Superior Avengers #1 goes on sale on April 16th, priced $4.99.

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Interview with the Vampire (1994) is one of those classics that has stuck around through the years, and a big part of that is thanks to Cruise’s magnetic presence, which helped shape the film’s legacy into what it is today. Honestly, this was one of the boldest and most different roles of his entire career. Sure, he’s taken risks in a few other genres – like Vanilla Sky or Rock of Ages – but seeing him play a vampire in a period piece? That was clearly stepping into new territory (and The Mummy, even though it’s horror, doesn’t even come close). To give an idea, critics and audiences alike praised his role, and many still consider it one of his all-time best performances.

warner bros.

Based on Anne Rice’s novel of the same name, the movie walks this elegant but haunting line to explore immortality, guilt, loneliness, and bonds that defy time. It follows Louis de Pointe du Lac (Brad Pitt), a vampire who, in the present day, decides to share his centuries-old life story with journalist Daniel Molloy (Christian Slater). As he opens up, he reveals how he was turned by Lestat de Lioncourt (Tom Cruise), a seductive yet ruthless vampire who pulls him into an eternal life full of moral dilemmas and deep losses. So what makes it so good?

The heart of the film is the relationship between the two vampires – a strange, tangled bond that blends love, fear, and dependence. Louis is constantly searching for meaning in his new life, while Lestat mostly just seems to crave company – and control. And that’s where Cruise really shines. He brings an intensity that’s rare to see from him, nailing a mix of aristocratic charm, graceful cruelty, and this eerie sense of vulnerability. He dives headfirst into something way more introspective and layered than we’re used to, which is why it’s so surprising. Even Rice herself doubted at first that Cruise could live up to the character she had imagined.

[RELATED: Interview With the Vampire Director Reflects on Casting Tom Cruise as Lestat]

He caught a lot of heat behind the scenes – critics and fans were openly demanding someone else. When he was cast, the author didn’t think he had the look or the depth to play the iconic Lestat. In interviews, she went as far as saying casting him was “a colossal mistake.” According to Esquire, she even blamed him for “butchering her script, sanitizing the sexual content to accommodate his clean-cut image, and perpetrating the worst crime in the name of casting.” This was his first big fictional antagonist, so it makes sense that people were protective (her stories had built up a seriously loyal fanbase by then, and he had no real experience with this kind of character). Still, it’s one of those classic cases where people judged too early – Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight faced the same kind of doubt, and look how that turned out.

warner bros.

Back then, Cruise admitted he was shocked by Rice’s reaction, but it didn’t shake him. In fact, it pushed him harder. He dove into research, determined to prove people wrong. A longtime fan of the genre and totally committed to the role, he ended up delivering one of the best performances of his life. After watching the movie, Rice did a complete 180 – she wrote an open letter praising Cruise and saying he blew away her expectations.

“I like to believe Tom’s Lestat will be remembered the way Olivier’s Hamlet is remembered. Others may play the role someday but no one will ever forget Tom’s version of it,” she said at the time.

What’s really cool about Cruise’s performance is how quickly he picked up on the real truth behind Lestat, and how that added so much depth to the character. The vampire is a predator, sure – but he’s also a lonely creature terrified of being left behind, hiding all of that power and performance. Cruise managed to show all those layers perfectly, and it’s no wonder Interview with the Vampire became such a hit. The film broke records during its opening weekend, ended up earning over $223 million at the global box office, and it also grabbed some Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. Even now, it’s seen as one of the most iconic vampire movies ever made – and one of the most stylish takes on vampire mythology in cinema. AMC’s recent remake series is just one example of how strong its influence still is.

Today, nearly three decades later, Interview with the Vampire is still one of the biggest highlights of Cruise’s career. Not just because it shows a side of him we rarely see, but because it proves that even without all the explosions and high-speed chases, he can deliver something genuinely unforgettable. It’s not just his only real horror movie – it’s also one of the most revealing performances of his talent and a big reason why he’s so firmly rooted in the film industry.

