Top 7 Horror Comedy Movies on Streaming Right Now
“It’s showtime!” To celebrate the release of Tim Burton’s sequel “Beatle Juice, Beatle Juice,” here are a bunch of fun horror comedies to get you in the Beetlejuice mood.
Grab your Beetlejuice popcorn bucket and settle in for the sequel to one of the greatest horror comedies of all time. From the eccentric mind of director Tim Burton comes “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” hitting theaters on Friday, Sept. 6. And to celebrate the return of Micheal Keaton in arguably his most iconic role ever, we’re here to countdown the top seven horror comedy movies on streaming right now. From truly scary to outright ridiculous, there’s a movie here for every horror-comedy taste.
So, without further ado, it’s showtime!
Top 7 Horror Comedy Movies On Streaming Right Now:
No. 7: Happy Death Day (2017) | Peacock
What happens when you combine a time-loop, “Groundhog Day”-style relive-the-same-day plot with murder? You get “Happy Death Day.” The film follows a college student who repeatedly relives the day of her murder, trying to uncover her killer and break the time loop, all while trying to figure out what the hell is going on. While the film is spookier than many on this list, its plot is fresh, the characters are full and funny, and it cleverly blends horror, dark comedy, and science fiction for a fun, twisty ride.
“Happy Death Day” carries a 70% score on Rotten Tomatoes and is directed by Christopher Landon and stars Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine, and Charles Aitken.
Happy Death Day
Caught in a bizarre and terrifying time warp, college student Tree finds herself repeatedly reliving the day of her murder, ultimately realizing that she must identify the killer and the reason for her death before her chances of survival run out.
No. 6: Renfield (2023) | Peacock
Behind every great vampire is a dedicated servant. In Dracula’s case, that servant is “Renfield.” Forced to capture his master’s food (e.g. humans) the long-suffering right-hand man to Nicholas Cage’s Dracula finally tries to break out on his own, only to fall in love with a perennially angry traffic cop, Rebecca Quincy. For a film packed with over-the-top violence including dismemberment, decapitations, and other equally bloody deaths, it’s a lot of fun, and offers a darkly comedic take on the Dracula myth.
“Renfield” boasts a 79% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is directed by Chris McKay and stars Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage, Awkwafina, and Ben Schwartz.
Renfield
Having grown sick and tired of his centuries as Dracula’s lackey, Renfield finds a new lease on life — and maybe even redemption — when he falls for feisty, perennially angry traffic cop Rebecca Quincy.
No. 5: The Blackening (2023) | Starz
Anyone who’s ever watched a horror movie knows it’s almost inevitably the person of color who dies first. Well, the characters in “The Blackening” who are trapped in a cabin with a killer are definitely aware of the trope. So, they must use all of their knowledge of horror movies to try and stay alive. This clever satire of both horror movie tropes and racial stereotypes combines real scares with a fresh perspective from director Tim Story (“Barbershop,” “Ride Along”).
“The Blackening” has an 87% score on Rotten Tomatoes and stars Grace Byers, Jermaine Fowler, Melvin Gregg, and X Mayo, with a script from Tracy Oliver and Dewayne Perkins.
The Blackening
Seven black friends go away for the weekend, only to find themselves trapped in a cabin with a killer who has a vendetta. They must pit their street smarts and knowledge of horror movies against the murderer to stay alive.
No. 4: Tremors (1990) | Peacock
One small desert town, thousands of underground worm-like creatures looking to eat everybody in it. What’s not to love? Kevin Bacon stars in this monster-horror-comedy mashup, as he and his friends battle Graboids from… well no one knows where they are from. What they do know is that these creatures sense vibrations in the ground and pull their victims underneath to eat them. This is probably the least scary of all of the movies on this list as a result of its age and premise, but if you’re looking for a classic in the genre, “Tremors” is it.
“Tremors” has an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes and stars Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Michael Gross, and Reba McEntire. Ron Underwood directed the cult classic film.
