Haunted house horror has never gone out of style. In fact, modern filmmakers have found new ways to terrify audiences with eerie atmospheres, clever storytelling, and heart-pounding scares. If you’re ready for ghostly apparitions, cursed homes, and sinister secrets, here are the best recent haunted house movies that prove the genre is alive (and un-dead) in the 21st century.
1. The Conjuring Series (2013 & 2016)
James Wan breathed new life into haunted house horror with The Conjuring films, based on the real-life cases of Ed and Lorraine Warren. From the Perron family farmhouse to the infamous Enfield poltergeist, both movies deliver terrifying scares, emotional storytelling, and iconic supernatural villains like Bathsheba and Valak.
2. Insidious (2010)
Blending haunted house tropes with astral projection and demonic forces, Insidious took audiences into “The Further.” Its unique approach to the supernatural and eerie atmosphere made it one of the most influential horror films of the decade.
3. Paranormal Activity (2007)
This found-footage phenomenon became a cultural milestone in horror. Shot on a shoestring budget, its minimalistic style and slow-building dread turned a quiet suburban home into one of the scariest places in movie history.
4. The Others (2001)
Nicole Kidman delivers a chilling performance as a mother protecting her children in an isolated mansion. With its slow-burn tension and one of the most shocking twists in haunted house cinema, The Others remains unforgettable.
5. Winchester (2018)
Based on the infamous Winchester Mystery House, this film stars Helen Mirren as Sarah Winchester, haunted by the spirits of those killed by her family’s rifles. While divisive among critics, the film’s setting and concept make it a must-watch for haunted house fans.
6. The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
Though technically a Netflix series, Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s classic novel is too good to ignore. Its chilling mix of family trauma, ghostly apparitions, and layered storytelling raised the bar for modern haunted house tales.
7. The House at the End of Time (2013)
This Venezuelan horror film offers a fresh spin on the haunted house genre by weaving together supernatural scares with emotional storytelling. A woman accused of murdering her family returns to her old home, where terrifying secrets and time-bending twists await.
8. The Night House (2020)
Rebecca Hall stars in this psychological haunted house story about a widow uncovering her husband’s disturbing secrets. Equal parts emotional and terrifying, The Night House keeps viewers guessing until the very end.
9. Marrowbone (2017)
This atmospheric Spanish-British horror film tells the story of siblings hiding in an old family estate after the death of their mother. Dark secrets and ghostly presences make Marrowbone both a haunting family drama and a chilling supernatural tale.
10. Delirium (2018)
Starring Topher Grace, Delirium tells the story of a man released from a mental institution who inherits his family home. As he struggles with his sanity, he begins to suspect the house itself is haunted. It’s a psychological haunted house tale that blurs the line between paranoia and reality.
Final Thoughts
The 21st century has given us some of the most creative and terrifying haunted house stories ever put to screen. Whether it’s the gothic elegance of Crimson Peak, the bone-chilling scares of The Conjuring series, or the emotional darkness of Marrowbone, these films prove that haunted houses will never lose their power to terrify.
If you’re a horror fan, add these modern haunted house films to your watchlist—you may never look at your home the same way again.