26 Horror (and Horror-Adjacent) Movie Recommendations for Sapphic Baddies

Some beautiful, some campy as hell, this is a list of horror and horror-adjacent movies, all from the year 2000 or later, with themes or characters that can be considered femme and/or queer in some way. Many deal with themes of trauma and/or questioning what is taken for granted as “normal.” 

Annihilation (2018)

Scientists explore a strange area of Earth that is being altered and mutated by an extraterrestrial occurrence. Bright, haunting visuals, women in STEM, a unique take on alien life, and a fun lesbian character. Note: Alien/extra-terrestrial horror isn’t typically my go-to, but this one did it for me.

The Babadook (2014) 

In this slow-burning psychological horror, a creature from a scary children’s book seems to be haunting a woman and her child. The film itself is pretty serious, but the Babadook’s place in queer culture is a bit more tongue-in-cheek. Here’s Rolling Stone’s take on Why Babadook is the Perfect Symbol for Gay Pride. 

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Bit (2019)  

A young trans woman is initiated into a group of queer, femme vampires. But of course, not all vampire covens are perfect (or perfectly welcoming), even the queer/femme ones. This one is very campy, draws on classic vampire tropes, and makes some apt commentary on trans inclusion in femme spaces.

Black Swan (2010) 

A creepy psychological horror involving ballet, perfectionism, some body horror, and lots of women. There are sapphic themes woven throughout the film, and they become more than subtext at some point—or do they?

Bodies, Bodies, Bodies (2022)  

A group of young adults gathers at a friend’s house for a “hurricane party," and then one of them is found dead. This movie features queer romance, characters you love to hate, and an oh-so-campy twist that is equal parts delightful and frustrating. 

Bones and All (2022) 

An unsettling “monsters in love” coming-of-age story featuring blood, gore, and a young woman’s search for identity and belonging. This film has a minimalist, kind of grungy, small-town realism quality that I really liked, and while the main relationship in this is “straight presenting,” both lovers give off a distinctly queer vibe, and themes of otherness and desire are central. 

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The Final Girls (2015) 

A group of teens/young adults is watching a 1980s camp slasher film when a fire breaks out, and they find themselves transported into the movie. Using their knowledge of slashers, they fight to survive. This one explores the classic trope of the Final Girl in fun, heartfelt ways, and was written by a gay couple (Joshua John Miller and MA Fortin).

Get Out (2017) 

Jordan Peele has a way with horror that critiques unjust, normative systems, and this film is a great example. A couple goes on a trip to visit one of their families, and the family winds up having more than a few secrets. Social critiques always feel queer to me, but this one also has an explicit sapphic snapshot. 

Ginger Snaps (2000)  

Two gothy, angsty teenage sisters plan to leave town or kill themselves trying, but instead, one of them starts experiencing changes in her body and appetite. Lots of parallels to queer sexuality in all its hairy, hungry glory, with a particularly uncomfortable queer moment.

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It Follows (2014) 

A unique story about a curse transmitted via sex. It’s tempting to think this story is all a metaphor for sexually transmitted infections, but it also speaks to themes of sexual violence, trauma, and the important place of community in healing from trauma. Lots of memorable scenes.

Jennifer’s Body (2009) 

This is one of my favorites on the list: after a small-town vixen follows a creepy band into their van, she starts acting strange, and teenage boys start showing up dead. This one is witty, funny, sexy, and has what I consider one of the best all-time sapphic movie kisses. Queer girl monster vibes big time. 

The Lure (2015)  

Musical mermaid horror? Yes, please. This movie follows two man-eating siren sisters who work and sing at a nightclub. This is a bizarre, sparkly horror movie that at times feels more like a cosmic fever dream, and features some of the darker elements of The Little Mermaid story. Watch the trailer; you’ll thank yourself.

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Maxxxine (2024) 

This is the third movie in a trilogy by Ti West and takes place after both Pearl and X. Set in the 1980s, this movie follows the story of a young woman looking to make it big in Hollywood. Themes include cults, serial killers, and women breaking free from the expectations put upon them. 

May (2002) 

May is a femme Frankenstein tale of failed romance and body horror. This one features bi/pansexual dating and heartbreak and is more than a little bizarre and campy. Feels very 2002.

Midsommar (2019) 

A vibrant, unsettling film that follows a group of Americans who go on vacation and experience the rituals of a small Swedish community. The contrast of bright, beautiful imagery with unsettling plot points makes this film stand out, and it offers layers of trauma metaphors to unfold. Confession: I would have absolutely fallen for the matriarchal charm of the Harga. 

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Mother! (2017) 

Mother! is a brutal, highly metaphoric, eat-at-your-soul horror film about a couple living in a house when strange visitors begin appearing. It’s by the same director as Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky), and I found it anxiety-inducing, existentially depressing, and incredibly powerful—not an easy or fun watch, but worth it. Pay attention to the character names, and everything will make more sense.

Mulholland Drive (2001) 

A young, small-town woman moves to Hollywood in hopes of becoming a star, but things don’t go as planned. This one is maybe best described as a mystery/thriller (and is from David Lynch, so it’s a bit bizarre/non-linear), but it has some notably scary, tense, and bleak scenes, as well as a prominent sapphic relationship that might catch you off guard. 

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Pearl (2022)  

Pearl follows a young woman in 1918 who dreams of escaping her parents’ farm and becoming famous, and she’ll do anything to make this happen. This is a fun femme take on the slasher genre.

Raw (2016)

After entering veterinarian school, a young woman experiences strange hazing rituals and health issues in this vivid, brutal, and oh-so-satisfying story of sisterhood and self-discovery. Lots of blood, lots of mystery, lots of queer and femme themes. (I also resonated with this one as a vegetarian horror-lover.)

Silent Hill (2006)

A little girl goes missing in a haunted ghost town where monsters come out to play when the alarms go off. This movie is based on a video game series with the same name, but you don’t need to be familiar with the games to enjoy it. It has beautifully grotesque visuals and some harsh critiques of religion, plus a masc cop character who I’ve heard has stirred more than a few sapphic crushes. There's a Return to Silent Hill movie coming out in 2026!

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Smile (2022) and Smile 2 (2024)

In Smile and Smile 2, an ominous force/curse follows the protagonist in the guise of a person smiling at them. These are both stories about trauma that center women (the original begins in a therapy office), and in Smile 2, the main character gives major sapphic thirst-trap vibes.

Suspiria (2018) 

I had a hard time getting into this one at first because it was a little slow, but once I did, it became my all-time favorite horror movie. It’s about a dance school run by a coven of witches, and the ending gave me goosebumps, catharsis, and a new femme horror icon to dress up as on Halloween for the foreseeable future. So many queer stares, so many Tildas, and some particularly vaginal horror imagery. 

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Us (2019) 

A fast-paced, mysterious “try to survive” film with an interesting and poignant premise: identical versions of everyone start appearing and trying to kill their doppelgangers. Us is from the same writer and director as Get Out (Jordan Peele) and brings up questions of identity, social conditioning, and belonging. I love the way the ending made me think. 

Woman of the Hour (2023) 

This film follows the story of several women who interact with a famous serial killer, including the woman who ultimately leads to his capture and arrest. Not overtly queer but definitely a girl power movie. 

X (2022) 

This is the sequel to Pearl and takes place in the 1970s. A group of adult film actors rents an old Texas farm to make movies, but things start going awry on the farm. This one has both final girl and girl monster vibes.

Have any femme queer horror movie faves you think should be on this list? I'd love to hear about them and what they mean to you in the comments.

Yours in Horror,

-Angela Mauve