Summer is the season of freedom for kids of all ages, as school's out, days are long, and nights are warm. There are family vacations, road trips, summer camp, and the promise of adventures and good times. It’s no surprise to horror fans that summer is also a popular setting for the genre.
From Camp Crystal Lake and the beaches of Amity to the streets of Derry and the farmlands of rural Texas, fear creeps in with the summer heat, delivering horror fans some of the scariest genre classics that have stood the test of time. Here are the 13 best seasonal scares that kept us up late on those hot summer nights.
The Burning (1981)
There were many summer camp slashers made in the wake of the mega-hit Friday the 13th, and 1981’s The Burning takes a similar approach. This time, our killer is the victim of a vicious act of bullying gone too far. While it falls more into the so-bad-it's-good category, it’s still a fun watch and features a pre-bald Jason Alexander. There may only be one great kill scene in this one, but what a kill scene it is! Rafting on a lake at summer camp… what could go wrong?
Us (2019)
After the success of Jordan Peele’s directorial debut Get Out in 2017, horror fans were excited to see what he would do next. His sophomore effort 2019’s Us did not disappoint. An ambitious, unsettling romp into the underground shadow world, Us shows audiences what happens when your family vacation takes a nightmare turn. Commenting on everything from racism and animal rights to mental health and the government, Us is a summer horror trip that’s anything but predictable. And you'll never look at a red jumpsuit the same again.
Sleepaway Camp (1983)
One of the campiest (see what I did there?) entries on the list, Sleepaway Camp is a low-budget early '80s cult classic that is a divisive one. It’s like Friday the 13th’s darker, meaner brother with a cheaper haircut and shorter shorts. Directed by Robert Hiltzik and filmed in upstate New York on a budget of $350,000, the movie is known for its comparisons to the Friday the 13th franchise and its wacky shock-twist ending that some modern critics have classified as homophobic. Whatever your take is, the film is a wild ride of a watch that’ll make you want to cut all your t-shirts into crop tops.
The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
A group of friends head into the woods for a fun weekend away of partying and debauchery. What could possibly go wrong? Helmed by Drew Goddard in his directorial debut with help from co-writer and genre legend Joss Whedon, The Cabin in the Woods is a great example of meta-horror done right.
The film relies on tropes, cliches, and formulas commonly used in the genre, but gives them a satirical, self-aware spin. With excellent performances from Chris Hemsworth and Bradley Whitford among others, the movie succeeds with humor, irony, and genuine scares. Over the last decade since its release, it's become a classic.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
The late '90s and early '00s were a great time for the teen slasher genre. From Scream and Final Destination to Urban Legend and everything in between, the era gave horror fans plenty of classic teen screams. None captures the summertime better than 1997's I Know What You Did Last Summer. Based on the young adult novel by Lois Duncan with a script adapted by Scream writer Kevin Williamson, the film was a big hit, spawning a successful franchise that's still active today.
The movie's action takes place on one fateful 4th of July when a group of teenage friends agrees to cover up a fatal accident, and the ensuing fallout that comes the following summer. The guilt-wracked teens begin to unravel, and the summer takes a dark turn. It's a fun, freaky flick that has become a well-deserved seasonal classic.
It (1990, 2017, 2019)
Stephen King’s epic story of friendship fighting evil has been adapted a few times over the years. Whether you’re a Tim Curry miniseries purist, a fan of the latest movie adaptations from Andy Muschietti, or even a diehard for King’s original source novel, It takes all your carefree summer feelings and shakes them right out of you.
It follows a group of friends from childhood to adulthood as they take on an evil shapeshifter that manifests as their worst fears. Often synonymous with its popular disguise of Pennywise the dancing clown, "It" becomes whatever it needs to in order to capture the children and feed off their souls. From the opening scene depicting Georgie's brutal demise in the sewer to the darkest depths of the dead lights, this story of friendship sticks with you long after the monster is slain.
The Wicker Man (1973)
Folk-horror has come into the mainstream focus more recently with films like The Witch and Midsommar, but the genre wouldn't be what it is today without Robin Hardy's 1973 masterpiece The Wicker Man. While technically set in the last days of April and the first of May, it's well-deserving of a spot on this list.
The film tells the story of a Christian police officer visiting a remote Scottish island in search of a missing girl, only to find a pagan cult inhabiting it. With a haunting score, vivid imagery, and a smoking-hot final scene, The Wicker Man has become a horror classic that is highly esteemed by genre fans. Audiences might also be familiar with the 2006 remake starring Nicolas Cage, which was critically panned and later memed for its campy, comic vibe. We'll stick with the original here and give it all the respect it deserves as a genre stepping stone.
