The sequel to the 2018 box-office success, The Nun has arrived. What critics are saying is even scarier than the first, The Nun II brings viewers to France in 1956 where Sister Irene must face the demon nun, Valak once again.
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Audiences who are looking to expand their horror genre horizons and had an enjoyable time with The Nun II will find many horror flicks to satisfy their scare cravings with. Whether it be Hellraiser or Annabelle, those looking for another experience like The Nun II can rest easy.
10 ‘Hellraiser’ (1987)
Image via New World Pictures.
You know that a movie has to be good if it managed to spawn eleven movies and a comic book series. Hellraiser follows Julia as she uncovers an incomplete, resurrected body of her brother-in-law whom she must kill for in order to complete his body and help him escape the demon beings chasing him after escaping the underworld.
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Upon release, Hellraiser hit the ground running with good reviews and an almost immediate sequel the very next year. Some even stated it to be the greatest horror film to be made in Britain. It finds similarity to The Nun franchise with its smart subversion of the typical gore seen in horror films.
9 ‘The Ring’ (2002)
Image Via DreamWorks Pictures
Remake of Hideo Nakata’s film of the same name, The Ring follows journalist Rachel as she investigates a seemingly haunted videotape that’s rumored to kill those who view it one week later. The further she wades into her analysis, the more real this tall tale seems to become.
The Ring was met with favorable reviews upon release and set a path for Hollywood to invest in remaking more Japanese horror films here in America. The film found most of its praise in its vibes and atmosphere, familiar compliments that The Nun II has found.
8 ‘The Ritual’ (2017)
Image via Netflix
Much alike The Nun sequel, The Ritual finds itself in Europe as a group of friends reunites for a trip across Sweden, where they discover a haunting spirit stalking them. Suddenly, their trip diverts from the fun get together the friends were hoping to experience.
Debuting in the Toronto International Film Festival and was quickly sold to Netflix for American distribution for around $4 million. The film’s audiences found enjoyment in the production filming on location in Romania, giving the project a chilling and enthralling atmosphere that viewers fell in love with.
7 ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ (1984)
Image via New Line Cinema
Wes Craven’s 1984 film that spawned a franchise of nine films is regarded as an all-time classic. Nancy Thompson and her friends have become victims of a menacing serial killer, hunting them in their dreams. They soon discover that if they’re killed in their dreams, they’ll die in real life.
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With only a budget of $1.1 million and a thunderous box-office reception of $57 million, A Nightmare on Elm Street was seen as a massive success. The film was seen as incredibly unique for the horror genre, with the idea of dreams having never really been dealt with before. The film franchise still has a huge fan base to this day.
6 ‘Hereditary’ (2018)
Image Via A24
When a mother named Annie’s own mother dies, her and her family find themselves in many strange and troubling experiences. As Annie searches deeper into her ancestry, she learns that her family has inherited a menacing destiny.
A24’s second highest-grossing film worldwide found incredible success among critics, initially gaining the high rating of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 87 out of 100 on Metacritic. The film also took home 11 awards across 14 award shows and festivals. Many modern moviegoers dub this as one of their favorite horror movies.
5 ‘The Ring’ (1998)
Also known as Ringu, the 1998 adaption of The Ring serves as the source material for the 2002 American film. Following the same plot, Hideo Nakata’s film follows journalist Reiko as she investigates a videotape that she believes killed her niece Tomoko.
The Ring found major success across the world, being ranked number 69/100 in Variety’s “The 100 Best Films of World Cinema”. The film also served as a huge inspiration to the horror genre across the planet, spawning the 2002 American remake and fostering a tradition among horror films with more restrained scares and leaving the real horror to the audience’s imagination.
4 ‘Insidious’ (2010)
Image via FilmDistrict
When their child goes comatose, Josh and Renai seek out psychic Elise who informs them that their young boy isn’t comatose, but has the ability to astral project himself while he sleeps. He’s now projected too deep and evil spirits plan to use his body to bring themselves back to the physical realm.
The film made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, finding great reception. Having been directed by James Wan, the director of another horror hit, Saw, many found exactly what they expected to find in Insidious. The film’s ability to build suspense was commended, and its success spawned a wonderful career for James Wan.
3 ‘Annabelle’ (2014)
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
When their home is invaded by a group of satanic cultists, a young couple begins to experience strange demonic happenings surrounding a vintage doll. Upon calling in a priest, they discover that the cult summoned a demon to their home to make a sacrifice and they must fight back.
The film was a thunderous success at the box-office, gaining a whopping $257.6 million from a budget of a mere $6 million. The incredible monetary success spawned a franchise and made for another hit for acclaimed director John R. Leonetti.
2 ‘The Babadook’ (2014)
Upon reading a book titled “Mister Babadook” that manifested itself in their home, a single-mother and son fall into a deep paranoia as the monster from the book begins to materialize in their home and haunt them. Through this the single-mother, named Amelia, must face not only the Babadook but also her grief after losing her husband.
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Launching with an average rating of 8.2/10 across the board, the film was quite well received. Seen by many as a modern cult classic, the film was praised by horror directors like William Friedkin, director of The Exorcist, adored the film and praised it online.
1 ‘The Conjuring’ (2013)
When a family is terrorized by a dark demonic presence, they bring in paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed to discover what plagues them and how to expel it. But as they uncover more about what haunts them, the task becomes more difficult.
Another hit directed by horror titan James Wan, The Conjuring took the world by storm and defined a lot of the horror tropes commonly found in the modern horror landscape. The film is also set in the same universe as The Nun franchise, with The Nun films serving as prequels to the film.
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