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Sinners (2025) and Godzilla Minus One (2023) tie for first place with an average score of 85.3 across critics and audience ratings.
Get Out (2017) follows closely in third place with a score of 83.
Five of the top ten highest-rated horror movies were released in the past two years (2023-2025).
A new study revealed that Sinners (2025) and Godzilla Minus One (2023) are the highest-rated horror movies of the last decade, tying for first place. The study, conducted by Remove Background, analyzed the top 300 horror movies released between January 2015 and September 2025, filtered by popularity on IMDb. Ratings from Metascore, IMDb, and Rotten Tomatoes were averaged to calculate which ones have the highest ratings.
Top 10 highest-rated horror movies (2015-2025)
The 2025 release Sinners shares the top spot with Godzilla Minus One (2023) as the best-rated horror movies of the past decade. Both films scored an identical average rating of 85.3 across all platforms. While Sinners scored higher on Metascore, with 84 versus 81, Godzilla Minus One won over audience scores, earning 77 on IMDb and 96 on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to Sinners’ 76 and 96.
Jordan Peele’s critically acclaimed Get Out (2017) ranks third with an average score of 83, boasting the highest Metascore on the list at 85. It’s followed by the 2025 release Weapons in fourth place with an average rating of 81, and John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place (2018) rounding out the top five with an 80 average rating.
Recent horror films have made a significant impact on the rankings, with half of the top ten movies released in the last two years. This trend suggests a renaissance in quality horror filmmaking, with audience scores playing a crucial role in overall rankings.
South Korean zombie thriller Train to Busan (2016) stands out as the only fully non-English language film in the top ten, securing sixth place with a 79.3 average score. The film’s 89% audience score is the fourth highest among the top-ranked movies, highlighting how foreign language movies can resonate with audiences just as much as domestic productions.
The analysis also reveals that critical acclaim doesn’t always align with audience reception. Films like Hereditary (2018) received an exceptional 87 Metascore, the highest among all movies analyzed, but its 71% audience score dropped its overall ranking to 12th place. Similarly, Haunt (2019) received a perfect 100% audience score despite modest critical reception, earning it 11th place overall with a 77.3 average.
The analysis also found other notable patterns, including strong performances from horror sequels. A Quiet Place Part II (2020) nearly matched its predecessor’s success, ranking 8th overall with a 78.3 average.
Marc Porcar, CEO of Remove Background S.L, commented on the findings, “Horror films have always had a unique relationship with audiences, often receiving more appreciation from fans than critics.
“What’s interesting about the findings is how newer releases are achieving both critical acclaim and audience approval, suggesting that horror filmmaking has reached new heights in recent years.
“The data also highlights how international horror films like ‘Train to Busan’ and ‘The Wailing’ from South Korea continue to resonate with global audiences, proving that fear is truly a universal language.”
Sources:
IMDb
Rotten Tomatoes
Metacritic
Methodology:
The study analyzed the top 300 horror movies released between January 2015 and September 2025, filtered by popularity on IMDb.
Ratings were collected from three sources: Metascore (professional critics), IMDb user ratings, and audience scores from Rotten Tomatoes.
Only movies which had all three ratings available were considered, resulting in a final list of 238 films.
The final ranking was determined by calculating the average of these three scores for each film, with movies then ranked from highest to lowest average rating.
