Best LGBTQ+ Horror Films
Horror and queerness have always been intertwined. The genre's outsiders, its transgression of bodily norms, and its obsession with what society considers monstrous make it a natural home for LGBTQ+ stories — both explicitly and through subtext that generations of queer audiences have claimed as their own. This list includes films with openly LGBTQ+ characters or creators, films with significant queer subtext that has become part of their critical legacy, and horror films that hold cult significance within queer communities. We've been explicit about why each film is here rather than relying on vague 'queer-coded' readings.
18 films· Updated 10 Apr 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as LGBTQ+ horror?
Films with openly LGBTQ+ characters or themes (Knife + Heart, Thelma), films by LGBTQ+ creators (Hellbent), films with widely acknowledged queer subtext (Nightmare on Elm Street 2, Bride of Frankenstein), and horror films with significant cult followings in LGBTQ+ communities (Rocky Horror, Jennifer's Body).
Is Nightmare on Elm Street 2 really a queer film?
Yes. The film's queer subtext has been confirmed by its screenwriter and star. The protagonist's struggle with Freddy is widely read as a metaphor for repressed homosexuality — the gym teacher scene, the leather bar, the inability to be intimate with his girlfriend. It's one of the most analysed queer horror texts in cinema.
What should I watch first?
Thelma (2017) if you want a beautiful, restrained supernatural coming-out story. Knife + Heart (2018) if you want stylish French giallo with a gay porn industry setting. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) if you want the foundational queer horror experience.