Since launching in 2012, A24 has grown into a powerhouse, dominating in both film and TV. The company made its mark in horror with productions like 2015’s The Witch — its first major success in the genre, both critically and financially. From that point, A24 carved out a reputation for smart, unsettling horror by teaming up with standout writer-directors like Ari Aster, Robert Eggers, and the renowned duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods.
A24’s horror catalog is known for delivering more than just jump scares, so it leans more into psychological tension and deep-seated human fear. With all this in mind, it’s no surprise that most of their films have become critical hits. While it’s true that all A24 horrors have something to offer, some have garnered a lot more praise from audiences and critic alike— whether it’s the viral chills of Talk to Me, or the slow-burn terror of The Lighthouse. Using Rotten Tomatoes’ rankings, here’s a look at the most critically acclaimed A24 horror films to date.
10. Green Room (2015): 90%
Image Credit: A24
Jeremy Saulnier combines horror and thriller elements in Green Room to give audiences a fun experience with a game of unexpected outcomes. The story itself follows a punk band called “The Ain’t Rights” — Pat (Anton Yelchin), Sam (Alia Shawkat), Reece (Joe Cole), and Tiger (Callum Turner) — who find themselves trapped and hunted after witnessing a brutal murder backstage at a remote club. With all odds against them, they must find a way to outsmart the club owner, Darcy Banker (Patrick Stewart), and his henchmen at the expense of their lives.
The cast received well-deserved accolades for their performance, with the film’s cinematography, set design, soundtrack, and editing propping them up with a brutal atmosphere. With a touch of dark humor in the mix, Green Room serves up a harrowing yet fun-filled experience. It places tenth with 90% from 247 reviews.
9. Hereditary (2018): 90%
Image Credit: A24
Hereditary is one of those slow-burning psychological horror movies that gets under your skin in the best way possible. It all starts when Ellen Leigh (Pat Barnett Carr), Annie Graham’s (Toni Collette) mother, passes away. After the funeral, strange and unsettling things begin to happen in Annie’s family, pulling them deeper into something dark and otherworldly. As tensions rise and secrets come to light, the film takes viewers on a chilling journey involving cults and demon kings.
The story itself explores themes of grief, trauma, and family secrets. In the process, it uncovers the ways pain can spiral out of control. With its intense performances and creeping dread, the film builds an unsettling feeling in its viewers from the opening scene to the closing credits. In between that, every scene adds another layer to the mystery until the terrifying truth unfolds. It lands a well-deserved ninth place on this list, with a 90% rating from 384 reviews.
8. The Lighthouse (2019): 90%
Image Credit: A24
Another hit by filmmaker Robert Eggers, The Lighthouse is nothing if it’s not a film that dives into the ins and outs of isolation. This time, he tosses his characters, two lighthouse keepers, Ephraim Winslow/Thomas Howard (Robert Pattinson) and Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe), on a remote island off the coast of New England. The pair must try all they can to remain within the boundaries of human sanity as they grapple with vivid illusions.
The film really shows off Eggers’ talent for creating deeply unsettling horror, and critics especially praise the standout performances from Dafoe and Pattinson. Their work brings a unique intensity that sets the film apart. That’s reflected in its ranking at eighth place, with 90% of 396 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
7. The Witch (2015): 91%
Image Credit: A24
Set in 17th-century New England, The Witch tells the story of the William family who live on the outskirts of society, with a dark, foreboding forest close by. No one needs a soothsayer to tell them that something sinister lurks in those woods, unfortunately, it’s something their strength and beliefs probably won’t be able to contend with.
The film itself features actors like Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, and Anya Taylor-Joy. Robert Eggers, in his debut, delivers one of the best and scariest horror movies of the 2010s by weaving witchcraft, black magic, and possession together. Coming in seventh, The Witch holds a 91% rating based on reviews from 337 critics.
6. Heretic (2024): 91%
Image Credit: A24
Who knew knocking on the wrong door could have the most dire consequences? In Heretic, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) are two young missionaries who probably wish they’d just walked right past Mr. Reed’s (Hugh Grant). First impressions: he seems like a typical, friendly guy who greets them with a smile, but as the narrative unravels, it’s clear that he’s hiding something, and it’s as creepy as they come.
