The horror genre has a commitment issue—namely, it commits to too many sequels. Whether masked murderers, haunted mansions, or devilish dolls are the genre’s current obsession, horror franchises multiply quicker than you can say “final girl.” But occasionally, a horror movie will emerge, tell a standalone tale, and—gasp.—stop dead in its tracks. No franchise bloating, no rebooting, no post-credit setup for more. Just one perfect, self-contained horror. Here are 10 of the greatest standalone horror movies that never had a sequel—and in most cases, that’s precisely why they’re iconic.
1. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Who’d have imagined the zombie apocalypse so endearing? Simon Pegg and Nick Frost star as two lovable best mates fighting for survival with cricket bats, wisecracks, and a lot of pints. Although technically one of the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, Shaun is a standalone masterpiece of horror and comedy. Edgar Wright’s cutting-edge direction and unexpectedly poignant moments created an instant cult favorite that didn’t require a part two.
2. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010)
This gory spoof turns the “cabin in the woods” genre inside out. Tucker and Dale are merely two friendly hillbillies attempting to repair their summer home—but a clique of neurotic college kids misinterprets them as serial killers, and the confusion spirals out of control in slapstick, bloody style. Even after years of rumors about a sequel, this sicko comedy-horror remains happily one-and-done.
3. Identity (2003)
A storm, a rundown motel, and a bunch of strangers—how could it go wrong? This leanly constructed psychological thriller combines murder mystery, slasher, and psychological horror in a blender and hits puree, with the result being a movie that keeps you guessing until the last few moments. Featuring good performances by John Cusack and Ray Liotta and an astonishing twist, Identity provides a satisfying complete story, best watched spoiler-free.
4. The Loved Ones (2009)
Prom night takes a nasty reinterpretation in this creepy Aussie horror pearl. When high school student Brent spurns the wrong girl, she retaliates by hosting her prom with him as the unwilling partygoer. What results is a sadistic, pitch-black horror tale that pivots off Robin McLeavy’s indelible turn as Lola. It’s violent, surreal, and astonishingly effective, without requiring a second dance.
5. The Faculty (1998)
Imagine Invasion of the Body Snatchers crossed with The Breakfast Club. Aliens are incrementally infiltrating a high school, and it is up to a group of misfits, including teenage Elijah Wood and Josh Hartnett, to save the day. Robert Rodriguez directs and Kevin Williamson (Scream) pens this late-’90s teen horror/sci-fi hybrid that has cult status, wicked dialogue, and the perfect amount of goo. One movie was enough.
6. Stitches (2012)
If clowns already unsettle you, then Stitches won’t improve the situation. When a birthday party prank ends up in murder, a clown brought back from the dead (played with wicked glee by Ross Noble) comes back to haunt and kill kids who are now teenagers. The kills are offensively creative, the humor twisted and surreal. It’s a love letter to ’80s splatter horror that never turned into a franchise—and perhaps that’s better than any franchise could have been.
7. Event Horizon (1997)
Horror sci-fi never gets more warped. When a rescue team takes on a lost ship, they find it’s brought something appalling back from beyond another dimension. A downward spiral into madness and violence ensues, fueled by gruesome performances from Laurence Fishburne and Sam Neill. Although it was a flop on its release, Event Horizon developed into a cult favorite—and thank goodness, no follow-up attempt to explain the inexplicable ever made it.
8. The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
Five college friends, a remote cabin, and all the horror tropes in the book—until they all fall apart and something entirely different ensues. Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon’s genre-busting horror masterpiece is at once a deconstruction and a love letter to the horror genre. Featuring a pre-Thor Chris Hemsworth and a climax that gleefully shatters any expectation for a sequel, it’s a one-shot that lands the landing in the most haphazard way possible.
9. Braindead (Dead Alive) (1992)
Back in the day, long before The Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson helmed one of the sickest zombie comedies ever. When a domineering mother-in-law of Lionel is bitten by a Sumatran rat-monkey, she turns into a zombie matriarch, and things get ugly fast. Buckets of blood, ridiculous slapstick, and unparalleled gross-out ingenuity make Braindead an orgiastic splatterfest no sequel could surpass.
10. I Saw the Devil (2010)
Revenge doesn’t come darker than this. In this intense South Korean thriller, a spy stalks the serial killer who killed his fiancée—and engages in a psychological and physical war of attrition that scars nobody whole. With powerhouse performances from Lee Byung-hun and Choi Min-sik, the film is intense, unsparing, and emotionally shattering. It’s a standalone tale that smartly resists any sequel.
In a franchise-happy genre, these movies show that sometimes the best horror tales are the ones that have the sense to stop. No sequels, no spin-offs—just one, unforgettable ride. And in horror, that ending can be the most terrifying of all.