Interview with the Vampire is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

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Spawned from a case first investigated by Ed and Lorraine Warren, the real-world paranormal investigators that the "Conjuring" universe is based on, the 1979 film "The Amityville Horror" would prove to be just the beginning of a completely unhinged pseudo-canon. That's because the "Amityville" universe is based on two things that cannot be trademarked even in the hyper-litigious world of U.S. intellectual property law — a real news story, and an actual location.
This means that, while there are a handful of Amityville films associated with that first Warner Bros. release, dozens of films have been made that bear the name. While all are to varying degrees connected to the 1977 novel about the allegedly haunted 1925 Dutch Colonial Long Island home where Ron DeFeo killed six family members in 1974, the big tent of Amityville movies includes a little bit of everything — a witch movie, a werewolf film, even a sexually explicit entry. As Michael Stone of Rotted Reviews put it, "I could fart on camera for an hour and a half and legally release it as 'Amityville Gas Chamber' and nobody would have any rights to sue me."
With this in mind, the best way to watch the extended Amityville universe is to start with the films related to the original story in a certain order and then consume the rest of the movies in order of release. It sounds a little complicated, but it's really quite simple. Here's the best viewing order:

"Amityville II: The Possession" (1982)

"The Amityville Murders" (2018)

"The Amityville Horror" (1979 and 2005)

"Amityville 3-D" (1983)

"Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes" (1989)

"The Amityville Curse" (1990)

"Amityville: It's About Time" (1992)

"Amityville: A New Generation" (1993)

"Amityville Dollhouse" (1996)

"The Amityville Haunting" (2011)

"Amityville: The Awakening" (2017)

The various Amityville indie films

Amityville II: The Possession (1982)

Orion Pictures

In a crime that has baffled criminologists and captured the imaginations of paranormal believers for decades, a then-23-year-old Ron "Butch" DeFeo Jr. shot his parents and four younger siblings, ranging in ages from nine to 18. Although author Ric Osuna would later point to the family's abusive patriarch and his alleged ties to organized crime as potential factors in the DeFeos' demise, supernatural claims from the home's future owners would eclipse any real tragedy in the public imagination.
"Amityville II: The Possession" is the fictionalized retelling of those real-world horrors that ignited the lore of 112 Ocean Avenue with the DeFeos reimagined as another large Italian-American family, the Montellis. Like the real Ron Sr., Montelli patriarch Anthony (Burt Young) is abusive and miserable. The problem is made worse when the demonically possessed home starts to play dirty tricks and causes the family's relationships to rapidly deteriorate to the point of marital rape and incest.
Much of the film follows the same basic storyline as "The Amityville Horror" — family meets dream home, dream home turns out to be haunted, haunted house turns family homicidal. But what the film does well is establish that this isn't a run-of-the-mill haunting; it's a serious demonic possession replete with all the sacrilege you'd find in "The Exorcist." That's a helpful footnote to have as you settle in for the rest of the "Amityville" saga, making "Amityville II: The Possession" a great entry point.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

The Amityville Murders (2018)

Skyline

"The Amityville Murders" is almost a remake of "Amityville II: The Possession," giving viewers a supernatural account of the real story behind the DeFeo murders but using the real family's names. The film, which features a damning zero percent Rotten Tomatoes critical rating, takes the truly horrific true crime story and attempts to infuse it with paranormal meaning, exploitatively suggesting the DeFeo family's tragedy was caused by demonic forces toying with Ron Jr.'s mind.
Given the underlying insensitivity, the reviews are predictably terrible — and it's not just for the problematic premise. The pacing is awful, little effort was put into making the costumes and set historically accurate, and to call the writing middling would be generous. As one IMDb reviewer put it, "Acting was 'meh', watching the mother try to smoke/not smoke that cigarette in the kitchen was painful. Modern doorknobs, electrical outlets and LED candles?" At the end of the day, "The Amityville Murders" at least attempts to tell the real story of the DeFeo family murders, even if it would have been better told as a Netflix documentary.

