20 Best Fourth of July Horror Movies

20. ‘Dark Skies’ (2013)

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‘Dark Skies,’ a basically fine-enough Blumhouse horror film starring Keri Russell and Josh Hamilton as parents of two who are forced to protect their son from an aliens seeking to kidnap him, isn’t a Fourth of July movie for the majority of its runtime. But the entire climax takes place on the holiday, as the couple boards up the windows and front doors of the house to keep the intruders out. The irony of trapping themselves during Independence Day is one that the film doesn’t need to underline to be effective, and the film goes for a more eerie, cold take on the alien invasion genre to set itself apart from, uh, ‘Independence Day.’ Even if the film’s connection to the fourth feels mostly slim, the scene before the Greys attack where the family basks in the glow of their TV watching fireworks proves a bright spot in the terror. —WC
19. ‘The Blob’ (1958)

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Irvin Yeaworth’s ‘The Blob’ has nothing explicitly to do with Independence Day, but the B-movie classic is so Americana that it feels apt for this list. While the central creature — a globule amoeba from outer space who consumes living beings to grow in size and power — is deeply alien, the place it crash lands in — a small Pennsylvania town filled with movie theaters, lover’s lanes, and retro diners — will prove deeply familiar to anyone who even understands the concept of America. Fun fact: the campy classic had such a big impact on its shooting location Phoenixville that they hold an annual ‘Blobfest’ in July, complete with a traditional reenactment of the film’s iconic central movie theater scene. —WC
18. ‘Prey’ (2022)

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‘Prey’ is set about 70 years before the Declaration of Independence was even signed, but it’s just as American as any film on this list. Mainly because it’s the only one, and one of a scant few mainstream horror films in general, to focus on Indigenous Americans, focusing on a Comanche tribe residing on the Great Plains who make first contact with the Predator alien. Naru (played by a great Amber Midthunder) is the only hope against stopping the alien from killing her family, and what ensues is a cat-and-mouse storyline that easily surpasses every ‘Predator’ movie that isn’t the original. Dan Trachtenberg’s film is highly respectful to the Indigenous culture it’s representing, and is just so fun that it makes a perfect watch for any major holiday. —WC
17. ‘Serial Mom’ (1994)

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Another film that isn’t set on the 4th of July but has the perfect vibes for the holiday, ‘Serial Mom’ is one of those ‘dark sides of American suburbia’ films that can sometimes seem a dime a dozen. Of course, it’s a lot more fun and interesting when it’s coming from the king of Camp John Waters, who brings his signature wit and satire to the ‘SNL’ sketch-esque premise of an ordinary suburban mother with a lust for murder. Better yet, the film has Kathleen Turner as the titular Beverly Sutphin, a classic suburban homemaker who flies into a rage at the mildest slight and faux pas thrown her way. The film’s bright, cheery world is as American as apple pie, and therefore a perfect July 4th watch — even if it’s possibly an even better Labor Day movie (you’ll know why when you see it). —WC
16. ‘The Witch’ (2015)

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A truly American horror tale, Robert Eggers’ directorial debut takes inspiration from a particularly dark moment in the country’s history to spin a demonic fable about a family being torn apart at their seams. Set about 60 years before the Salem Witchcraft Trials, ‘The Witch’ nonetheless situates its drama, about a farming clan who come into conflict when the youngest child vanishes and teen daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) is accused of witchcraft, in Puritan New England fashion and culture, making for a film that will give anyone who was in their high school production of ‘The Crucible’ war flashbacks. Some might question the taste of witches and devil worship ending up real in the film, but the bread and butter of the movie — the paranoia and religious fear that courses through the farm and brings the characters to ruin — captures the essence of what made the Witch Trials so horrifying. It’s not exactly the most patriotic film on this list, but if you want a thematically appropriate horror flick to scare you this holiday, look no further. —WC
15. “Assassination Nation” (2018)

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Before Sam Levinson was traumatizing the HBO-subscribed massses with “The Idol,” the writer-director caused a stir at Sundance 2018 with “Assassination Nation”: a Purge-adjacent satire about a small American town ripped apart by a data leak — with particularly disastrous consequenes for high schooler Lily (Odessa Young). The uneven disaster flick isn’t technically set on the Fourth of July, but Levinson grounds his script in Americans’ most backwards values and makes feverish use of red, white, and blue to create the film’s undeniably striking aeshetic. With Young and her three thinly-written co-leads (among them, a sparkling early-career Hari Nef) in cherry-red trench coats, this film looks and feels like a “Euphoria” precursor best enjoyed when school is out of session. Heck, it’s even got fireworks.
14. “Frogs” (1972)

