8 best trans horror films & where to watch them

Good transgender horror exists, we swear! Let’s be honest — as much as queer horror rules the genre, when it comes to the “T” in our little LGBTQ+ family, the genre (which we basically invented) tends to let our trans siblings down.

Or more accurately, it’s regularly done them dirty in the past. As much as we may enjoy the chills of Silence of the Lambs, the classic creepiness of Psycho, or even the wild ’80s camp of Sleepaway Camp, all of these films have one glaring thing in common: they’re problematic as hell when it comes to trans representation.

Thankfully, things are changing… a little. Filmmakers like Alice Maio Mackay and Jane Schoenbrun are making films from the trans perspective that open up a whole new world of trans representation — and give us a bevy of new trans heroes to celebrate (and scream along with) in the genre.

So, it’s with that spirit (cue ghost noises) that we present nine of the best trans horror movies you can stream right now that are unproblematic… mostly.

So Vam

So Vam

Mutiny Pictures

So Vam

Australian transgender filmmaker Alice Maio Mackay was only 17 when she made So Vam — but that’s part of what makes it so good. There’s a wild, punk DIY aesthetic that comes with the exuberance of youth. She has since gone on to make five more trans horror films, all worthy of your time, but this one remains our favorite.

In it, a young gay man dreams of escaping his small, bigoted town for the big city, where he hopes to become a drag queen. But after he’s attacked by an older male vampire and left for dead, he’s rescued by his new chosen family — a coven of queer and trans vampires led by April (Grace Hyland) and Harley (Chris Asimos).

Where to watch: Shudder & AMC+

I Saw the TV Glow

I Saw the TV Glow

A24

I Saw the TV Glow

Nonbinary filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun has made one of the best and most beautiful films about gender dysphoria. In it, Owen (Justice Smith) is a lonely teen who strikes up a friendship with Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine) over their shared obsession with a television series called The Pink Opaque. But when reality begins to blur, Owen is forced to face — or repress — his truest self.

Where to watch: HBO Max

Bit

Bit

Gravitas Ventures

Bit

Trans actress Nicole Maines toplines this feminist vampire film about a young trans woman looking for a fresh start when she moves to Los Angeles. However, her plans fall apart quickly when she’s bitten by Duke (Diana Hopper), the leader of a lesbian feminist vampire gang.

Where to watch: Tubi

Seed of Chucky

Seed of Chucky

Rogue Pictures

Seed of Chucky

The entire Chucky series (both films and television series) is beloved by the queer horror community — and with good reason. Not only are they very queer and fun, but they are all from out creator Don Mancini. In Seed of Chucky, killer doll duo Chucky (Brad Dourif) and his bride Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) start their family and welcome their child Glen/Glenda (Billy Boyd), who is navigating their gender identity and murderous tendencies.

Where to watch: Peacock

Assassination Nation

Assassination Nation

Neon

Assassination Nation

Part siege film, part revenge thriller, part satire, this film from Euphoria creator Sam Levinson follows Lily (Odessa Young) and her group of high school friends Batalia (Suki Waterhouse), Em (Hari Nef), and Sarah (Abra), who are fighting to survive when a data hack exposing their entire town’s darkest secrets is pinned on them, and their former friends and neighbors begin hunting them down. Nef is, of course, a standout in this film as a trans teen.

Where to watch: Tubi

Titane

Titane

Neon

Titane

This body-horror shocker is likely the most divisive title on our list. Some read it as a total takedown of gender entirely, while others feel the lead’s duplicity and tendency to kill with a hairpin feed into problematic trans narratives. We say watch it and decide for yourself — because, oh boy, is it a wild ride. In this film from Julia Ducournau (Raw), Alexia (Agathe Rousselle) is an object sexual who, after a shocking encounter with a fan and a car, has to go into hiding and assumes the identity of Adrien, a missing boy.

Where to watch: Tubi

Hellraiser (2022)

Hellraiser (2022)

Hulu

Hellraiser (2022)

The original Hellraiser will always have a very special place in the hearts of queer horror fans — and with good reason, as it comes from our writer and director Clive Barker and was rooted in the queer BDSM world of London. The 2022 sequel similarly has snagged a spot on our list, not only for picking up the thread of the world that Barker created, but also for casting trans actress Jamie Clayton as the Hell Priest. The new film follows Riley (Odessa A’zion), a young addict who unintentionally gains possession of an ancient puzzle box that is the gateway to a dimension of pleasure and pain.

Where to watch: Hulu

Evil Dead Rise

Evil Dead Rise

Warner Bros

Evil Dead Rise

For the gore hounds looking for a trans-inclusive film, good news: Evil Dead Rise is just what you’ve been craving. The film moves the action from the cabin in the woods of previous entries and follows a family facing down the vicious Deadites when trans teen Danny (Morgan Davies) discovers a copy of an ancient book and inadvertently releases the demons into the world.

Where to watch: Hulu & HBO Max

This article originally appeared on Pride: 8 best trans horror films & where to watch them