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The 20 best slasher movies of all time

The best slasher movie of all time is Halloween (1978). It shares the top Tomatometer score among slashers, 97%, with Psycho (Rotten Tomatoes), and nearly every masked killer since owes it something.

By the Horror Planet editors · Updated November 9, 2026

  1. Halloween (1978)

    97% on Rotten Tomatoes

    The blueprint. John Carpenter's score is half the fear. Every Halloween in order.

  2. Psycho (1960)

    97% on Rotten Tomatoes

    The shower scene invented the genre's grammar.

  3. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

    85% on Rotten Tomatoes

    Leatherface and the dinner table. The full order.

  4. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

    93% on Rotten Tomatoes

    The killer lives in your dreams. All nine.

  5. Scream (1996)

    78% on Rotten Tomatoes

    Meta before meta was a word. Every Scream ranked.

  6. Black Christmas (1974)

    The calls are coming from inside the house. More Christmas horror.

  7. Peeping Tom (1960)

    95% on Rotten Tomatoes

    The camera as a murder weapon. Banned in its day.

  8. Friday the 13th (1980)

    The summer-camp slasher, and the twist ending. All 12 in order.

  9. X (2022)

    94% on Rotten Tomatoes

    Ti West's love letter to the 1970s, starring Mia Goth twice.

  10. Pearl (2022)

    93% on Rotten Tomatoes

    A slasher origin story told like a Technicolor melodrama.

  11. Deep Red (1975)

    90% on Rotten Tomatoes

    Dario Argento's giallo masterpiece. Slashers start here.

  12. Scream 2 (1997)

    83% on Rotten Tomatoes

    The rare sequel that might be better.

  13. Candyman (1992)

    78% on Rotten Tomatoes

    Say it five times. Tony Todd's finest role.

  14. Fear Street Part Two: 1978 (2021)

    88% on Rotten Tomatoes

    Netflix's camp slasher, the best of the trilogy.

  15. Terrifier 2 (2022)

    88% on Rotten Tomatoes

    Art the Clown, extreme gore and a final girl worth rooting for.

  16. Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (2026)

    94% on Rotten Tomatoes

    2026's best slasher is about loving slashers.

  17. In a Violent Nature (2024)

    79% on Rotten Tomatoes

    The killer's walk, from behind. A new idea in an old genre.

  18. You're Next (2011)

    80% on Rotten Tomatoes

    Home invasion with a final girl who fights back. New on Shudder this month.

  19. Freaky (2020)

    84% on Rotten Tomatoes

    Body-swap comedy meets slasher.

  20. Heart Eyes (2025)

    78% on Rotten Tomatoes

    A Valentine's slasher you can watch on a date.

How we picked

Scores are from Rotten Tomatoes' essential slashers list unless noted. We ranked by influence and how well each one still plays with a crowd. You're Next joined Shudder on November 1, 2026 (Silver Screen Riot).

Next: Halloween in order · Friday the 13th in order · Scream ranked.

Questions

What is the best slasher movie of all time?

Halloween (1978). It and Psycho share the top slasher score on Rotten Tomatoes, 97%.

What was the first slasher movie?

Psycho (1960) and Peeping Tom (1960) set the template; Black Christmas (1974) and Halloween (1978) defined the modern slasher.

What is the best new slasher movie?

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (2026), at 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.

What is the goriest slasher?

Of the films here, Terrifier 2 and Terrifier 3 are the most extreme.

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