Here’s a countdown of the 20 best horror movies like Jaws, focusing on creature features, survival horror, and nature-gone-wrong themes:
20. Piranha (1978)
A campy and bloody tale of killer piranhas terrorizing a summer resort.
19. The Shallows (2016)
A tense survival story of a surfer stranded on a rock, battling a great white shark.
18. Alligator (1980)
A giant, man-eating alligator wreaks havoc in Chicago’s sewers and streets.
17. Open Water (2003)
Inspired by true events, this minimalist thriller follows a couple stranded in shark-infested waters.
16. The Meg (2018)
A sci-fi action-horror about a megalodon shark unleashed from the depths of the ocean.
15. Orca (1977)
A fisherman’s quest for vengeance against a killer whale leads to a battle of wits and survival.
14. Deep Rising (1998)
A luxury cruise ship is overtaken by monstrous, tentacled sea creatures.
13. Crawl (2019)
Survivors of a hurricane must escape a flooded house infested with aggressive alligators.
12. Lake Placid (1999)
A giant crocodile terrorizes a peaceful lake community, with a mix of scares and humor.
11. The Host (2006)
A South Korean gem about a mutant sea monster terrorizing Seoul after emerging from the Han River.
10. 47 Meters Down (2017)
Two sisters trapped in a shark cage fight to survive in the deep ocean with predators circling.
9. Leviathan (1989)
An underwater mining crew battles a grotesque, shape-shifting sea monster.
8. The Reef (2010)
A survival horror about a group stranded in shark-infested waters after their boat capsizes.
7. The Abyss (1989)
This sci-fi classic combines underwater exploration with mysterious, otherworldly creatures.
6. Grizzly (1976)
Often called Jaws with Claws, it’s a suspenseful story of a massive grizzly bear hunting campers.
5. Rogue (2007)
A crocodile horror set in the Australian outback, blending stunning visuals with tense moments.
4. King Kong (2005)
Peter Jackson’s epic about an enormous ape captures the creature-feature spirit with grandeur and emotion.
3. Tremors (1990)
This mix of horror and comedy follows small-town residents battling subterranean, man-eating worms.
2. Alien (1979)
The terror of being hunted by a monstrous creature in an isolated environment makes it the Jaws of space.
1. The Thing (1982)
A suspenseful, paranoia-fueled tale of a shapeshifting alien terrorizing an Antarctic research team.
Each of these movies brings its own unique spin to the creature-feature genre, making them excellent companions to Jaws.