How many of us hear the names Jack the Ripper, Dumbo, or Ted Bundy and have a chill running down our spines? While many of us are scared of watching serial killers and hearing about them, some of them look at it as a cult classic genre, and hence, it is one of the most sought-after genres under the thriller category.
While when one talks about psycho thrillers, American Psycho might instantly strike your mind, there are other movies too that are just as thrilling, if not more.
Here is a list of the best thriller movies about cult groups, one killer getting on a spree, or a defined serial killer.
I Know What You Did Last Summer:
Cast: Sarah Michelle (Helen), Freddie Prinze (Ray Bonson), Jennifer Love Hewitt (Julie James) and many more
Streaming On: Netflix and Amazon Prime
IMDb Rating: 5.8/10
We all remember the good old days of our college and the fun we had with our friends. Often, we remember the last day of college very vividly, as that is where all the fun comes to an end. This movie sees a group of friends come together and commit a mistake, which has been reminded of them after many years. Look at what was the mistake done by them and how they overcame it. Did they accidentally kill a person? Or is the person saved? I Know What You Did Last Summer has two parts dealing with two different incidents but around the same plot of a group of friends. So, if you want to watch a chilling thriller about someone who is taking revenge, then this one is for you.
Halloween:
Cast: James Jude Courtney (Michael Myers), Jamie Lee Curtis (Laurie), Anthony Michael Hall (Tommy Doyle) and many more
Streaming On: Netflix
IMDb Rating: 5.5/10
How many of us celebrate Halloween as a way of remembering and celebrating the dead? But what if someone disguises as a killer and gets out on a spree every Halloween night? Michael Myers is one such man who gets out on a killing spree every Halloween. But what is interesting is that there are people to counter him. While the police is unable to catch him, one person who has survived his ordeal helps catch him every time. But Michael Myers escapes particularly on every Halloween, and that follows in the multiple parts of this movie. Towards the end, it is seen that Michael Myers is being taken down by the village between now and never because, in previous part two, he came out alive.
Midnight:
Cast: Wi Ha joon (Do-shik), Jin Ki joo (Kyeong mi), Jeong Won chang (Police) and many more
Streaming On: Amazon Prime
IMDb Rating: 6.4/10
Serial Killer is out on the run, killing women of various types. There is this one girl who is hearing impaired and witnesses him capturing a girl and eventually murdering her. It’s just about time that she’s going to inform the authorities. This man gets behind her and makes her the next target, as her brother and mother are trying to protect her because of her different abilities. This goal is not going to stop at anything less than justice. Watch the debacle between the girl and the serial killer coming face to face and how or who wins towards the end.
To Catch a Killer:
Cast: Shailene Woodley (Eleanor Falco), Ben Mendelsohn (Lammark), Ralph Ineson (Dean) and many more
Streaming On: Amazon Prime
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
On a random New Year’s night, when everyone is partying, multiple shootings happen with the same Sniper gun, taking the count to 200. However, while nothing is known about the person, a rookie but responsible officer figures out he is a disturbed man. Will the killer be caught? Why did he kill so many people? This movie sees the darkness of inner politics amongst the police and how it is sometimes important to pause and acknowledge the little things we all have. If you want to watch a police-killer chase and see who gets caught, then watch this movie.
Piggy:
Cast: Laura Galan (Sara), Richard Holmes (Desconocido), Claudia Salas (Maca) and many more
Streaming On: Amazon Prime Video
IMDb Rating: 6.2/10
In a Spanish movie dubbed in English, A girl is constantly bullied as she is healthy. She is studious but does not have friends, as her parents run a Meat Shop together. The girl is growing up to be a young woman and has multiple crushes, but one crush gets problematic. A man is constantly killing people and falls in love with the girl. He then tries to kill everyone who troubles her, but would she run away with a man like that? Watch the journey of self-realization, the process of growing up, and how sometimes the oppressed can turn out to be the scariest in the lot.
Orphan:
Cast: Isabelle Fuhrman (Esther), Vera Farmiga (Kate Coleman), Aryana Engineer (Max Coleman) and many more
Streaming On: Amazon Prime Video
IMDb Rating: 7/10
We all love our families. But do we love them to the extent that we kill them? Not really. A young girl is got into a family where her elegant behavior soon gives way to something sinister and unknown. As she coyly plots against breaking the family and saving someone, her obsessions, and true colors are revealed. While the first movie deals with her Psychological problems and a rare condition she suffers from, the second part sees her origin and what she did before coming into the present family. If you are someone who likes to get disturbed and shocked, this one is for you.
