If you’re a fan of the iconic 1996 slasher film Scream, you’re probably always on the hunt for more movies that deliver similar thrills, chills, and meta horror-comedy. Scream revitalized the slasher genre in the 90s with its clever deconstruction of horror tropes and has inspired many imitators and spiritual successors over the years.
While nothing can quite capture the magic of the original, here are 15 scary movies to check out next time you’re craving more Scream-style slasher fun. Grab the popcorn and get ready for some blood-soaked, self-aware screams!
1. I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
I Know What You Did Last Summer is often considered Scream‘s main rival in kick-starting the late 90s teen slasher revival. Written by Scream scribe Kevin Williamson, it follows a group of high school friends who are stalked by a hook-wielding killer one year after covering up a fatal car accident.
While it lacks Scream‘s overt meta commentary, it shares a lot of DNA, including a cast of TV teen idols like Jennifer Love Hewitt and Sarah Michelle Gellar, plenty of gory kills, and a mystery that keeps you guessing until the end. It even got its own parody in Scary Movie alongside Scream.
2. Urban Legend (1998)
Urban Legend continues the post-Scream trend of assembling a cast of young 90s stars and picking them off one by one. This time, the setting is a college campus being terrorized by a series of murders inspired by famous urban legends, like the killer in the backseat and the roommate suicide.
Some of the urban legends are a bit silly, but there are some genuinely creepy and suspenseful sequences. And the central mystery of which character is behind the crimes unfolds in twisty, Scream-like fashion. Plus it has Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger himself) in a supporting role!
3. The Faculty (1998)
The Faculty puts a sci-fi spin on the Scream formula, as a group of high school outcasts fight an alien invasion that’s slowly assimilating their teachers and classmates. It comes from the mind of Scream writer Kevin Williamson and has plenty of his trademark self-referential horror quips.
The faculty includes some familiar faces like Elijah Wood, Josh Hartnett, and Jon Stewart. And the aliens are dispatched in creatively gory ways that would make Ghostface proud. It’s a fun ’90s time capsule that captures the post-Scream vibe.
4. Sick (2022)
One of the most recent entries on this list, Sick is a clever slasher that taps into pandemic-era fears. It follows two friends quarantining at a remote lake house when they start getting threatening texts and are attacked by a masked intruder.
With its isolated setting, modern tech elements, and mystery killer, it feels like a Scream movie for the COVID age. There are some great suspenseful set pieces and nasty kills. And like Scream, it has more on its mind than just the scares, offering some biting pandemic-related social commentary.
5. Happy Death Day (2017)
Happy Death Day puts a horror spin on the Groundhog Day time loop concept. A college student finds herself reliving her birthday over and over again, and on each loop, she’s brutally murdered by a masked killer.
The movie has a lot of fun with its clever premise, mixing laughs, mystery, and creative kills. And the lead character’s journey to solve her own murder and become a better person in the process gives it an extra layer of depth, similar to Sidney’s arc in Scream. It even got a sequel that expanded the mythology.
6. Valentine (2001)
Valentine is a holiday-themed slasher clearly inspired by Scream‘s success. It follows a group of women being stalked by a killer in a cupid mask leading up to Valentine’s Day. Could it be the geeky guy they rejected back in school?
It’s got a similar whodunnit mystery and some bloody kills in the Scream spirit. The cast includes some early 2000s young stars like Katherine Heigl and David Boreanaz. While it’s not the most original slasher, it delivers if you’re looking for something in the post-Scream mold.
7. Cherry Falls (2000)
Cherry Falls offers a clever twist on the typical slasher movie rules. Instead of punishing teens for having sex, the killer is targeting virgins. It’s a fun inversion of genre expectations, similar to the way Scream subverted and commented on horror cliches.
The small town setting and high school characters also feel very Scream-esque. And it has some surprisingly witty dialogue and likable young characters, especially Brittany Murphy as the smart final girl trying to solve the mystery. An underrated entry in the post-Scream slasher canon.
8. Final Destination (2000)
Final Destination kicked off a long-running franchise and gave slasher fans a new supernatural villain to fear: Death itself. It starts with a teen having a premonition of a plane explosion and saving his friends, only for Death to come for the survivors in a series of elaborate, gory accidents.
