Influencer Horror – 15 Movies About the Dark Side of Internet Fame

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are looking at Influencer Horror – 15 Movies About the Dark Side of Internet Fame.

Horror Influencers Gone Rogue

So many people can relate to the current obsession with social media. Whether you yourself are constantly glued to your phone or you just happen to know someone who is. It is a subject that is impossible to avoid nowadays and it’s easy to see why it has become a topic of interest in horror. There are just so many ways to explore it.

Whereas I would normally include movies that I haven’t reviewed. This is a horror topic that is growing all the time. There’s bags of potential for more reviews and more lists in the future so, today, I am going to focus on influencer themed horror movies that I have covered on this site. This way, I can offer up a few titles that you may just have missed.

Not all of these movies are great, however. Some of them completely suck, to be fair, but they deserve mention anyways and tastes can vary. You may really enjoy them even if I panned them. I am a harsh judge at times. It’s also worth keeping in mind that my rankings are subjective. This is just how I rate the films and your opinion will likely differ. Without further ado, let’s take a look.

📉 At a Glance: Top 5 Influencer Nightmares

15. Caviar (2023) – Conspiracy Chaos

The Influencer Persona: Antigone, an aspiring social media influencer who takes over the channel of her deceased brother to uncover the truth.

Knockout Verdict: Fishy business.

Caviar is a weird little movie and, also, a bad little movie. A woman takes over the channel of her deceased brother hoping to learn the truth of his death. Only to learn of a whole world of conspiracies and dark secrets surrounding her. Caviar is one of those movies that thinks it has a deep message but is actually simply rather boring.

Focusing on well known conspiracy theories and paranoid delusions of certain online personalities. This is a movie that uses Deepfake AI technology to, I guess, highlight the dangers of fake news. It’s nowhere near as interesting as it sounds and features some of the worst special effects I have ever seen. We awarded Caviar 1/5 but probably should have gone lower.

14. #Float (2022) – River Run Deep

The Influencer Persona: Kali, a desperate vlogger with a meager 2,000 followers who is willing to sacrifice relationships and a nursing career for internet fame.

Knockout Verdict: Sink or swim.

Let’s be honest, you know that if something has a hashtag in the title it is going to suck. #Float manages to go way beyond that, though. Following the story of a social media influencer heading to the local river float with a group of her friends. Only to find herself fighting for survival against an environment that wants to consume them. #Float starts off okay before hitting the rapids and falling head first over a waterfall.

#Float is beyond silly. The way characters react beggars belief and the acting is, for the most part, terrible. Utterly stupid, complete nonsense and barely watchable in parts. This is one of the worst movies I have ever watched but if you are desperate for more influencer content you may enjoy it. I awarded this movie 1/5 in my review.

13. Followers (2021) – Cancelled and Haunted

The Influencer Persona: Jonty, a disgraced social media personality desperate to put a bigoted rant behind him by exploiting a haunting for views.

Knockout Verdict: Unsubscribe.

Yuk! Followers is an awful influencer based horror movie from the UK. Following the story of a disgraced social media personality moving into a supposedly haunted house. Followers plays out as something of a classic ghost story meets modern social drama. Jonty is desperate to put his bigoted rant behind him and will exploit both his housemates and the spirits that haunt his new digs to get his followers back.

Director Marcus Harben passed away before he could ever finish this movie which is rather tragic. Given how bad it is, at least he didn’t have to witness it in its finished form. If you have a high tolerance for terrible effects, lacklustre stories, and silly plot twists. You might enjoy Followers. I don’t and I only awarded it 1.5/5 in my review.

12. The Lost Vlog of Ruby Real (2020) – Tree Hugging Horror

The Influencer Persona: Ruby Real, a vlogger heading out to the forest to disprove an urban legend surrounding a tree.

Knockout Verdict: Lost footage, lost time.

Bad acting, a stupid plot, no scares, and terrible found footage camera work are the order of the day for The Lost Vlog of Ruby Real. This movie sees influencer Ruby Real heading out to the forest to disprove an urban legend surrounding a tree. What she finds when she gets there actually appears to do the opposite.

This is about as budget as budget comes. Three people spending time walking in circles in the woods but without any of the fun of The Blair Witch Project. Boring, repetitive, cliched but it makes for a great movie to watch when playing a drinking game thanks to its trope heaving nature. We awarded this one 1.5/5 in our review.

