What’s your favorite scary movie trilogy?Although it is a bit of a rarity for horror franchises these days to stop at three, there have beensome notable trilogies throughout the years; some even comprise the greatest, most terrifying movies in cinematic history. Trilogies have been a major part of the horror genre, and there are some out there that are scarily brilliant.
From recent chillers to certified classics, the following are ten of the scariest trilogies in horror cinema. They’ve captivated us with their stories, drawn us into their terrifying worlds, and chilled us to the bone with their legendary scares.Some are slashers and supernatural thrillers; others are genre-defining masterpieces that changed horror for the better.Grab some popcorn and turn off the lights; these trilogies are packed with fright.
10David Gordon Green’s ‘Halloween’ Trilogy (2018-2022)
Comprised of: ‘Halloween’ (2018), ‘Halloween Kills’ (2021) and ‘Halloween Ends’ (2022)
A bloody love letter toJohn Carpenter’s legendaryHalloween,David Gordan Green’s thrilling reboot trilogy, also titledHalloween, brought new life to this dormant franchise in the late 2010s, delivering more scares to the new generation and bringing one of cinema’s greatest, most terrifying slashers, Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney), back to the big screen.
Gordon Green’s trilogy captures much of the eerie suspense and dark tone of the 1978 original, more so than some of the inferior sequels and remakes that have emerged over the years. Unfortunately, while the first one was well-received and hailed by fans, most arguethings only went downhill after that, resulting in the lackluster third entry,Halloween Ends, being heavily criticized by many. But despite its faults, Gordon Green’s trilogy has some genuinely good scares, andit sees Michael returning to his killing glory for a short while.
9The ‘Re-Animator’ Trilogy (1985-2003)
Comprised of: ‘Re-Animator’ (1985), ‘Bride of Re-Animator’ (1990) and ‘Beyond Re-Animator’ (2003)
Goofy, gory, andsome of the bloodiest movies in horror history, the spectacularRe-Animatortrilogy is an absolute delight, able to please many horror fans. Starting in 1985 with the beloved cult classic first installment, then dropping off into made-for-TV territory, this uniquely gross franchise is a blast of entertainment that can blow anyone away with how disturbing and over-the-top it gets.
Now, admittedly, it’s not the most remembered trilogy, as it never quite kept up after the firstRe-Animator, butthey are all a collection of cult classics that are each bloody, outrageous, and full of genuinely effective scares. It may be one of thecheesiest things to come out of the ’80s, but it’s truly one of the most enjoyable and a bit scary.
Re-Animator
8The ‘X’ Trilogy (2022-2024)
Comprised of: ‘X’ (2022), ‘Pearl’ (2022) and ‘MaXXXine’ (2024)
One of the most impressive horror franchises to come out of the 2020s wasTy West’s brilliantly scaryXfranchise. It’s a trilogy that’s been making all the raves in the horror scene. It’s praised for its compelling storytelling and, most notably, features some of the best horror performances in modern cinema.
West’s trilogy, consisting ofX,Pearl, andMaXXXine, is three complex and fascinating tales thatcan scare anyone with their excellent mix of psychological terror and slasher gore. But their biggest stand-outs are the acting, especially the star of the show,Mia Goth, whose performance as the ambitious anti-hero Maxine and the unhinged, tragic villain Pearl has been praised asone of the most compelling of any horror movie. Overall, this is a spectacular trilogy that’s scary at points and widely impressive.
7The ‘Firefly’ Trilogy (2003-2019)
Comprised of: ‘House of 1000 Corpses’ (2003), ‘The Devil’s Rejects’ (2005) and ‘3 from Hell’ (2019)
Thoughhe’s sometimes considered a polarizing figure,Rob Zombieis one of the most interesting faces of horror. His talents behind the camera are certainly unique, and his style of horror is unlike any other in the genre. No other film projects under his belt represent that more than within his iconic ‘Firefly’ trilogy.If it’s blood and gore, and maybe a little bit more shocking, this is the trilogy to see.
Consisting ofHouse of 1000 Corpses,The Devil’s Rejects, and3 From Hell, this exceptionally gruesome and disturbing horror trilogy is an unforgettable thrill ride full of unique performances, shocking violence, and memorable kills. It’s the trilogy Zombie is most known for, and it certainly represents his own style and his penchant for going all out and graphic.Truly, there are some moments in these three films that’ll have viewers deeply unsettled.
House of 1000 Corpses
6The ‘Poltergeist’ Trilogy (1982-1988)
Comprised of: ‘Poltergeist’ (1982), ‘Poltergeist II: The Other Side’ (1986) and ‘Poltergeist III’ (1988)
First created by horror directing legendsTobe HooperandSteven Spielberg, thePoltergeisttrilogy is a complicated series to mention quality-wise. While the 1982Poltergeistis considered a terrifying classic, it spawned two mostly inferior sequels that aren’t as good, considering neither director had involvement in them, but, to give credit, the sequels are full of terror.