Tremors
Val McKee and Earl Bassett are in a fight for their lives when they discover that their desolate town has been infested with gigantic, man-eating creatures that live below the ground.
No. 3: Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010) | Peacock
“Tucker and Dale vs. Evil” originally premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, before going on to gross just over $5 million worldwide (right around its budget) in 2010. While its start was relatively slow, this sharp-witted “hillbilly horror” that follows Tucker and Dale — two harmless and kindhearted guys — who are mistaken for killers by a group of college kids, is now solidly in cult-classic territory. Much of its success is due to the great performances from Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine in the title roles. The characters bring a lovely balance of humor and heart as the film’s body count climbs.
“Tucker and Dale vs. Evil” has a rock-solid 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes and was directed by Eli Craig. Joining Tudyk and Labine in the cast are Katrina Bowden and Jesse Moss.
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
Two hillbillies are suspected of being killers by a group of paranoid college kids camping near the duo’s West Virginian cabin. As the body count climbs, so does the fear and confusion as the college kids try to seek revenge against the pair.
2. Shaun of the Dead (2004) | Peacock
It’s the laziest man in the world vs. millions of zombies in one of the best horror comedies ever made: “Shaun of the Dead.” Simon Pegg’s Shaun is the original dead-beat protagonist before Seth Rogan came along and made the character type famous in all of Judd Apatow’s movies. The film is just as funny, gory, and heartwarming 20 years later as it was the day of its release — with real scares to boot. If you’re looking for a time-tested, can’t-miss horror-comedy, check out “Shaun of the Dead.”
Directed by Edgar Wright and stars Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, and Lucy Davis, “Shaun of the Dead” has an impressive 92% Rotten Tomatoes score.
Shaun of the Dead
Shaun lives a supremely uneventful life, which revolves around his girlfriend, his mother, and, above all, his local pub. This gentle routine is threatened when the dead return to life and make strenuous attempts to snack on ordinary Londoners.
1. Beetlejuice (1988) | Max
Was there ever any question? It’s hard to overstate the impact of Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice.” Not only did it solidify Burton’s one-of-a-kind visual style that gave him the green light to direct Batman one year later, with Edward Scissorhands to follow in 1990, but the movie was a phenomenon influencing pop-culture, fashion, and Halloween for decades to come.
On a budget of $15 million, the film — which follows a recently deceased couple who hire the mischievous spirit Beetlejuice to scare away the new living occupants of their home — grossed just under $75 million worldwide in its initial release and has been a hit ever since. If you’re looking for the definitive horror-comedy, this is it. That is until we see what “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” has to say on the matter.
“Beetlejuice” rocks a 82% Rotten Tomatoes score and stars Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara.
Bonus: What We Do in the Shadows (2014) - Rent It on Prime Video Because It’s Awesome
Before “What We Do in the Shadows” was a hit TV show for FX, it was a little underground docu-style vampire movie. It follows a group of vampire roommates in New Zealand as they navigate modern life, love, and rivalries, all while trying to stay out of the sunlight. Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi wrote, directed, and starred in the $1.6 million budget movie, and while it went on to gross $7.4 million worldwide, the doors it opened for these two creators outside of New Zealand have been even more impressive.
While Clement was already somewhat known in the U.S. for his HBO show, “Flight of the Conchords,” the vampire comedy “What We Do In The Shadows” proved his improvisational style and offbeat humor worked outside of TV. And for Waititi, it was the beginning of his path towards directing major Hollywood movies like “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Jojo Rabbit.” It’s an absolute classic of the genre, even if more people have watched the TV show (which is excellent) than seen the film.
“What We Do In The Shadows” boasts a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score. It’s directed by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi and stars Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Jonathan Brugh, and Rhys Darby.
You can rent “What We Do In The Shadows” on Prime Video starting at $2.69.
What We Do in the Shadows
Vampire housemates try to cope with the complexities of modern life and show a newly turned hipster some of the perks of being undead.