The Lost Boys (1987)
The only vampire flick on the list, 1987's cult classic The Lost Boys, has a special place in the heart of all '80s horror lovers. Set on the boardwalk in the fictional town of Santa Carla, California, the film introduces us to brothers Michael and Sam, who befriend the local gang of troublemaking vampires. The result is incredibly '80s. It has both the Coreys and an awesome synth soundtrack. The Lost Boys is a great example of what a delightful romp a summer horror flick can be. "You're eating worms, Michael..."
Midsommar (2019)
Following the success of Ari Aster's 2018 directorial debut Hereditary, fans were anxious to see what he would do next. While Hereditary focused on the deep-seated fears hiding in dark corners, Midsommar instead brings horror to a bright, sunny day. After the tragic deaths of her family, Dani follows her boyfriend and his friends on their trip to Sweden, where they encounter a strange and violent cult.
Equal parts dating nightmare and vacation from Hell, Midsommar solidified Aster as a juggernaut in the genre. In a setting atypical for horror, the film takes place almost entirely in daylight, disorienting the audience and diverting expectations. The result is one of the gnarliest summer scares ever made. There's a lot of haunting imagery that sticks with viewers in this film, and almost all of it is fully lit and in plain sight. Aster shows us that evil doesn't always have to lurk in the darkness. Sometimes the things we can see are scarier than what we don't.
The Evil Dead (1981)
There are cabin-in-the-woods movies, and then there is Sam Raimi’s 1981 masterpiece The Evil Dead. It’s everything a slasher should be: gross, unsettling, and wildly playful. It's a blast to watch! Childhood friends Raimi and star Bruce Campbell brought the movie to fruition as a passion project, and Raimi was just 20 years old when they began shooting. The production was extremely low budget, and the crew notably created their own “shaky cam” and other DIY techniques that would later become horror mainstays.
The Evil Dead proved that you didn’t need a whole lot of money to make a good horror film, and it spawned a franchise that is still successful today, with its most recent installment released in 2023. Whether you love the original trilogy, the newer reboots, or all of the Evil Dead catalogue, respect is due to Raimi for his work in changing the horror genre.
Friday the 13th (1980)
The mother of all summer camp slashers, 1980's Friday the 13th is the one that started it all for the genre. Directed by Sean S. Cunningham and featuring a very young Kevin Bacon, the first installment in the story of Jason Voorhees was shot at a New Jersey Boy Scout camp in 1979 on a budget of $550,000. Despite its low-budget, indie status, the film was a massive hit and was picked up for widespread distribution.
It helped pave the way for later slashers of the '80s and spawned a hugely successful franchise of almost a dozen films. It also established some of the horror movie "rules" canonized in later films like Scream. Most of the Friday movies could qualify for this spot, but the first remains the best. From its iconic score to its twist reveal of Mrs. Voorhees as the killer, Friday the 13th is everything a summer slasher should be.
Jaws (1975)
Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classic summer thriller helped put both horror and shark movies on the map. Before this film, the term “summer blockbuster” didn’t exist, as it blew critics and audiences out of the water and changed the way Hollywood viewed summer releases. It also introduced the world to auteur director Spielberg, who would go on to craft some of the most iconic films of the late 20th century.
Jaws remains one of the best thrillers of all time, and perfectly illustrates the hot summer July days of its small town beach setting. Now 50 years on, Jaws holds up as the ultimate summer beach scare, and it still leaves audiences wondering if it's safe to get in the water.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
One of the scariest movies of all time is Tobe Hooper’s 1974 classic, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. This film helped define and usher in the slasher genre as it rose to prominence in the late '70s and early '80s. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a first of its kind. An indie horror flick that revolutionized the boogeyman trope and introduced audiences to the very first major antihero villain in Leatherface. It’s visceral, it’s terrifying, and you can practically feel the heat radiating from the Texas plains. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is everything a summer horror film should be.
From the opening scenes of the sweaty, crowded van to the last shot of Leatherface’s chainsaw dance as Sally escapes, the summer setting seeps into the story and leaves the viewer feeling hot and bothered in all the worst ways. “Who will survive and what will be left of them?” the film's slogan asked, and while original-final-girl Sally gets away, audiences can’t help but wonder if it’s worth it. She gets her freedom, but does she keep her sanity? Ultimately, that’s for the viewer to decide. Whatever your take on the ending, this film gets under your skin and leaves you unsettled long after the screaming stops and the credits roll. You'll never look at a chainsaw the same way again.