5 classic horror movies to watch on Friday the 13th
Spine-chilling horror films don't necessarily need an occasion, but the first Friday the 13th of 2026 demands watching at least one horror film. Whether it is about a nun on a killing spree or a scream-inducing slasher flick, some purely evil films are worth watching over and over again. With two more Friday the 13ths slated in March and November, there are enough screamers to catch up on, but these five deserve at least one more watch.
'Friday the 13th' (1980)
Friday the 13th isn't 'Friday the 13th' without the slasher feature with a cult following. An unknown killer spares no victims as he gruesomely murders a bunch of teenage camp counselors as they attempt to open an abandoned summer camp with a horrific past. Directed by Sean S. Cunningham and written by Victor Miller, the movie stars Kevin Bacon along with Betsy Palmer, Mark Nelson, Jeannine Taylor, Harry Crosby, Laurie Bartram, and Adrienne King
'The Exorcist' (1973)
An all-time classic, and one frankly that never gets old. Directed by William Friedkin, the 'Exorcist' follows a possessed girl with two Catholic priests trying to rescue her through an exorcism. Whether it's the spider walk or the grim use of the crucifix, this one will bring in the shudders and the shrieks.
'Scream' (1996)
As far as slasher films go, 'Scream' will forever be a top five. Featuring an ensemble cast in David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan, Skeet Ulrich, and Drew Barrymore, the film follows high school student Sidney Prescott (Campbell) and her friends who become the targets of a serial killer in a costume.
'The Grudge' (2019)
The supernatural flick marks a soft reboot of the iconic 'Grudge' film series, and takes place before and during the events of the 2004 film and the subsequent sequels. It follows a cop tasked with the investigation of a series of murders connected to a single house. Andrea Riseborough, Demián Bichir, and John Cho star in major roles along with Betty Gilpin, Lin Shaye, and Jacki Weaver.
'A Nightmare on Elm Street' (1984)
Freddy Krueger became a household horror staple in a film considered to be one of the greatest horror movies of all time. 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' follows a group of teens targeted by an undead child killer who murders his victims through their dreams. Seeking revenge against their parents for burning him alive. Directed by Wes Craven, the '84 slasher film stars Johnny Depp, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Heather Langenkamp, and Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger.
