The best kind of thrillers are the ones that blend real-life psychological horrors with nerve-shredding suspense and no kind of thriller does that better than stalker flicks. Movies about stalkers always manage to get under the audience’s skin by building up an eerie atmosphere and hitting that universal fear of someone watching you from the shadows. There’s always that lurking fear of someone following you from afar or a stranger just staring at you that these films always bring to life and amplify through some unsettling suspense.
It’s even more horrifying when that terrifying entity breaks out of the shadows and suddenly becomes attached to the protagonist’s life leading to a scary cat-and-mouse game. The best stalker movies can be creepy as hell, but which ones really showcase these creatures of habit in the most terrifying and suspenseful light? Fans will hopefully see more impressive movies about stalking in the coming years, but can choose from the most suspenseful ones streaming right now in the meantime.
12 'Greta' (2018)
Directed by Neil Jordan
Director Neil Jordan’s 2018 thriller Greta delivers some fun thrills and chilling suspense in its story of a young girl’s good deed having unexpectedly sinister consequences. Despite ultimately being a disappointing thriller that only looked good in the trailers, fans of the genre may still want to consider seeing it for great performances from its lead actors.
After finding a purse on the subway and returning it to its owner, Frances (Chloe Grace Moretz) gains a new companion in an older woman named Greta (Isabelle Huppert) who seems nice at first but has darker shades that lead to some gruesome realizations. Jordan’s direction balances some fun horror and seriously disturbing stalking that becomes elevated through Moretz and Huppert’s great performances.
Greta
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Release Date February 28, 2019 Director Neil Jordan Cast Chloe Moretz , Maika Monroe , Isabelle Huppert , Parker Sawyers , Zawe Ashton , Stephen Rea Runtime 98 11 'Unhinged' (2020)
Directed by Derrick Borte
Rather than be shadowy and subtle in executing its stalker story, Unhinged showcases some full-blown road rage with its bonkers, but immensely suspenseful premise.
The film follows a single mother (Caren Pistorius) whose bad interaction with a fellow driver (Russell Crowe) ends up making her a target for his unexpected fury and kicks off a dangerous cat-and-mouse game. Crowe is scary as hell in Unhinged, and you’re constantly left on the edge of your seat as the tension and suspense ramps up and never lets off the gas.
Unhinged
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Release Date July 16, 2020 Director Derrick Borte Cast Russell Crowe , Jimmi Simpson , Gabriel Bateman , Caren Pistorius , Anne Marie Leighton , Sylvia Grace Crim Runtime 90 10 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' (1997)
Directed by Jim Gillespie
Director Jim Gillespie's I Know What You Did Last Summer is a classic from the slasher genre that's worth mentioning for its brilliantly terrifying showcase of stalking. It's centered on four high school friends who are involved in a hit-and-run one summer, which results in a pact to keep the traumatic ordeal a secret (after getting rid of the body, of course). Not too long after, they begin to receive threatening messages from a stalker-turned-murderer.
The film played a crucial role in reviving the teen slasher genre in the late 90s. It managed to do this with its twisty story, suspenseful scenes, lots of jumpscares, and a genuinely frightening stalker that will make audiences think twice about making a criminal pact with their buddies.
I Know What You Did Last Summer
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Release Date October 17, 1997 Director Jim Gillespie Cast Jennifer Love Hewitt , Sarah Michelle Gellar , Ryan Phillippe , Freddie Prinze Jr. , Bridgette Wilson , Anne Heche Runtime 101 minutes9 'The Cable Guy' (1996)
Directed by Ben Stiller
CloseAlthough Ben Stiller’s 1996 black comedy The Cable Guy features plenty of comedic talent, including Jim Carrey and Matthew Broderick in the lead roles, its central stalker story has its creepy moments.
The film follows an architect (Broderick) who's stalked by his intrusive cable guy Chip (Carrey) and showcases a great mix of darker comedy and suspenseful stalking. Carrey’s generally over-the-top comedy has some great dashes of dark and creepy behavior and Stiller’s direction works incredibly well in blending wild comedy and real-life horrors.
8 'The Strangers' (2008)
Directed by Bryan Bertino
Bryan Bertino’s directorial debut, The Strangers, still remains one of the scariest home invasion movies of all time largely because of how haunting its titular group of masked killers is.
With its trio of masked killers stalking and terrorizing a couple throughout the night, they quickly get under your skin with how menacing and haunting their presence is. Bertino's direction makes The Strangers a continually chilling viewing and the film contains one of the most unnerving one-takes of all time. It's sincerely not for the faint of heart.
The Strangers
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Release Date May 29, 2008 Director Bryan Bertino Cast Liv Tyler , Scott Speedman , Glenn Howerton , Gemma Ward , Kip Weeks , Laura Margolis Runtime 107 7 'Watcher' (2022)
Directed by Chloe Okuno
Watcher is the latest film to come from IFC Midnight and writer/director Chloe Okuno and constantly keeps viewers on their toes with its shadowy stalker story.
The film follows Julia (Maika Monroe), an actor who finds herself being watched nightly by a figure from the building across from her. Watcher is a total nerve-shredder full of excellently crafted frights, a career-best performance from Monroe, and some stellar direction from Okuno that induces paranoia and chills. You’ll be constantly looking over your shoulder after Watcher.
Watcher
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A young American actress moves with her husband to Bucharest, and begins to suspect that a stranger who watches her from an apartment window may be a serial killer.
Release Date June 3, 2022 Director Chloe Okuno Cast Maika Monroe , Karl Glusman , Burn Gorman Runtime 96 mins6 'Unsane' (2018)
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Steven Soderbergh's 2018 psychological horror movie Unsane embodies all the horrors of gaslighting into a terrifying experience of a woman dealing with her stalker. While attempting to escape her stalker, Sawyer (Claire Foy) ends up unknowingly signing a consent form to be committed to a psychiatric hospital where her stalker David (Joshua Leonard) is working.
