Ari Aster’s modern horror classicHereditarywas truly one of thebest movies of the 2010s, and it has left audiences craving similar films to check out. Whether it was the deep-rooted issues of intergenerational trauma at the heart of its story or the occultism of the Graham family, these are themes that have been seen time and again across horror history, meaning there’s a wealth of films that echo the style and appeal ofHereditary. With an unmatched performance from Toni Collette as the traumatized mother Annie, several other horror releases had similarly powerful performances.
Hereditarywas one of the best horror movies in living memory, and fans ofAri Aster’s incredible workshould be sure to go back and discover some of the true classics of the genre that helped inform this supernatural tale. Aster himself has a distinctive style, which means viewers may also be interested in watching his other work and seeing how it compares to the masterpiece that wasHereditary. As one of the defining horrormovies of the 21st century,Hereditarywas just the tip of the iceberg regarding powerful and effective psychological horror releases.
Mom and Dad
Cast
Mom and Dad is a 2018 horror-comedy film directed by Brian Taylor. The story centers on a teenage girl and her younger brother who must survive 24 hours when a mass hysteria of unknown origin causes parents to violently turn against their own children. Starring Nicolas Cage and Selma Blair, the film explores themes of parental pressure and generational tensions.
Many movies likeHereditarytend to fall into one of two categories - subversive films about cults and demonic possession, or stories that pit parents against their children (though there’s plenty of overlap between the two groups). When it comes to the latter, the 2017 black comedyMom and Dad,from director Brian Taylor, is one of the best. One of the most shocking scenes inHereditaryis the moment that Peter (Alex Wolff) wakes up to find his mother, Annie, has been dousing him with gasoline in her sleep and subconsciously intends to burn him alive.
Mom and Dadtakes the tension of this moment inHereditaryand stretches it out across the entirety of its 86-minute runtime.The story focuses on an unexplained phenomenon that turns almost every parent in America into an infanticidal psychopath. Parents across the nation murder their own children in a variety of grizzly ways, with the story ofMom and Dadspecifically focusing on Brent (Nicolas Cage) and Kendall (Selma Blair), and the attempts of their children Carly (Anne Winters) and Joshua (Zackary Arthur) to survive the homicidal urges of their parents.
Evil Dead Rise
The Evil Dead franchise continues with Evil Dead Rise, a dark fantasy/horror film written and directed by Lee Cronin. This fifth entry in the Evil Dead named series follows two sisters, played by Alyssa Sutherland and Lily Sullivan, as they try to survive a demonic assault from a Deadite. Beth (Sullivan) heads on a road trip to visit her sister Ellie (Sutherland) and her children. However, when the Necronomicon is discovered in Ellie’s L.A. apartment building, the Deadites rise back from their demonic realm and begin to bring hell back to earth once again. Evil Dead Rise, initially an HBO Max streaming exclusive, instead arrived in theaters on July 21, 2025.
Similarly toMom and Dad,2023’sEvil Dead Riseis another movie likeHereditarythat pits children against their parents. However, the latest installment in theEvil Deadfranchise also has plenty of supernatural elements thrown in too, making it much more similar to Ari Aster’s celebrated 2018 horror movie. The story of director Lee Cronin’sEvil Dead Risesteps away from therest of theEvil Deadmovies, focusing on Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) and her children, Danny (Morgan Davies), Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), and Kassie (Nell Fisher).
When Danny discovers a copy of a demonic text in the basement of their LA apartment complex after an earthquake, Beth becomes possessed by an evil spirit. She quickly turns on her children and sister, Beth (Lily Sullivan), and it’s from there that the gory and grizzly horror commences.Much likeHereditary,Evil Dead Riseexplores many themes of family trauma alongside its many grotesque visuals, though does so in a far less cerebral way.
Apostle
In the year 1905, a man travels to a remote island to rescue his sister, who’s been kidnapped by a religious cult. Netflix picked up the film in March 2017, about a month before production began. It had its world premiere at the 2018 Fantastic Fest.
2018’sApostle,from director Gareth Evans, is a somewhat under-the-radar release when it comes to movies likeHereditary,though this makes it no less worth watching for fans of Ari Aster’s groundbreaking horror. Set in 1905,Apostlefocuses on Thomas (Dan Stevens), a missionary traveling to an island in Wales to rescue his sister. The film contains plenty of the strange cult activity that defines the final scenes ofHereditary,and also echoes many other similar movies likeThe Wicker Man.