The Amityville Horror (1979 and 2005)

American International Pictures

Although every Amityville saga completionist should watch both the 1979 version of "The Amityville Horror" and the 2005 remake back-to-back for comparison's sake, it really doesn't matter which version you start with. What does matter is that everyone watching the original film today should consider viewing it through Stephen King's "economic horror" lens, outlined in his 1981 non-fiction book "Danse Macabre." King wrote: "The movie might as well have been subtitled The Horror of the Shrinking Bank Account [...] The Amityville Horror, beneath its ghost-story exterior, is really a financial demolition derby."
Both films depict the Lutz family acquiring their Amityville home for well-below market value and right at the limit of what they can afford. Even though they're cool with the whole murder house thing, the bargain starts to fall apart the more they settle in. A door locks a kid in an attic, a priest is unable to bless the home, a nun who visits is stricken with illness, and various other horrifying events plague the family. But the true horror is the family's mental health and emotional stability, which slowly unravel until things start to get violent. While both films generally follow the same storyline, the earlier version, which stars Margot Kidder, James Brolin, and Rod Steiger, is a better film overall despite Ryan Reynolds' strong performance and higher production value aiding the remake.

Amityville 3-D (1983)

Orion Pictures

Set sometime after "The Amityville Horror," "Amityville 3-D" breaks from the "family moves into a haunted house" formula by placing a sworn skeptic into the Amityville universe. Part of a short-lived 3D craze that came about when studio execs got nervous about the rise in VCRs, "Amityville 3-D" (also known as "Amityville III: The Demon") is chock-full of practical effects and gratuitous 3D usage. Some of the more egregious examples include a red Frisbee zooming slowly toward the audience and a well-monster with serious Large Marge energy, with each 3D moment more ridiculous than the last in all the best ways.
Rip off those 3D glasses and lean a little closer and you'll find there's actually a pretty decent film hidden underneath the gimmick. The story follows science-minded debunker journalist John Baxter (Tony Roberts) as he moves into the Amityville house while in the middle of a divorce. Along with his daughter Susan (Lori Loughlin before "Full House" and her various garage sale Hallmark movies) and Susan's friend Lisa (Meg Ryan in one of her lesser known movie roles), he begins to encounter supernatural events he can't explain. When they learn the home is built on a Native American burial ground and a gateway to Hell for good measure, things become a little more clear.

Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes (1989)

NBC

If "Amityville 3D" is where the Amityville universe starts to go a little wonky, the campy, Patty Duke-starring made-for-TV sequel "The Evil Escapes" takes us all the way through the looking glass. After all the demonic force and hellmouth talk of the first few films, the entity possessing the Amityville house has quite literally escaped to avoid getting exorcised by a crew of six priests. Mid-exorcism, the demon absconds into a wonderfully quirky standing floor lamp in a demonic game of hide-and-seek (apparently Latin doesn't penetrate through light bulbs). When a real estate agent hosts a sale a few days later, the lamp gets picked up as a $100 gag gift and shipped off to California.
Strange and worrisome things immediately start happening. The woman who bought the lamp cuts her finger on it and then dies of tetanus; animals go crazy in its presence; and one family member is mysteriously drawn to it. Before long, the story has become totally unhinged — a plumber drowns in sewage; an electrician loses his hand in the garbage disposal; and the family parrot ends up in the toaster. It's ridiculous, wacky, high late-80s fun that reduces the entire lore to a sentient lamp and adds nothing to the franchise. If you don't take your horror movies seriously and can appreciate a so-bad-it's-good flick, you'll love it. 

The Amityville Curse (1990)

Vidmark Entertainment

Released in 1990 and set 12 years after the original Amityville murders, "The Amityville Curse" is adapted from a novel of the same name by Hans Holzer, a real-life parapsychologist and ghost hunter who wrote over a hundred books about the supernatural. From the jump, the film's plot is pretty convoluted and only tangentially connected to the first Amityville story. Sometime after Ron DeFeo murdered his family, a priest is shot to death in a confession booth that is later stored in the clergy house. The booth then gets purchased by a psychologist named Marvin (David Stein) and his wife Debbie (Dawna Wightman).
It should go without saying that the confession booth is cursed, leading to all manner of mayhem, misery, and murder in the home. As the body count climbs, revelations are made about the priest's role in everything. Other than a setting and some loose connections, none of it has much to do with the original Amityville story or even the novel it's meant to be based on. And, like the original DeFeo tragedy, the drama revealed to be behind the cursed confessional booth feels a lot more problematic when looked back on from the 2020s.

