25 Best Horror Movies of Each Year Since 1998
Critics and audiences together select the best horror movie of each year since the start of Rotten Tomatoes.
We’re celebrating 25 years of Rotten Tomatoes with a look back on some of the most celebrated genre movies of each year, since 1998! Right now we look at horror, with each title selected using our recommendation formula, a calculation based on the Tomatometer that prioritizes titles which stood out among critics and fans, combined with a pinch of curatorial love from our editors.
The guide begins with 1998’s The Ring, whose 2002 remake kickstarted a rash of Japanese and horror adaptations in America. And Asian horror overall is well-represented, as critics and audiences aligned on Audition, A Tale of Two Sisters, The Host, and Train to Busan.
The top 2000s horror movies are almost an exclusively international affair, with a swath of countries representing, like Spain (The Devil’s Backbone, The Orphanage), United Kingdom (28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead, The Descent), and Sweden (Let the Right One In).
America starts to make a comeback with 2009’s Zombieland and the satirical The Cabin the Woods, before launching into blockbuster territory with the classic-styled The Conjuring. Since then, horror has had a resurgent decade, with low-budget sensations (The Babadook), social thrillers (Get Out, His House), and sci-fi (A Quiet Place).
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