Teen screams: 5 PG-13 horror movies perfect for ideal beginners
Where are all the newcomers to the horror world? You're probably feeling lost and don't know where to start when it comes to finding something to watch. So much horror content has been released, but you might not be able to just dive in and start watching whatever. Some people need a slight introduction to the horror genre, and we at 1428 Elm got your back!
If you're new to this and not true to this, your best bet is to start off by watching PG-13 horror movies. And luckily for you, we've already compiled a list of these types of films for you to watch. You can check out our list below!
Imaginary (2024)
Directed by: Jeff Wadlow
Writtten by: Wadlow, Greg Erb, and Jason Oremland
Imaginary is a supernatural horror film centered around a children's book author named Jessica, who moves back into her old childhood home with her new family. But when her youngest stepdaughter, Alice, finds a stuffed teddy bear named Chauncey in the home, strange occurrences begin to happen. Alice starts to become really attached to Chauncey and act out of character, causing Jessica to intervene. Jessica soon realizes that only she and Alice can see the bear and that the stuffed animal is actually her old childhood imaginary friend who is back with a vengeance because she abandoned him.
She's Gotta Have It's DeWanda Wise stars in the leading role of Jessica. In addition, Tom Payne, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun, Matthew Sato, Veronica Falcón, and Betty Buckley are in the cast.
Where to watch: Available to rent or purchase on digital platforms such as Amazon, Vudu, Apple TV, etc.
M3GAN (2022)
Directed by: Gerard Johnstone
Written by: Akela Cooper
When gifted roboticist Gemma gifts her niece one of her new inventions, an artificially intelligent lifelike doll named M3GAN, she has absolutely no idea what the doll is truly capable of. M3GAN starts off as a great companion for Gemma's niece, but eventually becomes increasingly protective and turns aggressive towards anyone who tries to come between her and her human companion, even killing people. Now, Gemma must find a way to put a stop to M3GAN before it's too late.
Get Out star Allison Williams stars as Gemma, while The Haunting of Hill House's Violet McGraw plays the role of Gemma's niece, Cady. Ronny Chieng, Jenna Davis, Amie Donald, Brian Jordan Alvarez, and many others are also in the cast.
A sequel titled M3GAN 2.0 is currently in the works, so you might want to watch the first film as soon as possible.
Where to watch: Peacock, available to rent or purchase on digital platforms
Five Nights at Freddy's (2023)
Directed by: Emma Tammi
Written by: Tammi, Scott Cawthon, and Seth Cuddeback
Based on the popular video game series of the same name, Five Nights at Freddy's follows a struggling young man named Mike Schmidt who desperately needs a job. He ends up being offered a night-shift security guard position at a once-successful abandoned pizzeria and starts the job thinking it'll be a walk in the park. But he soon realizes something isn't quite right with the animatronic mascots at the pizzeria. They're possessed and filled with vengeance! Now, he must do everything he can to defend himself against the murderous animatronics and survive.
The movie's cast includes Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Mary Stuart Masterson, Matthew Lillard, and others. A sequel is also currently in development and set for a 2025 release.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, available to rent or purchase on digital platforms
Lisa Frankenstein (2024)
Directed by: Zelda Williams
Written by: Diablo Cody
Described as a horror comedy, Lisa Frankenstein stars Kathryn Newton as a lonely teenage goth girl who develops a relationship with a lovesick zombie and embarks on a murderous journey to get him all the right body parts. Newton plays the role of Lisa Swallows, while Riverdale star Cole Sprouse portrays Lisa's devoted undead boyfriend, The Creature. Joining them in the cast are Liza Soberano, Henry Eikenberry, Joe Chrest, and Carla Gugino.
Where to watch: Peacock, available to rent or purchase on digital platforms
Happy Death Day (2017)
Directed by: Christopher Landon
Written by: Scott Lobdell
The slasher film follows a college student named Tree Gelbman, who finds herself in a bizarre time warp where she repeatedly relives the day of her murder over and over again. She soon realizes that the only way to stop the loop is by finding out who her killer is and why they killed her, but she doesn't have much time to do so.
Jessica Rothe stars in the leading role of Tree Gelbman. Additionally, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine, Charles Aitken, Laura Clifton, Jason Bayle, Rob Mello, and Rachel Matthews are in the cast.
There's also a sequel called Happy Death Day 2U. We recommend checking it out after you finish watching the first film. It's available to rent or purchase on digital platforms.
Where to watch: Available to rent or purchase on digital platforms
Will you be watching any of these PG-13 horror movies?
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