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Though it takes place on the Fourth of July, “Frogs” isn’t searing satire; just goofy fun. Like “The Bay” and “Jaws,” George McCowan’s 1972 creature feature tries to say something about humanity’s mistreatment of Earth, and the especially American logic behind that entitlement. But ultimately, all it achieves is a laugh-out-loud wildlife adventure gone wrong that’s as entertaining as it is bewildering. Come for the promise of antagonistic amphibians, snakes, lizards, spiders, alligators, and more. Stay for a young Sam Elliott and Ray Milland overacting to their hearts’ content.
13. “Into the Dark: The Current Occupant” (2020)

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Hulu’s holiday-themed horror anthology “Into the Dark” boasts two Independence Day specials and both rank on this list. Julius Ramsay’s “The Current Occupant” follows Henry (Barry Watson), a man who suspects he may be the President of the United States. Staffers at the psychiatric asylum where Henry is being held disagree. So, as he plots his escape, a nerve-wracking “Twilight Zone”-like study of his sanity begins. “Is this guy really the president?” makes for a decent dramatic question. But the most memorable beat is the movie’s gut-wrenching homage to the (literally) eye-opening torture scene from “A Clockwork Orange.”
12. “2001 Maniacs” (2005)

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Inspired by Herschell Gordon Lewis’ “Two Thousand Maniacs” (1964), Tim Sullivan’s 2005 hicksploitation flick follows six spring breakers on their way to Daytona Beach when a Georgia detour routes them through hell on Earth. Mayor George W. Buckman (Robert Englund) rallies the antagonists, a gaggle of southerners with a warped sense of hospitality. They’re responsible for the town’s “Guts and Glory Jubilee,” an annual event that ends about as well for our hapless heroes as you’d guess. Equal parts gore and kitsch, “2001 Maniacs” features some of the most brutal kills on this list and stands a decent chance at ruining your taste for barbecue. Never fear; the last-act twist will be worth it.
11. “The Bay” (2012)

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“Jaws” remains the titan of watery summer scares, but Barry Levinson’s “The Bay” will make your skin crawl in ways no shark ever could. In this freaky found footage outing, a small Maryland fishing town must confront an invasive threat in the Chesapeake Bay. Kether Donohue stars as a local reporter covering the holiday festivities when the more pressing (and petrifying) story starts to unfold. Not unlike police chief Martin Brody in “Jaws,” the intrepid journalist faces officials trying to shut her up. That’s why she needs you to see the evidence.
10. “Uncle Sam” (1996)

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At a glance, William Lustig’s “Uncle Sam” is a goofy slasher about a serial killer in striped slacks and a star-spangled top hat. But look deeper and you’ll discover a delightfully inexplicable enigma of holiday horror that’s sure to leave you asking, “What is happening?” and “Why?” in the most amused way. Yes, there’s a murderer dressed up as America’s most iconic job recruiter. But there’s also some totally unexplained zombie magic, increasingly intense monologues about the merits of war, and a kid who may or may not get psychic powers from a firework exploding in his face. Enjoy!
9. “Final Destination 3” (2006)

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Strictly speaking, “Final Destination 3” has nothing to do with the Fourth of July. But the second sequel in James Wong’s death-hunts-you horror franchise does hinge on something called the McKinley Tri-Centennial, and you’ll find that’s close enough. Celebrating 300 years since the founding of a fictitious Pennsylvania town, the summer event results in one of the series’ better last acts. Not only does it feature a spectacularly scary fireworks sequence, but it’s got an incident with a dude on a horse you’ll feel in your spine. Plus, Wendy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Kevin (Ryan Merriman) are the franchise’s best protagonists (even if they totally could’ve seen that nail gun thing coming).
8. “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (1997)

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Set across two Fourth of July holidays, Jim Gillespie’s iconic nautical thriller of the ’90s is one of the better road safety allegories out there. Not only is it campy fun, but its central message — that you shouldn’t mow down a pedestrian and leave them for dead — unironically holds up. Enjoy Jennifer Love Hewitt in the scream queen part she was born to play, complete with over-the-top blocking and some of the more pathetic running sequences in cinema. Then, bask in Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr., now married, meeting for the first time through parts that let them cutely snipe while fighting for their lives. Finally, revel in some dude in a raincoat with a freakin’ hook for a hand enacting his revenge. He doesn’t just want to kill his victims. He wants to get in their heads.
7. “Into the Dark: Culture Shock” (2019)

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Another outing from Hulu’s “Into the Dark” horror anthology, Gigi Saul Guerrero’s “Culture Shock” takes aim at the Mexico-United States border crisis via a bilingual nail-biter you won’t soon forget. This twisty and terrifying saga follows Marisol (Martha Higareda), an undocumented pregnant woman attempting to cross the border for the second time. What begins as an excruciating and grounded dramatization of a real-world horror gives way to an eerily ethereal reflection on the so-called American Dream. Higareda delivers a powerhouse performance as Marisol. Shawn Ashmore, Barbara Crampton, and Creed Bratton impress equally in roles better left unspoiled.
6. “Cape Fear” (1991)