Amityville: It's About Time (1992)

Multicom Entertainment

A direct-to-video Amityville film that goes hard with bold early-90s fashion and home design choices, "Amityville: It's About Time" is actually more watchable than the previous two entries in the quasi-franchise. That is, once you accept the déjà vu that comes from reviving the whole Amityville-to-California demon transplant by way of sentient second hand goods storyline. The plot finds the lives of suburban architect Jacob Sterling (Stephen Macht) and his family in upheaval after the former returns home from Amityville, where he's been surveying the grounds to build some new tract housing. While he was surveying said grounds, he just happened to find a super cool clock that would go great on the mantel back home.
Shortly after Jacob adds his dumpster dive find to his Pottery Barn living room, things take a turn for the demonic, beginning with a gnarly dog bite and rapidly escalating to encompass hallucinations, hate crimes, black slime, a bathtub zombie, and, of course, murders. At one point, a teenager's boyfriend melts into the floor, and the special effects are pretty slick for the day. Even if the story is almost a direct reimagining of the lamp debacle, there's a touch of the Tom Hanks comedy horror "The Burbs" to this entry, with a nostalgic aesthetic and an overall quirkiness that makes it one of the more enjoyable in the canon.

Amityville: A New Generation (1993)

Republic Pictures

Further expanding the cursed object worldbuilding of the Amityville universe, "Amityville: A New Generation" deals with an objectively dreamy but apparently also cursed mirror that just happens to be from the Amityville murder house, and we already know where that leads. The story begins with a flashback to a few years before the DeFeo family moved into the evil home at 112 Ocean Avenue where we learn the DeFeos aren't the only folks to have been murdered there. Way back in 1966, while suffering from serious mental illness, Franklin Bronner blew up his family's Thanksgiving dinner and ended up committed to a state hospital before later killing his wife in front of their child.
As "A New Generation" reveals, that child, a boy named Keyes (Ross Partridge), grows up to become a hipster photographer living in an urban artist colony with other artists. Things start to go awry when a homeless man (Jack Orend), who, unbeknownst to Keyes, is his long lost murderous father, catches up with Keyes to give him a demonically possessed mirror that fairly quickly starts taking out his flatmates. Terry O'Quinn, best known as John Lock in "Lost," plays a detective in this film, which also features late "Shaft" star Richard Roundtree.

Amityville Dollhouse (1996)

Republic Pictures

Produced by the same folks responsible for "It's About Time," "Amityville Dollhouse" brings us back to the original hallowed ground of Ocean Avenue, recently (and conveniently) redeveloped after a house fire took everything out. The family at the center of the story is the combined brood of newly married Claire (Starr Andreeff) and Bill Martin (Robin Thomas). As they're moving onto the property, Bill comes across a dollhouse identical to the original Amityville house stashed in the shed.
This discovery marks the beginning of the supernatural shenanigans, largely derivative and watered-down versions of the horrors haunting the first few films — think grisly accidents, family pet problems, and inappropriate sexual relationships. Throw in some voodoo dolls, another zombie, some pretty gruesome fly stuff, and a couple of Wiccan relatives duking it out with some demons and you've got another bizarre Amityville entry that underwhelmed most viewers.
Although the dollhouse adds some funky size-altering mechanics to the mix, this film is mostly just a mashup of the cursed object and haunted house formulas. And, aside from the dollhouse's appearance (which, admittedly, is pretty cool) and the address of the new house (which we are told is the same as the previous films), there is no clear connection to the franchise.

The Amityville Haunting (2011)

The Asylum

Produced by The Asylum, the cult-following horror production company best known for mockbusters, the "Sharknado" series, and "Z Nation," "The Amityville Haunting" reimagines the novel content of "The Amityville Horror" as a found footage film with the tagline "The family did not survive. But the recordings did." Because the film is set in 2008, finding a way to crunch it into the canon means it either can't exist in the same world as "Dollhouse" or exists in an alternate timeline — but we're not going to worry about any of that.
Along with their kids Melanie (Gracie Largent), Tyler (Devin Clark), and Lori (Nadine Crocker), Douglas (Jason Williams) and Virginia Benson (Amy Van Horne) moving into the Amityville house despite knowing about its very dark past and having found their real estate agent dead on the grounds — after all, good real estate is hard to come by. Fortunately, when things go bad, everything gets caught on the extensive CCTV and video footage filmed by Tyler. It's not the freshest take on the saga, nor is it the best thing the Asylum has put out by a long stretch. 

