Ever since Sigourney Weaver started blasting aliens into space in 1979, horror fans have come to expect strong female protagonists. Since the genre is known for the “final girl” trope, it stands to reason that the women in horror films have to be cunning and powerful to survive to the end. That said, even the best female protagonists don't always survive.
That said, some of the most memorable and popular female protagonists in horror films outsmart and defeat the monster (or evil entity) in their respective movies. In any case, let’s take a look at the top 10 female protagonists in horror movies!
Laurie Strode in Halloween
Though it was technically not the first “slasher flick” (that honor goes to Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho), Halloween helped cement many of the traits of the subgenre that viewers know and love today. The film stars Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie, an innocent young woman who is haunted by a sinister presence. When teenagers start dropping like flies, Laurie realizes that she’s also in danger.
Michael Myers, the infamous villain of the Halloween movies, tries again and again to kill Laurie, but she is not as naive as she looks. In fact, Laurie seems to be one of the only people in Halloween who knows how to escape the killer’s grasp. Laurie would go on to be the heroine in a number of sequels to the 1978 original.
Annie Graham in Hereditary
Ari Aster’s directorial debut is shocking, horrifying, and absolutely brilliant, thanks in large part to his female lead: Annie Graham. Annie is a mother of two who is dealing with the death of her own mother, with whom she had a complicated relationship. When her life takes another tragic turn, Annie finds herself fighting with an evil beyond her comprehension. Though Toni Collette portrays Annie as a troubled character, her mental breakdown is equaled by her drive to keep her family together at any cost.
Sarah Carter in The Descent
The Descent is full of great female characters, but Sarah Carter stands out of the crowd. When a group of female friends goes spelunking in a large network of caves, they encounter a lot more than they bargained for. Part of the cave collapses, but that’s not all Sarah and her friends have to worry about. The cave is also populated with ravenous, humanoid creatures, so Sarah must fight tooth and nail to try to save herself and her friends.
Amelia in The Babadook
Parenting is a tough job, especially when you’ve got a boogeyman driving your child crazy. This Australian horror movie stars Essie Davis as Amelia, a single mother just trying to raise her 6-year-old son, Sam, in peace. When Sam starts acting strangely, Amelia realizes that all is not as it seems. In order to protect her son, Amelia must face her own demons and confront the storybook monster that threatens to tear her family apart.
Michelle in 10 Cloverfield Lane
After a car runs her off the road, Michelle awakens chained to a pipe. A man named Howard enters, informing her that she is in his underground bunker. According to Howard, he saved Michelle from some kind of biochemical attack that has made the air outside toxic. He even shows her two decaying pigs through the bunker window to try to prove his story.
However, as Michelle investigates the situation further, she comes to realize that Howard has not been completely honest. It becomes abundantly clear that Michelle must escape if she wants to live. Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays the heroine who must separate fact from fiction in this claustrophobic horror film.
Rachel in The Ring
Even though its nearly 20 years old, The Ring is still one of the scariest films of the 21st century. Naomi Watts plays Rachel, a single mom who encounters a VHS tape that reportedly kills those who watch it within 7 days. When her young son watches the tape, Rachel must race against time to unravel the mystery of the tape and save her son from a horrifying fate. The film is a remake of the Japanese original, which features a more surreal plot.
Annie in It Follows
One could argue that It Follows is an allegory about STDs, but it’s also a downright terrifying movie. After Annie has sex with her boyfriend for the first time, she becomes the latest victim of a curse that gets passed from person to person via sexual intercourse. A monster that can embody different people constantly follows her, forcing Annie to either pass the curse on to someone else or figure out how to stop the evil entity once and for all.
Carrie White in Carrie
Carrie is one of the more complex female protagonists on this list. Without giving away too many details, it’s safe to say that Carrie is both kind of a heroine and a villain, even though her shy demeanor makes her seem so innocent. In any case, Carrie can only put up with the bullying of her classmates and the abuse of her deranged mother for so long...
Rosemary Woodhouse in Rosemary’s Baby
What can a pregnant woman do when everyone around her is acting a little crazy? Few horror protagonists have experienced as much gaslighting as Rosemary in Rosemary’s Baby. While Rosemary’s life seems idyllic at first (she has a loving husband and a baby on the way after all), she starts to feel as though the people closest to her are conspiring against her and her baby.
Though everyone tells Rosemary that she is just being paranoid, all signs point to a sinister conspiracy. By the end of the film, Rosemary has had enough of the mind games.
Ellen Ripley in Alien
No list of female protagonists in horror movies would be complete without Ellen Ripley. Sigourney Weaver plays the part of the tough-but-smart crew member on the space vessel, Nostromo. When the crew accidentally brings an alien on board, things get little out of hand. Fortunately, Ellen Ripley has the guts to hunt down the alien and confront any crew members who stand in her way.