Buffy the Vampire Slayer was an immensely popular show in the late 90s and early 2000s. It lasted seven seasons, starring Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and her friends as the last line of defense from supernatural forces assaulting Sunnydale.
The show was much more than high-intensity vampire slaying. Many of Buffy’s fiercest adversaries weren’t vampires at all, and she often faced more relatable situations, like questionable relationships and high school drama.
There are many reasons why the show has garnered a cult following. A reboot of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show was recently canceled, but fans can still turn to films for a fun, familiar experience.
10
Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1992)
Our first entry may be low-hanging fruit, but many fans of the show don’t know that a Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie predated the show by five years.
Buffy, played by Kristy Swanson, is a teenage girl destined to fight vampires, just like the TV show. Fans will immediately notice the tonal shift, as the film is more of an action-comedy. That said, there are plenty of similarities, which makes sense as Joss Whedon wrote the movie.
Audiences seem to agree that the film is lighthearted and fun, but it lacks the emotional depth of the series. It remains a fantastic watch for Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans who can spot the links between the movie and the show and will enjoy Swanson’s portrayal of the character.
9
Fright Night (1985)
I’m recommending the 1985 version of Fright Night for this list, but the 2011 reboot of the same name starring Colin Farrell and Anton Yelchin remains a faithful adaptation.
Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) is a teenager who suspects his neighbor, Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon), is a vampire. His friends go to great lengths to disprove his theories until the evidence is too overwhelming to ignore.
Fright Night is a classic dark comedy with moments that remain scary thanks to its reliance on practical effects. The vampire plot is wrapped in a believable teen drama, and Sarandon plays a phenomenal vampire who is handsome and charming, but also stern and imposing.
The original movie is arguably one of the best vampire movies ever made, and the 2011 reboot introduces a grittier tone to the story.
8
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is as wild a movie as it sounds. It stars Benjamin Walker as Abraham Lincoln, who trains to hunt vampires from a young age after witnessing one attack his mother.
The movie is quite obscure, but it remains an enjoyable watch for some stylish vampire slaying. Lincoln ultimately leads two lives, and several scenes are based on a fantasy retelling of historical events. He’s an upstanding gentleman during the day, yet expertly wields an axe to deal with his supernatural opponents at night.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter takes itself just seriously enough for the action to remain believable and intense. Naturally, it lacks the emotional depth of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but fans of the fight scenes will find plenty to enjoy.
7
Van Helsing (2004)
Hugh Jackman plays Van Helsing in the 2004 movie of the same name. He’s hired by the church to deal with supernatural creatures and is sent to Transylvania to eliminate the legendary Count Dracula (Richard Roxburgh).
Helsing allies with Anna (Kate Beckinsale), and the duo face many deadly foes, including other iconic movie creatures. Jackman and Beckinsale have great chemistry, and it’s clear how much fun Roxburgh is having as Dracula.
The movie is action-packed and fast-paced, with thrilling fight scenes and playful takes on established lore. Several light horror moments may make an unsuspecting audience jump, which explains the PG-13 rating.
6
The Lost Boys (1987)
Few vampire movies are more beloved and iconic than The Lost Boys. Two brothers, Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim), move to Santa Carla. Sam starts to believe that there may be vampires in the town after a visit to a comic store, and events spiral out of control when he starts to suspect his brother may be one.
The Lost Boys is absolutely a supernatural horror, but it is full of dark comedy moments and jokes. Like Fright Night, many of the special effects hold up remarkably well thanks to practical effects. We also see a young Kiefer Sutherland as David, who leads a group of vampires.
Fans adore the masterful blend of horror and comedy, as well as the tale of regular people taking on an unnatural foe.
5
Blade (1998)
Blade came out as Buffy the Vampire Slayer was becoming a household name. The movie stars Wesley Snipes as Blade in a bloody action-horror tale with a much darker interpretation of vampires.
Despite the tonal differences, Blade has a lot in common with the Buffy TV show. Much of the lore about vampires is the same, and both feature a hidden supernatural ecosystem that regular people are blissfully unaware of.
Blade is a far deeper character than a mindless killer, with a tragic backstory further explored in Blade 2 and Blade: Trinity. If you enjoy the fight scenes in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you will love them in Blade alongside Wesley Snipes’ legendary one-liners.
4
The Craft (1996)
Buffy takes on so much more than just vampires in the TV show. If you enjoyed the Dark Willow arc in Season 6, it shares many similarities with The Craft.
The Craft is a supernatural fantasy movie starring Robin Tunney as Sarah. She joins a new school and befriends three witches, Bonnie (Neve Campbell), Rochelle (Rachel True), and Nancy (Fairuza Balk). However, events take a dark turn when Sarah realizes her friends have different desires than she does when it comes to magic.
The Craft does a remarkable job exploring the drama in the friend group and how sudden power can change people. It’s an easy watch with a great cast, and the movie touches on some surprisingly adult themes.
3
Constantine (2005)
Constantine is much darker than Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but with enough similarities that fans of one will enjoy the other.
Keanu Reeves plays John Constantine, a demon hunter so renowned in the underworld that even Satan (Peter Stormare) takes notice. Constantine isn’t a flashy warrior like Blade, for example. He’s a surprisingly grounded character, which makes his plight and difficult choices in the film relatable.
Constantine is arguably one of Keanu Reeves’ best movies and a solid addition to the dark fantasy genre. Stormare steals the show as Satan, and the film has become a cult classic story of good vs evil.
2
Warm Bodies (2013)
It’s not unfair to say that Buffy had many eyebrow-raising romances in the show. Her first major love story was with Angel (David Boreanaz), who was a vampire himself. Buffy briefly dated Riley (Mark Blucas) and even had a complicated relationship with Spike (James Marsters), who was a villain in season 2.
If you found Buffy’s love life compelling, you may also enjoy Warm Bodies. The movie straddles romantic comedy territory and is set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies.
Despite the bleak situation, Julie (Teresa Palmer) encounters a unique zombie (Nicholas Hoult) and quickly realizes he is more than just a mindless killer.
Warm Bodies doesn’t take itself too seriously and is an easy watch with a straightforward story and some dark humor.
1
The Cabin In The Woods (2012)
The Cabin In The Woods is a supernatural horror film with snappy dialogue, comedy elements, and group dynamics similar to those of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The latter makes a lot more sense when you realize that Joss Whedon co-wrote and produced the movie.
During the film, a group of young adults decides to stay in a secluded cabin in the woods. The group is composed of precisely the people you would expect in a horror movie, but that’s the point. The Cabin in the Woods is an impressively clever film with a brilliant twist I won’t spoil here.
The movie makes fun of ‘meta’ horror and supernatural creature tropes without falling victim to those same jokes. Whedon’s writing and production style will feel familiar to Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans, and The Cabin in the Woods is an easy recommendation even if you don’t usually enjoy horror films.