Scary Movie: 15 Funniest Horror Comedies You Should Watch

Scary Movie was released on July 7, 2000 and became a major box-office success. Made on a reported $19 million budget, the film earned approximately $278 million worldwide. It was directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans and became the first entry in the long-running Scary Movie franchise. The movie is best known for its irreverent parody of Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and other popular horror films of the era.

A Haunted House was released in January 2013 and was directed by Michael Tiddes. The movie stars Marlon Wayans as Malcolm and Essence Atkins as Kisha. It uses the found-footage horror style as the basis for its comedy, particularly parodying the Paranormal Activity series. Made on a small reported budget of around $2.5 million, the film earned more than $60 million worldwide.

Shaun of the Dead is the first film in Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg’s Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, followed by Hot Fuzz and The World’s End. The movie combines zombie horror with British comedy and was inspired in part by ideas from the television series Spaced. It became a critical and commercial success, earning more than $32 million worldwide according to Box Office Mojo.

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil turns the traditional backwoods-horror formula upside down. Instead of being dangerous killers, Tucker and Dale are friendly vacationers whose harmless actions are repeatedly misinterpreted by a group of college students. The film became a festival favorite and won awards at events including SXSW, Sitges and Fantasia.

Zombieland follows Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita and Little Rock as they travel through a zombie-filled United States. The film became known for combining zombie horror with road-trip comedy and its memorable survival rules. It was directed by Ruben Fleischer and became the first movie in the Zombieland franchise. The film was made for approximately $23.6 million and earned more than $102 million worldwide.

What We Do in the Shadows was created and directed by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi. The film presents the everyday lives of several vampires through a mockumentary format, turning familiar vampire traditions into awkward, deadpan comedy. The story follows housemates Viago, Deacon, Vladislav and the ancient vampire Petyr as they deal with chores, nightlife, relationships and the challenges of living among humans in modern Wellington.

The Final Girls combines slasher-horror conventions with comedy and an emotional mother-daughter story. Max Cartwright, played by Taissa Farmiga, becomes trapped inside the fictional horror movie that once starred her late mother. The film received attention for its creative take on classic slasher tropes and won several awards at the 2015 Sitges Film Festival.

Evil Dead II combines horror, slapstick comedy and supernatural action in a deliberately over-the-top style. Bruce Campbell’s performance as Ash Williams became one of the defining elements of the franchise, while Ash’s chainsaw hand and “boomstick” became iconic horror-movie imagery. The film was directed by Sam Raimi and later became widely regarded as a cult classic.

Army of Darkness is the third installment in the Evil Dead film series and follows Ash Williams after he is transported to the Middle Ages. The film combines supernatural horror with fantasy adventure and slapstick comedy. It was directed and co-written by Sam Raimi, with Bruce Campbell returning as Ash. The movie had an estimated $11 million budget and developed a strong cult following after its theatrical release.

Gremlins revolves around three simple rules for taking care of Gizmo: never expose him to bright light, never get him wet, and never feed him after midnight. Breaking those rules leads to the creation of the destructive Gremlins. The film was directed by Joe Dante, written by Chris Columbus, produced by Michael Finnell, and features music by Jerry Goldsmith. It was released on June 8, 1984 and became a major commercial success.

Beetlejuice is one of Tim Burton’s most recognizable early films. The story follows Adam and Barbara Maitland, a recently deceased couple who remain attached to their home after a new family moves in. When their attempts to scare the newcomers fail, they call on the chaotic ghost Beetlejuice. The film combines dark comedy, fantasy and horror with distinctive stop-motion and practical visual effects, and its makeup work won the Academy Award for Best Makeup.

The Cabin in the Woods deliberately plays with familiar horror-movie conventions. Five friends travel to an isolated cabin expecting a typical weekend getaway, but the situation quickly becomes much more complicated. The film was written by Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon and combines traditional horror with mystery, dark comedy and a self-aware look at the genre. Its North American wide release took place on April 13, 2012.

Scream became one of the defining horror films of the 1990s. Wes Craven directed the movie from Kevin Williamson’s screenplay, while Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette led the cast. The film combined slasher horror with dark comedy and self-aware references to horror-movie rules, helping revitalize the genre. It was followed by Scream 2 in 1997.

Dracula: Dead and Loving It was directed by Mel Brooks and stars Leslie Nielsen as Count Dracula. The film combines classic vampire-horror elements with Mel Brooks’ trademark parody style. It draws inspiration from Bram Stoker’s Dracula as well as famous screen adaptations of the story. The movie was released in December 1995 and features Mel Brooks himself as Professor Abraham Van Helsing.

Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth is a parody of the popular teen slasher movies that dominated the late 1990s. The story follows a group of high school students who become the targets of a masked killer, while a persistent reporter investigates the strange events. The film deliberately plays with familiar elements from Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and classic slasher movies.