Summary

• The best PG-13 horror movies deliver terrifying scares and monsters without relying on excessive violence or sexual content.
• Skillful direction and great acting create genuinely scary scenes that stimulate the viewer's imagination.
• PG-13 horror movies can be well-known classics and successful franchises without needing to be rated R.

The best PG-13 horror movies prove excessive violence, gore, or sexual content aren't necessary to create a terrifying film. Not only do PG-13 horror movies deliver many of the same kinds of jump scares and terrifying monsters as R-rated offerings, but some remain the most iconic examples of the genre. Genuinely scary PG-13 movies aren't that rare, and despite their age rating guidance, they're far from tame. Many PG-13 horror movies are well-known classics too, with many of the most successful horror franchises having entries that aren't R-rated.

The best PG-13 horror movies prove that terrifying scenes are the product of skillful direction and great acting. The most frightening things to a person exist in their imagination, something horror movies without an R-rating use to their advantage. Many PG-13 horror movies stimulate that imaginative part of the viewer's brain to great effect, creating something much scarier than any R-rated horror could. Whether they’re taking a comedic approach to the genre or telling a deadly serious story, these PG-13 horror movies never sacrifice quality to hit their rating.

50 The Haunting (1999)

A Legitimately Scary Film

• Available to rent on Prime Video & Apple TV

The Haunting is one of the best PG-13 horror movies even if it isn't the most critically acclaimed, as it excels at building atmospheric tension and suspense as opposed to horrific violence. The Haunting follows Dr. John Markway (Liam Neeson), who investigates supernatural phenomena and tries to uncover the mystery of a haunted mansion with a group of intrigued individuals.

The horror is way more psychological than physical, as it utilizes a claustrophobic and dark setting, and the characters becoming increasingly manic is anxiety-inducing. Some of the special effects in The Haunting might seem a little dated compared to newer movies, but it still holds up, and the slow-burn dread is just as effective in the 2020s as it was in 1999 — especially for viewers taking their first forays into horror.

49 Critters 3 (1991)

One Of Leonardo DiCaprio's Earliest Acting Roles

• Available to rent on Prime Video & Apple TV

Critters 3 isn't exactly a standout movie in the wider cinematic landscape, as it failed to resonate with either critics or audiences on release. However, the threequel has had a firm hold in pop culture thanks to it being Leonardo DiCaprio's first major movie role, and among horror movie enthusiasts it's remembered incredibly fondly.

The at-times-schlocky 1991 horror is about a clang of furry alien creatures that terrorizes any human they come into contact with — a simple premise that lends itself to Critters 3's charm. Though the movie went direct to video, Critters 3 has retroactively become hugely entertaining to watch now that DiCaprio is one of the most beloved actors of this generation, and even his role in Critters 3 hinted at his potential greatness.

48 AVP: Alien Vs. Predator (2004)

A Movie Based On The Comics That Brought The Horror Icons Together

Stream on Hulu

In 2004, Alien vs. Predator was ridiculed for being PG-13, as the movie pits two of the most iconic horror villains ever against each other. The two aliens are known for their grotesque kills and the rating neuters that. While it's still far from the epic face-off horror flick it could've been, Alien vs. Predator is satisfying enough as a mashup movie. The 2004 movie is full of scares, and the iconic antagonists' presence alone is enough to instill fear in audiences. Ironically, the sequel, Alien vs. Predator: Requiem is rated R, and received worse reviews than its predecessor.

47 Van Helsing (2004)

A Failed Attempt To Revive The Universal Monsters

• Available to rent on Prime Video & Apple TV

Van Helsing may not be the most out-and-out scary PG-13 horror movie, but its blend of action with macabre themes and aesthetics allows it to stand out. Other than the Brendan Fraser-led The Mummy series, Universal has struggled to successfully bring its monster IPs to the big screen in the 21st century. The 2017 Mummy reboot ended the Universal Monster Universe before it began, and 2004's Van Helsing didn't perform any better.

Whether it's going for the nostalgia factor or Hugh Jackman's performance as the vampire hunter, the movie is extremely entertaining two decades later. The 2004 Van Helsing turns the vampire hunter into a cool action hero as opposed to the dark and feared vampire slayer he's known as, which divided audiences, but its campy fun is undeniable.

46 47 Meters Down (2017)

An Underwater Shark-Infested Horror Movie

• Stream now on Starz

Survival movies set in and around shark-infested waters are nothing new, but there has never been a truly terrifying one that's PG-13. However, 47 Meters Down is exactly that, as the movie follows two sisters who are invited to cage dive, which leads to one of the most surprisingly intense 80 minutes, especially as it had a shockingly low budget for a movie that requires so many digital effects.