The idea of an invisible force orchestrating intricate Rube Goldberg-style deaths was pretty novel for a mainstream slasher movie at the time. And while it doesn’t have Scream‘s slasher mystery element, it does have plenty of gruesome, memorable kills and a smarter-than-average young cast trying to cheat death.
9. When a Stranger Calls (2006)
When a Stranger Calls is a remake of the 1979 cult classic about a babysitter tormented by a threatening caller who’s revealed to be calling from inside the house. The 2006 version expands the original’s famous opening sequence into a full-length movie.
It ramps up the suspense and terror as the babysitter, played by Camilla Belle, is stalked through a high-tech house by the relentless stranger. It trades Scream‘s humor and self-awareness for more straightforward scares, but it’s a well-crafted thriller clearly inspired by the house invasion terror of the original Scream.
10. Cry Wolf (2005)
Cry Wolf follows a group of prep school students who invent a serial killer called “The Wolf” for a class project, only for their creation to seemingly come to life and start killing people. Is it all part of a prank, or has their story taken on a bloody life of its own?
The concept of a fictional killer entering the real world is a very Scream-like meta touch. And the prep school setting and cast of wealthy, secretive teens feels reminiscent of Scream 2‘s college campus. It keeps you guessing until the very end.
11. Sorority Row (2009)
A loose remake of the 1983 slasher The House on Sorority Row, this 2009 update follows a group of sorority sisters stalked by a hooded killer after a prank gone wrong. It has the requisite cast of TV stars like Briana Evigan, Leah Pipes, and Rumer Willis.
While the sorority setting separates it from Scream a bit, it still has a lot of the key ingredients, including a mysterious past event coming back to haunt the characters, red herrings galore, and some creative, darkly funny kills. It’s a slick, entertaining entry in the post-Scream slasher wave.
12. The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
The Cabin in the Woods is the ultimate meta horror movie, deconstructing and subverting cabin-in-the-woods thrillers the way Scream did for slashers. Produced by Buffy creator Joss Whedon, it starts as a conventional story about college kids encountering deadly monsters at a remote cabin, then takes a wild left turn.
To say much more would ruin the fun, but it brilliantly dissects horror formulas and tropes, unspooling a twisty mythology that encompasses the entire genre. It’s a must-watch for Scream fans and anyone who likes their horror with a side of clever genre commentary.
13. The Strangers (2008)
The Strangers strips away a lot of Scream‘s humor and self-awareness for a deadly serious, brutally suspenseful home invasion thriller. A couple, played by Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, are terrorized at a remote vacation home by three masked assailants.
It’s light on plot and heavy on almost unbearably tense cat-and-mouse scenes. The villains aren’t quipping horror fans but nearly silent, remorseless attackers. But it captures a similar sense of violation and “it could happen to you” realism as the original Scream. Sometimes scary is just scary.
14. You’re Next (2011)
You’re Next is another home invasion slasher, but with a much more darkly comedic tone ala Scream. It centers on a wealthy family attacked at their secluded mansion by animal-masked killers. But one of the guests, played by Sharni Vinson, has a secret talent for fighting back.
The movie has fun upending expectations, with clever twists, a badass heroine, and some gruesome, inventive booby traps. It also injects some dysfunctional family comedy into the mix. For Scream fans, it’s a witty, blood-soaked blast of fresh air for the home invasion genre.
15. Ready or Not (2019)
Ready or Not stars Samara Weaving as a bride who marries into a wealthy gaming dynasty and finds herself fighting for her life on her wedding night as part of a deadly family ritual. It’s a wickedly funny, wildly entertaining horror-comedy that takes aim at rich entitlement.
The colorful characters and the heroine’s journey from victim to resourceful fighter give it Scream vibes. As do the gory, elaborate kills and biting social satire. It’s a fast-paced, crowd-pleasing horror flick that Scream fans should eat up. Here comes the bride!
So there you have it – 15 scary, Scream-inspired slashers to sink your knife into. Whether you want meta laughs, whodunnit mystery, or just some good old-fashioned blood and guts, these movies prove that Scream‘s spirit is still alive and well in modern horror. Do you like scary movies? Pop one of these in and have a bloody good time.
