Screen Rant ranks 21st-century serial killer thrillers, highlighting films that favour dread, craft and procedural tension over gore. The list includes both fictional and true-crime stories from major directors.
01Summary
- 01The piece says the 21st century has been a golden age for serial killer films, with directors including David Fincher, Denis Villeneuve, Bong Joon-ho and Kim Jee-woon.
- 02The Snowman stars Michael Fassbender as detective Harry Hole in a fictional case based on Jo Nesbø's 2007 novel.
- 03Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile follows Ted Bundy's trial and stars Zac Efron and Lily Collins, drawing on Elizabeth Kendall's memoir The Phantom Prince.
- 04Red Dragon features Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter and Ralph Fiennes as Francis Dolarhyde in a prequel to The Silence of the Lambs.
- 05Longlegs, released in 2024, stars Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage and was described as a surprise box office and critical success, while The Black Phone stars Mason Thames and Ethan Hawke.
02Why it matters
The ranking points readers to recent serial killer thrillers that have shaped the genre in film and streaming-era culture. It also shows how filmmakers have moved the subject from shock value towards atmosphere, investigation and character.
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