While there's nothing that rivals Samuel L. Jackson's death in Deep Blue Sea, and though it requires suspension of disbelief in some areas, 47 Meters Down remains one of the best PG-13 horror movies about sharks.

45 The Mothman Prophecies (2002)

Richard Gere In A Terrifying Urban Legend-Influenced PG-13 Horror Movie

• Stream now on Starz

A film that is ultimately just as enigmatic as its subject, The Mothman Prophecies revolves around sightings of a mysterious figure known only as the "Mothman" as a reporter (Richard Gere) is drawn into the inexplicable events that surround his chilling appearances. Elevated by its central performance from Gere and strong support from veteran dramatic actors Laura Linney and Will Patton, the film is a haunting meditation on the uncertainty that surrounds death, with its brazen lack of answers making the experience feel all the richer.

44 Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1992)

The Horror Movie That Influenced The TV Show

Stream now on Max

While the 1997 supernatural series Buffy the Vampire Slayer is extremely popular, the teen drama is based on a much lesser-known movie. The series isn't a continuation of the movie but a remake, as the PG-13 horror movie also sees Buffy learning that she was chosen to become a vampire slayer while in high school.

However, the Buffy movie's tone is a lot different from the series, as it's lighthearted and just as much of a comedy as it is a horror. Though the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series is the superior of the two, the movie doesn't get enough credit for being the foundation of such a television phenomenon.

43 Eight Legged Freaks (2002)

A B-Grade Giant Monster Movie With David Arquette

• Stream now on DirecTV

Eight Legged Freaks might not look great by today's standards, as CGI was still in its infancy in the early 2000s, but the 2002 movie is a time capsule of the CGI experimentation of the early 2000s. However, the scrappy look of Eight Legged Freaks is one of its biggest appeals and what makes it one of the best PG-13 horror movies. As the title suggests, this arachnophobia-laden horror movie is about hundreds of tiny spiders that become supersized after a chemical spill, and it's exactly the kind of fun viewing one would expect.

42 Dracula Untold (2014)

The Origin Story Of The Vampire Dracula

Stream now on Netflix

Dracula Untold is a movie that splits viewers and critics, as it was hated by critics (with a "rotten" 25% on Rotten Tomatoes) but is popular with general audiences. The movie might not have much depth, and it doesn't do much in the way of exploring one of literature's most three-dimensional antagonists, but it's simply a fun time.

The 2014 release is almost as if Dracula was adapted from a comic book rather than a Gothic horror novel. It's full of over-the-top action and ludicrous dialogue that would never have been spoken by Bram Stoker's version of the character, but that's the fun of it. It's this originality that means Dracula Untold is regarded by audiences as one of the best PG-13 horror movies (even if critics don't agree).

41 Troll 2 (1990)

A B-Grade Cult Classic

• Stream now on Roku

Just like Critters 3, Troll 2 isn't technically a great movie, but that's exactly why it's loved by audiences and why it has grown such a huge cult following. Similar to why The Room is so popular, Troll 2's shortcomings are why it is so beloved. Between the performances from a cast that includes a dentist and a non-actor who was in a mental institution at the time to the fact that there aren't even any trolls in the movie, the 1990 film has become a cult hit, and one of the best PG-13 horror movies.

40 The Grudge (2004)

A Japanese Horror Remake Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar

• Stream now on Paramount+

One of the most popular trends in the cinematic landscape in the 2000s was Hollywood remakes of Japanese horror movies, and one of the most notable was 2004's The Grudge. The movie follows an American family who makes a new life together in Tokyo, only they move into a house that is susceptible to supernatural events. Soon, the family becomes terrorized by supernatural occurrences. When it comes to PG-13 horror movies, The Grudge pushes the MPAA rating to its absolute limit, as it's full of not only psychological horror but graphic horror too.

39 Victor Frankenstein (2015)

Daniel Radcliffe & James McAvoy In A Re-Telling Of Frankenstein

• Available to rent on Prime Video & Apple TV

Victor Frankenstein was 20th Century Fox's attempt at repeating the success that Warner Bros. had with the Guy Ritchie-directed Sherlock Holmes. The movie is a more exciting, fast-paced, and playful take on the source material, and while it didn't resonate with critics, it landed with audiences. The fun and playful approach is helped by captivating performances from James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe, who respectively play Victor Frankenstein and Igor Strausman. The postmodern take on the material is what sets Victor Frankenstein apart from other iterations of the character.