11. Shook (2021) – Make-Up and Murder

The Influencer Persona: Mia, a social media makeup influencer who becomes the target of a notorious dog killer.

Knockout Verdict: Not quite Scream.

Social media makeup influencer Mia has to defend herself when a notorious dog killer turns their attentions to humans in this influencer themed slasher. Clearly paying homage to Scream in its approach to the genre. Shook tries to do too much and ends up a bit of a confused mess.

Acting is mixed, scares are limited, and the movie is fairly predictable in parts. This is a fairly below average slasher but the influencer theme means it might appeal to people looking for something traditional with a bit of a twist. We awarded Shook 1.5/5 in our review.

10. #No_Filter (2023) – Prank Gone Wrong

The Influencer Persona: Anna, the most popular social media influencer in school who starts a viral prank trend that turns deadly.

Knockout Verdict: Needs a filter.

Oh dear! It’s the whole hashtag thing again but this one has an underscore as well. #No_Filter follows the most popular social media influencer in school as she starts a trend of prank videos. Only to find out that the carnage taking place is all too real.

This movie is packed to the brim with horror cliches and unlikable characters. Never really managing to be completely engaging and never delivering on the scares. Still, it does go in a few unexpected directions and offers something a little different to the majority of these types of movies. Watchable but not great, we awarded #No_Filter 2/5 in our review.

9. Baby Ruby (2022) – Postpartum Paranoia

The Influencer Persona: Jo, a social media lifestyle influencer who documents her journey into new parenthood but finds herself unravelling.

Knockout Verdict: Birthing pains.

Things should start picking up a bit now but slowly as Baby Ruby is a whole bunch of missed potential. Following the story of a social media lifestyle influencer having to adapt to the realities of new parenthood. Only to find herself increasingly paranoid and surrounded by perceived threats. Baby Ruby pays tribute to Rosemary’s Baby in both themes and, at times, presentation. While offering up a story that is relatable to many but poorly executed and a bit repetitive.

This is a movie that feels like it should be so much better than it is. Its message of the societal pressures placed on new mothers is an important one and the social media influencer position of our protagonist is a great way to illustrate that. But the continual “was it a dream or was it reality” shifting of the narrative and painfully played out horror tropes really drag this movie down. Again, watchable, but Baby Ruby wastes its immense potential. We awarded it 2.2/5 in our review.

8. Lexi (2022) – Laughing All the Way

The Influencer Persona: “Laughing Lexi,” a lifestyle guru who goes missing after a series of threatening events escalate.

Knockout Verdict: Found footage gem.

Lexi follows the story of the disappearance of social media, lifestyle, influencer Laughing Lexi. After receiving threatening messages and videos taken from inside her house. Lexi attempts to confront the person who appears to be destroying her life. Only for the situation to escalate tremendously. Resulting in even more intimate videos of her being released and her house being invaded while she sleeps. Interviewers and experts attempt to get to the bottom of what might have happened to Laughing Lexi.

Presented in a mockumentary style. Lexi is a genuinely interesting take on social media influencers and the threat that they face from obsessed fans. While not similar to Influencer in presentation. It is a witty and apt look at just how much of a person’s life they are willing to expose to gain fame and fortune.

Victoria Vertuga is brilliant here as writer, director and actor. Putting on a dedicated and committed performance that helps Lexi punch well above its microbudget, found footage, weight. We awarded Lexi 3/5 in our review.

7. Followed (2018) – Hotel Hell

The Influencer Persona: “DropTheMike,” a controversial and annoying vlogger willing to exploit tragedies for sponsor money.

Knockout Verdict: Like, comment, and die.

This isn’t just a horror movie that features a social media influencer. It is a movie that also rips off some of the biggest stories on social media over recent years. Namely that of Eliza Lam’s death and the Cecil Hotel. A social media influencer desperate to please his sponsors and grow his follower count. Takes his team to spend a week in a supposedly haunted hotel that was the location of a woman’s disappearance. A disappearance that went viral due to the bizarre video of her in an elevator that leaked out after her death.

Followed is pretty shameless in its capitalising on the death of a woman with a severe mental illness. Its entire background story is ripped from real life with a few name changes. Leading to it deserving some criticism for lacking originality and being in poor taste. But when the movie works, it works pretty well.