Zodiac:
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal (Robert), Robert Downey Jr. (Paul Avery), Mark Ruffalo (Dave Toschi) and many more
Streaming On: Netflix
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
The story is about the infamous Zodiac Killer. This movie explores the case from a Journalist’s point of view who constantly gets messages from the killer. The sad thing remains that the Zodiac Killer was never caught despite so much evidence and hints. This movie sees the politics of news, the power of the legal fraternities, and the incapabilities of the police, along with a well-rounded serial killer who wants to kill people based on the days on which they were born.
Scream:
Cast: Jenna Ortega (Tara Carpenter), Melissa Barrera (Sam Carpenter), Hayden Panettiere (Kirby Reed) and many more
Streaming On: Amazon Prime
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
What happens when we see something eerie or scary? We ‘Scream’! A franchise with six movies under it, this movie understands various age groups and their ideas of serial killers. In every movie, one person gets on a killing spree for some reason and then targets random teenagers to kill them. At the end of every movie, the killer is caught and killed in the act of self-defense. However, the movies get complex when everyone who has faced the killers in the past comes together along with the teenagers to fight not one but multiple copycat killers. If you are someone who likes a nuanced and complicated movie, then this franchise is for you.
Saw:
Cast: Tobin Bell (John Kramer), Shawnee Smith (Amanda Young), Reneta Vaca (Gabriela) and many more
Streaming On: Amazon Prime and Lionsgate Play
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
The Jigsaw killer is out there seeking revenge and pitting people against each other to test their need for survival. This movie sees the need and hunger of a human to live and often wants them to acknowledge their darkest secrets to understand the same. The Jigsaw Killer never reveals himself but controls everything on camera by setting a series of tasks that also involve self-harm or violence. He sees if someone wants to utilize their mind to get out and make the best gift out of life or just get away with it and die. This movie has 10 parts, and each part sees Jigsaw in a new light. The Movie ‘Spiral’ is also related to this franchise.
American Psycho:
Cast: Christian Bale (Patrick Bateman), Jared Leto (Paul Allen), Willem Dafoe (Detective) and more
Streaming On: Apple TV and Amazon Prime
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
It is often said that Psychopaths are charming and have a way to lure victims. Patrick is charming, wealthy, and an investment banker, making him a hit with his peers, but he hides a Psychopathic self from his friends that unleashes when his fantasies peak and temptations make him go on a blood strike.
Split:
Cast: James McAvoy (Kevin), M Night Shyamalan (Jai), Anya Taylor Joy (Casey Cooke) and more
Streaming On: Netflix
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
The movie follows a man with multiple personality disorder who has one unknown personality that is wild, violent, and waiting to unleash itself. One night, the personality takes over, and various girls get kidnapped. As the girls witness the man and his 25 different personalities, they also make plans to escape, but will they be successful? An M. Night Shyamalan special and one of the movies in the trilogy, this movie sees the extent to which someone can go to satisfy their beliefs and how, sometimes, help is not the only solution for people with mental health disorders.
The Silence of The Lambs:
Cast: Anthony Hopkins (Hannibal Lecter), Jodie Foster (Clarice Starling), Ted Levine (Buffalo Bill) and many more
Streaming On: Amazon Prime
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Would you take help from another criminal to nab a killer? Well, an FBI agent just does that in this movie, as his position and authority are at stake. A Psychopathic Serial Killer and a former Psychiatrist are asked for help when they cannot catch a killer who is aiming at female victims. The process of finding the killer, dealing with a convicted criminal, and all the encounters, as well as tricky conversations, put one’s mind on a roller coaster.
No Man of God:
Cast: Luke Kirby (Ted Bundy), Elijah Wood (Bill Hagmaier), Aleksa Palladino (Carolyn Lieber) and many more
Streaming On: Amazon Prime
IMDb Rating: 6.4/10
Ted Bundy movies never get old. A criminal profiler working with the FBI wants to interview Ted Bundy and make a case study. In the process, the rapport built and the mind games played to push the serial killer, who never confessed to his crimes directly, just do the same. A fictional spin-off on the original case, this is a must-watch if you want to study serial killers in America further.
