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camusunder's Top 25 Favorite Cosmic Horror Films

Cosmic horror is probably my favorite horror subgenre. It relies heavily on the morbid and terrifying unknown. Often characters descend into madness as the unthinkable horrors of an uncaring universe move about them (and us).

This list is of my favorites in the genre. Let me know if there are any you like that aren't present; it's an underrated genre with relatively scarce examples.


25. The Whisperer in Darkness  ||  Dir. Sean Branney  ||  2011  ||  Science Fiction, Cosmic Horror

24. The Void  ||  Dir. Jeremy Gillespie / Steven Kostanski  ||  2016  ||  Body Horror, Cosmic Horror, Supernatural Horror

23. Glorious  ||  Dir. Rebekah McKendry  ||  2022  ||  Cosmic Horror, Horror Comedy, Chamber Film

22. AM1200  ||  Dir. David Prior  ||  2007  ||  Cosmic Horror

21. Prometheus  ||  Dir. Ridley Scott  ||  2012  ||  Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Extraterrestrial, Body Horror, Cosmic Horror

20. Event Horizon  ||  Dir. Paul W.S. Anderson  ||  1997  ||  Science Fiction, Cosmic Horror, Supernatural Horror, Space Exploration

19. A Cure for Wellness  ||  Dir. Gore Verbinski  ||  2016  ||  Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Psychological Horror, Cosmic Horror

18. Stridulum [The Visitor]  ||  Dir. Giulio Paradisi  ||  1979  ||  Horror, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Supernatural Horror, Cosmic Horror

17. The Haunted Palace  ||  Dir. Roger Corman  ||  1963  ||  Gothic Horror, Haunted House, Cosmic Horror

16. Hellbound: Hellraiser II  ||  Dir. Tony Randel  ||  1988  ||  Body Horror, Supernatural Horror, Cosmic Horror, Portal Fantasy

15. From Beyond  ||  Dir. Stuart Gordon  ||  1986  ||  Body Horror, Science Fiction, Cosmic Horror, Splatter

14. Hellraiser  ||  Dir. Clive Barker  ||  1987  ||  Supernatural Horror, Body Horror, Cosmic Horror

13. Invasion of the Body Snatchers  ||  Dir. Philip Kaufman  ||  1978  ||  Psychological Horror, Science Fiction, New Hollywood, Alien Invasion, Body Horror 

12. The Mist  ||  Dir. Frank Darabont  ||  2007  ||  Cosmic Horror, Psychological Thriller, Horror, Siege Film 

11. Prince of Darkness  ||  Dir. John Carpenter  ||  1987  ||  Cosmic Horror, Science Fiction, Supernatural Horror, Siege Film

10. The Empty Man  ||  Dir. David Prior  ||  2020  ||  Mystery, Cosmic Horror, Psychological Thriller 

9. The Outwaters  ||  Dir. Robbie Banfitch  ||  2022  ||  Found Footage Horror, Surrealism, Cosmic Horror, Experimental 

8. Annihilation  ||  Dir. Alex Garland  ||  2018  ||  Science Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Cosmic Horror 

7. Mad God  ||  Dir. Phil Tippet  ||  2021  ||  Stop-Motion, Body Horror, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Surrealism, Cosmic Horror  

6. Under the Skin  ||  Dir. Jonathan Glazer  ||  2013  ||  Cosmic Horror, Psychological Drama, Science Fiction, Extraterrestrial, Psychological Horror, Surrealism 

5. Alien  ||  Dir. Ridley Scott  ||  1979  ||  Cosmic, Horror, Science Fiction, Extraterrestrial

4. The Lighthouse  ||  Dir. Robert Eggers  ||  2019  ||  Psychological Thriller, Psychological Horror, Chamber Film, Gothic Horror, Cosmic Horror

3. アキラ Akira  ||  Dir. 大友克洋 [Katsuhiro Otomo]  ||  1988  ||  Cyberpunk, Anime, Dystopian, Action, Cosmic Horror

2. In the Mouth of Madness  ||  Dir. John Carpenter  ||  1994  ||  Psychological Horror, Cosmic Horror, Supernatural Horror, Postmodernism  

1. The Thing  ||  Dir. John Carpenter  ||  1982  ||  Body Horror, Psychological Horror, Science Fiction, Alien Invasion, Cosmic Horror  

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