Vampires can be sexy, scary, iconic and horrific. It’s thus unsurprising that vampire films have delighted and shocked audiences for over 100 years. Vampire films come from many genres: romance, horror, sci-fi, comedy and even drama. While some of the best vampire movies walk the line of being so bad, they are good (and, yes, Twilight is on this list), others are just well-made, beautiful films that look at death, immortality and often lust. Vampire folklore dates back for centuries. However, early folklore frequently intertwines vampires with witches and demons. Much of modern vampire lore comes from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula, but it isn’t the earliest 1800s vampire novel. Dracula is pre-dated Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s 1872 novel Carmilla and the 1819 short story, The Vampyre by John Polidori (which was adapted from a scary story contest between Polidori, Lord Byron and friend Mary Shelley—the same contest also led to Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus). Since then, the vampire genre has been a mainstay of media, and these films represent the best cinematic entries into the genre.

Top Vampire Movies

The top-grossing vampire film doesn’t rank on this list. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2 is the highest-grossing vampire film, whether or not it is adjusted for inflation. It is only one of two vampire movies to gross over $1 billion (the other is another Twilight film, The Twilight Saga: New Moon.)

Very few vampire films have won or even been nominated for Oscars. However, many have received film festival prizes, horror film awards and even international acclaim. While this list considers the historical significance and overall quality of the films, it also includes some films for their pure entertainment value.

30. Queen of the Damned (2002)

Queen of the Damned demands to be watched in a “so-bad-it’s-good” way. However, for fans of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles or campy horror more generally, Queen of the Damned is almost a must-watch of the genre. The acting is wildly inconsistent, the pacing is bizarre, and the nu-metal soundtrack feels insanely dated. However, all of that makes it a bit of a car crash that is impossible to look away from.

The film is based on the third book of Anne Rice’s vampire series of the same name. It follows the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt as he becomes the frontman of a nu-metal band, which angers his ancestral queen. The film stars Stuart Townsend and Aaliyah. It is available to rent here.

29. Vamps (2012)

Vamps is not a great film by any means, but there is something weirdly fascinating about it, especially as a vampire movie. It’s a comedy about two best friends who are vampires and live in New York City. One is centuries old and lies about her age, and the other is forty; however, they have a fairly uncomplicated friendship and bond. Female friendship isn’t explored in most vampire media, and furthermore, in the film, it is used as a tether to goodness.

Vamps feels a little out of place in the vampire genre, but at the same time, the movie has a lot of reverence for the genre. It is filled references and even clips from films like 1922’s Nosferatu. Written and directed by Amy Heckerling, Vamps stars Alicia Silverstone, Krysten Ritter, Dan Stevens, Wallace Shawn, Justin Kirk, Kristen Johnston, Malcolm McDowell and Sigourney Weaver. Vamps feels like it should have a cult following; however, unfortunately, it doesn’t really seem to have one. It is available to stream here.

28. Black Sunday (1960)

Italian Horror films aren’t for everyone, but if interested, Black Sunday is arguably the best Italian vampire film. From director Mario Bravo, Black Sunday follows a vampiric witch who returns after being executed by her brother to exact revenge.

The film stars Barbara Steele, John Richardson, Andrea Checchi, Ivo Garrani, Arturo Dominici and Enrico Olivieri. While it opened to negative reviews in Italy, it received good reviews internationally and has been largely reassessed. The film was hugely influential on Italian horror, and its imagery has been referenced in many other 1960s movies and in films like Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow. It is available to stream here.

27. Mr. Vampire (1985)

Mr. Vampire is a comedy horror film from Hong Kong. Directed by Ricky Lau, the film follows a group of citizens who must fight jiangshi (an undead monster from Chinese folklore similar to zombies and vampires). The movie includes some great jiangshi lore, including fighting them by holding your breath and having Congealed rice.

Mr. Vampire stars Ricky Hui, Moon Lee, Chin Siu-ho, Lam Ching-ying and Billy Lau. The film started a small vampire craze in Taiwan and Japan, leading to a boom in Hong Kong jiangshi films, including several sequels. It is a really fun movie that can break up the gothic horror and Dracula retellings popular in Western vampire canon. It is available to rent here.

26. Slay (2024)

Slay is a camp and purposely silly vampire film. This won’t be for everyone, but it will be enjoyable for (especially queer) fans of horror-comedies, B-movies and Grindhouse antics. From director Jem Garrard, Slay follows a group of drag queens who accidentally find themselves performing at a dive bar filled with vampires.

