If you love Scream, you already know the thrill of a mystery killer, clever horror references, and edge-of-your-seat suspense. The franchise made slasher movies cool again by mixing scares with smart humor and self-awareness.
Luckily, there are plenty of other films that capture that same electric energy. Whether you want creepy whodunits, meta-horror comedy, or classic slashers, this list has something for every Scream fan.
1. I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
Written by Kevin Williamson, the same guy who wrote Scream, this film feels like a natural companion piece to the franchise. A group of teens accidentally kills someone, covers it up, and then pays a terrifying price a year later.
The killer is relentless, the mystery is gripping, and the 90s vibes are strong throughout. If you loved the fast-paced tension of Scream, this one will keep you glued to your seat from start to finish.
2. Urban Legend (1998)
Urban Legend takes the Scream formula and wraps it around creepy campfire stories we all grew up hearing. Set on a college campus, a killer is murdering students in ways that mirror classic urban legends, and nobody knows who is next.
The film arrived at the peak of the 90s slasher revival, so it shares that same stylish, self-aware energy that made Scream a hit. Horror fans who enjoy a good whodunit mystery will have a blast with this one.
3. Valentine (2001)
Valentine arrived just as the post-Scream slasher wave was hitting its stride, and it wears that influence proudly. A masked killer in a creepy cherub mask is targeting a group of young women, and the mystery of who it could be keeps you guessing throughout.
The holiday setting adds a twisted layer of irony to every kill. Fans who enjoy a slasher with a strong identity, a fun gimmick, and genuine suspense will find a lot to enjoy here.
4. Happy Death Day (2017)
Imagine Scream crashing into Groundhog Day, and you get Happy Death Day. A college student keeps reliving the day she gets murdered, and she has to figure out who the killer is before time runs out for good.
The masked killer is genuinely unsettling, but the film never loses its playful, self-aware humor. It is one of the most inventive modern slashers out there, and its fast pace and charming lead make it incredibly easy to watch in one sitting.
5. The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
Few horror films have ever pulled off meta-commentary as brilliantly as The Cabin in the Woods. On the surface, it looks like a standard group-of-friends-in-danger story, but it quickly reveals something far more clever and jaw-dropping underneath.
The film essentially deconstructs every horror trope you have ever seen, and it does so with style, wit, and a genuinely shocking final act. Scream fans who love horror movies that talk about horror movies will absolutely adore this one.
6. Final Destination (2000)
There is no masked killer here, but Final Destination delivers suspense in a way that few slashers ever match. After a teen has a vision of a plane crash and saves a group of classmates, Death itself begins hunting them down one by one.
The elaborate, unpredictable death sequences are legendary in horror circles. Scream fans who love watching characters try to outthink an unstoppable force will find this film endlessly creative, tense, and surprisingly hard to look away from.
7. Black Christmas (1974)
Long before Scream ever existed, Black Christmas was already doing the creepy phone call thing and doing it brilliantly. This Canadian slasher from 1974 is widely considered one of the very first films to establish the slasher genre as we know it today.
A killer hides inside a sorority house during the holidays and picks off residents one by one. The calls are genuinely disturbing, the tension is slow and suffocating, and horror history buffs will instantly recognize its massive influence on everything that came after.
8. Cherry Falls (1999)
Cherry Falls flips the classic slasher rulebook completely upside down. Instead of targeting sexually active teens, the killer here targets virgins, which creates one of the most hilariously subversive premises the genre has ever seen.
Released during the same wave that Scream helped create, it leans into meta-humor while still delivering real scares. The film is sharper than its cult status might suggest, and any fan of self-aware horror who has not seen it yet is seriously missing out.
9. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Wes Craven directed both this film and Scream, so watching A Nightmare on Elm Street feels like visiting the roots of everything you love about the franchise. Freddy Krueger is one of horror’s most iconic villains, and his ability to attack teens in their dreams makes him uniquely terrifying.
The film explores teenage fear and vulnerability in ways that still feel fresh decades later. It is an essential watch for any horror fan who wants to understand where Wes Craven’s genius truly began.
