2025 has been an intriguing year for horror, as it has featured a diverse range of subgenres. Whether that’s Black horror, like Sinners, the return of the Final Destination franchise, or long-awaited sequels like The Black Phone 2, etc. And some of the films that have come out this year can certainly fall into the unofficial category of fun horror. Fun horror can refer to horror films that aren’t too moody in tone, even if they contain emotional moments, and often feature quite a bit of camp.
Plenty of horror fans across the board can always find appreciation in light-hearted, comedic, and or campy horror films. On occasion, we do need that, given the current timeline and the fact that horror is often a safe escape for fans of the genre. The following horror films might make you laugh, give you an ample dose of camp, and or serve as a fun distraction. No, Sinners won’t be on this list, sorry folks!
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Don’t worry about limited subgenres, as the following films offer a wide selection for you to choose from. Let’s go down to it, shall we?
Clown in a Cornfield
Director: Eli Craig
Writer: Eli Craig and Carter Blanchard
Slasher books often translate more easily to the screen, even those about people running around in clown costumes to kill others. Clown in a Cornfield follows a teen girl who moves to a small town and is forced to fight for her life when someone dressed as the former factory’s mascot, Frendo. The film feels like a slasher we would’ve gotten at some point in the mid-2000s, and it would later be reappraised as a cult classic. And that’s part of what makes it so much fun.
You don’t have to read the book of the same name by Adam Cesare to enjoy Clown in a Cornfield, although reading it may likely enhance the experience. What you get with this film is smart-mouthed teens, deranged clown costumes, bonkers kills, and a few surprises that you might not expect if you’ve never read the book. Overall, you’re likely to enjoy what this film has to offer.
Where to watch: Philo, AMC+, Shudder. The film is also available to rent or buy.
Companion
Director: Drew Hancock
Writer: Drew Hancock
The Stepford Wives, but with the robots vengeful and aware of their purpose, is a good way to describe the fun horror film Companion. The film follows Iris (Sophie Thatcher) and her boyfriend, whose vacation to a remote area turns into a chaotic time for everyone. At this point, it’s not even much of a spoiler that Iris is a companion robot, but she feels like a real person throughout the film’s runtime. Companion might seem like an odd choice for a list like this, though it’s actually a relatively funny film in some spots.
There’s quite a bit of commentary about toxic masculinity, the usage of AI for companionship, and how abuse can manifest in a romantic relationship. And on top of that, there’s enough humor to keep people entertained throughout the film. It might not be everyone’s first choice for a fun horror film, but if you’ve yet to give it a watch, then you might also agree that it is.
Where to watch: Prime, Max, Disney+, and is available to rent or buy.
Final Destination Bloodlines
Director: Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein
Writer: Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor
The return of the Final Destination franchise was a whisper for a long time, until it became a reality. Final Destination Bloodlines follows a family who finds themselves trying to evade what death has in store for their entire bloodline. Just like other entries in the franchise, there’s no shortage of elaborate death scenes or characters that make horrible decisions. And it’s also the highest-grossing Final Destination film.
In terms of the film’s fun horror factor, it has everything you might expect from this franchise. If you’re not interested in wacky death sequences, humorous character beats, stressful situations involving mundane tasks that might kill you, or want every character to be fully fleshed out, you won’t find it here. However, if your idea of fun is the things listed above, Final Destination Bloodlines will be smooth sailing for you. Whether it’s the best installment of the franchise is subjective, but it’s certainly rewatchable.
Where to watch: Max, Disney+, and is available to rent or buy.
Dangerous Animals
Director: Sean Byrne
Writer: Nick Lepard
A serial killer that’s obsessed with sharks is incredibly unique in horror, isn’t it? Dangerous Animals follows Zephyr (Hassie Harrison), who finds herself fighting to survive against a charismatic serial killer who happens to be obsessed with sharks. The premise in and of itself isn’t a typical one for a partial slasher with creature feature elements because most of the film takes place at sea.
One thing that Dangerous Animals does so well is make the events horrifying, but also a fun time, which is often what slashers are capable of doing. Not to mention, Jai Courtney‘s performance is very charismatic, unhinged, and an absolute delight to watch as slasher villains aren’t always like that. Dangerous Animals is overall one of those films that you’ll likely enjoy if you want to see a capable final girl with flaws, a charismatic villain, sharks, and the dangers of being stuck at sea.
Where to watch: Shudder, AMC+, Philo, and is available to rent or buy.
I Know What You Did Last Summer
Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Writer: Sam Lansky, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, and Leah McKendrick
The return to Southport isn’t what everyone expected, but it’s just an easy watch as a legacy sequel. I Know What You Did Last Summer follows a new group of young folks who find themselves being stalked and hunted down by a masked killer after an accident took place. The beats are pretty similar to those of the original film of the same name from 1997, though this fun horror film caters more to the current generation than anything else.
I Know What You Did Last Summer is another legacy sequel to a well-loved ’90s slasher, and it leans heavily into nostalgia with cameos, callbacks to the original, and the return of Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze Jr.). Does it reinvent the wheel or have the most spectacular writing? No. However, it’s a fun Gen Z slasher with a few good kills and beautiful people. It’s a slasher that you can turn on and have fun with its sillier elements.
Where to watch: Netflix, and it is available to rent or buy.
V/H/S/Halloween
Director: Bryan M. Ferguson, Casper Kelly, and R.H. Norman
Writer: Bryan M. Ferguson, Anna Zlokovic, and Alberto Marini
As far as horror anthology films go, V/H/S is one of the most popular franchises at this point. V/H/S/Halloween follows several harrowing segments that take place on Halloween. Each segment offers its own horror subgenre, and they all range in quality like any other V/H/S film. In the eyes of some, it’s a return to form for the franchise, a very bloody, gross, yet engaging experience.
Found footage lovers will appreciate most of the segments, and since there’s no overarching arc to this film, there’s not much to discuss on that front. What V/H/S/Halloween does well is capture different fears, irrational or otherwise, that one might have on Halloween night. For example, someone tampering with candy or props coming to life to try to kill you. If nothing else, this fun horror film will appeal to established fans of the franchise.
Where to watch: Shudder, AMC+, and Philo.
Queens of the Dead
Director: Tina Romero
Writer: Erin Judge and Tina Romero
Queer folks battling against zombies, and also directed by Tina Romero, the daughter of George A. Romero? Absolutely! Queens of the Dead follows a group of queer folks, some being drag queens or club workers, who are forced to band together to survive a zombie outbreak. The film is full of humorous moments, unapologetic queer pride, and it has a glowing heart at its very center.
Queens of the Dead shares a similar vibe to the Tubi original, Slay, which also features drag queens but pits them against vampires in that film. If you’re a fan of fun queer horror films, then you’ll enjoy Queens of the Dead and what it has to offer. The budget isn’t massive, and if you’re not a fan of zombie horror, then it might not butter your biscuit. If you happen to be nearby and want to see the film for yourself, a theater near you might be showing it.
Where to watch: It’s not available on streaming services, but it may be showing in select theaters at this time.
If you’re craving a fun horror film from 2025 that might elicit a couple of chuckles, all while likely making you think because the genre is always political, then at least one of the above will satisfy that craving. So, grab your favorite snacks and enjoy your next 2025 horror watch. The right film is waiting for you!