Amityville: The Awakening (2017)

Blumhouse

Horror fans should give thanks to Blumhouse for ending the main Amityville saga on a relatively high note with arguably the most complex entry into the primary canon. 2017's "Amityville: The Awakening" boasts a cast that includes Bella Thorne, Jennifer Morrison, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kurtwood Smith, and Cameron Monaghan, so there's plenty of talent involved. This entry is a metafilm set in a world where the DeFeo murders are real but "The Amityville Horror" is fictional. Being fully aware of both, the Walkers move into the house at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville because of the housing crisis and also because the family needs to be closer to a neurologist, since one of the kids has locked-in syndrome.
Although on paper "Amityville: The Awakening" presents as another retelling of the same old story, there's a twist involving one of the characters' motivations and the idea that maybe, just maybe, housewife demonic possession could be a feature and not a bug. The film scored lukewarm reviews, but it's easily one of the most accomplished entries in the long-running Amityville saga. IGN called it a "periodically startling" film that would make for a good watch with friends, while Slant called it "an elegant entry" in the series. In short, it's not a world-beater, but if you love Amityville movies, you can do a lot worse. It's a pretty solid way to finish your Amityville viewing journey.

Watch the long list of wild Amityville indie films in any order

ITN Distribution

Now it's time for the weird, wacky, and completely out-there independent films ranging from Amityville name cash grabs to unintentional self-parody. There's no need to catch these in any particular order.
Group projects:

"Amityville: The Final Chapter" (2015): Ghost hunters and a guy who claims a monster killed his babysitter

"Witches of Amityville Academy" (2020): Amityville meets "Horror Story: Coven."

Cursed objects:

"The Amityville Legacy" (2016): Cursed toy monkey

"Amityville: Evil Never Dies" (2017): A sequel to "Legacy" with clowns

"The Amityville Exorcism" (2017): Cursed scrap lumber

"Amityville Vibrator" (2020): Exactly what it sounds like

Haunted Houses:

"The Amityville Terror" (2016): Cheap rent, possessed house

"The Amityville Harvest" (2020): Documentary crew, deteriorating manor

"An Amityville Poltergeist" (2020): Housesitting horror story

Other Haunted Locations:

"The Amityville Asylum" (2013): Haunted psychiatric hospital

"The Amityville Playhouse" (2015): High school kids camping at an abandoned theater

"Amityville: Vanishing Point" (2016): Haunted boarding house

"Amityville Island" (2020): Genetic experiments on an island

"Against the Night" (2017): Haunted prison

Found Footage:

Monsters:

The post How To Watch The Amityville Horror Movies In Order – Looper first appeared on Zombie Gaming.

Jackson and Story had worked together on the 2019 sequel Shaft, where Jackson reprised his role from the 2000 film alongside Jesse T. Usher as Shaft’s son and original Shaft actor Richard Roundtree as Shaft Sr. Story’s other films include Marvel’s Fantastic Four and its sequel Rise of the Silver Surfer as well as Kevin Hart’s Ride Along films. His upcoming films are The Pickup with Eddie Murphy and 72 Hours where he will reunite with Hart.
As for Jackson, he remains one of the most in demand actors in the industry with several films in various stages of production. He’s known for many iconic roles, but one of his most recent is as MCU super spy Nick Fury which he last reprised in The Marvels. With the recent announcement of the Avengers: Doomsday cast and the promise of further announcements to come, we’ll have to wait and see if Jackson will return to Marvel for the next Avengers films.

Ricky Church – Follow me on Bluesky for more movie news and nerd talk.

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Hemlock Grove was a horror/thriller series that aired from 2013 to 2015, set in a fictional Pennsylvania town of the same name. It begins with the discovery of a young woman’s brutally murdered body near an old steel mill. Suspicion quickly falls on Peter Rumancek (Landon Liboiron), a 17-year-old gypsy who had recently arrived in town – especially after rumors spread that he was a werewolf. In an effort to clear his name, he teams up with Roman Godfrey (Skarsgård), heir to a powerful local family. Together, they set out to investigate the murders. The series had three seasons, and the major surprise is that it was one of Netflix’s very first original productions.