However, it’s not just the themes of cults and demons that makeApostlean essential movie for fans ofHereditary.It also contains plenty of moments that explore the terror and tension felt by children who know their parent is the greatest danger they face.There are also some intensely disturbing and gory visuals which more than matchHereditary’sinfamous decapitation scene.
Martyrs
Martyrs (2008) is a French-Canadian horror film directed by Pascal Laugier which follows the harrowing journey of a young woman seeking revenge for her childhood abduction and subsequent abuse, leading to horrifying and extreme consequences.
Many movies likeHereditaryare just as notorious as Ari Aster’s 2018 horror. However, few have quite as infamous reputation as French director Pascal Laugier’s 2008 extreme horrorMartyrs.LikeHereditary,Martyrsis a complex examination of the idea of trading pain and suffering for religious or spiritual enlightenment.However, rather than being focused on demonic worship, the cult inMartyrshas a more scientific objective. Essentially, they believe that if they inflict enough pain on an individual, that person will eventually be able to see the afterlife and, possibly, God.
Any fans ofHereditaryseeking a movie that’s just as difficult to get through due to how disturbing it can be will find thatMartyrsis perhaps the best candidate out there.
While theUS remake ofMartyrsreleased in 2015 is also worth viewing, it’s the 2008 original that is likely to appeal most to fans of movies likeHereditary.Much likeHereditary,there is plenty of thematic depth toMartyrsthat can sometimes be overshadowed by the many, many shocking scenes upon first viewing. However, any fans ofHereditaryseeking a movie that’s just as difficult to get through due to how disturbing it can be will find thatMartyrsis perhaps the best candidate out there.
Color Out of Space
Directed by Richard Stanley, Color Out of Space is a 2019 Horror film starring Nicolas Cage. The film follows a meteorite that strikes the Earth, leading to strange occurrences on a farm. The release features Lovecraftian elements.
Based on the short story of thesame name by H.P. Lovecraft, director Richard Stanley’s 2020 sci-fi horrorColor Out Of SpacetakesHereditary’sexploration of familial tension and explores it through a slightly different lens. The story focuses on the Gardner family, who move out to a remote farmstead in order to start a new life following mother Theresa’s (Joely Richardson) battle with cancer. While there, a mysterious meteorite crashes on the property, causing all manner of inexplicable phenomena.
However, it’s when teenage daughter Lavinia (Madeline Arthur) carries out a ritual from the infamous evil text The Necronomicon that similarities toHereditarytruly become apparent inColorOut Of Space.Rather than protecting her family from the strange blight decimating their crops and livestock, Lavinia’s ritual puts them in more danger than ever. By the end of the movie, Lavinia is fighting for her life not only against her father, Nathan (Nicolas Cage), but also the strange being produced when the strange meteorite fuses Theresa with her young soun, Benny (Brendan Meyer).
The Witch
The Witch follows a 1630s family that relocates to a remote New England farm. Strange, unsettling events transpire, causing mounting suspicion and paranoia. This testing environment challenges the family’s faith, loyalty, and love amid isolation and tension as they confront the unknown forces lurking beyond their new home.
AlongsideHereditarydirector Ari Aster, another major name that stands out in modern horror is Robert Eggers, who also makes deeply atmospheric and effective scary movies. Much in the same way that Aster captured the psychologically rich themes of motherhood, grief, and mental health inHereditary, Eggers' directorial debut,The Witch, hinted at the religious extremity, misogyny, and madness of a Puritan family in 1630s New England. This period horror film was one of the most extraordinary filmmaking debuts of the 21st century and signaled the dawning of a brand new voice in the world of horror.
Not only wasThe Witchan extraordinary debut from Eggers, but it also featured futureThe Queen’s GambitandFuriosastar Anya Taylor-Joy in one of her very first roles. As a thought-provoking and visually stunning piece of filmmaking,The Witchshowcased a family’s steady descent into religious hysteria and madness as the superstitions and prejudices of their era escalated their supernatural fears. With slow-building tension, Eggers kept audiences on the edge of their seats right up to the enthralling climax ofThe Witch.
