The 20 best modern witch horror movies (from folk horror & curses to covens & the occult)
Welcome to Knockout Horror. We are getting close to Halloween 2025 so time for some lists. What could be more fitting for October 31st than the subject we are talking about today? If you’ve been paying attention to horror over the last decade, you’ve probably noticed that one of film’s oldest villains is back in a big way. The witch has returned and we are jumping out of the fire and into the cauldron to look at The 20 Best Modern Witch Horror Movies (From Folk Horror & Curses to Covens & The Occult).
An Old Horror Favourite!
We’re not talking about cartoonish figures on broomsticks, here. That’s old hat and, let’s be honest, not exactly scary nowadays. The modern horror witch is something far more terrifying. Witchcraft of the 2010s and onward is primal, sinister, and often lurking in the dark woods of folk horror.
Hell, sometimes it’s even hiding within the walls of our own homes. From satanic covens and ancient curses to folk tales brought to life, the genre is absolutely thriving with dark magic and some of the horror genres best films.
That fact alone got us thinking: what are the best modern witchy horror films? We’ve put together a list of 20 essential films from the last decade or so that every horror fan needs to see. I am going against the grain here and not ranking these movies. Instead, I am grouping them by their witch related theme – Folk Horror & Ancient Curses, Covens & Satanic Rituals, The Solitary Witch & Occult Magic, and Witch-Adjacent & Monstrous Magic.
Pick a theme, grab your salt circle, and let’s count down the 20 best modern horror films about witches. Oh, and a quick word before we start. There’s a movie that released a few months ago that I am not including because it is just too much of a spoiler. Okay, let’s go!
🌳 Folk Horror & Ancient Curses
Let’s start with the theme that’s probably been dominating your streaming recommendations this Halloween. We have one particular witchy themed blockbuster to thank for the popularity of folk horror and ancient curse related witch horror and that’s coming up in just a sec.
This is the earthy, primal stuff. These are films where the horror isn’t just in the woods, it is the woods. We’re in isolated villages, bleak farmsteads, and misty peat bogs where ‘the old ways’ never really left. This category is all about atmosphere, creeping dread, bleak conditions, and curses that are as old as the soil itself. Prepare for slow-burn stories and twisted plots.
Gretel & Hansel (2020)
Don’t immediately turn your nose up at PG-13 rated horror, you might miss something pretty damn watchable. Oz Perkins’ Gretel & Hansel is one such movie. It’s a visually stunning and actually rather atmospheric retelling of the classic fairy tale.
Perkins frames the story as a dark coming-of-age tale, where Gretel is tempted by the witch’s power. It’s a slow-burn art-house horror that’s more dread than jump scares. This obviously leads some viewers to class it as a bit boring but that’s really not the case. It’s actually a really good folk horror take on a classic witch story. It’s absolutely worth checking out.
Moloch (2022)
When it comes to best modern witch horror movies, you might want to add this to your watchlist. This little Dutch folk-horror may just have slipped your attention. Like a lot of European horror, it went completely under the radar which is a shame. Moloch is a great folk horror that leans into enjoyable themes of ancient curses and witchcraft. It also feels very refreshing thanks to some of the local folklore used in the plot.
The story follows a woman living with her family at the edge of a peat bog. After her family is attacked by a stranger, she begins to suspect they are being haunted by something ancient and sinister. A local legend named Moloch who demands sacrifice. If you missed this, you need to head on over to Shudder right now and check it out. You can even get a free 7 day trial with our link. Shameless plug but web servers cost money. A great first entry when it comes to international witch horror movies.
Gwen (2018)
Full disclosure, this is one of those movies that is so beautifully filmed that you sometimes forget that it isn’t quite as intriguing as you thought it would be. Set in 19th-century Snowdonia, Wales, during the Industrial Revolution. A young girl tries desperately to hold her home together amidst her mother’s mysterious illness. All while a ruthless mining company encroaches on their land and pressures them to sell.
As a darkness descends, the suspicious local community begins to turn on the family, whispering about curses and witchcraft. I would be inclined to feel somewhat biased towards Gwen because it is filmed in my home country of Wales. It features utterly stunning cinematography, too. It does have a few issues that need mention, though. Still, for a more measured and realistic take on witchcraft and the persecution women faced back then, it’s a fascinating movie. Check out our Gwen review right here.