Gaumont Television

At the time of its premiere, Hemlock Grove got a mixed reception from both critics and viewers. It never really took off (which helps explain why it’s mostly forgotten today), and even though Netflix usually keeps viewership numbers under wraps, content chief Ted Sarandos admitted in a 2016 interview with The Daily Telegraph that Hemlock Grove didn’t deliver the impact they had hoped for. Naturally, this led to the show’s cancellation.

Reports at the time described the decision as mutual between Netflix and the creators, based on several factors – including declining audience interest and high production costs. So far, nothing too out of the ordinary, since series cancellations are a regular occurrence – even when fans push to keep them alive, as seen with shows like Sense8 or Anne with an E. What did raise questions, however, was the complete removal of the series from Netflix’s catalog years later, something that rarely happens with content originally financed by the platform.

[RELATED: 5 Iconic Horror Monsters Bill Skarsgård Should Play After Nosferatu and IT]

But there’s a reason for that: behind-the-scenes licensing agreements. The streaming rights were held by the production company Gaumont International Television, and when its deal with Netflix expired, the platform no longer had the rights to stream the show. Despite carrying the Netflix Original label, Hemlock Grove was not legally owned by Netflix, which meant it could be removed once the licensing ended. Since then, the show hasn’t appeared on any major streaming service, making it practically inaccessible to the general public. The episodes aren’t even available for purchase or rental on digital platforms, frustrating fans and viewers interested in exploring Skarsgård’s early work.

Gaumont Television

The absence of Hemlock Grove also serves as a warning about the illusion that all Netflix Originals will always be available. Streaming, though convenient, is not a reliable archive. Viewers don’t actually own the content; they simply have access to it for as long as the platform allows. When the show’s removal was announced in 2022, many viewers pointed this out.

Still, despite not being as widely remembered as other series from that era, Hemlock Grove was a trailblazer that helped define what we now consider the “Netflix model” of consuming television. While it’s still possible to find a few episodes scattered online, watching the full series has become quite a task. It’s unfortunate – because if Skarsgård went on to shine in major productions from It to Nosferatu, Hemlock Grove certainly played a key role in getting him there.

Currently the only way to watch Hemlock Grove is using Hoopla, the library-adjacent platform, but even then, only Season 1 is available to users.

The post This Bill Skarsgård Netflix Horror Series Isn’t Even Available to Stream Anymore first appeared on Zombie Gaming.

Has Shunya Yamashita’s dream finally come true!? Celebrating her 55th anniversary, the dark heroine VAMPIRELLA is finally joining the HORROR BISHOUJO lineup!
A classic character originating from a long-running horror comic, Vampirella has all the powers of a vampire plus a variety of other unique abilities.
Sitting on a cross-shaped tombstone, she casts her captivating gaze upon those who lay eyes on her, true to her name as a femme fatale beyond human comprehension. Her fangs peeking out from her blood-red lips and the fluttering bat give the statue a truly vampiric look.
Her outfit perfectly outlines her gorgeous body, featuring intricately designed points of tension and gaps in the fabric to make her look even more stunning. Her beautifully flowing hair has also been recreated with a sense of weight, making for another highlight of this sculpt.
The atmosphere and expression of this statue changes based on the angle it is displayed, showing off a faithful recreation of Vampirella’s character. Add her to your collection today!

The post Vampirella joins Kotobukiya’s Bishoujo Series with new collectible statue – Flickering Myth first appeared on Zombie Gaming.

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There are plenty of reasons for horror aficionados to be drawn to the world of Marvel. From creative takes of classic characters such as Dracula to twisted versions of iconic Marvel heroes, Marvel has a proven willingness to experiment with storytelling. Some of Marvel’s best one-shots and limited series have been horror stories, with the most popular leaning into the zombie theme. If one thing is certain, it’s that Marvel has much to offer to horror fans – more than what could comfortably fit in a single article.