38 Warm Bodies (2013)

A Zombie Love Story

• Stream now on Pluto TV

Romance and horror seem to be two genres that mix perfectly together, as proved by Warm Bodies. Warm Bodies delivers on the romance, infusing a Romeo and Juliet adaptation with zombie horror elements. The 2013 movie is about a plague that leads to half of the population turning into zombies, and R (Nicholas Hoult), one of the zombies, learns to become more and more human as he falls in love with Julie. Along with Renfield, Warm Bodies proves Hoult is an incredibly adept character actor, and one perfectly suited for PG-13 horror movies.

37 Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)

The Highly Entertaining PG-13 Horror Movie Sequel

• Available to rent on Prime Video & Apple TV

Though sequels are rarely as good as their predecessors, Insidious: Chapter 2 is one of the few horror movies that achieve it. The movie sees the Lambert family once again fighting evil spirits that possess the parents' children. Insidious: Chapter 2 might not be as refreshing or as talked about as the original, but it doubles down on the scares, and it's hard to believe that something this terrifying is only a PG-13. However, just like its predecessor and its successor, Insidious: Chapter 3 (which is almost as good, too), the sequel pushes the PG-13 rating to its limits.

36 The Village (2004)

M. Night Shyamalan's Polarizing Horror Movie

• Available to rent on Prime Video & Apple TV

The Village is about a group of villagers in an Amish-like community that lives inside a woodland area where dangerous creatures supposedly exist. The Village might have been the movie where writer/director M. Night Shyamalan's twist-heavy formula was wearing thin, but there's no denying how scary it can be when the blind Ivy Walker is making her way through the woods. Even when it's obvious the creatures aren't real, it doesn't stop being scary, knowing the unhinged and unpredictable Noah, who previously stabbed a villager, is in the creature suit, as he's capable of anything.

35 Underwater (2020)

A Claustrophobic Underwater PG-13 Horror Movie

Stream now on Hulu

Underwater is about a group of survivors six miles below the ocean after water crashes through the walls of a drilling station. Underwater borrows from Alien and every isolated sci-fi horror movie that followed, but it rides the thin line between PG-13 and R. The horror movie gets away with a surprising amount of gore and ungodly creature designs, which keep it entertaining while being suitable for a younger audience not ready for Alien. Underwater acts as a great gateway into the isolated horror genre, and its incredible cast helps increase the movie's intensity.

34 Happy Death Day (2017)

A Time Loop Horror With Some Comedic Elements

• Stream now on DirecTV

Happy Death Day has the familiar narrative of a person who repeats the same day over and over again. However, unlike Groundhog Day, it isn't an upbeat dreamlike comedy but a terrifying nightmare. Carter wakes up every day after being murdered by a masked killer, and she repeatedly gets murdered and continuously relives that moment until she figures out who is behind the mask. Happy Death Day is a creative and refreshing spin on an old formula, and it expertly works within the requirement of a PG-13 rating.

33 World War Z (2013)

A Zombie Movie Based On Max Brooks's Best-Selling Novel

• Stream now on Paramount+

World War Z is one of the most expensive horror movies ever made, as it had a production budget of $269 million (via Deadline). Based on Max Brooks's novel, World War Z follows a U.N. investigator (Brad Pitt), as he and his family are stuck in urban gridlock when a lethal virus turns people into zombies. It'ss as much an action flick as it is a horror, but what's most terrifying is how fast zombies can move as opposed to the traditionally slow-moving zombies. The movie is so entertaining that there's a huge demand for World War Z 2.

32 The Visit (2015)

M. Night Shyamalan's Return To Form

• Available to rent on Prime Video & Apple TV

Following a string of flops that include Lady in the Water, The Happening, and Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Visit marked M. Night Shyamalan's return to form. Totally stripped back with a low $5 million budget, The Visit was a simple horror movie with the most satisfying twist in a Shyamalan movie since The Sixth Sense. The plot of The Visit follows two children who visit their grandparents for a weekend — only to find the grandparents they knew are acting out of the ordinary. Like the best Shyamalan movies, The Visit gets under viewers' skin while still being rated PG-13.

31 The Little Shop Of Horrors (1986)

A Campy PG-13 Horror Movie Musical

• Available to rent on Prime Video & Apple TV

While The Little Shop of Horrors is technically a horror movie, nobody is going to be scared by the 1986 movie. The film is a musical about a talking plant who only eats humans, and his owner, Seymour, must find the plant some humans to eat. The movie is full of addictively catchy songs, more colorful than most other musicals, and hilarious. Ironically, while the human-eating plant is the antagonist of the movie, the audience will be most scared of Steve Martin's terrifying performance as Orin Scrivello, a violent dentist who is addicted to nitrous oxide.