Hagazussa: A Heathen’s Curse (2017)
We have another international witch horror movie next. One consistent theme with all of these folk horror movies based on witches and curses is bleakness. It’s hard to sit down and watch them without feeling a bit sad, afterwards. Hagazussa: A Heathen’s Curse is an unsettling and rather gloomy Austrian-German film set in a 15th-century Alpine village.
It follows a young woman, outcast and branded a witch by the cruel villagers, who slowly descends into madness based around pagan belief. It’s a very non-traditional folk-horror that really doesn’t make any effort to feel anything other than woefully depressing. It’s an ultra slow-burn that won’t be for everyone. Still, it’s cool to see other countries take on the folk horror witchcraft theme. Some people absolutely adore this film, as well.
You Won’t Be Alone (2022)
Speaking of other countries taking on the theme of folk-horror witchcraft, let’s take a loot at another entry. This international witch horror movie comes in the form of an Australian, British, and Serbian collaboration. In 19th-century Macedonia, a young woman is kidnapped and transformed into a shapeshifting witch by an ancient, scarred spirit.
The film follows her life as she takes over the bodies of various people and animals. All in an attempt to understand what it means to be human. It’s a pretty brutal, strangely beautiful, and utterly unique folk-horror tale that puts an entirely new spin on the subject of witches and curses. Director Goran Stolevski even dips his feet into body-horror, romance, and coming-of-age themes in this fantastic movie. You Won’t Be Alone is an underrated gem just waiting to be discovered.
Impetigore (2019)
This next movie is a great example of one of the best modern witch horror movies from the East. Joko Anwar is easily one of Indonesia’s best horror directors. He’s brought us classic after classic including Satan’s Slaves and a movie that I think doesn’t get nearly enough love – Ritual (2012). Impetigore is probably his biggest hit to date and still stands as one of the best movies of 2019.
It follows a woman who travels back to her remote ancestral village to claim an inheritance. She soon learns the village has been cursed by a dark spell of black magic, and the villagers believe she is the key to breaking it, something which they plan to do in the most violent way possible. There are some seriously graphic scenes here that are more than just a little unsettling. It’s a great movie though and perfect for an alternate take on Witchcraft and curses.
The Witch (2015)
The recent witch horror movie that started it all. It had to be here, right? Just because everyone already knows about it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t mention the film that arguably kicked off the modern folk-horror revival. Particularly when it comes to those set around witchcraft. It’s still a fantastic and extremely haunting piece of movie making that stands head and shoulders above most others.
In 17th-century New England, a puritanical family is banished from their village and forced to live at the edge of a dark wood. It isn’t long before their baby vanishes, their crops fail, and they begin to turn on each other, all while a very real coven, and a goat named Black Phillip, watch on. It’s legitimately scary, the atmosphere is so tense you could cut it with a knife, and the story is captivating. The Witch is essential folk-horror viewing and you can check out our The Witch review right here.
🕯️ Covens & Satanic Rituals
If you like your horror with a dash of paranoia, this one’s for you. The witch isn’t a lonely outcast here; she’s part of a club of like-minded individuals. These films explore the terror of the coven. Be it secret societies hiding in plain sight, school-girls with vicious ambitions, or groups that go back generations.
All of the films here feature witches pulling the strings to achieve some dark, often satanic, goal. From demonic pacts to ancient conspiracies, the threat here is organised, and you might just be the main ingredient in their next ritual.
Luz (2018)
The witch related stuff is more implied than explicitly stated here but that is something you are going to see quite a lot in this category. Luz is a genuinely bizarre German experimental film that feels a bit art-house and a bit retro while still managing a few scares along the way.
A cab driver is brought to a police station for a routine interview. It soon becomes clear that a demonic entity, has followed her there but what is the source of the haunting? It’s shot on 16mm which lends it just a hint of the pretentious but fans of truly experimental movies are going to love it. It’s unlike anything else on this list.
The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015)
How about a second appearance from director Ozgood Perkins? I bet you didn’t realise he was so prolific. When it comes to horror movies about witches, he is a great director to bet on. Two young women are left stranded at their Catholic boarding school over winter break. As an ominous, unseen evil begins to close in, a third woman with a dark past makes her way towards the school.