The film feels a little like From Dusk Till Dawn meets The Birdcage in a John Waters way. However, it all weirdly works. Notably, the film stars professional drag queens instead of professional actors. Slay stars Trinity the Tuck, Heidi N Closet, Crystal Methyd and Cara Melle. Unfortunately, it is currently not available on streaming.

25. Dracula’s Daughter (1936)

The sequel to 1931’s Dracula, Dracula’s Daughter, is a classic monster movie in its own right. The film follows Dracula’s daughter after the death of the count. While she wants to live outside her father’s influence, she is pulled back to Transylvania.

Directed by Lambert Hillyer, the film stars Gloria Holden, Otto Kruger and Marguerite Churchill. While the film was reportedly based on Bram Stoker’s 1914 short story (and deleted chapter of the original novel), “Dracula’s Guest,” it shares nothing with it. Instead, it seems far closer to the novella Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. The film is a little slow-moving, but Holden’s performance carries the film well. It is available to rent here.

24. Kiss of the Vampire (1968)

Kiss of the Vampire is a bit of a cult favorite. It is one of many gothic horror films from Hammer Studios in England. The film follows a young couple honeymooning in 1910’s Bavaria. There, they encounter a village and a frightful castle outside of it.

Directed by Don Sharp, the film stars Edward de Souza and Jennifer Daniel. Kiss of the Vampire was initially set to be a part of Hammer’s Dracula series (which also includes 1958’s Dracula with Christopher Lee and 1960’s The Brides of Dracula with Peter Cushing—iconic vampire films in their own right.) However, the final script doesn’t connect to the first two films. It is available to stream here.

23. Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

Directed by Jim Jarmusch, Only Lovers Left Alive is an introspective vampire film about the nature of love and death. The film follows a pair of vampires who have been married for centuries but are now living apart until one of them thinks of killing himself after lifetimes of influencing art and culture.

The film stars Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska, Anton Yelchin, Jeffrey Wright, Slimane Dazi and John Hurt. It’s beautiful, contemplative and jaded; however, not everyone will be looking for that from a vampire movie. In many ways, it doesn’t matter that they are vampires, only that they are old souls. The real reason to watch this film is because of the powerhouse performances by Swinton and Hiddleston. It is available to rent here.

22. Twilight (2008)

This may be a controversial inclusion. Twilight got a lot of hate when it came out. While some of that may be from how we see media aimed at teenage girls, Twilight is also arguably just a bad film. The acting is strange, and the dialogue, while often taken from the book it is based on, is robotic (Really? “Hold on tight, Spider Monkey”?).

Twilight, however, is also a deeply beloved film. There is a “so-bad-it’s-good” quality to all of the films in the five-film franchise (except the second movie, New Moon, which is just kind of bad.) These films are made to be watched with friends, at sleepovers or with drinking games, but there is something wonderful about that. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke, Twilight follows a girl who falls in love with a vampire. It stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke, Cam Gigandet, Taylor Lautner and Anna Kendrick, who famously “forgot” that she was in the film. It is available to stream here.

21. From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

From Dusk Till Dawn has everything that a Robert Rodriguez directed movie should have (maybe apart from Spy Kids): sex, violence, Mexico, a bit of a B-movie feel and Salma Hayek. The film follows two bank robbers and their hostages who try to hide out at a truck stop only to find that it is overrun by vampires.

The film stars Harvey Keitel, George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino (who also wrote the screenplay), Juliette Lewis, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo and Hayek. The film was controversial since Rodriquez used a non-union crew and it opened to mixed reviews. However, it has become a favorite with the B-horror crowd. The film earned Clooney a Saturn Award for Best Actor and Tarantino a Razzie nomination for Worst Actor. It is available to rent here.

20. Interview With A Vampire (1994)

Interview With A Vampire is one of several vampire movies that is eclipsed by a TV version of the material. This isn’t a list of TV shows, but if you enjoy vampire media and Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles, the TV show Interview With A Vampire is a must-watch (and is a much more interesting adaption of the story).

The film version of Interview With A Vampire follows a vampire who tells his story to a reporter in 1990s San Francisco. Through this interview, the audience learns about his life with another vampire in the 1790s in Louisiana and their labored attempts to create a family. While it was nominated for two Oscars, the film received mixed reviews. The film feels like it lacks depth and is almost too sanitized (especially regarding LGBTQ themes). Directed by Neil Jordan, Interview With A Vampire stars Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Stephen Rea, Antonio Banderas, Christian Slater and Kirsten Dunst. It was available to rent here.

