12 Movies Like Scream You Need to Watch
Craving sharp twists and suspense? Discover 12 eerie, clever picks spanning horror, mystery, thriller, drama, and crime for your next watch.
If you’re hunting for movies like Scream, the best picks usually mix suspense, sharp twists, and a little slasher energy with smart mystery plotting. This list brings together 12 films that lean into horror, thriller, crime, drama, and mystery in different ways, starting with Scream (1996) itself and branching out to titles like Diabolique (1996), Thesis (1996), Fear (1996), and Valentine (2001). You’ll also find tense, unsettling stories such as Primal Fear (1996), The Arrival (1996), and Whispers (1990), each offering its own version of paranoia or danger. Whether you want masked menace, layered secrets, or a slower burn with a dark payoff, these picks should give you plenty to watch next.
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01
Thesis
crime · horror · mystery · thriller
While doing a thesis about violence, Ángela finds a snuff video where a girl is tortured to death. Soon she discovers that the girl was a former student at her college...
Directed by Alejandro AmenábarCast Ana Torrent, Fele Martínez, Eduardo Noriega, Xabier Elorriaga, Miguel PicazoAMC+More details on IMDb → -
02
I Know What You Did Last Summer
horror · mystery
After an accident on a winding road, four teens make the fatal mistake of dumping their victim's body into the sea. Exactly one year later, the deadly secret resurfaces as they're stalked by a hook-handed figure.
Directed by Jim GillespieCast Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Freddie Prinze Jr., Muse WatsonNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
03
Fear
drama · thriller
Nicole Walker always dreamed of being swept away by someone special — someone strong, sexy and sensitive who would care for her more than anything else in the world. David is all that and more: a modern-day knight who charms and seduces her, body and soul. But her perfect boyfriend is not all he seems to be. His sweet facade masks a savage, dark side that will soon transform Nicole's dream into a nightmare.
Directed by James FoleyCast Mark Wahlberg, Reese Witherspoon, William Petersen, Amy Brenneman, Alyssa MilanoAmazon Prime VideoMore details on IMDb → -
04
Primal Fear
1 Oscar nomination Best Supporting Actor (1997)
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
Defense attorney Martin Vail takes on jobs for money and prestige rather than any sense of the greater good. His latest case involves an altar boy, accused of brutally murdering the archbishop of Chicago. Vail finds himself up against his ex-pupil and ex-lover, but as the case progresses and the Church's dark secrets are revealed, Vail finds that what appeared a simple case takes on a darker, more dangerous aspect.
Directed by Gregory HoblitCast Richard Gere, Laura Linney, John Mahoney, Alfre Woodard, Frances McDormandParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
05
Valentine
horror · mystery · thriller
Four friends start to receive morbid Valentine cards and realise they are being stalked by someone they had spurned 13 years ago. A masked killer is on the loose and Valentine's day is soon approaching.
Directed by Jamie BlanksCast Denise Richards, David Boreanaz, Marley Shelton, Jessica Capshaw, Jessica CauffielNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
06
Whispers
horror · mystery · thriller
A woman is stalked by a psychopathic killer. She eventually kills him, only for the man to show up again, this time sane and without any knowledge of the attacks. The police don't believe her, but one detective agrees to look into it.
Directed by Douglas JacksonCast Victoria Tennant, Jean Leclerc, Chris Sarandon, Peter MacNeill, Linda SorensenFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
07
Terrified
horror · mystery · thriller
Traumatized after witnessing her jealous husband kill her adulterous lover and then himself, an unbalanced, nymphomaniac young woman finds herself stalked by an unknown assailant, but she cannot make anyone believe her desperate situation.
Directed by James MerendinoCast Heather Graham, Lisa Zane, Paul Herman, Rustam Branaman, Kane PicoyAmazon Prime VideoMore details on IMDb → -
08
Perfect Blue
animation · crime · drama · mystery · thriller
Rising pop star Mima quits singing to pursue a career as an actress. After she takes up a role on a popular detective show, her handlers and collaborators begin turning up murdered. Harboring feelings of guilt and haunted by visions of her former self, Mima's reality and fantasy meld into a frenzied paranoia.
Directed by Satoshi KonCast Junko Iwao, Rica Matsumoto, Shinpachi Tsuji, Masaaki Ôkura, Yôsuke AkimotoMaxMore details on IMDb → -
09
The Craft
drama · fantasy · horror · thriller
A Catholic school newcomer falls in with a clique of teen witches who wield their powers against all who dare to cross them -- be they teachers, rivals or meddlesome parents.
Directed by Andrew FlemingCast Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, Rachel True, Skeet UlrichMaxMore details on IMDb → -
10
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
horror · thriller
Six years after being presumed dead in a fire, and just as the town prepares to finally celebrate Halloween again, Michael Myers returns to Haddonfield to continue his reign of terror.
Directed by Joe ChappelleCast Donald Pleasence, Paul Rudd, Marianne Hagan, Mitchell Ryan, Kim DarbyMaxMore details on IMDb → -
11
Nightwatch
drama · horror · thriller
A law student takes a job as a night watchman at a morgue and begins to discover clues that implicate him as the suspect in a series of murders.
Directed by Ole BornedalCast Anais Evans, Ewan McGregor, Nick Nolte, Erich Anderson, Josh BrolinParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
12
Seven
1 Oscar nomination
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
Two homicide detectives are on a desperate hunt for a serial killer whose crimes are based on the "seven deadly sins" in this dark and haunting film that takes viewers from the tortured remains of one victim to the next. The seasoned Det. Somerset researches each sin in an effort to get inside the killer's mind, while his novice partner, Mills, scoffs at his efforts to unravel the case.
Directed by David FincherCast Morgan Freeman, Andrew Kevin Walker, Daniel Zacapa, Brad Pitt, Gwyneth PaltrowParamount PlusMore details on IMDb →
Wrapping Up
These 12 movies capture what makes the original so watchable: suspense, surprises, and the constant feeling that something is off. Some lean harder into horror, while others focus on mystery, drama, or crime, but each one delivers a similar rush in its own way. If you want to keep building your watchlist, bookmark this page and come back when you’re ready for another dark, twisty recommendation. We update this list regularly, so there’s always a fresh place to start.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to Scream?
These picks were matched by tone, themes, and story style using a similarity model trained on plot synopses, genres, and cast — not just shared genre tags — so the connection runs deeper than a simple category match.