This psychological horror film, released in 2017, was written and directed by Jordan Peele and was his directorial debut. It is far darker than Peele’s other work, and it tackles issues such as race in a unique way. The film surprised critics and viewers alike. We have Daniel Kaluuya and Alison Williams in the lead roles, who play as an interracial couple.
Get Out follows the story of Chris Washington, played by Daniel Kaluuya, a young, black photographer. He is anxious about meeting the parents of his white girlfriend, Rose Armitage, played by Alison Williams. He realizes that things are strange, and soon shockingly terrifying secrets come to light.
The film won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and was also nominated for various other awards. The movie also received exceptional reviews from critics and audience members alike. Our top three picks for similar films would have to be Us (2019), Ma (2019), and Spilt (2016). For these and other great recommendations, be sure to read on.
Related: 10 Commonly Overlooked Horror Films Worth Seeing
1. Us
This 2019 horror is an absolute chiller and was also written and directed by Jordan Peele. If you enjoyed the idea of people possessing one another’s bodies, then this one will certainly intrigue you, as it follows a family who a group of psychotic doppelgangers attacks.
The movie follows an ordinary family visited by a group of menacing people who are completely identical to them. As they say in the movie, they even think as they do. The film stars Lupita Nyong’o, Elisabeth Moss, Winston Duke, and Tim Heidecker.
As with Get Out, this film by Peele also received impeccable reception from critics and audience members. And once again, they managed to turn a lower budget film of $20 million into a sizeable box office of $255.2 million.
2. Ma
Ma is also a psychological horror film, like Get Out, and it was produced, co-written, and directed by Tate Taylor. The film was released in 2019 and is similar in that it also deals with an initial meeting which finally results in many dark and unsettling secrets coming to the surface.
The movie is about a group of teenagers who are going to have a party, and they ask a middle-aged woman to purchase alcohol for them. They end up befriending her, and she allows them to have parties in the house’s basement, with the strict rule that they may not go upstairs. When one day they do, things turn ugly for them really quickly.
Octavia Spencer plays the role of the lead character, and her performance was highlighted as being the saving grace of the film, which critics were mixed about. Its $5 million budget made a return of $61.2 million, though, and most audience members gave it favorable reviews.
3. Split
This 2016 psychological horror film written, produced, and directed by M. Night Shyamalan is a must-watch if you enjoyed Get Out. This film, however, does not focus on people possessing other bodies but rather follows a man with twenty-four different personalities.
The lead character of Kevin Wendell Crumb, who struggles with dissociative identity disorder, is played by James McAvoy. One of the personalities kidnaps a few teenage girls and keeps them locked away for when “The Beast” will make his appearance. We watch as the various personalities fight to be in “the light” and see how some have incredibly sinister and evils motives.
The film received mostly positive reviews from critics and was criticized by some mental health activists, but was appreciated by most audience members. Like others on this list, its small budget of $9 million made an astonishing box office return and pulled in $278.5 million.
4. The Witch
This 2015 film is a period supernatural horror film written and directed by Robert Eggers in his feature directorial debut. It is unnervingly scary on a whole new level. If you liked the idea of something more sinister at play in Get Out, you will not be disappointed by this.
The story follows a family who leaves their village in the 1630s due to a religious dispute in search of a place of their own. They settle on a farm near a forest, and the mother, Katherine, bears a fifth child who mysteriously goes missing. Things go from an ordinary family farming their land to bone-chilling happenings, which can only be described as other-worldly.
The film stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Kate Dickie, Ralph Ineson, Harvey Scrimshaw, and Ellie Grainger. Critics gave the film remarkable reviews, and the majority of audience members felt the same way. Although the box office was not massive, the film made $40.4 million from a $4 million budget.
Related: ‘The Witch’ Movie Review – is psychological horror at its finest
5. Hush
This 2016 slasher film was directed and edited by Mike Flanagan. If you enjoyed the idea of most of the action taking place in one location and our character having to deal with her attackers in close confinements, then this film is a must-watch.
The film is about a horror author, Maddie Young, who is deaf and mute and has decided to go and live in isolation to try and get her next novel completed after the success of her first. One night her friend that lives on a plot some way away, runs to her house with a killer trailing after her. She is killed and what follows is a cat and mouse game between Maddie and the masked killer.
Although made on a budget of only $1 million, the film managed to get the attention of the critics who found it to have delivered on all the right areas. It was a critical success and was released on Netflix.
6. Mother!
This is a psychological horror written and directed by Darren Aronofsky and was released in 2017. The story is as, if not even more unnerving than Get Out and takes place in a home that seems ideal and quaint at first glance.
The film stars Jennifer Lawrence as mother, who lives a tranquil life with her husband, Him, played by Javier Bardem. Their lives are suddenly disrupted by the arrival of two mysterious people, Man and Woman. The story becomes even stranger as more and more people keep coming to the house and wreak havoc.