The Babadook
The Babadook, directed by Jennifer Kent, explores the struggles of a single mother grieving her husband’s death while confronting her son’s fear of a lurking monster. As they contend with this unseen entity, the sinister presence grows increasingly pervasive in their lives.
BothHereditaryandThe Babadookexplored themes of family trauma and repressionbut in wildly different ways. From writer and director Jennifer Kent,The Babadookwas a deeply moving horror that blended genuine scares with a poignant story exploring the darkest aspects of motherhood, loss, and grief.The Babadooktells the story of a widowed single mother who, with her son, must confront a mysterious humanoid monster in their home, who stands as a powerful metaphor for grief itself.
As a modern cult classic that has endured due to LGBTQ+ interpretations and a queer subtext that linked the movie’s monster to other sexuality-charged horror icons like Frankenstein or Dracula,The Babadookwas a deeply layered film. With intense pain hidden just below the surface,The Babadookexplored family dynamics, trauma, and complex emotions in a way that was not dissimilar toHereditary.
Antichrist
Antichrist is a psychological horror film directed by Lars von Trier, starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg. Following the devastating loss of their child, a grieving couple retreats to their cabin in the woods, where they encounter strange and terrifying events. The film explores themes of grief, trauma, and the human psyche, set against an unsettling forest backdrop.
The death of a child was a central theme of bothHereditaryandAntichrist, as this deeply disturbing psychological thriller will surely appeal to those who were affected by Ari Aster’s movie. From Danish director Lars von Trier,Antichristcentered on the psychological collapse of a couple whose life was taken over by existential despair after the accidental death of their infant son. With surreal imagery and strange visuals, this unnamed couple, played by Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg, dealt with their grief in a fury of violent sadomasochism.
As a filmmaker,Von Trier has never shied away from the darkest sides of human psychology, and, unlike inHereditary,Antichristwas less informed by the supernatural and more played like a gritty, realist exploration of humans pushed to the very limits of their own sanity. While this unconventional horror may be too much for some viewers to bear, fans ofHereditarywill likely connect with this deeply dark and grotesquely grim story.
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, a psychological thriller from 1962 directed by Robert Aldrich, stars Bette Davis and Joan Crawford as aging sisters with a history of Hollywood fame and sibling rivalry. The film explores themes of jealousy, dependency, and mental instability, set against the backdrop of their decaying mansion in Los Angeles.
The psychological horrorWhat Ever Happened to Baby Jane?explored themes of sibling rivalry, jealousy, codependency, and tragedy, all packaged in the story of a former child star who grew up into irrelevance. Much likeHereditaryaddresses intergenerational trauma,Baby Janeexplores how fame can lead to resentment among family members. With two astounding performances from Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, the pure emotional power of their roles felt not dissimilar to Toni Collette’s Oscar-worthy performance inHereditary.
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?was a campy black comedy that blended horror and humor in a way that made for bone-chilling and often laugh-out-loud viewing. With two leading performances informed by the real behind-the-scenes rivalry between Crawford and Davis, the genuine feelings of distaste the duo had for one another bled into the film itself. A true classic of 1960s horror,What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?is essential viewing for horror fans of all descriptions.
The Wicker Man
The Wicker Man is a horror film released in 1973 and follows Police Sergeant Neil Howie, who heads to an island on the coast of Scottland in search of a missing girl. Howie discovers that the disappearance is related to a pagan society that conflicts with his Christian values - but his continued search leads him to the heart of something sinister.
The occultist themes and demon-worshiping practices of the family inHereditarywere also seen in the much earlier horror classicThe Wicker Man. This British cult favorite centered on a policeman visiting an isolated island to investigate a missing girl only to be subjected to a horrific ritualistic sacrifice rooted in Celtic paganism. With slow-building suspense, the true nature of the island and its inhabitants carefully revealed itself asThe Wicker Manbuilt towards its fiery conclusion.
As one ofChristopher Lee’s best horror roles that wasn’t Count Dracula, the actor’s characterization of Lord Summerisle, the eerily enigmatic leader of the island, was a defining role in his career. Asa major influence onHereditarydirector Ari Aster’s later filmMidsommar, the influence of the occultist themes inThe Wicker Mancan be felt throughout the filmmaker’s work. While the Nicolas Cage-led remake ofThe Wicker Manwas a disappointing but highly memeable adaptation, the original was truly an essential 1970s cult classic.