Its protagonist is an unlikable douche, just like many influencers, but some of the scenes are quite effective. The live-stream style narrative works pretty decently, as well. We awarded Followed 2.5/5 in our review.

6. Superhost (2021) – A Five-Star Psycho

The Influencer Persona: Claire and Teddy, travel vloggers facing a subscriber dip who are desperate for good content.

Knockout Verdict: Rebecca is the star.

Superhost shares three things in common with the hit movie Influencer. The first being Influencer director Kurtis David Harder who also worked as a producer on this movie. The second being Sara Canning who played Jessica in Influencer and plays Claire here. And the third being amazing villains that elevate the movie tremendously.

Superhost follows the story of travel influencers Claire and Teddy. Suffering declining followers after a recent controversy. The pair finally manage to score a stay in one of their most requested holiday lets. The only problem? The host there is a little over eager to please.

Gracie Gillam’s performance in Superhost is absolutely phenomenal. What is a rather dull and average horror movie is entirely elevated by her almost Annie Wilkes style character. Making Superhost an easy watch despite its many flaws. You won’t like the main characters and the movie won’t scare you a great deal. But you will love just how brilliant Gillam is and how much fun she brings to the film. We only awarded it 2.8/5 but I would recommend it purely for Gillam.

5. Cabin Girl (2023) – Van Life to Afterlife

The Influencer Persona: Ava, a van-life influencer seeking stability in a remote cabin that holds dark secrets.

Knockout Verdict: Road trip detour.

This is another Tubi Original that follows the story of Van Life influencer Ava as she switches life on the road for a dream cabin. After being involved in an accident, Ava decides to take things easy. Life has no intention of helping her out on this path, though. As the house she has moved into seems to hide a sordid past. Will Ava uncover what happened or will she learn some unsettling truths about herself?

Cabin Girl aims to buck expectation when it comes to these types of movies. Taking the story of Ava in some unexpected directions and offering some genuinely decent moments. Well acted and fairly interesting. Cabin Girl is a very watchable movie with an interesting story. It doesn’t do anything new and is a slave to cliche and horror trope, but it is a decent option if you are looking for influencer horror with a little more depth. We awarded Cabin Girl 2.9/5 in our review.

4. Death of a Vlogger (2019) – Scottish Scares

The Influencer Persona: Graham, a vlogger and prankster whose documentation of a haunting draws online wrath.

Knockout Verdict: Fake news or real ghosts?

We have a Scottish found footage horror movie for you next. Death of a Vlogger follows the story of a popular online influencer and prankster who documents a haunting taking place at his home. Part mockumentary and part comedy. Death of a Vlogger sees our protagonist facing the wrath of the internet after it appears he has duped them. But could there be more to the haunting than there initially seemed?

This is a movie that is raved about by critics but splits viewers down the middle. Featuring some very apt commentary on online bullying and the results of an obsession with internet fame. This is a movie that is funny in parts and has some genuinely spooky moments. It lets itself down by flipping the story on its head in much the same way as Lake Mungo. But it still remains an interesting take on social media influencers and parasocial relationships. We awarded Death of a Vlogger 3/5 in our review.

3. The Andy Baker Tape (2020) – Family Reunion

The Influencer Persona: Jeff Blake, a food critic and vlogger documenting a road trip with his newly discovered brother.

Knockout Verdict: Food for thought.

The Andy Baker Tape is the story of social media influencer and food critic Jeff Blake. Jeff is heading across the country to meet the brother he never knew he had. After spending some time together, the pair decide to share a road trip while filming vlogs for Jeff’s channel. It isn’t long, however, before things begin to go dramatically wrong.

The fact that this movie even exists is something that deserves praise. Filmed during the 2020 lockdowns by a skeleton crew fronted by actors Dustin Fontaine and Bret Lada. The Andy Baker Tape is a fantastic demonstration of creativity against the odds.

Interesting, well acted, and with some decent moments of tension. This is a found footage movie that actually works well. Bucking the trend of some of the more recent ultra low budget offerings from the sub-genre. It’s not going to blow you away with special effects or depth of story. And it might not appeal to people who don’t like the medium anyway. But if you are looking for an influencer movie that focuses more on interpersonal drama and relationships. The Andy Baker Tape may be for you. We awarded it 3.2/5 in our review.

