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Image via Focus Features
Of all the creatures featured in horror films, perhaps none are as popular as vampires—they've been appearing on our screens for decades, dating all the way back to the silent era. Often depicted as both terrifying and alluring, it’s no surprise Hollywood and audiences keep returning to vampire stories or that writers often tweak the lore to tell new tales of dread and passion. Vampires are also used as a metaphor for a number of social issues, contributing to their timelessness.
While some of the most iconic vampire films are decades-old classics, the past few years have brought some great additions to vampire lore, with films from some of horror's most notable names. Recent vampire films have blended horror with comedy or have continued to use the creatures to delve into political and social themes, as is common in horror. However, the best vampire movies of the last five years have been straightforward horror stories with terrifying villains who serve as reminders of the roots of vampire lore.
10 'Rabid' (2019)
Dir. Jen and Sylvia Soska
Image via A71 Entertainment.
In Rabid, Rose (Laura Vandervoort), an aspiring young fashion designer, is disfigured in a car accident. In her desperation to restore her looks, she undergoes an experimental stem-cell treatment at the hands of a sketchy doctor. The procedure is an apparent success: Rose looks exactly the same as before, only now she has an insatiable thirst for human blood. The movie is a remake of the 1977 film of the same name by David Cronenberg.
Both versions of Rabid have their strengths. The modern remake understandably gives the story some updates, most notably with the character of Rose. The movie combines vampires and zombies, as Rose feeding on people causes a zombie-like outbreak, although it’s unclear if the events are actually happening or are a hallucination. Rabid also offers some commentary on the fashion industry, though it would benefit from going even further.
Rabid
Release Date December 13, 2019
Director Jen Soska , Sylvia Soska
Runtime 107
Writers John Serge , Jen Soska , Sylvia Soska
9 'Day Shift' (2022)
Dir. J. J. Perry
Image via Netflix
In the Netflix film Day Shift, working-class dad Bud (Jamie Foxx) wants to provide a good life for his 10-year-old daughter. But his pool-cleaning service is merely a front for his real job—he’s a vampire hunter who works with an international union. With his daughter in need of braces and tuition for her school, he must kill as many vampires as possible to earn thousands of dollars in the span of a week.
Like many recent vampire films, Day Shift includes elements of both horror and comedy, as well as some action—the fight scenes and car chases are some of its best moments. It’s a fun movie that's in on the joke, which makes it great for those looking for a more lighthearted vampire flick. Even so, Day Shift's vampires are sufficiently creepy and have interesting enough lore to make the film a superior entry into the horror-comedy subgenre.
Day Shift
Release Date August 12, 2022
Runtime 114minutes
Writers Shay Hatten , Tyler Tice
8 'Renfield' (2023)
Dir. Chris McKay
Image via Universal Pictures
Renfield follows the titular right-hand man (Nicholas Hoult) of Dracula (Nicolas Cage), tasked with doing things like catching prey for his master. After centuries of obeying Dracula’s every wish, Renfield is tired of their dysfunctional relationship and is ready to break out on his own—he even attends a support group for victims of abuse. The movie was inspired by the characters in Bram Stoker’s famed novel Dracula.
Renfield provides plenty of entertainment and doesn’t take itself too seriously, especially when it comes to some over-the-top kills. Cage’s role as Dracula is among his best and most memorable, although it isn’t his first vampire movie, as he previously starred in the cult classic Vampire’s Kiss. But what makes Renfield different is its focus on a henchman rather than a famous villain, as well as the ways the dynamic between them is depicted.
Release Date April 14, 2023
Runtime 93 minutes
Writers Ryan Ridley
7 'Vampires vs. the Bronx' (2020)
Dir. Oz Rodriguez
Image via Broadway Video
In Vampires vs. the Bronx, a trio of teenagers is forced to protect their neighborhood when they discover that gentrification isn’t the only threat: it’s being targeted by a group of vampires. Lil’ Mayor (Jaden Michael) is the first to realize it after he witnesses one killing a gang member. The adults around them aren’t much help, however, as they see the changes in the neighborhood as part of an inevitable cycle rather than something more sinister.
Vampires vs. the Bronx is a fun movie suitable for younger audiences, with a tone similar to that of ‘80s adventure movies. Like some other notable vampire films, it provides social and political commentary, most notably on gentrification—the vampires here are sucking the life out of the neighborhood, both literally and figuratively. The movie also touches on the power and value of community and what can be accomplished when it comes together.
Vampires vs. The Bronx
Release Date October 2, 2020
Runtime 86 minutes
Writers Blaise Hemingway , Osmany Rodriguez
6 'Blood Red Sky' (2021)
Dir. Peter Thorwarth
Image via Netflix
In Blood Red Sky, a group of terrorists hijacks an overnight transatlantic flight, whose passengers include Nadja (Peri Baumeister), a widow apparently suffering from leukemia traveling to America for treatment, and her son. Nadja goes to great lengths to protect him—including embracing her identity and strength as a vampire. Flashbacks reveal not only their happy life before Nadja’s husband was killed but also how she came to be a vampire.
