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For nearly as long as movies have been around, there have been films about vampires. These undead, blood-sucking, eternally living creatures have captivated the curiosities of storytellers and filmmakers for generations, whether that means featuring the mythical beings as monsters in horror movies like Salem’s Lot or as love interests in franchises like Twilight. As cinema continues its preoccupation with vampires—just look at the proliferation of recent titles, like the 2024 Nosferatu remake and Ryan Coogler’s historical-horror Sinners—we rounded up the best vampire-centered movies of all time. Keep scrolling to see which films made the list.
Salem’s Lot (2024)
Adapted from Stephen King’s 1975 novel, Salem’s Lot follows Ben (Lewis Pullman), a journalist who moves back to his Maine hometown in the hopes of finding inspiration for his book. Instead, Ben comes across an ancient evil spirit that has taken up residence in the abandoned Marsten House, which is known by locals for being the site of a string of murders.
Let the Right One In (2008)
Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) is a 12-year-old boy living with his mother in a suburb of Stockholm, where he daydreams about getting revenge on his school bullies. When a young girl named Eli (Lina Leandersson) moves in next door, the two strike up a unique friendship, but Oskar soon discovers that Eli is not the innocent youth that she appears to be. The English-language remake of this Swedish film, Let Me In, is also deliciously macabre—and definitely worth a watch.
Queen of the Damned (2002)
For her final film performance, Aaliyah takes center stage in Queen of the Damned, a standalone film adapted from Anne Rice’s 1988 Interview with the Vampire sequel. Aaliyah plays Akasha, a former queen of Egypt who became the first-ever vampire circa 5000 BC. The ancient being is awoken by music played by a nu metal band fronted by Lestat (Stuart Townsend), whose newfound rock-star personality threatens the existence of all other covert vampires.
Sinners (2025)
Ryan Coogler, the acclaimed filmmaker responsible for movies like Creed and Black Panther, is finally back with another blockbuster. Set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow era, the movie stars Michael B. Jordan as identical twins Smoke and Stack Moore, who hatch a plan to move back to their Mississippi hometown and open a local juke joint after spending years working as underlings for a Chicago mob. However, their homecoming is undercut by the arrival of an Irish immigrant named Remmick (Jack O’Connell), a vampire who has turned to a pair of local Klansmen to do his bidding. Though the movie isn’t yet available to stream online, you can catch a viewing in theaters by buying tickets through the link below.
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton) are two vampires who have been married for centuries but are now living in opposite corners of the world. The state of society depresses Adam, a famous musician, and he begins to toy with the idea of death. Eve senses his desolation and leaves her home in Tangier to reunite with him. They spend a few nights relishing each other’s presence until Ava (Mia Wasikowska), Eve’s younger sister, comes knocking on their front door.
The Blade franchise (1998)
Based off of the Marvel comic book character of the same name, the films track the exploits of the titular character (Wesley Snipes), who is immune to being turned into a vampire because his mother was bitten while delivering him as a baby. Although Blade isn’t technically a vampire himself, he has inherited all of the supernatural abilities that vampires possess, including superhuman strength and stamina. Blade puts those skills to good use, becoming a powerful vampire hunter.
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
Helmed by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, What We Do in the Shadows is a hilarious addition to the vaunted Hall of Vampire Cinema. Styled as a mockumentary, the horror comedy follows a group of four centuries-old vampire roommates sharing an apartment in a New Zealand suburb. Despite possessing supernatural abilities and eternal life, the vampires still have to deal with the day-to-day struggles that afflict their mortal neighbors, such as paying their bills and getting over their exes. The movie gained a cult following, then spawned an excellent FX television series with a similar premise.
The Twilight franchise (2008—2012)
You can’t talk about contemporary vampire movies without talking about Twilight. Adapted from Stephanie Meyer’s best-selling book series of the same name, the movies follow 17-year-old Bella Swan, who falls in love with a 104-year-old teen vampire named Edward Cullen. As Edward and his family attempt to keep Bella safe from the dangers of the immortal world, she is determined to have him turn her into a vampire too. Twilight’s success catapulted its two stars, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, to worldwide fame, ushering in a new generation of Hollywood heavyweights.
Renfield (2023)
This action-comedy take on the classic Dracula tale involves the introduction of R.M. Renfield (Nicholas Hoult), an English lawyer who hopes to broker a land deal with Count Dracula (Nicolas Cage) but ends up becoming the vampire’s immortal familiar. Nearly a century later, Renfield is getting tired of being Dracula’s minion. After a close call with vampire hunters that nearly leaves Dracula dead, the duo decide to move to New Orleans, where Renfield begins to unpack his codependency issues.
