Although horror has become an incredibly beloved genre in the past decade, there are many moviegoers who appreciate comedies, romance, drama, or action films a lot more. Sometimes a horror movie can be too gory and gross to be truly enjoyable, or being scared just isn’t someone’s thing.
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Reddit fans are sharing their picks for the best horror movies for people who dislike the genre, as these films have great characters and a cool story that movie fans can easily become invested in. Many of these horror movies feel more like a relationship drama than a truly terrifying film.
10 The Frighteners (1996)
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Reddit user lovellama recommends The Frighteners as a “horror/comedy” and wrote that the main character, Frank, talks to the dead after getting into a car crash. The fan wrote, “when a demonic spirit appears, he may be the only one who can stop it from killing the living and the dead.”
Sometimes when someone doesn’t like horror movies, a great pick is a story that pokes fun at the genre or has a campy tone, and that’s where The Frighteners works.
9 Trick ‘r Treat (2009)
Rent on AppleTV
There are many underrated horror anthology movies and Reddit user Horkersarus said Trick ‘r Treat is “definitely a horror movie but it has a fun, very Halloween vibe.”
Even people who don’t watch horror movies enjoy October 31st and think that it’s an enjoyable holiday, and Trick ‘r Treat shows how interesting this holiday can be. The movie has interconnected stories and features a villain named Sam, who has a pumpkin on its head.
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8 Warm Bodies (2013)
Rent on GooglePlay
In Warm Bodies, Julie meets R, a zombie who she ends up falling in love with. While it does explore the typical tropes of zombie movies, it’s more about the relationship that these two characters form and the meaning that they find from being in each other’s lives.
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Reddit user Fools_Requium recommended Warm Bodies, calling it “a romcom type horror/zombie film.” It’s this combination of genres that will definitely appeal to people.
7 The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
Stream on Tubi
There are many great horror movies about demonic possession. Reddit user mikecx79 recommended The Exorcism of Emily Rose for people who hate terrifying movies, calling it”more of a courtroom drama” and a “well-made movie.”
When Father Richard Moore’s exorcism of Emily Rose goes horribly wrong, he faces a murder charge, and a lawyer named Erin Bruner starts working on the case. While horror fans will like the story of being possessed by something scary, there are definitely other aspects to appreciate, like the characters and court case.
6 The Omen (1976)
Stream on Paramount+
One Redditor posted that they “like great movies that happen to be horrors” and they make sure that a movie’s storytelling is top-knotch. The fan recommended The Omen.
The 1976 movie tells the story of Satan’s son Damien Thorn, which is definitely a great hook for a movie, and movie fans who find terrifying movies tough to sit through will enjoy the high quality storytelling.
5 The Ring (2002)
Stream on Paramount+
The Ring holds up well and the 2000s horror movie stands out for having main characters and an interesting story that non-horror fans will be entertained by. Audiences learn about Samara’s background and watch Rachel try to stop the videotape from killing people while looking after her son Aiden.
Reddit user FoolsRequium loves The Ring and said that since it has a few jump scares but not too many, it’s a good pick if someone really hates the horror genre. The fan called the movie the “Definition of a slow burn film.”
4 The Lodge (2020)
Rent on AppleTV
Reddit user Real-Lack8037 recommended The Lodge if people aren’t fans of the horror genre, writing, “Theres quite a lot of layers to it.”
The Lodge is technically a horror movie but plays like a family drama, with two kids Aiden and Mia celebrating Christmas with their father Richard and his fiance Grace. As the audiences learn more about Grace’s past, it becomes clear that something terrible is happening. People who hate horror movies will be pulled into the characters.
3 Scary Movie (2000)
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Scary Movie takes common horror movie tropes and characters from the most beloved franchises and creates a hilarious story that many movie fans can be entertained by.
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Reddit user skellyton465 said that Scary Movie and Scary Movie 2 are “pretty good for non-horror fans.” It’s true that since this franchise is poking fun at this genre, even movie fans who don’t watch many terrifying films can still enjoy it, as they’ll find it funny and clever.
2 The Night House (2021)
Rent on AppleTV
When a Redditor wanted to find a film that they could watch with a friend who doesn’t like gory horror movies, Reddit user BeliganBond recommended The Night House and said “Any haunted house movies would be a safe bet.”
There are many haunted house horror movies to choose from, with The Night House telling the tale of Beth, who is mourning her husband Owen’s death while living in a gorgeous lake house. Beth finds out the truth behind his death and learns more about what he knew about her life. The movie feels like a relationship drama with a few spooky moments and it works if someone hates the horror genre. It’s more about how Beth misses Owen than anything too horrifying.
1 Prince Of Darkness (1987)
One Redditor wrote that while they enjoy horror movies, they “prefer the eerie ones” and mentioned Prince Of Darkness.
It’s possible that people who like watching other genres will enjoy this John Carpenter movie about a prof. who discovers some scary information about Satan along with his students. Sometimes a supernatural movie can be more enjoyable than a gory slasher.
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About The Author 
Aya Tsintziras (1742 Articles Published)
Aya Tsintziras is a freelance writer who writes about pop culture and TV. She has a Political Science degree from the University of Toronto and a Masters of Journalism from Ryerson University. She loves coffee, reading, working out, and watching TV. She lives in Toronto with her husband.