The confining nature of airplanes and the threat of hijackers have been explored in horror before, but Blood Red Sky puts a new spin on both. The film is well-paced with wonderfully built tension, as well as some powerful emotional moments. Nadja is a fascinating character, a terrifying and threatening vampire and a loving, protective mother. With her presence guiding the action, Blood Red Sky is a story about the lengths a mother will go to for her child.
Blood Red Sky
Release Date July 23, 2021
Runtime 121 minutes
Writers Stefan Holtz , Peter Thorwarth
5 'Doctor Sleep' (2019)
Dir. Mike Flanagan
Image via Warner Bros.
Doctor Sleep follows Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor), now an adult struggling with alcoholism after the traumatizing events at the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. He must protect a young girl, who has the gift of the “shine" just like he does, from a cult called The True Knot, whose members feed on the shine. The film was written and directed by Mike Flanagan and was based on the book of the same name by Stephen King.
Noted horror writer and director Flanagan takes on King’s material wonderfully—Doctor Sleep is a faithful adaptation of the book but also skillfully ties back to The Shining. It provides a deeper look at the characters of Danny and his father, but it also has plenty of terrifying moments. And while Doctor Sleep doesn’t feature traditional vampires, they behave in much the same way, feeding on the shine rather than blood.
Doctor Sleep
Release Date October 30, 2019
Runtime 153 minutes
4 'Abigail' (2024)
Dir. Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin
Image via Universal Pictures
In Abigail—inspired by Dracula’s Daughter—a group of criminals kidnaps the 12-year-old ballerina daughter (Alisha Weir) of a prominent figure in the underworld. After successfully abducting her, all that’s left is “babysitting” while they hide out in an isolated mansion and wait for her father to pay her ransom. They soon discover there’s more to Abigail than meets the eye—she’s a vampire, and they’re in far more danger than she is.
Abigail is a fun, campy heist movie turned horror, part Reservoir Dogs and part M3GAN. As it builds to its fantastic climax, it features plenty of gore and some great twists along the way, plus some reinterpretations of classic vampire lore. One of its most memorable lines comes from an attempt at using garlic to keep Abigail at bay, which quickly became an internet meme. Abigail also features amazing performances from its cast, especially Weir and modern scream queen Melissa Barrera.
Release Date April 19, 2024
Runtime 109 Minutes
Writers Stephen Shields , Guy Busick
3 'El Conde' (2023)
Dir. Pablo Larraín
Horror-comedy El Conde presents Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet (Jaime Vadell) as a 250-year-old vampire who faked his death and now wants to change the way history depicts him. He’s also finally ready to die—until he finds a reason to stick around. While his adult children begin bickering over their inheritance, a nun from a nearby church is sent to help get their finances straightened out. The film’s title is taken from Pinochet’s nickname, which translates to “The Count."
El Conde imagines Pinochet as a literal monster—while many historical figures have been called “blood-sucking vampires,” it’s true here. Horror and political and social commentary often go hand in hand, and El Conde is a particularly sharp political commentary that notes the ways history repeats itself and how evil doesn’t leave; it merely hides. In addition to the entertaining story and fun political satire, El Conde features some beautiful, Oscar-nominated cinematography.
2 'Bit' (2019)
Dir. Brad Michael Elmore
Image via Vertical Entertainment
While spending the summer in Los Angeles with her brother, Laurel (Nicole Maines), an 18-year-old transgender girl, meets four queer feminist vampires who won’t let men join their ranks—because, as leader Duke (Diana Hopper) puts it, men can’t be trusted with power. After spending a night with them and being bitten, Laurel is given the option to join them. The movie was written and directed by Brad Michael Elmore.
Bit puts an interesting twist on vampire stories—it’s like The Lost Boys meets Anne Rice’s Queen of the Damned, part of her famed Vampire Chronicles. While women are typically the victims in vampire stories, Bit wonderfully turns the tables with not only a female protagonist but a group of vampires preying on men. This singular approach also serves as a way to delve into the morality of vampires, a theme often explored in modern vampire stories.
1 'Nosferatu' (2024)
Dir. Robert Eggers
Image via Focus Features
In Nosferatu, estate agent Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) travels to Transylvania to sell a house to the vampire Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård). After having inadvertently awakened Orlok years prior, he obsesses over Thomas’ wife, Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), and begins to terrorize her. The film is a remake of the original 1922 German film, which itself was based on the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker and was written and directed by Robert Eggers.
The original Nosferatu is a horror classic—despite being a silent film made a century ago, it’s still a thrilling film with an unsettling villain in the titular vampire. Eggers’ new version captures those same feelings, and Bill Skarsgård's Orlok is even more disturbing and frightening, a stark change of pace from the way modern vampires are often depicted. With previous work, including The Witch and The Lighthouse, Eggers has solidified himself as a modern-day horror master.
Nosferatu
Release Date December 25, 2024
Runtime 132 Minutes
English (US) ·