Entertainment
Emmys 2025: These Are the Big Winners of the Night
25. Perfect Blue
Perfect Blue is one of the few animated films made to be truly terrifying. Many say it's the scariest animated film ever, so be warned if you decide to watch it. | © Netflix
24. The Addams Family
The Addams Family puts the beloved characters in a modern setting as their lives unravel after moving to New Jersey. They face off against the greedy and sly reality TV host Margaux Needler while preparing for a big family celebration. | © Paramount Pictures
23. Wicked City
Wicked City stars as a film noir detective story but quickly turns into a twisted body-horror nightmare full of extreme violence and bizarre creature designs. The explicit scenes include demonic violence, which makes it one of the weirdest and most unsettling animes from the late '80s. | © Madman Entertainment
22. Evil Toons
Evil Toons is a bloody awful animated film that serves up twisted horror with a side of dark humor. This movie is best to enjoy with a bunch of friends and plenty of alcohol, making for a wild, outrageous viewing experience. | © Prism Entertainment Corporation
21. Seoul Station
Seoul Station is another animated film made to scare adults, and it matches the level of cult classics like Perfect Blue. As the animated prequel to Train to Busan, this movie centres around a gruesome zombie epidemic that will test even the strongest stomachs. | © Next Entertainment World
20. Plague Dogs
Plague Dogs is the next level of animated horror for a good reason. From the same studio behind Watership Down, it's one of the most brutal animated films. The film is a disturbing and unrelenting depiction of animal cruelty, featuring graphic scenes of drowning, experimentation, and culling. | © Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
19. Felidae
Felidae is a disturbing animated horror film that features violent cat scenes in a cartoony style. Some moments are so shocking they might make you feel sick, so it's best to leave it for true horror fans. | © 20th Century Studios
18. Once Upon A Forest
Once Upon A Forest has moments that can be truly traumatizing for younger viewers. The film follows a big, menacing owl that hunts its main characters and a disturbing scene where Michelle finds her parents dead, which might be too much for little ones. | © 20th Century Studios
17. 9
Unlike animated sci-fi films like WALL-E which are light and fun, 9 takes a much darker approach. It shows an apocalyptic world that leaves audiences feeling more afraid of the end than ever before. | © Warner Bros. Pictures
16. Where the Dead Go to Die
Where the Dead Go to Die is, without question, one of the most disturbing films out there. It is so vulgar and disgusting that even classics like The Exorcist and A Clockwork Orange don't come close. | © Unearthed Films
15. When The Wind Blows
When the Wind Blows doesn't use jump scares, this animated movie evokes a deep sense of hopelessness that stays with you. The film follows an older British couple facing a nuclear blast, and their struggle leaves a dark, lasting feeling. | © Kadokawa Pictures
14. ParaNorman
ParaNorman has all sorts of scary scenes that can frighten even the bravest of kids, so it lives up right to its name. With its stop-motion animation bringing ghosts, curses, and other paranormal terrors to life, this film has freaked plenty of viewers out. | © Focus Features
13. Corpse Bride
Corpse Bride uses eerie lighting to create a contrast between the colourless world of the living and the unsettling underworld. This dramatic shift not only makes characters like Victoria and Victor appear scary, but the creepy inhabitants of the underworld are sure to frighten even the most unsuspecting little kid. | © Warner Bros. Pictures
12. The Last Unicorn
You wouldn't think an animated film with "unicorn" in its title could be scary, but The Last Unicorn can flip your expectations. With its dark visuals, especially its portrayal of Red Bull, this film isn’t one you'd want children watching on their own... or maybe at all. | © Lionsgate Entertainment
11. Frankenweenie
Frankenweenie is two things at once – it's funny but also scary, proving that Frankenstein can unsettle even adult viewers. Over the past decade, this animated film scared many, showing it's nothing like the heartwarming tales. | © Walt Disney Pictures
10. The Secret of NIMH
The animation team behind The Secret of NIMH was blessed with the perfect animals for creating a horror experience – rats. These bad creatures are downright horrifying, turning this animated tale into a truly unsettling experience. | © 20th Century Studios
9. Scooby-Doo Zombie Island
The hand-drawn animation and real monsters are what make Scooby-Doo Zombie Island scary to adults. With shutter-inducing zombies that scare more than just Scooby and Shaggy, this animated classic proves that sometimes, the creepy atmosphere in animation is relentless. | © Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
8. A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a very rough around edges movie that goes deep into ghost stories, which has left the film with more haters than fans. Using the same animation style as The Polar Express, it transforms Scrooge's night into a frightening experience. | © 20th Century Studios
7. The Polar Express
The Polar Express was created to spread the festivity during Christmas time, but for some, it ends up feeling more like a Halloween nightmare. The off-putting animation style and unsettling characters can quickly turn a festive ride into a chilling experience. | © Warner Bros. Pictures
6. Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal is an animated film meant for teens, but its mix of explicit sexual and violent content makes it highly inappropriate for most audiences. Packed with horrifying images of young characters meeting brutal ends through gunfire and sword fights, this animated film leaves a lasting, disturbing impression. | © Columbia Pictures
5. Mad God
Mad God is cosmic horror – this movie plays perfectly on the fear of the unknown, becoming more and more horrible by the end. By exposing the chaotic, mad world around us and daring us to search for hope, this film forces you to confront your deepest fears. | © Shudder
4. Monster House
Monster House was meant to be a scary animated movie for children, but it ends up sending chills down the spines of adults too. The concept of a sentient, malevolent house wreaking havoc on anyone who dares to come near is utterly unsettling, no matter how old you are. | © Columbia Pictures
3. The Black Cauldron
Catching The Black Cauldron on TV was a special feeling, especially when you saw the Horned King's brutal death scene – seriously, how Disney executives approved that is beyond common sense. With his long talons, menacing horns, skull-faced visage, and spine-chilling voice, this villain proves that even animated classics can dish out nightmares. | © Disney
2. Watership Down
Watership Down is not what you expect from the tale about cute rabbits. It's a chilling horror experience, with blood-soaked fields setting the tone from the very start. Originally aimed at children, its graphic scenes can disturb adults more than even the most notorious comic book beatdowns. | © Warner Bros. Pictures
1. Coraline
Coraline exceeds expectations of animated films by diving headfirst into full-on horror territory, featuring monster designs so twisted they’re downright terrifying. The film isn’t afraid to kill off main characters, delivering a relentlessly dark experience that goes far beyond your typical horror movie for kids. | © Universal Studios
