What is your favorite horror film that was written by a woman? Does not count if it was co-written with a man but does count if it was co-written with another woman.
Ginger Snaps. Such a great flick
Way better than I expected when I watched it recently. The sequel even moreso. The prequel was disappointing.
I saw the prequel without seeing the others, and while the story didn't stick, I still like the ending. "I'm cold." "I'm not." and the choice made...I'm a sucker for endings like that.
That was easily the weakest of the three. So you'll probably love the first two.
I love Ginger Snaps! Also fun fact… American Mary, whose main character is Katharine Isabelle from Ginger Snaps, was written by twins Jen and Sylvia Soska!
Saint Maud written and directed by Rose Glass
Fire. Love maud
Fire
Winner winner chicken dinner! (Love this movie wish it was more discussed)
Yeah I don't tend to pay a ton of attention to who directed what, I'm sure there are tons of movies I've enjoyed and didn't realize was written by a woman but this is the first to come to mind. Really enjoyed it!
Dumplings (2004) 🥟
Yo this is such a good recommendation! One of the most disturbing things I've ever seen.
Thank you! It’s one of my favs 😄
3 extremes was a gateway for me to amazing movies. I think there was a full length version maybe?
Yes, there’s the stand alone and the one from Three… Extremes. I thought Fruit Chan’s film was the best of the three in the anthology.
Yes, there is.
I like the ending from Three…Extremes version best. The look she gives the camera at the end🤌🏽
Great film but Fruit Chan is not a woman haha
Yes, but Lilian Lee who wrote it is. Woman writer ✍️and male director 🎥
Edit: “but” and emojis. Can’t forget the emojis!
You're right, didn't know that!
That Three Extremes anthology is a classic
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
Ana Lily Amirpour! did you see her del toro miniseries episode?
Raw and Titane
Julia Ducournau!! can’t wait for next one
It was apparently a huge flop at Cannes (whereas she won the Palme d'or for Titane), so I'm really anxious... I love her first two.
i’ll definitely watch it regardless. i hope it’s good! and they loved emilia perez so who knows?
Watched Raw in the summer of 2020…what a time!
I loved American Mary, written and directed by the Soska Sisters even though they could've done a lot more with a bigger budget. I also think its cool that the Soska sisters played the creepy twins in the movie.
Very good and their remake of Rabid was excellent as well
I've been meaning to watch American Mary and am now even more optimistic hearing it was made by the people who made the Rabid remake.
One of my comfort movies! Love this one so much 💘💘
It's my flying comfort movie. I'm an anxious flier. American Mary is what i watch on all flights to keep me calm. :)
Yesss! I commented this without scrolling first oops lol. American Mary is so good!
The Substance was phenomenal.
Hellbender (2021)
Solid.
sometimes I read a synopsis of something I don’t think i’m gonna watch and I wish I hadn’t read this one, it sounds kinda awesome
wow, yeah, that was one great movie
Raw
Raw is so good. What a well down movie overall.
Well done like steak
The Love Witch.
Fucking love this movie so goddam much.
The film has the look and feel of a classic giallo and I utterly live for it. Its use of colour is outstanding.
I love camp
The Babadook
Jennifer Kent wrote and directed The Babadook as well as The Nightingale, which is not a horror movie but way more psychologically terrifying.
The Nightngale was a hard watch, especially as an Australian
Yeah, I first heard about that one over on r/disturbingmovies. I wonder how many people didn't make it through the first 30 minutes.
I regretted watching the Nightingale 😭 a very hopeless film. I kept watching after I wanted to stop because I thought watching her get revenge would make me feel better but nothing surpasses what she went through (which may have been the point)
Revenge was really good, the first movie from the woman who directed The Substance. It's a very violent revenge thriller that doesn't veer into the usual exploitation clichés and male fantasy of the genre.
That movie goes so hard in a number of ways and I love it so much!
Great flick ! Very underrated.
Jennifer’s Body
Love those already mentioned. Adding Braid, Master, Fresh, Tigers Are Not Afraid, Prevenge, and American Psycho.
The Night House (2020) written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz
This movie might have the best jump scare I’ve ever seen. I don’t think a movie has ever lured me into a false sense of security before scaring the shit out of me so thoroughly. Rebecca hall was also amazing.
sissy
the plot was pretty simple but the presentation was super fun in my opinion
Such a fun movie
dont worry if you dont have a shovel thats what are hands are for... and if you get a little dirt under your nails.... hey we get a little bonus boost of B12
American Psycho for sure.
Jennifer’s Body
Love mirror mirror
american psycho, fresh, fréwaka, jennifer’s body, raw, slumber party massacre, the substance, titane, the ugly stepsister
Lisa Frankenstein - written by Diablo Cody and directed by Zelda Williams.
This is probably my favourite movie, not just horror, but of any movie, I've seen in the last 5 years.
Some I like that haven't been mentioned yet...Slumber Party Massacre (1982), Sorority House Massacre (1986), Braid (2018), The Power (2021), Fresh (2022), The Ugly Stepsister (2025)
Not sure if American Psycho (2000) really counts as the original book was written by a man but adapated as a movie by women, one of which also directed.
(I see now someone did mention Braid but it deserves another one.)
I think the ending qualifies this movie as a horror...