19. What We Do In Shadows (2014)

Another film that have been overshadowed by a TV show that came after it, What We Do In Shadows, is a mockumentary horror comedy from New Zealand. While the show with the same name (developed from the film) is better than the film, the two are closer in quality than Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Interview With A Vampire.

Co-written and co-directed by Jermaine Clement and Taika Waitit, the film follows three vampire roommates and the documentary crew documenting their struggles with modern life. It stars Clement, Waititi, Jonathan Brugh, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, Stu Rutherford and Rhys Darby. What We Do In Shadows is based on a 2005 short film called What We Do in the Shadows: Interviews with Some Vampires. The film, short and show are all very funny and inventive for the genre. The film version is available to rent here.

18. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

Bram Stoker’s Dracula is one of numerous takes on the classic novel. This version is a lush, star-studded and detailed retelling. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the film stars Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins and Keanu Reeves.

The film was nominated for four Oscars for its production and design and won three. It is currently the only vampire film to win an Academy Award (though others have been nominated). The film was also a box office and critical success. However, many have questioned the casting of Reeves, who was out-acted by his co-stars. Ryder shared in later interviews that she and Reeves still call each other “husband and wife” over text because they were married in the film by a real Romanian priest, technically making them married in the church. It is available to rent here.

17. Near Dark (1987)

Kathryn Bigelow’s Near Dark is a western about a cowboy who falls for a vampire and must decide whether to join her bloodthirsty gang. The film stars Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen and Jenette Goldstein.

While Near Dark came out during a 1980s vampire media boom, it was hard to secure funding or audiences for a Western, and the film performed poorly at the box office. However, it has taken on a cult following. The film has a lot of great imagery and will delight fans of vampire, biker and Western movies. Unfortunately, it is currently not on streaming.

16. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is the first of several horror-comedy vehicles starring the duo for Universal Pictures. Directed by Charles Barton, the film follows baggage handler characters, played by Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, as they accidentally deliver luggage to a museum occupied by some of Universal’s classic horror monsters.

The film features early horror icons such as Lon Chaney Jr., Jane Randolph and Bela Lugosi reprising his role as Dracula. There is something wonderful in Lugosi adapting his classic character for a parody film. While the film opened to positive reviews, not everyone was a fan. Chaney Jr. said of it, “[I] used to enjoy horror films when there was thought and sympathy involved. Then, they became comedies. Abbott and Costello ruined the horror films: they made buffoons out of the monsters.” However, the film was beloved by many. It led to several other Abbott and Costello monster comedies and was selected for preservation at the Library of Congress in 2001. It was available to rent here.

15. Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (2023)

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person follows a young vampire whose childhood trauma has stopped her from hunting. However, after she meets a teenager with suicidal ideations, she decides to help him fulfill his dying wish.

The film is a new take on vampire teen romances. While it has some dark comedy, it is really a humanist film. Directed by Ariane Louis-Seize, the French-Canadian film stars Sara Montpetit, Félix-Antoine Bénard, Steve Laplante and Sophie Cadieux. It was a favorite on the film fest circuit and went on to win Best Original Screenplay at the Canadian Screen Awards. It is available to stream here.

14. Martin (1977)

While George A. Romero is more synonymous with zombie movies, his “vampire” film, Martin, is the type of gory social commentary that he is known for. Arguably, Martin maybe shouldn’t count as a vampire film, since it is about a serial killer. The film follows a young man convinced he is a vampire. Even without fangs or powers, he stalks and murders women to drink their blood, but after moving to Pennsylvania, he considers reforming.

Martin comes with content warnings for suicide, rape and murder. However, it often feels almost like an art film mixed with a comic book. The film was also Romero’s favorite of his own filmography. It’s more emotional than some of his other works, but that adds a new level of depth to the horror icon. Dario Argento edited the film for the European market (much like he had for Night of the Living Dead), dubbed it in Italian and released it as 1978’s Wampyr. It is unfortunately not on streaming.

13. Abigail (2024)

If you haven’t seen the trailer for Abigail or haven’t already heard about it, watch it before reading this entry. Even its inclusion on this list feels like a bit of a spoiler warning (however, it was also unfortunately spoiled in the trailer for the film). Abigail follows a team that kidnaps a young girl; however, their plans to ransom her are derailed when they learn that something in the house isn’t human.

The film stars Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Giancarlo Esposito and Angus Cloud (one of two films released posthumously after his tragic death in 2023). Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, Abigail combines horror, comedy, and heist genres to be a tight and witty vampire film. It is available to stream here.