The film received mainly positive reviews, but it sparked some controversy because of its biblical allegories and immense violence. The film was made on a budget of $30 million and unfortunately only managed to make a box office return of $44.5 million.
7. The Purge
The Purge is a dystopian action horror film released in 2013 and directed by James DeMonaco. It spawned a series of films, The Purge: Anarchy (2014), The Purge: Election Year (2016), The First Purge (2018), and The Forever Purge (2021). The film does not focus on a family of people who kidnap and take over the bodies of others but rather a family who tries to survive the night of the purge.
The film follows the story of a wealthy American family who attempts to last the night of the purge, where all crimes, including murder, are made legal. Their top-of-the-range security system does not hold up, and the hope of helping out a stranger ends up backfiring on them.
It stars Ethan Hawke, Adelaide Kane, Lena Headey, and Max Burkholder. The critics were unforgiving about their feelings on the film. However, it was a box office success and managed to make a return of $89.3 million on a budget of $3 million.
8. Donnie Darko
This 2001 science fiction psychological thriller was both written and directed by Richard Kelly. The film plays on the supernatural, and while Get Out looks at the exploitation of black people for the benefit of whites, this film focuses on Donnie’s own mental instability.
The movie follows Donnie, who sees other-worldly things after narrowly avoiding an accident and is told by his vision, Frank, a mysterious person in a rabbit costume, that the world will end soon. Donnie is then manipulated into committing several crimes.
The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Drew Barrymore, among others. It received rave reviews and was also nominated for various awards. Although it only made a box office return of $7.5 million from its $4.5 million budget, it amassed a large cult following.
9. Gerald’s Game
This 2017 psychological horror thriller is much like Get Out in that it primarily takes place in one location, and much of what occurs has to do with the psychology of the main character. This time though, it is not a man being hunted by a white family, but rather a woman who has to battle to free herself from restraints in a room.
The film was directed and edited by Mike Flanagan, and the screenplay was written by him and Jeff Howard and was based on the 1992 novel, by Stephen King, of the same name. It is about a married couple at an isolated house on holiday where the husband dies of a heart attack, and his wife is left handcuffed to the bed and must find a way to free herself.
The film stars Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood, and the critics especially praised the production and Gunino’s performance. It was made available for streaming on Netflix.
10. Black Swan
This 2010 psychological horror was based on an original story by Andres Heinz. It was directed by Darren Aronofsky, who also directed Mother! The film is filled with tension and suspense on varying levels, and like Get Out, you soon wonder what is really at play.
The film follows the story of a young woman, Nina, played by Natalie Portman, who is involved with a production of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake ballet. When a new arrival, Lily, comes onto the scene and threatens to steal the role from Nina, Nina ends up spiraling out of control and starts to lose her connection to reality.
Others who play in this extraordinary film are Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Mila Kunis, and Winona Ryder. The film was nominated for various awards and saw Portman winning Best Actress at the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes. The film made $329.4 million at the box office, on a budget of only $13 million.
Related: Video: How They Created The Effects In “Black Swan”
11. Unsane
Unsane is a psychological horror film that was released in 2018 and directed by Steven Soderbergh. Unlike others on this list, the film was not shot on a professional camera but entirely on the iPhone 7 Plus. This only added to the suspense that is felt throughout the film. It is similar to Get Out in that our main character soon finds herself in a space where she is captive and needs to escape.
It follows a woman who decides to visit a mental institution but is confined there against her will. While there, she recognizes a previous stalker working there and is adamant that he is following her. Nobody believes her, and soon she has to figure out how to escape to stay alive.
The film received a great response from the critics who praised the direction in particular. Although its return was small, it was a box office success and managed to turn a budget of $1.5 million into $14.3 million.
12. Gone Girl
The film is a 2014 psychological thriller written by Gillian Flynn, who based it on her 2012 novel of the same name. It was directed by David Fincher and is similar to Get Out as it leaves you wondering what is really at play in the story.
We follow a couple who live in Missouri, and the wife, Amy Dunne, goes missing. The husband, Nick, is soon made a prime suspect for her disappearance, and things look bad for him until she mysteriously returns. The film is smart and the narrative captivating and will leave you just as baffled as Get Out.
Rosamund Pike plays the role of Amy and Ben Affleck as Nick. The critics loved their performances, and Pike was praised in particular, garnering nominations for a BAFTA Award, Academy Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Golden Globe Award for best actress. It made a box office return of $369.3 million on a budget of $61 million.
Related: ‘Gone Girl’ is a perfect mix of thriller and black comedy
13. The Invisible Man
The Invisible Man is a 2020 science fiction horror film written and directed by Leigh Whannell. The story was inspired by the novel of the same name, written by H. G. Wells. Like Get Out, it deals with a completely unfathomable subject at first, but as the story progresses, we, the audience, eagerly suspend our disbelief.
