The release of They/Them, a new horror movie which focuses on a group of LGBTQ+ teens at a conversion camp who are targeted by a killer, looks poised to be a fascinating look at the way that horror continues to be one of the best genres for offering insight into the current state of humanity.

What’s more, as any fan of the horror genre knows, it has always provided a home for issues and characters of interest to the LGBTQ+ community. They/Them is certainly unique in its own right, but there are many movies that will offer viewers a similar experience and that tackle similar characters and themes.

Interview With The Vampire (1994)

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Lestat-Louis-Interview-With-The-Vampire-relationship

Though it might not be a slasher like They/Them, there is still much about Interview with the Vampire that makes it an ideal choice for fans of the new slasher movie. In particular, there is no denying the powerful sexual chemistry between its two lead characters, Louis and Lestat, played by Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, respectively.

The two begin a dangerous relationship that will leave neither of them unchanged, and the gothic trappings of this early 1990s movie make it a feast even now, several decades after its initial release. Small wonder that it is often seen as one of the best vampire movies ever made.

But I’m A Cheerleader (2000)

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Natasha Lyonne and Clea DuVall in But I'm a Cheerleader

It’s easy to see why a conversion camp of the sort portrayed in They/Them would make a good setting for a horror movie, as the entire process involves subjecting young people to torment in order to change some fundamental aspect of who they are.

Although But I’m a Cheerleader is a comedy, it shares a similar setting, with a powerful satirical bite that helps to explain why it has become one of the most iconic and popular cult movies. What’s more, it also features dynamic performances from the likes of Natasha Lyonne and RuPaul.

Boy Erased  (2018)

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Theodore Pellerin and Lucas Hedges lying in bed in Boy Erased

There have been many great LGBTQ+ movies, but few have been as hard-hitting as Boy Erased, which focuses on a young man who is sent to conversion therapy by his parents. It is a movie that is at times difficult to watch but it is necessary viewing for that exact reason. Like They/Them, it exposes the horror and the trauma often entailed in these types of “therapy.”

What makes it especially powerful, however, is the performances,  anchored by the great Nicole Kidman. It is a movie designed to leave the viewer understanding the undeniable cost of conversion therapy.

The Uninvited (1944)

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Roderick holding Stella as Pamela looks on in The Uninvited (1944)

One of the things that makes They/Them such an extraordinary movie is the extent to which it brings out the queer subtext that has often been hidden under the surface of most horror movies. For those who want to get an idea of how this has appeared in previous films, The Uninvited is a great place to start.

Though it appears at first to be a simple haunting picture, it’s very clear that there are quite a few lesbian overtones present in the plot. As a result, it has been very popular with various LGBTQ+ audiences through the decades.

Jennifer’s Body (2009)

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Megan Fox posing seductively in Jennifers Body

Like They/Them, Jennifer’s Body is a queer horror about the ways that mainstream culture continues to inflict damage on LGBTQ+ and other vulnerable people. In this case, a young woman is turned into a man-eating demon, and her best friend finds herself caught up in her slaughter.

Like many other movies that have come to mean a great deal to LGBTQ+ audiences, the queerness lurks beneath the surface, but there’s no question that this movie has come to be very popular with lesbian audiences in particular, demonstrating the power of horror to capture the experiences of the most marginalized.

A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)

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Nightmare on Elm Street 2 Mark Patton as Jesse with Knife Glove Screaming

Though it might not be the best regarded of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, there is still much to recommend Freddy’s Revenge, particularly to those who enjoyed They/Them. There’s no secret that there is a queer subtext to this movie, since the main character, Jesse Walsh, seems to struggle with a darkness inside of him that always threatens to erupt and destroy his life.

This has long been understood as a metaphor for the closet, and so it’s easy to see why the movie would become a perennial favorite for LGBTQ+ audiences.

Us (2019)

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us jordan peele

One of the things that sets They/Them apart from other horror films is that it is very explicit about the message that it wants to get across. This is also true of Jordan Peele’s Us, one of his best movies.

With its story about doppelgangers and hidden tunnels, it is a bendy and twisty tale, one which forces the viewer to question everything they thought they knew about the world and their own identity. It manages to disturb and to thrill in equal measure, and this is precisely what makes it such a powerful horror offering.

Get Out (2017)

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Chris and his girlfriend Rose.

Get Out is one of the best horror movies of the 2010s, and it’s easy to see why it would be regarded as such. With its scathing indictment of the way that White culture so often exploits Black bodies with impunity, it is a horror movie with a social conscience (which helps to explain why it would be of interest to those who enjoyed They/Them).

What’s more, it also features a powerful performance from Daniel Kaluuya, as well as a chilling twist at the end that is as devastating for the viewer as it is for the characters.

Scream 5 (2022)

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Sammantha in Scream holding gun

Though it has a social message, there’s no question that They/Them is, at its heart, a slasher movie. This is precisely what makes it so thrilling for audiences, and it’s also why Scream 5 is a good choice for those who enjoyed it. Scream 5, like the other iterations of the series, has a self-reflexive bite that makes it one of the better horror franchises.

What’s more, it also features several of the cast members from the original movies, which makes it a particularly pleasurable watch for those who want a little bit of nostalgia.

Hollow Man (2000)

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Kevin Bacon's character is invisible but wears a prosthetic skin to remain visible in Hollow Man

Kevin Bacon has had a venerable career in Hollywood, and he has been in many great movies, including They/Them. He has shown a particular penchant for being willing to appear in horror movies, including Hollow Man, in which he plays a man who injects himself with an invisibility serum, only for it to eventually drive him to murder.

Though it can be a bit ridiculous at times, Bacon deserves credit for giving his all to the role, a similar feat that he manages to pull off in They/Them.

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