The American horror film, directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Wood, was released in 2024. Grant, known for playing more comic parts, takes on the darker role of Mr. Reed as a dangerous, vicious, and cunning man. Heretic ranks sixth with a 91% approval rating from 280 reviews.
5. In Fabric (2018): 92%
Image Credit: A24
Picture this: you buy a new dress for a much-needed confidence boost, only to find out it’s cursed. That’s the premise of Fabric, a British horror film following Sheila Woolchapel (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), a lonely divorcee. When she steps out in that red gown, it’s the start of a terrifying nightmare filled with strange and dangerous forces she can’t explain.
Peter Strickland expertly blends creepy supernatural vibes with dark comedy and a sprinkle of thriller elements to rattle the mind. Here, the red dress, the weird London store, the mannequins, and the spooky atmosphere all add up to a seriously creepy mood. It’s ranked fifth on the list with a solid 92% score from 157 reviews.
4. Saint Maud (2019): 92%
Image Credit: A24
Coming in at number four with a 92% rating from 193 reviews is Saint Maud, a psychological horror directed by Rose Glass in her feature debut. The terrifying story blends faith, insanity, and redemption, following Katie/Maud (Morfydd Clark), a religious nurse obsessed with saving the soul of her dying patient, Amanda (Jennifer Ehle). But her past, coupled with the forces of evil, threatens her holy calling.
As Maud keeps hurtling down the proverbial rabbit hole of insanity, her version of faith borders more on scary than holy. The movie thrives on the way it keeps users on edge with quiet, creepy moments and weird imagery that’s straight out of a troubled mind. At the end of it, the film is a slow, creepy watch that doesn’t just explore loneliness, but also the blurred line between belief and total mind anarchy.
3. Pearl (2022): 93%
Image Credit: A24
Six months after X was released, Ti West served up yet another horrific story that’s worth a mention — it’s Pearl. Set 61 years before the events that transpired in X, the film focuses on Pearl (Mia Goth), a young woman stuck on a remote farm in Texas while her husband, Howard (Alastair Sewell), is away fighting World War I. Dreaming of a life filled with fame and glamour, Pearl feels suffocated under her strict mother’s rule. But as her frustrations grow, her grip on reality starts to slip, with chilling consequences.
As a prequel, it lays the foundation for Pearl’s bloodletting as a young woman, which continues when she is older in X. It’s safe to say that Goth delivers yet another incredible performance. Critics praised her for her portrayal of the unhinged young lady, and it’s safe to assume this helped land the film its 93% out of 215 reviews, placing it in third position.
2. X (2022): 94%
Image Credit: A24
Getting caught with your pants down is awkward enough, but in X, it turns into a fight for survival. This is the story of a group of young filmmakers in 1979 who traveled to rural Texas to shoot an adult film, only for their elderly hosts to discover what they’re up to. The moment that happens, what should have been a simple creative project erupts into full-on slasher mayhem. Here, Mia Goth leads the cast in a dual role, alongside Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, and Scott Mescudi.
Put together and directed by Ti West, X was released in March 2022 to a rousing welcome by critics and fans. While it is a fresh addition to the slasher subgenre, the audience says it is not a regular horror movie for fans, but has an original and interesting angle. It is in second place thanks to its 94% approval rating from 228 reviews.
1. Talk to Me (2023): 94%
Image Credit: A24
If horror movies have taught us anything, it’s not to play with the dead. But in Talk to Me, a group of kids do the unspeakable all in the name of a good time, and the evil they wake up is anything but fun. They discover a mummified hand that allows them to summon spirits, and their obsession with the supernatural leads them to unleash something terrifying. The film, directed by Australian twin filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou, stars Sophie Wilde as Mia, Joe Bird as Riley, Alexandra Jensen as Jade, Otis Dhanji as Daniel, and Miranda Otto as Sue — the core group of friends.
Released in July 2023, this supernatural horror film leaves viewers feeling uneasy in unimaginable ways, thanks in part to its jump scares and atmospheric horror elements. Even the audience attests to its scary, wild, and unpredictable turn of events. The film deserves to be in the number one spot, considering it has the highest critic rating — 94% from 294 reviews — than other A24 horror films.