2. Sissy (2022) – Wellness Warrior

The Influencer Persona: Cecilia (Sissy), a wellness and mental health advocate whose perfect online image cracks under pressure.

Knockout Verdict: Kill them with kindness.

Absolutely insane Aussie horror from hyper talented film maker Hannah Barlow next. We recently covered 20 Awesome Australian Horror Movies and you better believe that Sissy was high up on the list. Sissy follows the story of lifestyle influencer Cecilia as she unexpectedly encounters her former high school best friend while out shopping.

Invited to join her on a bridesmaid getaway. Cecilia agrees only to realise she will be spending the weekend with another blast from the past. A blast from the past that will bring out a side of Cecilia she thought was long buried.

Sissy is chaotic, nuts, and hilarious in parts. Sissy‘s violent and gory horror leanings bring to mind fellow Oz horror The Loved Ones. Reminding us that death and destruction doesn’t always have to be serious and that there is more than one way to make a slasher. Well acted throughout, especially by Aisha Dee as the titular character, and always entertaining. We awarded Sissy 3.8/5 in our review.

1. Deadstream (2022) – Livestreaming the Dead

The Influencer Persona: Shawn Ruddy, a disgraced stunt vlogger trying to win back fans by staying overnight in a haunted house.

Knockout Verdict: Smash that like button.

Like Followed but so much better. Deadstream is a modern horror movie that pays homage to movies like The Evil Dead. Following the story of a disgraced social media influencer attempting to win back his fame. Deadstream sees Shawn Ruddy (Joseph Winter) spending a night in a haunted house purely to please the sponsors. Locking the door and throwing away the key. There is no escape for Ruddy as he must endure the most terrifying night of his life.

Deadstream plays out as if we are in the room with Ruddy as he streams his experience in the house. To call it an influencer horror doesn’t quite do it justice, though. Deadstream feels like it would have fit in with horror movies from the 80s.

Practical effects, haunted house thrills and old fashioned monsters are the order of the day. Deadstream reminds us of a time when horror was a lot more simple and a lot more eager to scare the viewer with werewolves and spooks. It’s camp, hilarious, and bloody good fun. I loved Deadstream and awarded it 4/5 in my review.

Don’t Forget to Like, Subscribe… and Survive

There you have it—15 cautionary tales that prove doing it “for the Gram” might just get you killed. From the satirical slashers of Sissy to the livestream nightmares of Deadstream, these movies highlight the dark side of digital fame. Whether it is obsessive fans, jealous rivals, or just the consequences of being annoying in a haunted house, the internet never forgets, and neither do these killers.

If you are looking for more content to consume (safely from your sofa), be sure to check out our list of 20 Vacation Horror Movies, as many influencers seem to meet their demise while traveling. Or, if you prefer your horror a little more grounded, take a look at our Horror Movie Reviews section. Thanks for reading Knockout Horror, and remember to turn off your location services!

🤳 Quick Picks: The Best Social Media Horror Movies by Vibe

The “Evil Dead” Pick: Deadstream (2022)
For when you want to laugh and scream. A disgraced streamer locks himself in a haunted house. It is practical effects heaven and legitimately funny.

The “Satire” Pick: Sissy (2022)
For when you hate wellness culture. A brutal slasher that skewers toxic positivity and online personas. Colorful, gory, and very Australian.

The “Thriller” Pick: Influencer (2022)
For when you want a clever twist. A solo travel vlogger meets a mysterious local in Thailand. It subverts expectations beautifully.

The “Mockumentary” Pick: Death of a Vlogger (2019)
For when you want a ghost story. A smart look at online fame and the paranormal that punches way above its budget.

The “Villain” Pick: Superhost (2021)
For when you want a great performance. The movie is average, but Gracie Gillam’s unhinged performance as the host is absolutely iconic.

Support the Site Knockout Horror is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Basically, if you click a link to rent or buy a movie, we may earn a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps keep the lights on and the nightmares coming. Don't worry, we will never recommend a movie purely to generate clicks. If it's bad, we will tell you.

Disclaimer: All movie images, posters, video stills, and related media featured in this article are the property of their respective copyright holders. They are presented here under the principles of fair use for the purposes of commentary, criticism, and review. Knockout Horror makes no claim of ownership over these materials. Each image is used purely to illustrate discussion of the films and to provide context for readers. We encourage audiences to support the official releases of the movies mentioned.