Marvel Zombies (2005)

Zombies are easily one of the most classic (and common) horror tropes, especially in comics. In fact, Marvel has played around with this idea a few times, including in 2005 and 2024. Fans just can’t get enough of this twisted tale. There’s something about watching Earth’s mightiest heroes fall to a hoard of zombies that is oddly compelling. Marvel Zombies was created by Robert Kirkman, Sean Phillips, and June Chung, and boy, this limited series packs a lot of punch. Unlike many other Marvel content, this isn’t a series worried about making sure the heroes find some magical way to save the day at the eleventh hour.

It all begins when an unknown character, presumably a hero from a different dimension, crashes on Earth-2149. They’ve been infected with what most people would call the zombie virus, which quickly proves stronger than any hero thrown in its path. The story is unique among zombie tales, as the zombified heroes all (mostly) retain their intellect and powers, which is absolutely terrifying to think about. This series was so popular that it inspired an episode of Marvel’s What If…? and later an entire animated series dedicated to the zombie apocalypse.

[RELATED: Marvel Zombies Gets a Release Date (And a Hilarious New Synopsis)]

Curse of the Mutants (2010)

The X-Men are no strangers to dark times; they’ve seen it all and somehow lived to tell the tale. However, 2010’s Curse of the Mutants is unlike any other X-Men story out there, and it deserves a spot on this list. Created by Victor Gischler, Curse of the Mutants pits mutants against vampires with a twist. It starts with Xarus, Dracula’s son, who dreamed up a bold new plan to add to his army – by forcibly recruiting mutants. He sets off a bomb in San Francisco’s Union Square, but it’s not a normal bomb. Instead of raining destruction, it coats all nearby in vampire blood – including present X-Men. Things quickly go downhill from here as more and more mutants fall to the vampiric line. Even some fan favorites struggle with the odds they’re up against, not dissimilar to the tides in Marvel Zombies.

Curse of the Mutants is a saga that connects multiple series together. As such, the easiest way to read everything in order is to grab the anthology. However, there are reading guides for those who want to read it issue-by-issue.

The Tomb of Dracula (1972-1979)

No horror list is complete without mentioning Dracula. The Tomb of Dracula is an older Marvel series from 1972 to 1979, but its age shouldn’t stop any reader from trying it! As with any well-written tale that includes Dracula, this series is classic vampire horror in a nutshell. Over the years, the creative team switched several times, proving that the series was popular enough to keep it running despite what was happening behind the scenes. Thanks to the Comics Code relaxing its iron grip over comics in 1971, The Tomb of Dracula was allowed to get a little bit darker, including more classical vampire behavior, not to mention vampire hunters and everything in between.

The Tomb of Dracula does not exist in a vacuum, as Dracula battles several known Marvel heroes. Unsurprisingly, Blade makes an appearance. Other appearances include Spider-Man, the X-Men, and even the Werewolf.

Damnation (2018)

It should come as no surprise to see that at least one of Doctor Strange’s stories would dive headfirst into the world of horror. The truth is, Doctor Strange is frequently playing with immense powers and terrifying beings, so it doesn’t take much to go over the edge into pure horror. Enter Damnation, created by Nick Spencer, Donny Cates, and Rod Reis. This story pictures Hell on Earth – literally. Mephisto takes center stage, and Las Vegas with it. The worst part is that Doctor Strange gave Mephisto the key to do so.

In a desperate attempt to undo the damage caused by Hydra, Doctor Strange cast a spell that restored the city to its earlier state. While his spell sort of worked, it also created a Hotel Inforno and enabled Mephisto to claim the city as his own. This includes all the people within, even the heroes valiantly fighting for humanity before Strange cast his spell. The stakes had never been higher, and Doctor Strange had to go to new levels to find a solution to this new threat.

Journey Into Mystery (1952-)

Journey Into Mystery is easily the oldest mention on this list, and with it comes a long history. The first issue was published in 1952 under Atlas Comics, the company that would eventually become Marvel Comics. It’s a horror/fantasy anthology, and while it may have started decades ago, Marvel has revisited the idea with shocking frequency. As an anthology, Journey Into Mystery was free to explore all sorts of plots, themes, and subject matter, ranging from chilling tales of monsters to gruesome murderers running free.

