A24's 8 Most Unique Horror Movies

Every so often, a horror movie comes along and catches the eye of viewers because of how creative and unique it looks. Right from the moment the audience sees the trailer, they're intrigued because it feels like something they haven't seen before. Even when it's a horror film that leans into the comedy side of things, it still stands out. Not many studios can top A24 when it comes to putting out this kind of horror movie, or just any film in general.

A24 has been a prominent distributor over the past decade and a half, mostly known for how they don't tend to intervene with the vision of the filmmaker. They allow their directors and such to see their visions through, which has led to some truly unique projects. The very best A24 horror movies are a different batch from their most unique releases. For example, X is a fantastic slasher, though it's not a horror movie with a unique twist or hook, so it wouldn't rank among the rest of these films.

The concept of unique A24 horror movies has come back up lately, thanks to the exciting and intriguing trailer for Backrooms, which is already generating a lot of buzz.

8 The Lighthouse (2019)

Almost every aspect of The Lighthouse is unique and that's kind of a trend with Robert Eggers' work. The director famously never wants to make something set in modern times, meaning his stuff doesn't feel like what anyone else is making. The Lighthouse is set in the 1890s and follows two lighthouse keepers who are stranded on a remote island in New England doing their job.

While there, the two start to go mad, leading to some of the most unsettling sequences you'll see anywhere and some of the wildest hallucinations imaginable. Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe are both fantastic in this, while the movie looks incredible thanks to being filmed in black and white, adding to what separates the project.

7 Life After Beth (2014)

Life After Beth is one of those A24 horror movies that veers more into the comedic side of things. However, there's no denying how intriguing and different it is alongside other zombie films. That's because in this case, the titular Beth has died and become a zombie, yet her boyfriend can't seem to let her go.

Instead, he (Dane DeHaan) struggles to try and grieve her while she's tied up in his kitchen. Instead of focusing on the apocalypse around him, this story is more contained. Aubrey Plaza plays the zombie incredibly well too. To make this even more unique, it's surprising to learn that the tale was inspired by Orpheus and Eurydice.

6 Death Of A Unicorn (2025)

Death of a Unicorn is also set in the horror comedy world, yet it goes even further by blending in a dark fantasy story. The title alone is enough to grab a viewer because it feels like the kind of thing that you have to see to learn what's going on. Indeed, the story centers around the passing of the titular mythical creature.

A lawyer and his daughter accidentally hit a unicorn with their car on the way to a meeting at his boss's estate. When the unicorn turns out to actually be alive and have family members who also show up at the estate, it becomes a relatively terrifying experience for the humans around. With Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, and a loaded cast, this is a must-see horror comedy.

5 Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)

The unique thing about Bodies Bodies Bodies is the way that it subverts what we've all come to expect from the world of slasher films. Things start out simply enough, with a group of wealthy young friends playing a "murder in the dark" style game, only to find that some of them are actually being killed.

While the murders themselves are a blast to watch, it's the snappy dialogue and wild antics that keep you hooked. When you get to the end and find out the truth about what's going on, it changes everything and only adds to what makes this such a unique film. The cast, led by Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, and Rachel Sennott, is also great.

4 Tusk (2014)

Most people know Kevin Smith for his work on films like Clerks and Chasing Amy, which made him a star and are part of his View Askewniverse. He's branched out into other projects over the years, and none stands out quite like Tusk, which is his entry into the realm of body horror.

Tusk tells the story of a narcissistic podcaster who travels to Canada for an interview and meets a retired sailor who has dark plans that involve an obsession with a walrus named Mr. Tusk. That sounds odd on paper and it's even stranger in practice. Saying too much else would give away just how wild a ride this is.

3 Midsommar (2019)

Ari Aster has helmed some of the best horror movies in recent history, including Hereditary. He followed that up with a project that isn't quite as scary, but does feel different from any other horror film. Midsommar is the rare horror movie that mostly takes place in broad daylight.

The film focuses on a grieving Dani (Florence Pugh) as she travels with her boyfriend and his friends to a festival in Sweden. While there, they find that the festival is run by a violent cult and odd things continue to happen to them. The entire experience is deeply unsettling and Midsommar sits comfortably as one of the better-received horror films of the past decade.

2 Backrooms (2026)

The latest horror movie from A24 is the one that everyone seems to be talking about. Backrooms was inspired by a creepypasta of the same name and was born from simple images of liminal spaces that looked like impossibly large and endless empty rooms, which is scary on their own. The popularity of the creepypasta ensures that plenty of people will find a way to watch this one.

The film, which is already getting strong reviews, follows a furniture store owner and his therapist as they discover a dimension of those seemingly endless spaces. The trailer looks chilling and claustrophobic and the end result seems like the kind of horror movie that sticks with you for a long time.

1 In Fabric (2018)

While In Fabric is an incredibly unique horror film, it's also known all that well-known among moviegoers. The British horror project premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and has a premise unlike any other. On paper, it seems simple enough despite how different it is, as the story centers on a red dress that torments anyone who wears it.

There aren't many stories about a killer dress, which makes In Fabric feel like something worth watching. It helps that it received critical acclaim, with praise going to its atmosphere, premise, and direction, though some weren't pleased with the slow pacing. Despite that, there's no denying that In Fabric is a one-of-a-kind A24 movie.