Soderbergh crafts a tense experience that’s elevated through Foy’s incredible on-edge performance and expertly instills chills at every turn. While Unsane doesn't stray too far from the formula that makes stalker movies so tense and suspenseful, it's the expertly crafted formulaic aspects that actually make it good in the end.
Unsane
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Release Date February 21, 2018 Director Steven Soderbergh Cast Joshua Leonard , Claire Foy , Sarah Stiles , Marc Kudisch , Amy Irving , Colin Woodell Runtime 985 'One Hour Photo' (2002)
Directed by Mark Romanek
Robin Williams was known for making audiences laugh, and their hearts swell with his charismatic and good-hearted performances, but many might not remember his most terrifying performance in One Hour Photo.
The film sees Williams play Sy, a photo technician who’s obsessed with a seemingly perfect family who he views through their photos before injecting himself into their lives. Many praised Williams for his against-type performance that completely rocks you to your core in how unnerving and unforgettable it is. It's a performance from Williams that shows how talented he was and is generally remembered as one of his best.
One Hour Photo
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One Hour Photo is a psychological thriller that delves into the unsettling life of Sy Parrish, a lonely photo technician at a suburban discount store. Consumed by his fixation on the Yorkin family, whose photos he has developed for years, Sy fantasizes about being part of their seemingly perfect life. As his obsession intensifies, he uncovers disturbing secrets about the family, driving him to take drastic and alarming actions.
Release Date August 21, 2002 Director Mark Romanek Cast Robin Williams , Connie Nielsen , Michael Vartan , Dylan Smith , Erin Daniels , Paul H. Kim Runtime 96 minutes4 'Cape Fear' (1991)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
One of the older films about stalkers, Cape Fear is a movie that trades romance for revenge and is an underrated gem in Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro’s longtime collaboration. The film sees DeNiro play Max Cady, a former prisoner who terrorizes the family of his former lawyer (Nick Nolte) who wronged him.
DeNiro is an absolutely terrifying force and Scorsese perfectly builds up Max’s growing presence to create a stalker story full of terror. It's among the filmmaker's very best, showcasing his trademarks, especially as the protagonist crosses countless lines to pursue an unethical choice.
Cape Fear
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Release Date November 15, 1991 Director Martin Scorsese Cast Robert De Niro , Nick Nolte , Jessica Lange , Juliette Lewis Runtime 128 minutes3 'Fatal Attraction' (1987)
Directed by Adrian Lyne
A cinematic masterpiece from the 80s, Fatal Attraction follows the unfortunate experiences of a seemingly content married man, Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas), who soon begins a treacherous affair with Alex Forrest (Glenn Close). When Dan wants to end things, Alex's attraction toward him turns into an all-consuming fixation, which soon leads to negative events that affect the protagonist and those around him.
An exceptional stalker film, Fatal Attraction masterfully depicts the dangers of obsession and sheds light on the darker sides of desire. Close's spine-chilling portrayal of her character is a convincing picture of a stalker who won't stop until she gets what she wants. It's a cautionary tale that will have audiences think twice before starting an intense relationship.
Fatal Attraction
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A seemingly innocent affair turns into a nightmare for a married lawyer when his lover becomes dangerously fixated on him. What starts as a passionate fling quickly escalates into a psychological horror as she stalks him and his family, threatening their safety and his professional life.
Release Date September 18, 1987 Director Adrian Lyne Cast Michael Douglas , Glenn Close , Anne Archer , Ellen Hamilton Latzen , Stuart Pankin , Ellen Foley Runtime 119 Minutes2 'It Follows' (2014)
Directed by David Robert Mitchell
David Robert Mitchell’s 2014 breakout film It Follows blends a horrifying modern creature feature with all the horrors of an unknown presence always making you look over your shoulder. The film follows Jay (Maika Monroe) as she attempts to escape the grasp of a shape-shifting entity that continually walks toward her.
Mitchell’s direction constantly keeps you looking around to see if you see something walking towards Monroe's Jay, who delivers a must-watch breakout performance in this tense movie. It Follows has become a definitive modern stalker story for a reason and will instantly make viewers unsettled by its unknown entity.
It Follows
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Release Date March 15, 2015 Director David Robert Mitchell Cast Bailey Spry , Carollette Phillips , Loren Bass , Keir Gilchrist , Maika Monroe , Lili Sepe Runtime 100 minutes1 'The Invisible Man' (2020)
Directed by Leigh Whannell
The Invisible Man is a recent cinematic gem that's centered on the protagonist Cecilia Kass (masterfully played by Elisabeth Moss), whose recent escape from an abusive relationship is undermined by creepy and seemingly inexplicable events. Cecilia's short-lived freedom is shattered by an invisible presence, which she believes to be her ex, and the supernatural stalking soon becomes a horrifying nightmare.
Equal parts thrilling and terrifying, The Invisible Man relies on suspense and Cecilia's vulnerability and past experiences to keep audiences scared from start to finish. Elisabeth Moss' captivating performance is what makes the stalker film that much more convincing and disturbing, especially when viewers realize its link to the effects of domestic abuse.
The Invisible Man (2020)
RRelease Date February 28, 2020 Director Leigh Whannell Cast Elisabeth Moss , Oliver Jackson-Cohen , Harriet Dyer , Aldis Hodge Runtime 124 minutesncG1vNJzZmibn6G5qrDEq2Wcp51kr6a%2F02aqrZmcoLKzecyoraKdo2Q%3D