12. The Lost Boys (1987)

The Lost Boys just screams 1980s. The film follows two teenage brothers who move to California, only for one of them to fall in with a local gang of vampires. Directed by Joel Schumacher, the film stars Corey Feldman, Jami Gertz, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland and Dianne Wiest.

It is an influential work in the vampire genre and is credited with infusing the genre with youthful sex appeal, leading to a boom in teen vampire media. It is campy and, most importantly, fun. It is available to rent here.

11. The Carmilla Movie (2017)

The Carmilla Movie is based on The 2014-2016 Carmilla web series and the 1872 Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu novel of the same name. Directed by Spencer Maybee, the film picks up five years after the events of the webseries and follows Carmilla and Laura as an old flame threatens Carmilla’s newfound humanity. The Carmilla Movie stars Elise Bauman and Natasha Negovanlis.

While lesbian (or implied lesbian) vampire films are nothing new, The Carmilla Movie takes it in a new direction. It defies archetypes used in earlier films like Rebecca or The Hunger and the gothic horror tropes that spawned them. For those unfamiliar with the early British-lesbian novel of Carmilla, it may be worth watching the web-series or the unrelated 2019 film Carmilla before watching The Carmilla Movie. It is currently streaming here.

10. Vampyr (1932)

Danish film master Carl Theodor Dreyer’s Vampyr is a gothic German horror and his first non-silent film. The film follows a lodger who is drawn to a mysterious castle by shadows. The film stars Julian West, Maurice Schutz, Rena Mandel and Sybille Schmitz.

While the film is a “talkie,” much of the story occurs through title cards, which gives it an almost silent feel. Vampyr was shot entirely on location and in soft focus, giving it a strange, dream-like feel. The film initially received poor reviews, and early audiences even booed it. However, it has been reassessed and is considered an essential film in the history of horror cinema. The film is available here.

9. Cronos (1993)

Cronos is a Mexican independent horror film and Guillermo del Toro’s feature directorial debut. The film follows a man who is given immortal life by an ancient cyborg scarab; however, it also gives him a craving for blood. The film stars Federico Luppi and Ron Perlman.

Cronos is a different kind of vampire film. It establishes its own lore but has the feel of a great vampiric horror. Critics immediately praised the film, which won the grand prize in the Critics’ Week at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival and nine Mexican Academy Awards, including best picture and director. It is available here.

8. A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014)

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night is a Persian Western vampire film by Ana Lily Amirpour. The film follows a young vampire who preys on men who disrespect women. It feels like a Spaghetti Western meets a German Expressionist horror in a feminist way. That might sound odd (and maybe it is); however, it all works.

The film stars Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Mozhan Marnò, Dominic Rains and Marshall Manesh. It was selected to screen at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival’s Next Program and has since become somewhat of a cult classic, especially among vampire fans. It is available for rent here.

7. Blade II (2002)

All three movies in the Blade trilogy have a dedicated fan base, but arguably, Blade II is the best. The film follows the titular Blade, a half-human/half-vampire hybrid, who has to pause his vampire hunting to team up with them to stop a new monstrous enemy.

Based on the Blade comic books, the first Blade film was also Marvel’s first successful movie. Blade II followed that success with a strong box office (and mixed reviews). Directed by Guillermo del Toro, the film stars Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson and Ron Perlman. It is an action horror film that knows exactly what it wants to be and delivers on it. It is available here.

6. Nosferatu (2024)

Nosferatu is based on the 1922 film of the same name. However, it also adds elements of Dracula (both the novel, which 1922’s Nosferatu was also loosely based on, and multiple movie versions of the count character). The film follows the familiar story of a Transylvanian count who leaves his castle to bring death to a city and goes after the beautiful Ellen (or Mina in Dracula). Written and directed by Robert Eggers, the film stars Lily-Rose Depp, Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin and Willem Dafoe.

There are a couple of additions to this version of Nosferatu that really work. It adds more to the Ellen/Mina character and her relationship with Count Orlok. It is also very overly sexual. While the vampire genre often has themes of sexual desire baked into it, this film takes it to an almost comical point. While made 100 years after the German expressionist period, many of the best visuals feel like a love letter not only to 1922’s Nosferatu but to other silent German expressionist films like The Cabinet of Dr. Calagari and Faust. However, the film also has some slight missteps. Depp’s acting is odd at times. It is possible this was done as a purposeful choice to mirror silent-era acting styles, but it doesn’t always work. The original Nosferatu also has been critiqued for anti-Semitic imagery, and this film, at moments, feels like it doubles down on that imagery without having anything to say about it. It is available to rent here.