This entire trilogy has become essential to the supernatural horror subgenre,featuring iconic ghostly moments and terrifying imagery that have made them some of the scariest haunted house movies in history. Parts II and III aren’t really the best remembered or praised, but they’re not without their moments, especially in II, where audiences got to meet the sinister Reverend Kane (Julian Beck), who is honestly one of the most spine-chilling and underrated villains ever. Overall, it’s a flawed but undeniably creepy horror trilogy.
Poltergeist
5The ‘Silence of the Lambs’ Trilogy (1991-2002)
Comprised of: ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991), ‘Hannibal’ (2001) and ‘Red Dragon’ (2002)
Who said horror movies can be scary and also highly acclaimed award-winners? Tell them to watch the Best Picture-winning crime thrillerThe Silence of the Lambsand the trilogy it spawned.Gripping, intense, and compellingly acted, this widely praised trilogy has been a dominant presence in the horror genre all the way back to 1991.
The Silence of the Lambs is truly one of themost suspenseful horror movies in history,featuring so much terror and nail-biting moments that are edge-of-your-seat worthy.The other two,HannibalandRed Dragon, aren’t as widely acclaimed or terrifying but have their moments of shock and some intensely creepy moments.
The Silence of the Lambs
4The ‘A Quiet Place’ Trilogy (2018-2024)
Comprised of: ‘A Quiet Place’ (2018), ‘A Quiet Place II’ (2020) and ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ (2024)
Featuring a few of the scariest movies of the last ten years, theA Quiet Placetrilogy is truly a remarkable horror franchise with a popularity that shows no signs of waning. Beginning with the 2018 first entry, this thrilling alien invasion series has horrified audiences, delivering three nail-biting stories that are incredibly suspenseful and full of thrilling jump scares.
TheA Quiet Placemovies are great watches for anyone looking to be really, really scared. Not only are they tense and have well-placed scares, but they also include sometruly fascinating alien designsthat are straight out of anyone’s worst nightmare.Each installment, though the qualities of each story vary, offers a pulse-pounding experience that’ll have viewers screaming and stunned from start to end. They truly can’t be skipped by those looking for some real terror.
A Quiet Place
3Ridley Scott’s ‘Alien’ Trilogy (1979-2017)
Comprised of: ‘Alien’ (1979), ‘Prometheus’ (2012) and ‘Alien: Covenant’ (2017)
Creating horror history in 1979, the reveredSir Ridley Scottgave the genre one of its most terrifying and acclaimed classics,Alien, now hailed as the ultimate sci-fi horror film. It spawned a mostly successful franchise, but without much of Scott’s creative involvement. That was until he decided to return to it more than thirty years later to create his own unique trilogy.
Scott’sAlienand his directed prequelsPrometheusandAlien: Covenant, when combined, make up one truly terrifying and standout trilogy.Of course,PrometheusandCovenantdon’t stack up even close to the original, but have some decent suspense and plenty of terror to leave audiences disturbed. Thoughthe first one is definitely the best and scariest, Scott’sAlientrilogy is terrifying throughout and worth every moment for those looking for genuine good scares.
Changing horror forever in 1968, the lateGeorge A. Romero’s legendary ‘Dead’ films are not only one of the best horror trilogies ever, but one of the great trilogies of all time. This timeless and highly acclaimed franchise has become influential on cinema and pop culture, and broke new ground by introducing the modern zombie subgenre,which continues to thrive today.
Night of the Living Dead,Dawn of the Dead, andDay of the Deadare each beloved and revered masterpieces that continue to inspire countless other movies, TV shows, and even video games.They’re also quite terrifying and shocking, featuring plenty of gore, disgusting kills, and intense zombie action, all told with compelling storytelling and thought-provoking social commentary. Truly, this is one of the most essential horror trilogies of all time.
Night of the Living Dead
Finally, the top spot goes to one of the goriest, most iconic, and scariest trilogies in horror:Sam Raimi’s originalEvil DeadTrilogy. It’s a legendary franchise that continues to grow more popular with age, featuring memorable scares, quotable lines, and, of course,Bruce Campbellplayingone of horror’s most recognizable figures, Ash Williams.
But what really makes theEvil Deadtrilogy so memorable is its scares. Although the series showed more of a lean toward campy humor midway throughEvil Dead II,it is still jampacked with so much dread and terror. The firstEvil Deadis easily one of the scariest movies of all time,and continues to instill so much fright after all these years. This trilogy is memorable and truly frightening. It deserves its place in horror history.
The Evil Dead
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