20 Must-See Films for Fans of Dark Fantasy, Ranked

These movies are where heroes battle not just dragons or evil wizards, but also the darkness within themselves and the strange worlds around them.

20. Dracula Untold (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 25%

Vlad the Impaler must become a creature of the night to obtain the power to protect his family and kingdom from the Ottoman invaders, dealing with the consequences of this pact and his new thirst for blood.

19. Legend (1985)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 42%

A young hero, Jack, must stop the Lord of Darkness who plans to cover the world in eternal night by destroying the last of the unicorns, teaming up with forest creatures and an innocent girl named Lili.

18. The Craft (1996)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 57%

A newcomer at a Catholic prep high school falls in with a trio of outcast teenage girls who practice witchcraft, and they all soon conjure up various spells and curses against those who anger them.

17. Return to Oz (1985)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 58%

Dorothy Gale finds herself back in the land of Oz, and she must save her friends from a new villain, the Nome King, with the help of new friends she meets along the way.

16. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2010)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 60%

A young girl moves to a new home with her father and his girlfriend, where she discovers sinister creatures that wish to claim her as one of their own in the dark corners of the old house.

15. Gretel & Hansel (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 63%

In a dark twist on the classic fairy tale, a young girl and her little brother stumble upon a nexus of terrifying evil after they venture into the woods in desperate search of food and work.

14. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 64%

A teenager discovers a magical place known as Miss Peregrine's School for Peculiar Children, but he learns that the mystery and danger deepen as he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers and their powerful enemies.

13. Before I Wake (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 67%

A grieving couple adopts a troubled child whose dreams – and nightmares – manifest physically as he sleeps, leading them to uncover the dark truth behind his imaginative creations.

12. Solomon Kane (2009)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 69%

A 16th-century mercenary, Solomon Kane, renounces violence to atone for his past sins, embarking on a journey to save a kidnapped girl that leads him to confront a darker force.

11. Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 70%

Ichabod Crane, a detective with unorthodox methods, is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of mysterious deaths where the victims are found decapitated, uncovering a supernatural element behind the murders.

10. Crimson Peak (2015)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 73%

After marrying a charming and seductive Sir Thomas Sharpe, young Edith finds herself in a gothic mansion in the English hills, where she uncovers shocking secrets about her husband and his sister who live in the haunting house.

9. The Dark Crystal (1982)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 78%

In a fantastical world, a young Gelfling embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of a magical crystal to restore balance to his world, facing off against the sinister Skeksis.

8. The City of Lost Children (1995)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 80%

A mad scientist kidnaps children to steal their dreams, hoping to slow his aging process; a strongman from a carnival and a streetwise orphan set out to save them, navigating a surreal and dark cityscape.

7. Errementari (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 80%

Set in the 19th century in the Basque Country, a blacksmith captures a demon in an attempt to force him to reveal the whereabouts of his missing wife, leading to unexpected consequences and battles of wit.

6. Tale of Tales (2015)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%

This anthology weaves together three dark and fantastical stories of royalty, obsession, and desire, drawn from 17th-century fairy tales, showcasing the extreme lengths to which monarchs will go for love and success.

5. Dragonslayer (1981)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

A young sorcerer's apprentice is sent to kill a dragon which has been terrorizing the lands, finding out that the task is more complicated than it seems, involving sacrifice and courage.

4. A Monster Calls (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

A boy struggling with his mother's terminal illness, school bullies, and his grandmother's cold caretaking finds solace and guidance through nightly visits from a towering, tree-shaped monster.

3. Nightbooks (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%

A young boy obsessed with scary stories is imprisoned by a witch in her contemporary New York City apartment and must tell a new scary story each night to stay alive.

2. The Head Hunter (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

A medieval warrior's gruesome collection of heads is missing only one – the monster that killed his daughter years ago, leading him on a relentless quest for revenge against this elusive and deadly creature.

1. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

In post-Civil War Spain, young Ofelia meets a mythical faun who claims she is a princess from a lost kingdom and must complete three dangerous tasks to reclaim her immortality, all while her real world is dominated by her cruel stepfather, a Falangist captain.