At times, romance and horror feel like they have little overlap. Romance requires blossoming love and happy endings, while horror favors ambiguous wrap-ups often steeped in tragedy. However, a deeper look into the genre reveals that horror harbors no shortage of romantic stories. They just look a little different than the standard rom-com or romantic drama.
With The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025) viral videos proving just as many audiences were there for the romance as they were for the scares, it's the perfect excuse to spotlight 10 horror movies that romance fans will like, too. While a couple of these movies don't include happy endings, open-minded romance fans can still appreciate the darkness-dripped love stories with plenty of angst. Listed in order of release date, head over to platforms like Hulu and HBO Max if you're a romance fan ready for a genre crossover.
The Fly (1986)
Before you boot up The Fly, know these two things. One, The Fly is a romantic tragedy, so no happy ending. Two, it's chock full of gory, disturbing body horror. If those two things aren't for you, consider something more lighthearted from this list, like The Addams Family or The Gorge. However, if you decide to give it a try, expect a compelling, yet heart-wrenching love story between Geena Davis' Veronica and Jeff Goldblum's Seth.
The Fly establishes a deep and pretty spicy relationship between its leads before an experiment gone wrong sees Seth slowly transform into a human-fly hybrid. Despite this, Veronica remains devoted to Seth, even as he mutates into something that could only come from the mind of body horror master David Cronenberg. Those who like horror flavored sci-fi will revel in the plot and stomach-churning practical effects. The Fly might not have a happy ending, but it delivers one heck of a metaphor about aging and the lengths love will go to.
Hellraiser (1987)
If the thought of needles through skin and flayed flesh makes you cringe, consider running the other direction. However, if you don't mind delving into a dark supernatural commentary on sadomasochism, Hellraiser harbors a surprisingly compelling love story… if you want to call it that. A whole host of tropes lurk beneath Julia (Clare Higgins) and Frank's (Sean Chapman) depraved coupling: love triangle, star-crossed lovers, and, of course, cheating—just note the adjective "disturbing" precedes all those tropes.
Hellraiser isn't for romance fans looking for happy endings and ship-worthy couples to swoon over. It's for dark romance fans who are used to morally corrupt characters and intense themes. There is no happy ending here. In fact, when it comes to Frank and Julia, there's no one even to root for. Still, anyone craving a story about the darker, twisted side of love can do no better than Hellraiser.
The Addams Family (1991)
While horror contains a plethora of vile couples and shattered happy endings, Morticia and Gomez Addams are the exception. Played in this iteration by Anjelica Huston and Raul Julia, The Addams Family continues the franchise's tradition of depicting one of the healthiest couples in pop culture (horror and otherwise). From their mutual respect and willingness to communicate to their passion and utter devotion to each other, it's hard not to watch this movie and think "couple goals."
Yes, The Addams Family has a gothic tone, but it's never grim or disturbing. The macabre is played for laughs, and the darkness for comedy. When it comes to scariness, it ranks somewhere between Casper (1995) and Hocus Pocus (1993). If you prefer a movie light on scares but heavy on romance, The Addams Family fits the bill to a tee.
Scream (1996)
When it comes to fan-favorite couples in the genre, Gale and Dewey earn a spot at the very top. Together, they traverse five Scream movies, their relationship ebbing and flowing throughout. While Scream 2 (1997) might be their most romantic movie of the lot, it's hard to appreciate them without starting at the beginning.
Scream (1996) introduces Courtney Cox's Gale Weathers as a prickly go-getter reporter who slowly softens to David Arquette's sweet yet bumbling small-town cop. Perhaps fueled by Cox and Arquette's real-life relationship at the time, Dewey and Gale's chemistry propels a fun will-they-won't-they dynamic as a slasher plot plays out around them. If the opposites attract trope tickles your fancy, Scream won't disappoint in that department, just expect a healthy amount of slashing and blood to accompany it.
Spring (2014)
If monster romances are your thing, Spring will check a lot of those boxes, even if the big monster reveal doesn't come until much later in the movie. After grief sends a lost American (Lou Taylor Pucci) to the rural countryside of southern Italy, he meets a mysterious local (Nadia Hilker) with a strange skin condition. What follows is a romance with a "he falls first" trope and an element of forbidden love.
