With movies like ‘Obsession’ and ‘Backrooms’ taking over the box office, movies made by YouTubers are all the rage at the moment. Now is the perfect time to revisit some of the best movies made by our favourite YouTubers.
Over the years, content creators have proved so many times that they can beat the big-budget blockbusters of Hollywood. From horror hits to indie favourites, here are the top 10 movies made by YouTubers you should watch at least once.
10. Shelby Oaks (2024)
YouTuber Chris Stuckmann made his feature directorial debut with ‘Shelby Oaks’, a horror mystery that immediately established him as a worthy filmmaker. The film follows a woman’s search for her missing sister, who vanished while shooting an online ghost-hunting series in an abandoned town called Shelby Oaks.
As familiar as the plot sounds, the countless YouTube videos of paranormal investigation we have gotten over the years make it the perfect premise for Stuckmann. By blending the found-footage technique with traditional filmmaking, he creates a truly unforgettable experience.
Related: How A Viral YouTube Horror Series Became A Major Movie Event
9. Bring Her Back (2025)
After the massive success of their debut film, creators Danny and Michael Phillippou proved that they were far more than a one-hit wonder. The same outrageous energy that made their YouTube channel a hit is seen at its peak in ‘Bring Her Back’.
Two step-siblings are left orphaned and sent to live with a foster mother whose seemingly caring nature is actually hiding a terrifying secret. Instead of settling into a new home, they find themselves in the middle of a disturbing occult ritual.
8. A Heist With Markiplier (2019)
Mark Fischbach, better known as Markiplier, became one of YouTube’s biggest stars through his gaming videos and Let’s Plays. ‘A Heist with Markiplier’ became his most ambitious and acclaimed project.
Released as an interactive film for YouTube Premium, the story places viewers directly in a disastrous heist along with Mark himself. As we follow him through the film, we are given multiple choices that can influence the narrative, leading to 31 different endings.
7. Pretend That You Love Me (2020)
Comedian and filmmaker Joel Haver became a well-known YouTuber because of his unconventional humour and distinct visual style. He used to make numerous feature-length films, releasing them for free on YouTube.
His most personal work and most beloved was ‘Pretend That You Love Me’, a film that starts out as a seemingly straightforward exploration of Joel’s attempt to find romance. Soon, it takes a turn and starts exploring themes of grief, loneliness, creativity, and human connection in the most grounded way possible.
6. Skinamarink (2022)
Kyle Edward Ball built his following on YouTube with his channel Bitesized Nightmares, where he used to recreate viewers’ nightmares as short films. Since then, his filmmaking potential has already been celebrated.
His feature debut film, ‘Skinamarink’, expanded that concept into a full-length nightmare. Two children wake up in the middle of the night to discover that their parents have vanished, and the doors and windows of their home are mysteriously disappearing.
In Case You Missed It: 25 Must-Watch Short Films On YouTube
5. This Place Rules (2022)
Andrew Callaghan first found fame on YouTube through ‘All Gas No Brakes’. He used to document unusual gatherings and eccentric personalities across America. However, his HBO documentary ‘This Place Rules’ takes a much more serious tone.
It examines the socio-political tensions that culminated in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Travelling across the country, he interviews people to get a look at the wide range of perspectives that often get overlooked in mainstream media.
4. Iron Lung (2026)
After years of creating some of YouTube’s most popular content, we finally got Markiplier’s feature debut film, ‘Iron Lung’. Based on the cult horror game by David Szymanski, the movie features everything fans loved about Markiplier’s content on a different scale.
The film is set in a time when humanity has been devastated by a catastrophic event, causing entire planets and their population to disappear. The only mission that offers some chance at freedom is a convicted prisoner, forced to pilot a small submarine through a mysterious ocean of blood on a distant moon.
3. 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
Before directing major Hollywood productions like ‘The Boys’ and ‘Predator’, Dan Trachtenberg used to co-host ‘The Totally Rad Show’. His viral short film ‘Portal: No Escape’ changed everything.
That success opened the door to ’10 Cloverfield Lane’, a much larger stage for Trachtenberg to showcase his talents on. The film follows a woman who wakes up in an underground bunker after a car accident. She finds two men who tell her that the outside world has become uninhabitable. What follows is a tense psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time.
2. Talk To Me (2022)
Australian twins Danny and Michael Philippou built a massive audience on YouTube through their channel RackaRacka, which was known for its outrageous comedy, elaborate stunts, and impressive special effects.
Their feature debut, ‘Talk To Me’, totally surprised their audience by becoming one of the most acclaimed horror films of the decade. They combined their signature style with a genuinely frightening and emotional tone to tell the story of a group of teenagers who discover an embalmed hand that is capable of summoning spirits.
1. Eighth Grade (2018)
No YouTuber-turned filmmaker has made a stronger feature debut than Bo Burnham with ‘Eighth Grade’. Burnham first gained attention when he began posting comedy songs on YouTube as a teenager. Over the years, he has spent a long time examining the internet culture through his works.
Those experiences formed the core of this deeply personal coming-of-age drama. Kayla, an awkward middle-school student, navigates the final days of eighth grade while posting confident self-help videos online. Rather than relying on melodrama, Burnham draws from his own observation. It creates an honest and authentic portrayal of the anxieties of growing up in the social media age.
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