5. Nosferatu (1922)

There are three versions of Nosferatu, and they are all good. However, if you are interested in vampire media, the original is a must-watch. While silent films can be a hard sell for modern audiences, Nosferatu is a German Expressionist horror masterpiece by director F.W. Murnau.

Sometimes also called Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, the film is an unofficial retelling of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula. While the film has some differences from the novel, Stoker’s widow sued and a judge ruled that all copies of the film be destroyed. While most copies were destroyed, a couple of international prints survived and a lengthy restoration process was carried out to save the vampire classic. The film stars Max Schreck, Gustav von Wangenheim and Greta Schröder. Nosferatu remains a cult and horror classic. It is available here.

4. Let The Right One In (2008)

Let The Right One In is a Swedish horror film that follows a young boy who befriends a girl with a secret in the 1980s. Directed by Tomas Alfredson, the film stars Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar, Ika Nord and Peter Carlberg. The film is based on the novel of the same name by John Ajvide Lindqvist (who also wrote the screenplay).

The film was named the No. 1 horror film of the 2000s by Bloody Disgusting. There is an American remake of the film (2010’s Let Me In,) which is also good. However, the Swedish original is better. The film is visually rich and emotionally deep without sacrificing its horror roots. It is available to stream on multiple platforms including free on Kanopy.

3. Ganja & Hess (1973)

While Ganja & Hess comes from the Blacklua-era of Blacksploitation films, it feels like a different kind of Black vampire film. The cult hit follows an anthropologist who becomes a vampire after being stabbed by a dagger.

Some viewers will know the film as Blood Couple. Ganja & Hess was the only U.S. film selected for the 1973 Cannes Film Festival’s Critics Week. While it received a good reception in France, it fared less well in America. Poor reviews led to the film being sold to Heritage Pictures, a grindhouse company in the U.S. The company recut the film and released it as Blood Couple. While Ganja and Hess was directed by Bill Gun, he took his name off the recut version. The film stars Marlene Clark and Duane Jones. It is only one of two films where Jones played the lead role; the other, Night of the Living Dead, is more famous. Spike Lee remade Ganja and Hess in 2014 under the name Da Sweet Blood of Jesus. However, you can’t beat the original. It is available to stream on multiple platforms including free on Kanopy.

2. ​​​​​​Thirst (2009)

Thirst is a romantic horror that captures the sexual themes often explored in vampire media. The film follows a priest who selflessly elects to be infected with a virus in hopes of helping cure it. However, the virus triggers a lust for blood and sex, leading to an intense extramarital affair.

While it is a “romance,” warning: it’s a little more Dracula than Twilight. The movie stars Song Kang-ho​​ and Kim Ok-bin. The film was director Park Chan-wook’s first film to screen in the U.S. and, perhaps more notably, the first mainstream Korean film to feature full-frontal male nudity. Roger Ebert said of the film and its director after Thirst won the Jury Prize at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, “Park Chan-wook of South Korea is today’s most successful director of horror films, perhaps because there’s always more than horror to them. He seems to be probing alarming depths of human nature. Maybe that’s why he can simultaneously be celebrated on fanboy horror sites and win the Jury Prize.” It is available to rent here.

1. Dracula (1931)

Familiarity often turns horror into comedy. Even if you haven’t seen 1931’s Dracula, it will feel familiar. It has been referenced and parodied, but more than that, it is so influential in the horror and vampire genre that it is foundational. The image of Bela Lugosi as Dracula is so culturally ingrained that it is almost taken for granted how good his performance and the film, more generally, is.

Directed by Tod Browning, the film is based on the novel of the same name. It follows the Transylvanian Count as he uses a real estate agent to come to London and pursue his next bride. Producer Carl Laemmle Jr. studied 1922’s Nosferatu, and it directly influenced the film. Dracula even includes an almost shot-for-shot scene from the silent film that doesn’t appear in the Dracula novel. The film stars Lugosi, David Manners, Helen Chandler, Dwight Frye and Edward Van Sloan. There is also a Spanish-language version of the film directed by George Melford and starring Carlos Villarías. The Spanish version (released as 1931’s Drácula) uses the same sets and costumes but was filmed at night after the English version wrapped each day. While the Spanish version was considered a lost film for several decades, both versions have been preserved in the Library of Congress. A third silent version was also made for theaters that had not installed sound technology. The film is available here.

Bottom Line

From sparkly teen romances to Gothic Horror classics, vampires have delighted film-going audiences since the silent era. So sink your teeth into this excitingly monstrous genre.