15 Horror Movies That Were Adapted Into TV Shows
These Scary Movies Found New Life On TV
Some horror stories are just too haunting to stay confined to the big screen, right? Over the years, several chilling films have been reimagined for television, expanding their eerie worlds, deepening the lore, and sometimes making the terror even more personal. Here are such nightmarish shows.
15. Creepshow (Based on: Creepshow, 1982)
A terrifying revival of Shudder perfectly captures the spirit of the original George A. Romero/Stephen King anthology. Guided by a new "Creep" mascot, each episode features two grisly, pulpy horror tales told with comic-book flair, practical effects, and a dark, twisted sense of humor.
14. Friday the 13th: The Series (Based on: Friday the 13th)
Amazingly, it has no correlation to the famous slasher movie it is based on. It shared a title and producer with the film franchise but had nothing to do with Jason Voorhees or Camp Crystal Lake. Instead, it was a supernatural show about two cousins who inherit a cursed antique shop.
13. Freddy's Nightmares (Based on: A Nightmare on Elm Street)
A classic from the late '80s, this was an anthology series hosted by Robert Englund in full Freddy Krueger makeup. While Freddy only starred in a few episodes (including the pilot, which showed his trial and death), he introduced "horror-of-the-week" stories set in Springwood, all centered on the dark dreams of its citizens.
12. The Purge (Based on: The Purge series)
The movies may have focused on the 12 hour chaos but the series was the answer to question about the after-effects of the carnage. It followed a cast of characters in a Purge-obsessed America, showing how the violence of that one night bleeds into the "normal" world and affects the class divide, the economy, and the national psyche.
11. From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series (Based on: From Dusk Till Dawn)
The 1996 film acted a prequel to this series. In a way it was the expansion of the movie by the original director, Robert Rodriguez. It retold the story of the Gecko brothers' fateful trip to the Titty Twister bar but massively fleshed out the mythology of the Mesoamerican vampires (Culebras) who run the establishment.
10. Teen Wolf (Based on: Teen Wolf, 1985)
The show rebooted a classic comedy movie into something truly gritty and horrifying. This version was much more Buffy than its light-hearted namesake, focusing on pack dynamics, ancient myths, and high-stakes battles. It went from a basketball playing werewolf to a truly interesting paranormal universe of supernatural creatures.
9. The Haunting of Hill House (Based on: The Haunting, 1963/1999)
Mike Flanagan's miniseries framed the supernatural horror around a devastating, non-linear family drama, following the Crain siblings as they deal with the lifelong trauma of the night they fled their haunted childhood home. Technically it was based on Shirley Jackson's novel but it also retold the story of the classic films.
8. The Exorcist (Based on: The Exorcist)
It was genuinely terrifying and well praised by the audience and critics alike. Acting as a direct sequel to the original 1973 film, the first season followed two priests dealing with a new case of demonic possession. Finally, it features a shocking twist that tied it directly back into the MacNeil family's original trauma.
7. Scream: The TV Series (Based on: Scream)
The Scream franchise is one of the most successful horror franchises. The show was no slouch either, building upon the rules of the previous entries. It follows a new group of teenagers in the town of Lakewood, who are stalked by a mysterious killer tied to a dark, local legend. At first, it skipped the Ghostface but kept the same dread throughout the episodes.
6. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Based on: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 1992)
It should be said that the show far surpassed the movie and broke away from the expectations to earn its own fame. Joss Whedon, the original writer, rebooted his own concept for television, turning it into a groundbreaking, seven-season drama that used vampires, demons, and monsters to explore real-life adolescent and adult angst.
5. What We Do in the Shadows (Based on: What We Do in the Shadows)
This FX series moves the action to Staten Island with a new cast of hapless vampire roommates (and their familiar, Guillermo). It brilliantly expands the world, blending supernatural lore with the mundane comedy of roommate squabbles, city council meetings, and Super Bowl parties.
4. Chucky (Based on: Child's Play)
The show follows a new group of teenagers in Haddonfield, New Jersey, who come across the vintage killer doll at a yard sale. It's a perfect blend of classic slasher kills, a surprisingly progressive coming-of-age story, and a deep dive into the origin of Charles Lee Ray.
3. Ash vs Evil Dead (Based on: The Evil Dead trilogy)
Bruce Campbell's return as the aging Ash Williams is amazing and full of swag. When the deadites are released again unintentionally, Ash must once again strap on his chainsaw hand to fight evil, this time with a couple of new sidekicks. It perfectly captured the original trilogy's blend of over-the-top gore and slapstick comedy.
2. Hannibal (Based on: Red Dragon / The Silence of the Lambs)
Hannibal Lecter's multiple appearance in the films were finally brought to justice with this artful yet gruesome show. It followed the brilliant but unstable FBI profiler Will Graham and his new therapist, the secretly cannibalistic Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The show is all about the toxic psychological chess match between its two leads.
1. Bates Motel (Based on: Psycho)
Instead of a sequel to the movie, the audience got a series which explored the dark and troubling dynamics between teenage Norman Bates and his mother, Norma. It shows us how the mild-mannered and meek boy became the psychotic killer from Hitchcock's masterpiece movie.