It’s a pretty damn bleak, atmospheric, and dread-filled film that really leans into the haunting setting and isolated nature of our lead characters. It all builds to a legitimately shocking, satanic-witchcraft laced ending that reflects on themes of loneliness and a desire to be accepted, even if it is by something ultimately dark.
Witching & Bitching (2013)
Witchcraft doesn’t often make for great horror comedy but we do have at least one with this wild, high-energy movie from Spain. Yep, that’s another international witch horror movie. The rest of the world is knocking it out of the park when it comes to this theme. A group of jewel thieves, fleeing the police, end up in a remote Basque village that happens to be inhabited by a terrifying, multi-generational coven of witches.
There’s no subtlety here, the clue is in the name. Witching & Bitching is a bloody, hilarious, and completely over-the-top battle for survival. If you are wondering how a group of criminals would prevent a witch apocalypse, look no further. This movie is a ton of fun. It’s also a hilarious example of a horror movie about covens that just so happens to cover an entire town.
Anything for Jackson (2020)
I’d actually completely forgotten about this movie until discussing this list with my fiancee. Now Anything For Jackson isn’t a traditional witchcraft movie, it’s more of an occultism and satanic ritualism movie. It does work on a lot of related themes, though, and does a fantastic job turning witchcraft into a doorway for damnation.
A bereaved, elderly Satanist couple kidnap a pregnant woman. Their plan isn’t to harm her, but to perform a “reverse exorcism” to put the spirit of their dead grandson, Jackson, into her unborn child. Naturally, they open a door they can’t close, and all hell (quite literally) breaks loose. This is another one you can grab on Shudder and is legitimately fun.
Suspiria (2018)
A wildly different take on the 1977 classic but still a great horror movie about covens. I am trying to keep this list narrowed down to modern releases so this is a perfect option. An American woman joins a new dance academy in Berlin, only to discover that the matrons who run the school are actually a coven of ancient, powerful witches fighting for control.
Taking on a beloved classic is no small task. Especially when it comes to such well known titles as 1977’s Suspiria. Luca Guadagnino managed to do a very nice job, however, thanks to a great cast, a decent score by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, and by departing from the original’s story. It’s a polarising movie but still a decent choice for some coven-themed horror.
Hereditary (2018)
Now this is a quintessential modern witch horror movie. Allow me to explain, though, because I know what you might be thinking. What is this doing on the list? You might also be wondering why I keep recommending Hereditary on my lists but isn’t that obvious? Everyone seems to absolutely love this movie. While it might seem like a film about a family’s grief, it’s ultimately one of the best “coven” films ever made.
After the family matriarch dies, her daughter’s family slowly disintegrates, only to find the terrible things that are happening may have some connection to the strange group of people their grandmother associated with. This is a great option because it ticks so many of the boxes when it comes to satanism, witchcraft, and the occult. Check out our Hereditary review right here.
🔮 The Solitary Witch & Occult Magic
Sometimes, the most terrifying magic is personal, right? This category is for the girl who wants to go it alone, the family legacy, and the occult dabbler who probably should have left that dusty old book alone. This isn’t a particularly big section but we have three great movies for you here.
These films range from a dark coming-of-age stories about discovering (or inheriting) power, to a sharp satire on magic, to a terrifying tale about what happens when you try to conjure something you can’t control. All three of these films are, in my opinion, quite underrated, as well. Hell, even by myself in one case.
Pyewacket (2017)
This is a modern witch horror movie with a difference and an altogether more teen-centric approach. Pyewacket is a really well liked, low-budget Canadian indie chiller that’s perfect to kick this category off. An angst-ridden teenage girl, furious with her mother and feeling displaced after moving to a remote house, unwisely performs an occult ritual in the woods to summon a demon known as Pyewacket to kill her.
Naturally, she soon begins to regret her decision as she senses something sinister lurking in the shadows of their home. There’s a lot of great moments in this movie that do a fantastic job of utilising the remote setting of the home and the vulnerability of our lead characters. It’s actually quite creepy in parts. I am sure lots of people will enjoy the concept of the ancient witch Pyewacket, as well. Check out our Pyewacket review right here.
Hellbender (2021)
This, similar to Pyewacket, is another movie that places the focus on an isolated teen. Both are great options when it comes to movies about solitary witches. It acts as something of a coming-of-age movie as much as it does a horror. It even starts off in a similar way to the aforementioned movie as it follows a lonely teenage girl and her mother who live an isolated life in the woods.