Spring isn't scary per se. Instead, it offers a unique monster story steeped in mystery, body horror, and complex questions about mortality. It skirts the line between horror and romance nicely, ensuring fans of either genre will be engrossed. If you dig Lovecraftian stories, move Spring to the very top of your watch list.
Happy Death Day (2017)
After a bit of setup, Happy Death Day kickstarts its horror when the "Babyface Killer" murders Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) on her birthday, sending her into a time loop where she lives and dies repeatedly. If you're familiar with Groundhog Day (1993) or Russian Doll (2019), you'll understand the time loop premise immediately. The only difference is that Happy Death Day embraces all the comedy, violence, and gore its PG-13 rating allows.
At first glance, it's easy to chalk it up as a campy horror comedy. However, the growing relationship between Tree and Carter (Israel Broussard), whom she initially assumed was a one-night stand, pushes it well into romance territory, happy ending included. Carter becomes an essential part of Tree's character development. If you like 50 First Dates (2004), you get something similar here. Every day, Tree has to explain the time loop situation to Carter, and every day, he chooses to help.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)
Based on the paranormal investigations of demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Conjuring Universe remains one of the most successful horror franchises out there. The Conjuring: Last Rites might have street cred as the biggest horror movie opening in history; however, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is, arguably, the series's most romantic movie. Against the backdrop of a story about murder and demonic possession, Lorraine and Ed learn their love can triumph over evil.
While the real-life Warrens are steeped in controversy, their big screen counterparts are certifiably swoonworthy thanks in large part to a healthy dose of fiction and Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson's chemistry. The Conjuring movies are on the scarier side, but romance fans who don't mind jump scares, suspense, and supernatural terror will find a lot to like about Ed and Lorraine.
It's a Wonderful Knife (2023)
If it's not already obvious by its title, It's a Wonderful Knife offers a fun slasher spin on the 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life. Like its inspiration, It's a Wonderful Knife transports Winnie (Jane Widdop) to an alternate reality where she was never born after she wishes that exact thing under the aurora borealis. What follows includes plenty of kills, a little comedy, existential questioning, and a delightful queer romance.
It's a Wonderful Knife is certainly not a masterpiece, but it's a solid popcorn flick for those times when you just want something fun. If you're a romance fan who likes Hallmark's cheesier Christmas movies, this is kind of like the horror equivalent of that. Despite its R-rating, things never get too gory. It's a Wonderful Knife favors comedy over horror, which will appeal to anyone who likes other teen-oriented horror comedies like Freaky (2020) or Totally Killer (2023).
Godzilla: Minus One (2023)
Godzilla steps into post-war Japan in Godzilla: Minus One. As expected, the grandeur of the giant kaiju doesn't disappoint, but the movie's real draw is its human elements. More specifically, the relationship between Koichi (Ryunosuke Kamiki) and Noriko (Minami Hamabe). As a disgraced and struggling kamikaze pilot, Koichi finds an unexpected kinship with Noriko after the Tokyo bombings leave her with nothing but a stranger's orphaned baby. Together, they form a found family, prompted by survival but deepened with trust.
While it's never explicitly romantic, Koichi and Noriko's love for each other is clear. Their quiet moments and unspoken feelings are enough to create hungry shippers desperate for something more between the two characters. If you like an infuriatingly slow-burn will-they-won't-they setup, Godzilla: Minus One will bring you to your knees.
The Gorge (2025)
When it comes to romance in horror, relationships frequently play out in the background, letting all the scares, chills, and thrills take center stage. The Gorge remains a rare exception. Here, the narrative primarily focuses on the budding relationship between Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Levi (Miles Teller), two elite snipers stationed on opposite sides of a gigantic gorge. Their meet-cute occurs with a literal chasm between them, causing them to get creative when it comes to communication.
The mystery of the gorge and the strange creatures residing inside keep the plot engaging and the stakes high. However, this is really a story about two people who use their affection and trust for each other to overcome a supernatural hellscape. Complete with a happy ending, The Gorge checks all the boxes for a true romance story.