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Categorizing Martin Scorsese’s “Cape Fear” as an outright horror title would feel like more of a stretch if Robert De Niro wasn’t so indisputably scary in it. Based on John D. MacDonald’s 1957 novel “The Executioners,” this Academy Award-nominated psychological thriller traces the revenge plot of a recently released inmate (De Niro) looking to settle a score with his former attorney (Nick Nolte). Jessica Lange and Juliette Lewis play the lawyer’s wife and daughter respectively, caught in the conflict’s crosshairs on, you guessed it, the Fourth of July.
5. “The Purge” (2013)

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Of the five Purge films, the original remains the most unnerving and effective use of James DeMonaco’s ingenious horror concept to date. Ethan Hawke plays James, a suburban security salesman who makes his nut on protecting the middle class during the one night a year when all crime, including murder, is legal. But when the purge manages to threaten James and his family, even inside their heavily guarded home, they must undertake a harrowing fight to reach daylight. Yes, “The Purge: Election Year” boasts the most visually patriotic bells and whistles, including the menacing neon Lady Liberty from its very festive posters. But the inaugural 2013 purge still gives DeMonaco’s cynical concept the best bite.
4. “Independence Day” (1996)

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When a strange interstellar object on a collision course with Earth mysteriously starts to slow down, the alien invasion of “Independence Day” begins. Starring Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, and more, this staple of ’90s sci-fi imagines the American response to an extraterrestrial threat arriving just in time for Fourth of July fireworks. Director Roland Emmerich, who co-wrote “Independence Day” with Dean Devlin, has since become a disaster movie specialist with “The Patriot,” “The Day After Tomorrow,” “White House Down,” and “Moonfall” among others.
3. “Get Out” (2017)

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“Get Out” might not seem like the most obvious choice for a Fourth of July horror list, but there’s a reason Jordan Peele set his tale of a white woman (Allison Williams) bringing home her Black boyfriend (Daniel Kaluuya) to meet her parents (Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford) and brother (Caleb Landry Jones) when he did. The 2017 Best Picture nominee — which hinges on an annual summer get-together mainly attended by affluent white people, even more insidious than it seems — could’ve just as easily played out against Thanksgiving or Christmas. But Peele’s satire is significantly sharpened by the Armitages’ Americana-heavy cookout: a manicured green lawn, complete with U.S. flags, and antiquated straw hats perfectly punctuating a needle-scratch moment in horror history rooted in a country still-too-meager reckoning.
2. “Blow Out” (1981)

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Brian De Palma outdid himself in “Blow Out,” a darkly brilliant thriller interwoven with enough genre send-ups to almost call it a horror comedy essential. Starring John Travolta as Jack, “Blow Out” follows an audio engineer who uncovers an assassination plot while editing the sound for a new slasher. De Palma’s primary influence for the film is Michelangelo Antonioni’s “Blow-Up” (1966), the plot of which directly inspired the government conspiracy Jack unravels. But visually, it’s Alfred Hitchcock through and through, with De Palma and cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond delivering stunning deep focus shots cheekily evocative of “Psycho.” This includes a gorgeous moment with Travolta and co-star Nancy Allen against a backdrop of fireworks, as dazzling as it is dystopian. Brace yourself for the ending on this one.
1. “Jaws” (1975)

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There’s simply no better choice than “Jaws” for the Fourth of July. The third feature film from Steven Spielberg remains an all-time example of how to build tension — with a blood-curdling score, unbelievably effective antagonist, and a trio of main characters you’ll actually like. “Jaws” is quintessential suspense excellence and employs good use of its Independence Day setting, using it to slyly lambast the ineptitude of government in times of crisis. Plus, Roy Schneider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss offer timelessly exquisite performances, oozing with onscreen chemistry. Even if you’ve seen “Jaws” before, there’s definitely joy to be found in revisiting Amity Island. But, be warned: “This is not a boat accident. And it wasn’t any propeller, and it wasn’t any coral reef, and it wasn’t any Jack the Ripper. It was a shark.“

The Best Fourth of July Horror Movies, from ‘Cape Fear’ and ‘Jaws’ to ‘Assassination Nation’ and ‘2001 Maniacs’

20. ‘Dark Skies’ (2013)

19. ‘The Blob’ (1958)

18. ‘Prey’ (2022)

17. ‘Serial Mom’ (1994)

16. ‘The Witch’ (2015)

15. “Assassination Nation” (2018)

14. “Frogs” (1972)

13. “Into the Dark: The Current Occupant” (2020)

12. “2001 Maniacs” (2005)

11. “The Bay” (2012)

10. “Uncle Sam” (1996)

9. “Final Destination 3” (2006)

8. “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (1997)

7. “Into the Dark: Culture Shock” (2019)

6. “Cape Fear” (1991)

5. “The Purge” (2013)

4. “Independence Day” (1996)

3. “Get Out” (2017)

2. “Blow Out” (1981)

1. “Jaws” (1975)

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