Many believe the Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, have completely shut out horror movies over the years, ignoring the hard work they all bring into the film community. However, that’s not exactly the case because more horror movies have won Oscars than you may think.
This year, for the 2026 Academy Awards, the Ryan Coggler vampire-period piece Sinners was nominated for 16 Oscars, making it the most-nominated film in Oscars history (beating out All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land, which all had 14 noms).
While we (im)patiently await to see what awards Sinners brings home, let’s take a walk down memory lane, but on the scarier side of it.
Did you know Beetlejuice won an Oscar? What about classics like Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist?
While many horror movies have been snubbed over the years, there are quite a few that actually took home Oscars.
Ahead of the 2026 Oscars on March 15, check out which horror movies have won Oscars over the years.
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The Substance (2024)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection Despite many wanting The Substance to sweep at the 2025 Oscars, and it being nominated for Best Picture, it only took home one award (but it’s so well-deserved)! The beloved horror film won Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling thanks to the work of Pierre Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, and Marilyne Scarselli.
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Godzilla Minus One (2023)
Image Credit: ©Toho Company Ltd/Courtesy Everett Collection Many loved it when Godzilla Minus One took home the Oscar it was nominated for: Best Achievement in Visual Effects. Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima took home the esteemed prize!
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The Shape of Water (2017)
Image Credit: Fox Searchlight / Everett Collection The beloved horror-romance The Shape of Water swept the awards show in 2018. It was nominated for 13 Oscars, and ended up taking home four. Not only did it take home the esteemed award for Best Picture, but Guillermo del Toro won for Best Achievement in Directing, Alexandre Desplat won Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score), and Best Achievement in Production Design for the work done by Paul D. Austerberry, Shane Vieau, and Jeffrey A. Melvin.
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Get Out (2017)
Image Credit: ©Universal/courtesy Everett / Everett Collection Get Out was nominated for four Oscars, and made everyone in recent years see the power of horror films. It did end up taking one Oscar home, and it made history. Jordan Peele won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, making him the first African American to win the award.
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Black Swan (2010)
Image Credit: ©Fox Searchlight/Courtesy Everett Collection Black Swan was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture, and it did end up recieving one: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for Natalie Portman’s role.
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The Wolf Man (2010)
Image Credit: ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection Did you know that the 2010 film The Wolf Man won Best Achievement in Makeup?
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Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Image Credit: ©DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street won the Oscar for Best Achievement in Art Direction. (It was also nominated for Best Achievement in Costume Design and Johnny Depp was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role!)
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Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Image Credit: ©Picturehouse/Courtesy Everett Collection The cult-classic Pan’s Labyrinth took home three Oscars: Best Achievement in Cinematography for Guillermo Navarro’s work, Best Achievement in Makeup for David Martí and Montse Ribé, and Best Achievement in Art Direction for Eugenio Caballero and Pilar Revuelta.
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Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Image Credit: ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection The folk horror Sleepy Hollow won an Oscar for Best Art Direction in Set Decoration. (It was also nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design.)
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Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Image Credit: ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection Bram Stoker’s Dracula took home the Oscars for Best Makeup, Best Effects in Sound Effects Editing, and Best Costume Design!
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The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Image Credit: ©Orion Pictures Corp The Silence of the Lambs was the first horror movie to sweep at the Oscars, taking home five awards. (And it became the third film in history to win the “Big Five” Oscars). Ted Tally won for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published. Along with that, Jonathan Demme won for Best Director, Jodie Foster won for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Anthony Hopkins won Best Actor in a Leading Role, and it won Best Picture!
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Misery (1990)
Image Credit: ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection The Stephen King film Misery got one nomination and one win: Kathy Bates won for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
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Death Becomes Her (1992)
Image Credit: ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection The classic horror-comedy starring Bruce Willis, Meryl Streep, and Goldie Hawn won for Best Effects for Visual Effects, thanks to the work of Ken Ralston, Doug Chiang, Douglas Smythe, and Tom Woodruff Jr.
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Beetlejuice (1988)
Image Credit: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection Beetlejuice is actually an Oscar-winning film! It won Best Makeup, which was done by Ve Neill, Steve LaPorte, and Robert Short.
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The Fly (1986)
Image Credit: ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection The Fly, starring Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum, won Best Makeup thanks to the work of Chris Walas and Stephan Dupuis.
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Aliens (1986)
Image Credit: ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection The sequel to Alien, also known as Aliens, was nominated for seven Oscars and won two for Best Sound and Best Effects in Sound Effects Editing.
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An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Image Credit: ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection The 1981 classic An American Werewolf in London is actually an Oscar-winning film! In fact, it won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Makeup.
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Alien (1979)
Image Credit: ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection For those who may not have known, the sci-fi, horror classic won Best Visual Effects.
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The Omen (1976)
Jerry Goldsmith got two nominations for The Omen, and took one home for Best Music, Original Score!
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Jaws (1975)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection The first Jaws film won three awards: Best Sound for Robert L. Hoyt, Roger Heman Jr, Earl Madery, and John R. Carter’s work. It also won Best Film Editing for Verna Fields’ work, and Best Music, Original Dramatic Score from John Williams.
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The Exorcist (1973)
Image Credit: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection The Exorcist, considered one of the best horror films ever made, is also an Oscar winner. It was nominated for 10 Oscars, but it ended up taking home two: Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium and Best Sound!
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Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection Rosemary’s Baby ended up getting a major award at the Oscars: Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Ruth Gordon’s role.
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What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? follows the story of a former vaudeville child star tormenting her physically-disabled sister. It was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Actress in a Leading Role for Bette Davis’ role, but it took one home: Best Costume Design, Black-and-White.
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The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection The Picture of Dorian Gray was nominated for three Oscars (including Angela Lansbury getting a nom for Best Actress in a Supporting Role), but it did end up taking one home: Best Cinematography, Black-and-White!
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Phantom of the Opera (1943)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection The 1943 version of Phantom of the Opera was nominated for four Oscars, but it took home two for Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Color, and Best Cinematography, Color.
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Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was nominated for three Oscars, but it did take one home (but with an addendum). Fredric March took home the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, but he ended up tying it with Wallace Beery for The Champ (1931).
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