The story is about a woman who leaves her abusive and controlling boyfriend, only to find out later he has died. However, she soon realizes that this is not the case, and she believes that he has found a way to make himself invisible and is stalking her. If you enjoyed the thrills and scare factors of Get Out, you will appreciate this film.
The film stars Elisabeth Moss, Storm Reid, Aldis Hodge, Harriet Dyer, and Michael Dorman. It was met with critical acclaim, and special mention was made of Moss’ performance. Even though it was released during the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, it made a box office return of $143.2 million on a fairly small $7 million budget.
14. Shutter Island
Shutter Island is a 2010 neo-noir psychological thriller that Martin Scorsese directed. The film is similar to Get Out in that you don’t know what will happen next, and even by the end of the movie, you are left perplexed.
It is about Edward Daniels, a Deputy U.S. Marshal who investigates a psychiatric hospital on Shutter Island. The investigation is due to a patient having gone missing, and from the start of the film, we realize that there is something suspect and eerie about this place, and it only gets more so from there.
Starring in this film are Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Max von Sydow, and Michelle Williams. It received generally positive reviews and managed to make a box office return of $294.8 million on a budget of $80 million.
15. Escape Room
This 2019 psychological horror is just that, and it delivers on both fronts. Adam Robitel directed it, and if you enjoyed the suspicious nature of Get Out and the feeling of getting a chance to figure out what is going on, then you will relish this movie.
It follows a group of people who at first believe that they are merely involved in some sort of game experiment, but soon realize that they have to navigate themselves through an array of deadly escape rooms.
The film stars Taylor Russell, Deborah Ann Woll, Logan Miller, Tyler Labine, and Nik Dodani, among others. The reviews were average; however, if you are looking for a horror that offers some level of thought, then you will enjoy this one. In the end, it was a box office success and turned its small $9 million budget into a boast-worthy $155.7 million.
16. Truth Or Dare
This 2018 film is a supernatural horror film, which Jeff Wadlow directed. The idea of body possession in Get Out is somewhat similar in this film. It follows a group of college students who play a game of truth and dare while on vacation in Mexico and details what unfolds thereafter.
They soon realize that their game has deadly consequences, and if they do not follow through with their assigned tasks, none of them will get out alive. It is gripping and downright creepy, but definitely, a must-see for anyone who enjoys a good horror.
The film stars Lucy Hale, Violette Beane, Tyler Posey, Hayden Szeto, and Landon Liboiron.
Like many other horrors, it did not fare well with the critics; however, its box office reflected otherwise as it managed to turn a $3 million budget into a return of $95.3 million.
17. Antebellum
This 2020 film is a horror thriller produced by the same people who brought you Get Out and Us, and was written and directed by Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz. It was their feature directorial debut. The production is similar to Get Out in that it also deals with the issues of race in a rather curious way.
The film follows an African-American woman who lives in the 21st century, but one day wakes up as a slave on a Southern slave plantation from which she needs to escape. How this is even possible is a mystery at first, but thankfully the answers are there for us at the end. It is a terrifying examination of history and shows the stark contrast of our past and present.
The film stars Janelle Monáe, Jena Malone, Eric Lange, Jack Huston, Gabourey Sidibe, and Kiersey Clemons. It did not sit very well with critics; however, audience members were more forgiving. It had a budget of $10 million and had a box office return of $6.9 million, but it was also made available on video on demand.
18. The Lodge
This psychological horror thriller was named as being a game-changer for such films. It was directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, and written by them and Sergio Casci. The general feel of the film is very eerie and gives the same unnerving sensation as Get Out and The Witch. The performances are exceptional, and the soundscape certainly plays a vital part, too.
The movie is about a soon-to-be stepmother who has an idea to go and stay in a secluded lodge with her fiancé’s two children. Unfortunately, they become stranded at the lodge during Christmas, where they experience almost paranormal events that appear to have a connection to her past.
The film has Riley Keough, Lia McHugh, Jaeden Martell, Richard Armitage, and Alicia Silverstone. It received a majority of positive reviews from critics, but due to its limited release only made a box office return of $3.2 million.
19. Hereditary
Hereditary is a psychological horror film, which you will either absolutely love or not enjoy at all as it is particularly stylized and different from what one may expect of the genre. Ari Aster directed it, and this was his directorial debut. The film, like Get Out, gives you small hints along the way as to what is going on, but only those who are paying close attention will catch on immediately.
The movie is set after a family loses their grandmother, and soon after that, their behavior begins to change, and a mysterious presence haunts them. It is unsettling and has you wondering what is going on most of the time, with all being revealed in the final act. Some may be fully satisfied with the culmination, while others perhaps not.