Wrong Turn:
Cast: Eliza Dushku (Jessie), Jeremy Sisto (Scott), Julian Richings (Three Finger) and many more
Streaming On: Apple TV
IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
It’s a movie about a group that indulges in cannibalism. Well, if you think getting stuck in the jungle with your buddies means a nice tree house and a cozy night, you are wrong because that one wrong turn can cost you your life. What would you do when you find men and women who eat other humans alive? Would you run or hide? What if they dismantle your car and take away all you have? While the first part makes a tick mark for this list, the second part deals with a cult that captures people from the town and makes them one of their own.
Truth or Dare:
Cast: Lucy Hale (Olivia Barron0, Tyler Posey (Lucas Moreno), Sophia Ali (Penelope Amari) and many more
Streaming On: Netflix
IMDb Rating: 5.2/10
We all get some crazy dares to do all the time, like drunk dialing someone or going and pranking a person. What if a friends get together turns out to be a test for their life? A group of youngsters come together, party, and then want to play truth or dare. A new stranger in the group asks them to play it safe as whatever they get as dares would lead to the death of one member. This movie is twisted and sinister and sees havoc amongst people and the need to play the game right to save their lives. It is a classy movie and a Blumhouse production. Watch how sometimes it is not all that meets the eye.
Friday the 13th:
Cast: Jared Padalecki (Clay Miller), Julianna Guill (Bree), Derek Mears (Jason Voorhees) and many more
Streaming On: Amazon Prime and Apple TV
IMDb Rating: 5.5/10
We all talk about legends who roam the forests. A group of youngsters goes on a holiday near Crystal Lake to find an illegal herb where the legend stories come alive, and so does his desire to “kill”. With 10 movies under the franchise, the latest one being in 2009, it sees the grief of a mother and how ignorance turned her child into a violent killer.
Chucky Series:
Cast: Justin Whalin (Andy Barclay), Brad Dourif (Chucky), Jeremy Sylvers (Tyler) and many more
Streaming On: Amazon Prime
IMDb Rating: 5.2/10
Chucky might look like a cute doll with his flowing hair, but hear him talk with his sexist remarks and the little knife with which he can rip your heart apart, and you would know. The franchise known as Child’s Play sees many movies where a hi-tech doll turns into a killer and finds its victims, killing them one by one. This movie franchise has 10 movies, and every movie deals with Chucky and one of his play dates turning into a nightmare for someone else.
The Babysitter:
Cast: Samara Weaving (Bee), Judah Lewis (Cole), Bella Thorne, Emily Alyn Lind (Melanie) and many more
Streaming On: Netflix
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
A teenager starts having a crush on his hot babysitter and looks forward to her arrival when his parents go out. This shy, submissive boy is often bullied, and the babysitter is his one go-to friend. But what if one night, he plans to stay up without consuming the sleeping pill she unknowingly gives him and finds out about the cult murders that unfold?
Bodies Bodies Bodies:
Cast: Rachel Sennott (Alice), Amandla Stenberg (Sophie), Maria Bakalova (Bee) and many more
Streaming On: Netflix
IMDb Rating: 6.2/10
A group of friends meet after a long time, and while there are some unsolved fights between them and some new people joining the group, nothing so suspicious that the owner of the farmhouse is found slaughtered outside amidst a game. This unfolds a blame game and a hurricane that is going to take all these fake people down like a storm.
Malignant:
Cast: Annabelle Wallis (Madison Mitchell), Maddie Hasson (Sydney Lake), Mckenna Grace (Young Madison) and many more
Streaming On:
IMDb Rating: 6.2/10
Following the journey of a woman who sees strange things and witnesses people’s murders becomes part of an investigation she never signed up for. What starts as a search for the killer opens new doors of possibility and the answer to the biggest question: why can she see visions of all the murders?
Texas Chainsaw Massacre:
Cast: Sarah Yarkin (Melody), Elsie Fisher (Lila), Mark Burnham (Leatherface) and many more
Streaming On: Netflix
IMDb Rating: 4.7/10
A ten-movie franchise, it sees how a disturbed man picks up a chainsaw in a rustic, woody, neo-noir town and goes on to kill people. His disturbed demeanor, scary yet expressionless face, and hunger to rule the town of Texas make this movie a gory reality to digest.