Her mother claims she has a rare illness, but the girl soon discovers that there is far more to her condition than she initially though. Her mother is hiding the family’s dark secret: they are part of a generations-old lineage of witches. Hellbender is a fantastic, grimy, DIY indie film that even wanders into arthouse territory on more than one occasion. Definitely an underrated gem.
The Love Witch (2016)
How about a modern witch horror movie with a distinctly retro vibe? The Love Witch is one of those movies that is instantly recognisable for its approach to horror visuals. Despite being made in 2016, it is a complete throwback to a world full of flared pants, bee-hive hairstyles, and garishly coloured furniture and clothes. There really aren’t too many modern horror movies that look like this. There aren’t too many movies about solitary witches that are this damn cool, either.
A beautiful young witch named Elaine moves to a new town hellbent on finding a man to love her. She uses spells and potions to seduce them, but her magic works just a little too well, leaving a string of pathetic, lovelorn victims in her wake. It’s an absolutely gorgeous, razor sharp horror satire shot in a beautifully lush, 1960s Technicolor style that looks incredibly accurate to the era. It’s got to be one of the most unique movies on this list, too.
👻 Witch-Adjacent & Monstrous Magic
Okay, this is our category for films that blur the lines, and honestly, they’re some of the most creative. I couldn’t leave these out because, while they might not be witches and witchcraft related in the traditional Western sense, they bring a completely fresh approach to the topic.
The ‘witch’ here might be a child-eating, skin-stealing monster, or a long-dead spirit whose magic is so powerful it poisons the present. These are films where witchcraft is the source of the horror. Whether by being the cause of a curse, the key to a possession, or the power behind a terrifying entity. It’s magic at its most monstrous.
The Wailing (2016)
This South Korean epic might just be one of the best horror films of the century. In fact, it also found a place in our list of 30 mind bending mystery horror movies. A policeman investigates a series of brutal murders connected to a mysterious disease in a small village. Somehow, it all seems to have some link to the arrival of a mysterious Japanese stranger but in what way?
The film masterfully blends zombies, demons, and folk shamanism, with a powerful ‘witch’ at the centre of its supernatural chaos. The witchcraft stuff here isn’t of the covens and haggered old women variety. It’s more of a regional folklore brand but it’s no less fascinating. This is a complex movie that will probably demand a second watch but man is it ever great? A completely different take on the subject and utterly refreshing for it.
The Wretched (2019)
How about an entirely more modern approach to the whole witch thing? The Wretched follows a rebellious teenage boy who, after being sent to live with his father for the summer, begins to suspect that his new neighbour isn’t quite who she seems.
He soon discovers that an ancient, child-eating, “slip-skin” witch may have something to do with it. I didn’t exactly praise this movie in my review but I know it is very well liked among viewers. It’s something of a modern Fright Night-style creature feature that approaches the whole witch subject from a completely different angle. It’s a great option if you are looking for something light and fun. Check out our The Wretched review right here.
The Cursed (2021)
Is this one cheating a bit? I’m not sure because, while technically about a werewolf curse, the “witch” element is central to the story. In 19th-century France, a brutal landowner slaughters a Roma clan, who use their dying breath to curse his family and the land.
The film treats the curse like a body-horror plague, rooted in dark magic and witchcraft so it definitely plays an important part in the plot. The thing I really love about The Cursed is how it brings together witchcraft with werewolf horror in a way that doesn’t feel remotely silly. It also features Eden Lake’s Kelly Reilly who is always fantastic.
The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)
Let’s wrap this list up with an absolutely amazing horror movie that is, ostensibly, about an actual witch but focuses far more on the mystery element than the folklore. A father-and-son coroner team receive the body of an unidentified woman found at a grisly crime scene.
As they begin the autopsy, they find that her body has no external signs of trauma, but her insides are ravaged, revealing a history of ritualistic torture. They soon realise they aren’t just examining a body; they’ve unleashed something far more horrifying than they ever could have imagined. I don’t want to spoil anything so I won’t go in detail. Suffice to say that the way The Autopsy of Jane Doe approaches this ultra traditional horror topic is fiendishly clever and makes for some legitimately fantastic scares. Check out our The Autopsy of Jane Doe review right here.
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