, "Hush" feels like a proving ground for the filmmaker — and that's not just because it was just one of three Flanagan films released in 2016 (the other two being "Ouija: Origin of Evil" and the Intrepid Pictures-produced "Before I Wake"). Rather than dealing with a haunted house or malevolent demon, the film sees him attempt to tackle a grounded home invasion story from the perspective of a non-hearing protagonist (played by Flanagan's writing partner and spouse Kate Siegel).

"Hush" robs Flanagan of the supernatural elements and fantastical imagery that would come to define his directorial style, leaving him and Siegel to rely solely on the finer elements of storytelling, particularly character and pacing. As a result, "Hush" not only proves that Flanagan can direct the heck out of a movie regardless of the scale or genre (as he would prove once more with 2024's "The Life of Chuck"), but that the strength of his horror films always lied in his ability to draw viewers inside the rich psychological worlds of his unique characters. It's also an especially fun experience for fans of Flanagan's "Midnight Mass," though we won't spoil why here.

"Creep" is a film that feels tied to the very creative DNA of early Blumhouse. Not only is the 2014 feature an exemplary work of found footage horror (the subgenre that inarguably put Blumhouse on the map in ways we'll discuss momentarily), but a scrappy, two-man operation that trades costly effects and visual gloss for intentional camera work, careful writing, and a go-for-broke leading performance that still sends chills down our spine.

Written by and starring Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice (the latter of whom also directs), "Creep" begins by drawing us into the tragic yet strangely hopeful worldview of Josef (Duplass), a man dying of cancer who ostensibly hires a videographer named Aaron (Brice) to record video diaries for his son. As their time together continues, Josef's behavior becomes increasingly strange and difficult to justify. Duplass and Brice (as director) expertly weaponize that uneasy feeling of being unable to tell the difference between someone who's just a little weird and someone who's a genuine threat. "Creep" is a tense and rewarding 70-minute thrill ride that unsurprisingly had audiences begging for more — though sequel projects have struggled to meet the high bar Brice and Duplass set over a decade ago.

Though Blumhouse had been around since the start of the millennium, it wasn't until the 2010s that the studio became a juggernaut in the horror scene. For that, they largely have "Paranormal Activity" to thank.

The magic of the original "Paranormal Activity" film is its authenticity. Writer-director Oren Peli was not bankrolled by Blumhouse or any other major studio when he started making the film for a budget of around $15,000, so he crafted a project that played to his strengths and his resources. The cast was small and cheap, with much of the film following only the central married couple Katie and Micah (played by unknown actors Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat), the latter of whom also served as the production's de facto cameraman — another choice that supported the story while cutting costs.

Accomplishing both goals at the same time is what made "Paranormal Activity" so terrifying. In the absence of comforting, big-budget Hollywood theatrics, the film looked and felt real. Studios who saw an early cut of the film were impressed, but interested in remaking it entirely with said theatrics. It was Jason Blum who backed Peli's vision, holding test screenings that proved most of the original cut should stay as it was. After just $200,000 of post-production work to reshoot certain scenes and add cinema-quality VFX where appropriate, "Paranormal Activity" landed in theaters in 2009. It went on to gross over $193 million worldwide, making it one of the most financially successful movies ever made in terms of raw profit.

As impactful as every horror film on this list is, only "Get Out" could be reasonably described as one of the greatest movies ever made. Though "Paranormal Activity" and perhaps "Insidious" had proved to Blumhouse that low-budget scares could reliably net the big box office numbers that would keep the lights on, the company occasionally had a pretty good eye for awards-worthy projects. Supporting Ryan Murphy's HBO adaptation of "The Normal Heart" earned Jason Blum his first Golden Globes and Emmy Award nominations. Shortly after, Blumhouse went to the Academy Awards for the first time backing Damien Chazelle's "Whiplash."

This is all to say that, though the rest of the world was shocked when Comedy Central funny guy Jordan Peele turned his horror film into the greatest directorial debut of the 2010s, one wonders if Blum didn't know exactly how successful "Get Out" would become. In addition to grossing over $250 million against a budget of $4.5 million, Peele's savvy blend of laugh out loud comedy, psychological horror, and biting social commentary earned him near-universal acclaim from critics and audiences alike. It also sent him, Blum, and the rest of the producing team to the Oscars as contenders for Best Picture. Though they didn't win, Peele did walk away with a Best Original Screenplay award, and cemented himself as a defining voice in contemporary horror.