Promising Young Woman
Absolutely fantastic movie.
Absolutely incredible movie
Near dark
Ginger Snaps
The Nightingale. The Substance
Raw and Titane were both written and directed by Julia Ducournau, and they’re both fantastic.
If we're talking only a woman writer, with no male co-writers, the answer is Bodies Bodies Bodies, written by Sarah DeLappe.
With male co-writers, I'd say The Shining, Halloween and Braindead/Dead Alive. Probably in that order.
I loved Bodies Bodies Bodies!!!
Just wanted to shine light on Thirst (2009)- written by Jeong Seo-kyeong and directed by Park Chan-wook. Park Chan-wook started collaborating with her after Old Boy, starting with Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005), I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (2006), The Handmaiden (2016), and Decision to Leave (2022). The Babadook by Jennifer Kent. Many others have already been mentioned.
I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK is such a gem. It's so weird and playful. One moment it's a character trying to fly with magic slippers, the next it's a tiny starving girl murdering everyone indiscriminately. The way it blends reality with their delusions, how the mother's mannerisms are so similar to the daughter's, and how it's a love story but not one where they could ever possibly live happily ever after. It's not a happy ending at all but it's clearly the best they can hope for so it feels wholesome somehow. I love this film.
Give Me Pity and Frewaka are def worth watching!
Titane!
I thought The First Omen was great. Stunning to look at with an amazing performance from Nell Tiger Free.
XX (2017) was pretty good and has the added bonus of Melanie Lynskey
Black Christmas and Slumber Party Massacre
The Substance/Revenge
Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth
Lucky (2020)
Rogue is more of a suspense/thriller but it was written by MJ Bassett who is a trans woman!
There are some great recommendations. Here's one I haven't seen mentioned yet In My Skin (Dans Ma Peau) (2002)
Off the top of my head, Slumber Party Massacre.
fresh (2022)
I hope you will forgive me for mentioning Relic (2020) because it was directed and co-written by a woman (and co-written by a man), stars 3 women and is about the relationship between a daughter, mother and grandmother. Awesome movie.
The Substance and Revenge.
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person
The Substance is my basic pick, but I want to shout out Organ as well, directed by Kei Fujiwara who acted in Tetsuo.
The Babadook and a bunch of others that have already been mentioned!!
edit: Jennifer Kent❤️
Soft and Quiet
A lot of great ones already mentioned, but also check out Medusa (2021) by Anita Rocha de Silveira, who is also the Writer/Director of Kill Me Please (Mate-me Por Favor, 2015)
American Psycho or Jennifer’s Body
XX
I would have to go with The Babadook (2014) directed and screenplay by Jennifer Kent
Blood Diner.
Blood Diner.
It was written by Michael Sonye (aka musician Dukey Flyswatter)
American Mary !!
Tigers are not afraid
She will!!!!
She Will is so great and no one mentions it ever; glad to see it here!
Raw
My childhood
The spirit of Debra Hill is with us.
Slumber party massacre II
The substance! Ended up being one of my all time favourites, right up there with Alien
Malignant, M3GAN, Substance, Jennifer’s Body, American Mary, Raw
Endzeit.
House of Spoils
The Invisible Man
Lisa Frankenstein
Jagged Mind
Time Cut
Jennifer's Body
Sissy
Werewolves Within
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
Totally Killer
Fresh
Your Monster
The Invitation (2022)
Apartment 7A
Things Heard and Seen (multiple male and female writers/directors)
Hold Your Breath
Pet Sematary (1989)
The Watchers
The First Omen
Bird Box
The Babadook
Honeymoon (2014)
Huesera: The Bone Woman
Five Nights at Freddy's
Bodies Bodies Bodies
The Sacrifice Game
Promising Young Woman
Single White Female
Ravenous
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Witch Hunt (2021)
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
Candyman (2021)
Soulmate
Titaine
Raw
Revenge (2021)
Mirror, Mirror
The Nightingale (more thriller than horror imo)
American Mary
Fear Street pt. 1 & 2
Satanic Panic
American Psycho
Relic
The Lure
Knives and Skin
XX
Saint Maud
Edit: except for a couple movies, all of these either have a solo woman director or a solo woman writer. I left off several movies that had a group of writers and one was a woman, or several directors and one was a woman.
Xxx is an anthology of a few stories that are all done by women. I enjoyed it very much, especially "The Box".
The talented Mr ripley
Does it count if it's co-written with a man but the female writer is also the director? - Censor.
+ American Mary
Near Dark count? I know it was directed by a woman.
Sissy and Grafted are never talked about but both surprisingly good
The Substance & The Invitation
The Babadook is probably my favorite.
I do consider Julia Ducournau to the outright best among the current names directing horror. Like, I stan Eggers, but I’ll admit when he’s beat.
I Saw The TV Glow. That was my favourite film of last year.
Ana Lily Amirpour A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
Slumber Party Massacre written by Rita Mae Brown, Directed by Amy Jones
Babadook
The haunting of hill house
Only the source material (which they changed quite a bit) was by a woman
The Substance or Jennifer's Body
The Substance was fantastic. I was pleasantly surprised.
Jennifer’s Body is often overlooked.
It's so good, and the jokes still land every time
two of my favorites!!!