Ma:
Cast: Octavia Spencer (Sue Ann), Tate Taylor (Officer Grainger), Luk Evans (Ben) and many more
Streaming On: Amazon Prime
IMDb Rating: 5.6/10
We all love all the words and synonyms that help us remember our mother. Well, we would help a woman who does not have kids, is cool, and lets you do all the illegal parties in her basement, and also just asks you to call her “Ma” or mother in return. But what if Ma is hiding her own secrets in the basement and planning something ominous?
I Saw the Devil:
Cast: Kim Jee Woon, Choi Min Sik (Kyung Chul), Oh San Ha (Joo-yeon) and others
Streaming On: Amazon Prime
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
The official synopsis of the movie reads, “When his pregnant fiancee is murdered, secret service agent Soo-hyun sets out to seek revenge. He identifies the killer and forces him to swallow a GPS-tracking capsule.”
Purge Series:
Cast: Ethan Hawke (James Sandin), Lena Headey (Mary Sandin), Adelaide Kane (Zoey Sandin) and others
Streaming On: Amazon Prime
IMDb Rating: 5.7/10
This movie franchise deals with one night in America when every crime gets legal, and no police can nab you or charge you for anything, a night full of lawlessness, no rules, and only one rule: you want to be safe and close your doors. A phenomenon spoken about in America that challenges the administration and the American dream quite closely. Every movie sees a different family being targeted by this group of wannabe criminals.
Unfriended:
Cast: Shelley Hennig (Blaire Lily), Heather Sossaman (Laura Barns), Will Pektz (Adam Sewell) and others
Streaming On: Netflix
IMDb Rating: 5.6/10
A young man working to make ends meet finds an abandoned brand-new laptop and plans to take it home. When using it to Skype his friends, another force takes over, and these friends suddenly become a part of the dark web, where one needs to be careful of what they wish for. With murders all around, can this man save his deaf and dumb girlfriend sitting miles away?
Sinister:
Cast: Ethan Hawke (Ellison), James Ransone (Deputy), Nicholas King (Bughuul) and others
Streaming On: Amazon Prime
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
A movie known in horror, as well as the thriller genre, sees a man who has writer’s block move in with his family in a mansion where the crime writer in him seeking inspiration opens a set of tapes left in the house. What starts in a voyeur-like manner of capturing memories soon turns into gruesome murders. Watch to find out who does it and how.
Totally Killer:
Cast: Kiernan Shipka (Jamie), Olivia Holt (Teen Pam), Julie Bowen (Pam) and many others
Streaming On: Amazon Prime
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
The official synopsis of the movie reads, “Thirty-five years after the shocking murders of three teens, an infamous killer returns on Halloween night to claim a fourth victim. When 17-year-old Jamie comes face-to-face with the masked maniac, she accidentally time-travels back to 1987. Forced to navigate the unfamiliar culture, Jamie teams up with her teenage mother to take down the psycho once and for all.”
You Should Have Left:
Cast: Kevin Bacon (Stetler), Amanda Seyfried (Susanna), Avery Tiiu (Ella) and many others
Streaming On: Amazon Prime
IMDb Rating: 5.4/10
How bad can a rented house for a vacation be? Bad bedsheets or a rude owner? But what if a couple who is trying to fix their relationship finds a house that indulges in a dark past and would soon engulf them, too? Watch a former banker and an actress get on a journey together to tackle this person who is constantly stalking them and maybe wanting to kill them.
Get Out:
Cast: Daniel Kaluuya (Chris), Allison Williams (Rose), Catherine Keener (Missy Armitage) and many others
Streaming On: Netflix and Amazon Prime
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
A movie that challenges notions of race, this movie sees an African-American man who goes to meet his White girlfriend’s parents over a weekend holiday. What starts out as a strange but friendly demeanor soon reveals secrets of the family and the town.
There’s Someone Inside Your House:
Cast: Sydney Park (Makani Young), Theodore Pellerin (Ollie), Dale Whibley (Zach) and many more
Streaming On: Netflix
IMDb Rating: 4.9/10
A teen has a dark past that she wants to escape. But starting a new life in Hawaii with an old granny was never easy. She finds it difficult to make friends until one night, she finds fellow students in her neighborhood being murdered by a man who is thirsty for blood.