It stars Toni Collette, Milly Shapiro, Alex Wolff, and Gabriel Byrne. Critics hailed the film and the performances and, although audience members enjoyed it, for the most part, some felt otherwise. It did win multiple awards and made $80.2 million on a budget of $10 million.
20. A Cure For Wellness
This 2016 psychological horror is one that you will enjoy for various reasons, from the acting to the cinematographic styling. The film was directed by Gore Verbinski and was based on the novel The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann, published in 1924. The film, like Get Out, has a surface-level story, which we initially see, but there is much more at play.
The story follows a young executive who is tasked with finding and bringing back a colleague from a mysterious rehabilitation center situated in the Swiss Alps. All seems ordinary at first, but there is a definitive sensation of things being otherwise, and soon we begin to learn how unsettling the truth really is.
Starring in this movie are Dane DeHaan, Mia Goth, and Jason Isaacs. The film was praised for various elements, but received criticism for its potentially unnecessary length. Unfortunately, it only made back $28.6 million of its initial $40 million budget at the box office.
21. Flatliners
The initial sci-fi psychological horror was a 1990 version of this film, but Niels Arden Oplev directed the 2017 one. It is a stand-alone sequel to the original and is technically a remake as well. Like Get Out, it deals with a scenario that is plausible once we suspend our disbelief.
The film is about medical students who decide to conduct experiments where they have near-death experiences. The film deals with what it is potentially like between the now and the afterlife, and what happens once you toy with the in-between.
This film stars Elliot Page, Nina Dobrev, Diego Luna, Kiersey Clemons, and James Norton. Critics were not impressed with the film; however, the audience response differed, with most giving it great reviews. The $19 million budget saw a return of $45.2 million.
22. It Follows
It Follows is a supernatural horror film, released in 2014, written and directed by David Robert. The film does not follow the notion of possessing other bodies, but rather looks at a supernatural entity that follows one after a sexual encounter.
The movie is about a 19-year-old student, Jaime Height, who is followed by this mentioned entity after a sexual encounter. It could be said that the film is a metaphor for STDs, and whether true or not, the concept is rather frightening, and the only way to rid oneself of the pursuer is to pass it on to someone else.
The film stars Keir Gilchrist, Jake Weary, Daniel Zovatto, Olivia Luccardi, and Lili Sepe. It received outstanding reviews and was noted for being “smart, original and terrifying”. It had a micro-budget of $1.3 million and made a box office return of $23.3 million.
23. The Babadook
The Babadook is an Australian psychological horror released in 2014 and was written and directed by Jennifer Kent in her directorial debut. The film was based on Kent’s short film of 2005, called Monster. It has a similar feel to Get Out in that it is well-paced, and the buildup is truly unsettling. In this film, the monster is not a family of people but rather the dreaded Babadook.
Some people were not too thrilled by The Babadook, but this may be owed to the film’s marketing. It could be said that the monster is a metaphor for grief and how a woman who has lost a loved one handles it and how it ultimately leads to her coming undone. The performances from Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman, who plays her strange son, are exceptional.
The film also stars Daniel Henshall, Barbara West, Hayley McElhinney, and Ben Winspear. It was a critical success, but unfortunately only managed to make $10.3 million at the box office on its $2 million budget.
24. Misery
This 1990 psychological thriller directed by Rob Reiner and based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name, is much like Get Out as it is about a man who soon realizes that he is a prisoner of someone who at first seems to be completely pleasant.
The movie follows the story of an author heading home, after having spent time away to work on his new novel. Due purely to weather conditions, he is in an accident, and thankfully, a fan that is also a nurse discovers him and takes him home. All seems well until he realizes that she is obsessive and insane, forcing him to rewrite a book where he kills off the main character.
Starring in this, almost one location film, are James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth, Lauren Bacall, and Frances Sternhagen. The film received outstanding reviews, and the performances of the two leads were particularly noted. The budget of $20 million saw a return of $61.3 million at the box office.
25. Triangle
This 2009 psychological thriller will have you wracking your brain throughout the viewing. It is an intricate masterpiece directed by Christopher Smith. The film, like Get Out, leaves you contemplating what is going on and who you should be suspecting of the actions that unfold.
It is about a group of people on a boat, out at sea, when a large storm is seen approaching. Thankfully for them, though, a passing ship comes to their aid, but there seems to be nobody on the ship when they climb aboard. What ensues is a web of a plot that is only fully explained once you reach the end; however, there are clues ahead of time.
The film stars Melissa George, Michael Dorman, Rachel Carpani, Henry Nixon, and Liam Hemsworth. It was met with critical acclaim by critics and audience members alike; however, for some reason, it only made back $1.3 million at the box office from its $12 million budget.