Sadly, Journey Into Mystery did struggle for a time, thanks to the Comics Code Authority, which cracked down particularly hard on horror comics. On the bright side, the series has many noteworthy accolades, including being the series to introduce Xemnu, the hypnotic alien monster.

Absolute Carnage (2019)

Absolute Carnage is a must-read for both horror and symbiote fans. It’s a crossover event created by Donny Cates and Ryan Stegmen. In case the name didn’t give it away, the story follows Carnage, who’s been brought back from the dead thanks to a twisted cult. Naturally, Carnage goes and lives up to his name by causing merry mayhem and rampaging through the Marvel Universe. More specifically, Carnage begins to wreak havoc on anyone who has hosted a symbiote, as they have something he needs.

It’s easy to understand how Carnage’s wraith makes for the perfect horror foundation. His violence is bordering on a thing of legend, as bodies are left in his wake. Marvel fans will appreciate the additional cameos, which include several fan favorites. Meanwhile, horror fans will enjoy a deep dive into gruesome and brutal violence.

[RELATED: Eddie Brock and Carnage Are Working Together to Kill Some of Marvel’s Heavy Hitters]

Hellstorm by Warren Ellis

Daimon Hellstrom is the son of Stain, no, really. He’s probably not what most people expect, though his adventures are still full of horror. Hellstorm is Warren Ellis’ Marvel debut, and he knocked it out of the park. It begins with Daimon on the hunt for a serial killer, which starts a strange and twisted conversation about the roles of good and evil, heaven and hell. Set in the supernatural underbelly of Marvel, the setting will feel familiar and comfortable to fans of Hellblazer.

As this story covers two series, the most approachable way to read it is by grabbing the omnibus Hellstorm by Warren Ellis. Alternatively, read Druid 1-4 and Hellstorm: Prince of Lies 12-21.

Chamber of Chills (1972-1976)

Chamber of Chills is another horror anthology series from Marvel, which started in 1972 and ran for four years. The history of Chamber of Chills is pretty interesting, as a lot of the comics were written during the 1950s but could not be printed at the time due to the Comics Code crackdown on horror comics. With that ban lifted in 1971, it was once again fair game, enabling Marvel to finally put these comics to print. Likewise, it’s important not to confuse this series with one of the same name, created by Harvey Publications.

In total, there are 25 issues of Chamber of Chills, and as with any anthology, there’s something for everyone here. Subjects range from jungle monsters to horrifying aliens and pretty much anything else one might expect or hope for.

The Darkhold (2021)

The Darkhold is another major event that hit Marvel Comics, and it certainly hit hard. Created by Steve Orlando and Cian Tormey, The Darkhold actually has several stories in one. After introducing the premise in The Darkhold Alpha and The Darkhold Omega, it splits into six other stories, centering on different Marvel heroes before concluding. Included are Blade, Wasp, Iron Man, Black Bolt, and Spider-Man. Fans of cosmic horror will absolutely have to check out this tale, as The Darkhold has found a new host, forcing the universe’s greatest magical users to step up or risk watching everything they love crumble into nothingness. Unfortunately, there’s only one way to battle the Darkhold: to willingly descend into madness.

The easiest way to read The Darkhold is by picking up the collected edition, which contains all seven issues. Readers can also read it by issue; just look for the Darkhold title at the beginning.

Immortal Hulk (2018-2021)

Immortal Hulk is one of the longest series on this list, but it is worth the read. Horror fans and Hulk fans alike will relish this one because it explores new corners of the Hulk universe to terrifying extremes. Created by Al Ewing, Joe Bennet, and Paul Mount, Immortal Hulk follows the events of Civil War II, during which Bruce Banner dies. While Immortal Hulk takes place within the larger Marvel Universe, it is unlike anything else out there, portraying Hulk’s resurrection and delving deep into Banner’s mind. In other words, it’s highly disturbing and not exactly kid-friendly.

The Immortal Hulk ran for 51 issues and found a perfect balance between abstract horror and psychological terror. Reading it will provide insight into Banner’s psyche while playing around with a Jekyll and Hyde-style confrontation. In essence, the comic series tears Bruce Banner apart to build something new, and it has left the Marvel Universe forever changed.

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