10. Halloween (1978)
No list like this would be complete without Halloween. John Carpenter’s 1978 masterpiece essentially built the blueprint that Scream later dissected and celebrated.
Michael Myers, the Shape, is pure, wordless menace in a way that still sends chills down spines today.
The suspense is built through silence, shadows, and slow dread rather than cheap jump scares. Ghostface from Scream was directly inspired by this film, so watching Halloween feels like meeting the great-grandfather of an entire horror family tree.
11. You’re Next (2011)
You’re Next turns the home invasion slasher on its head by giving us one of the most capable, resourceful final girls in modern horror history. When masked killers attack a family reunion at a remote house, they pick the wrong group to mess with.
The film is tense, darkly funny, and full of satisfying surprises. Scream fans who love watching a protagonist actively fight back and outsmart the killer will find You’re Next to be an absolute crowd-pleaser from beginning to end.
12. Candyman (1992)
Candyman is one of those horror films that gets referenced inside the Scream universe for a very good reason. It is a deeply atmospheric, genuinely scary film built around urban legends and the power of belief.
Saying his name five times in front of a mirror sounds like a dare you would make at a sleepover, but the film makes that premise genuinely horrifying. Its mix of social commentary, supernatural dread, and a mesmerizing villain gives it a completely unique personality in the horror genre.
13. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)
What if a slasher villain let a documentary crew follow him around as he prepared for his big murder spree? That is the wildly clever premise of Behind the Mask, and it executes the idea with wit and genuine affection for the genre.
Leslie Vernon is oddly charming as he explains the mechanics of being a horror movie killer. For Scream fans who love the meta side of things, this film feels like a love letter to every slasher movie rule ever written, delivered with a huge grin.
14. Scary Movie (2000)
Scary Movie is essentially a greatest hits parody of everything Scream and its 90s slasher peers did, turned up to an absolutely ridiculous volume. The film mocks the genre’s most famous moments with slapstick humor and over-the-top comedy that was hugely popular at the time.
It is not trying to scare you, but it is trying to make you laugh until you cry. Watching it after Scream adds a whole new layer of fun, since you will catch every single reference and joke the filmmakers sneak in.
15. The Final Girls (2015)
The Final Girls is one of the sweetest, most creative horror comedies ever made. A group of modern teens somehow gets sucked into an old 80s slasher film and has to use their knowledge of horror tropes to survive.
There is genuine emotional depth here alongside all the clever meta-humor, which makes it stand out from similar films. Scream fans will love spotting every genre cliche being lovingly mocked and subverted, all wrapped up in a story with real heart at its center.
16. Totally Killer (2023)
Totally Killer takes a time-travel twist and drops a modern teen straight into the 1980s to face a notorious masked killer before he can strike. The concept is fresh, funny, and surprisingly well-executed for a streaming horror-comedy.
The film makes plenty of nods to Scream’s style of self-aware storytelling while carving out its own identity. Anyone who enjoys horror that does not take itself too seriously but still delivers real tension will find Totally Killer to be a genuinely entertaining and rewatchable ride.
17. Freaky (2020)
Freaky takes the body-swap comedy formula and smashes it directly into a slasher movie, and the result is ridiculously fun. A teenage girl accidentally swaps bodies with a serial killer, and she has only 24 hours to switch back before the change becomes permanent.
Vince Vaughn playing a teenage girl trapped in a killer’s body is as hilarious and surprisingly touching as it sounds. This film captures the playful, unserious energy that the best Scream sequels have, making it a perfect watch for fans of horror that makes you laugh out loud.
18. Thanksgiving (2023)
Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving is a gleefully gory love letter to holiday slashers, and it wears its Scream inspiration openly and proudly. A masked killer dressed as a Pilgrim terrorizes a small town after a Black Friday riot goes horribly wrong the year before.
The kills are creative, the mystery is engaging, and the holiday setting adds a darkly comic twist to every scene. Scream fans who love when horror fully commits to its own ridiculous premise will have an absolute blast watching this one.