Interview With the Vampire (1994)
Based on Anne Rice’s seminal 1976 novel of the same name, Interview With the Vampire chronicles the life of Louis de Pointe du Lac (Brad Pitt), a nearly-two-centuries-old vampire from New Orleans who was turned by a vain and charismatic vampire named Lestat de Lioncourt (Tom Cruise). Together, the two raise Claudia (Kirsten Dunst), a young orphaned girl who Lestat trains to become a merciless killer. The star-studded film—which additionally stars Antonio Banderas, Christian Slater, and Thandiwe Newton—earned two Oscar nominations for Best Art Direction and Best Original Score.
Nosferatu (2024)
More than a century after F.W. Murnau horrified audiences with his silent film Nosferatu, director Robert Eggers updated the iconic movie with a thoroughly modern (and star-studded) take on the vampiric tale. Set in 1838, German realtor Thomas (Nicholas Hoult) leaves his wife, Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), in the care of his wealthy friends while he attempts to sell a decrepit manor in Transylvania to the reclusive Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård). Unbeknownst to Thomas, Ellen has a mysterious connection to a dark and ancient force—a seductive bond that only strengthens in his absence.
The Hunger (1983)
If you like vampires and if you like love-triangle tropes, then you’re probably going to like this movie. This erotic thriller centers on Dr. Sarah Roberts (Susan Sarandon), a gerontologist known for her work on the effects of rapid aging in primates. When cellist John Blaylock (David Bowie) seeks her out to reverse his own rapid aging—which has mysteriously advanced years in the matter of just a few days—Sarah is thrown into the dangerous and seductive world of Miriam (Catherine Deneuve), an ancient Egyptian vampire who has, for centuries, recruited humans to be her eternal lovers.
Shadow of the Vampire (2000)
This two-time Oscar-nominated horror movie offers a fictionalized take on the making of F.W. Murnau’s iconic 1922 silent film, Nosferatu. John Malkovich plays the revered director, whose hopes of creating an authentic vampire movie leads him to casting a real-life vampire named Max Schrek (Willem Dafoe) as the character Count Orlok.
The Lost Boys (1987)
After recent divorcée Lucy (Dianne Wiest) moves her two adolescent sons to the coastal California town of Santa Carla, the boys wind up in very different social groups that hint at the community’s sinister underbelly. The junior of the brothers, Sam (Corey Haim), befriends two young comic-book-store patrons who describe themselves as vampire hunters. Meanwhile, older brother Michael (Jason Patric) is bewitched by Star (Jami Gertz), a member of a local gang of vampires.
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
Bank-robber brothers Seth (George Clooney) and Richie (Quentin Tarantino) are on the run after their involvement in an incident left a building destroyed and several people dead. They decide to make their bid for freedom by crossing the Mexican border, in the process kidnapping a vacationing pastor named Jacob (Harvey Keitel) and his two kids. The group winds up at a desert strip club, where the bartenders are revealed to be a gang of vampires who have no intention to let their customers leave alive.
Fright Night (1985)
After the mysterious deaths of local girls, teenager Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale), a horror-movie aficionado, is convinced that his next-door neighbor Jerry Dandrige (Chris Sarandon) is a vampire. To unmask Jerry’s true identity, Charley recruits his favorite late-night TV show host, Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), who claims to be a real-life vampire hunter. Although he initially accepts Charley’s invitation, Peter is skeptical and plans to expose Charley’s claims as a sham—that is, until he comes across an eye-opening secret.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Loosely based on Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel, Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula is a haunting and romantic take on the most infamous vampiric tale of all time. Centuries after heartbreak turned Vlad Dracula (Gary Oldman) into a vampire, a solicitor named Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves) agrees to take on the count as a client. Soon after meeting, however, Dracula encounters a photo of Jonathan’s fiancée, Mina (Winona Ryder), who bears a striking resemblance to his dead wife, Elisabeta. He imprisons Jonathan and ditches Transylvania for London, where he plans to reunite with Mina.
Van Helsing (2004)
At the request of the Vatican, legendary monster hunter Gabriel Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman) travels to Transylvania to protect Anna (Kate Beckinsale) and Velkan (Will Kemp), the sole surviving members of an ancient Romanian family whose long-ago ancestor once promised that their descendants will either be responsible for Count Dracula’s death or spend an eternity in purgatory. Meanwhile, Dracula (Richard Roxburgh) is busy spawning a nearly invincible army of deadly and nightmarish creatures, which he plans to lead in his quest for world domination.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)
In this wacky experiment of historical fiction, Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) is not only the 16th U.S. president, he’s also a relentless vampire slayer determined to exact revenge for his mother’s death. While tracking down his mother’s killer, Abe encounters Henry Sturges (Dominic Cooper), a man with a mysterious past who offers to mentor the aspiring politician in the ways of vampire hunting.
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