Horror movies have been popular in film and television production for decades because they appeal to wider audiences and change their tastes. Horror and humor are an odd match made in heaven. Silly and laugh-out-loud comedies comprise some of the funniest films, and when blended, they make up some of the most hilarious but terrifyingly funny movies.
The mix of funny lines and a gripping storyline makes the horror-comedy genre stand out. These films aren't just comedies but well-made films with great writing, acting, and direction. Sometimes, the most unbelievable scenes are in these top comedy-horror movies, but they're also some of the most popular films ever.
This article will look at some of the greatest horror movies that fit perfectly into the horror-comedy genre. From Evil Dead II to Salem’s Lot, these movies will surely provide suspense, with many scenes of dread, gore, or adrenaline from jump scares.
Disclaimer: The options mentioned in this article are based on the author's opinion. Reader discretion is advised.
Listing out the 7 fun horror movies to watch this Halloween
1) Scary Movie
Scary Movie is a 2000 American Horror movie directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans and written by Marlon and Shawn Wayans, Buddy Johnson, Phil Beauman, Jason Friedberg, and Aaron Seltzer. The film stars Jon Abrahams, Carmen Electra, Shannon Elizabeth, Anna Faris, Kurt Fuller, Regina Hall, Lochlyn Munro, Cheri Oteri, and Dave Sheridan.
Scary Movie is about a group of friends who hit a man with their car and hide his body in a lake, keeping the incident a secret. However, a year later, an unsuspecting killer masked as Ghostface starts killing them off one by one. The film is a parody of the slasher and mystery genres.
Dimension Films released Scary Movie in the USA on 7 July 2000. It grossed $278 million worldwide and had a budget of $19 million. It was the 9th highest-grossing film of 2000 domestically in the USA.
2) Evil Dead II
Evil Dead II is a 1987 American comedy horror movie directed by Sam Raimi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Spiegel. Evil Dead II is a sequel, and a remake of 1981's The Evil Dead.
The film stars Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams, who ventures into the woods with his girlfriend to spend time in a remote cabin. He stumbles upon a tape recording of a man reading from an ancient book. Ash plays the tape and accidentally unleashes demons on himself. These demons overpower him and brutally torture him.
In this respect, many critics reacted positively to Evil Dead II, saying that it was funny, Sam Raimi did a great job directing it, and Bruce Campbell acted well. Many people also feel that it is one of the best horror movies ever made. Because it was not shown in all cinemas, it still made about 6 million dollars at the box office.
Like the first film, Evil Dead II has many fans worldwide who love it.
Also Read: 7 best new horror movies to watch this Halloween, explored
3) Freaky
Freaky is directed by Christopher Landon and released in 2020. Christopher Landon and Michael Kennedy wrote the film. The horror movie stars Vince Vaughn, Kathryn Newton, Katie Finneran, Celeste O'Connor, and Alan Ruck.
Freaky features a high school girl who accidentally switches bodies with a middle-aged serial killer. Jason Blum produced the film under his production label Blumhouse Productions.
Freaky premiered at Beyond Fest on 8 October 2020. It was released in US cinemas on 13 November 2020 and worldwide by Universal Pictures on 2 July 2021. Critics also loved the film, praising Vaughn and Newton for their performances and horror-comedy style.
4) Salem’s Lot
Salem's Lot is a 2024 American supernatural horror movie written and directed by Gary Dauberman. It is based on Stephen King's 1975 novel.
The film stars Lewis Pullman, Makenzie Leigh, Nicholas Crovetti, Alfre Woodard, John Benjamin Hickey, Bill Camp, Jordan Preston Carter, Spencer Treat Clark, William Sadler and Pilou Asbæk. This is the first film adaptation of the novel since it was made into a miniseries in 1979 and 2004.
Salem’s Lot is a story of the writer who returns to his hometown of Salem's Lot in search of inspiration, only to discover that the town is home to a vampire.
Salem's Lot was first discussed in 2019, filmed in 2021, and added more scenes in 2022. The film's release date has been delayed several times. It was first screened at Beyond Fest on 25 September 2024 and released on Max on 3 October 2024. The film received mixed reviews from critics.
5) Vampires vs. the Bronx
Vampires vs. The Bronx is a comedy black horror film directed by Oz Rodriguez. The film was written by Rodriguez and Blaise Hemingway and released in 2020. The film stars Jaden Michael, Sarah Gadon, Method Man, Shea Whigham, Gerald W. Jones III, Gregory Diaz IV, and Coco Jones.
The film follows a group of teenagers through the barbaric act that forces them to defend their Bronx neighborhood against an assembly of vampires. Netflix released it on 2 October 2020 to very positive reviews.
6) Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a 2024 American supernatural comedy horror fantasy film directed by Gil Kenan from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jason Reitman. The film is the sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the fourth mainline installment and the fifth film overall in the Ghostbusters franchise.
The film features returning stars like Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Celeste O'Connor and Logan Kim from Afterlife. They are joined by Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and William Atherton from the previous films. Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Emily Alyn Lind, and James Acaster are new to the cast.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is set three years after Afterlife, where the veteran Ghostbusters must join forces with the new generation of Ghostbusters to save the world from a death-dealing god in New York City who has decided to build an army of ghosts.
Also Read: Halloween 2024 streaming guide: Top 8 best horror movies to watch this spooky season
7) Happy Death Day
Happy Death Day is a 2017 American black comedy slasher film directed by Christopher Landon and written by Scott Lobdell. The film stars Jessica Rothe and Israel Broussard.
The plot of Happy Death Day revolves around Tree Gelbman, a college student who is murdered but keeps reliving her birthday. She tries to identify the killer to prevent further murders and her untimely death.
The movie was released on 13 October 2017 via Universal Pictures. After the show’s release, it received mixed reviews but did well at the box office, grossing $125 million worldwide on a budget of only $4.8 million.
Also Read: Halloween on Netflix: Top 5 shows and movies you can watch this October for your spooky fix
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