Vampires appeared in cinema as early as the silent era and have never left the screen: from Nosferatu (1922) to Sinners (2025). We have gathered 12 films of different eras and moods: classic adaptations of Dracula, comedies, action films, melodramas and a horror film from Sweden. Each entry gives the year, the director, the runtime and a reason to watch. No spoilers: only the setup. The facts come from Wikipedia pages checked on October 19, 2026.
Nosferatu
Official trailer · “Nosferatu” (1922)Nosferatu is a silent German Expressionist film about Count Orlok (Max Schreck), a vampire who stalks the wife of his real estate agent and brings plague to their town. It is an unofficial and unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula, which is why the names and some details were changed. Why watch: the oldest film in the selection; the 2024 remake, which is also on the list, is built on it.
Dracula (1931)
Official trailer · “Dracula” (1931)Universal’s Dracula is the first sound adaptation of Stoker’s novel. Bela Lugosi plays the count, a vampire who moves from Transylvania to England and preys on living people. The film is based on a 1924 stage play created from the novel. Why watch: Lugosi plays a role here that he had already performed on Broadway.
The Lost Boys
Official trailer · “The Lost Boys” (1987)In The Lost Boys, two teenage brothers and their divorced mother move to the fictional California town of Santa Carla and learn that it serves as a haven for vampires. It is a horror comedy, shot mostly in Santa Cruz, with Kiefer Sutherland in the cast. The title refers to the Lost Boys of Peter Pan, who, like vampires, never grow up. Why watch: 1980s vampires with humor.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Official trailer · “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (1992)Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a gothic horror film based on Stoker’s 1897 novel. It is set in 19th-century England and Romania: Count Dracula (Gary Oldman), a vampire and the former Wallachian ruler Vlad III Dracula, falls in love with Mina Murray (Winona Ryder), the fiancée of his solicitor Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves). Anthony Hopkins plays Professor Van Helsing. Why watch: to compare this version of the story with the 1931 film.
Interview with the Vampire
Official trailer · “Interview with the Vampire” (1994)Interview with the Vampire tells the story of Louis (Brad Pitt), who is turned into a vampire in 1791 by Lestat (Tom Cruise); later the young Claudia (Kirsten Dunst) joins their story. Louis tells all this to a modern-day journalist in San Francisco. Anne Rice wrote the screenplay based on her own 1976 novel, and the film was nominated for two Oscars, for art direction and original score. Why watch: a costume drama about vampires with Cruise and Pitt in the lead roles.
Blade
Official trailer · “Blade” (1998)Blade is a superhero film based on Marvel comics. Blade (Wesley Snipes) is a man with a vampire’s powers but without their weaknesses, and he fights vampires. David S. Goyer wrote the screenplay; according to Wikipedia, it was a dark superhero film for its time and Marvel’s first successful film. Why watch: an action film about a vampire hunter.
Underworld
Official trailer · “Underworld” (2003)Underworld is an action horror film about a secret war between vampires and Lycans, as the film calls werewolves. The vampire Selene (Kate Beckinsale) hunts Lycans but feels drawn to a human, Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman), whom they have targeted. It is director Len Wiseman’s feature film debut. Why watch: an action film in which vampires fight werewolves rather than hunters.
Let the Right One In
Official trailer · “Let the Right One In” (2008)Let the Right One In is a Swedish romantic horror film: a twelve-year-old boy who is bullied is drawn into a friendship with a strange child in the Stockholm suburb of Blackeberg in the early 1980s. John Ajvide Lindqvist wrote the screenplay based on his own 2004 novel. According to Wikipedia, Alfredson was not interested in the conventions of the genre, so he toned down many elements of the novel and focused on the relationship between the characters. Why watch: a quiet story of friendship, shot in Swedish.
Twilight
Official trailer · “Twilight” (2008)Twilight is a romantic fantasy based on Stephenie Meyer’s 2005 novel. High school student Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) meets the vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), and his family tries to protect her from another clan of vampires. It is the first part of the Twilight Saga. Why watch: a story about a relationship between a human and a vampire, from which a whole series grew.
What We Do in the Shadows
Official trailer · “What We Do in the Shadows” (2014)What We Do in the Shadows is a New Zealand mockumentary comedy about several vampires who live together in an apartment in Wellington. The film was written and directed by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, who also appear in it, and it premiered at the Sundance festival in January 2014. Why watch: vampires in everyday life, all with humor.
Nosferatu (2024)
Official trailer · “Nosferatu” (2024)Robert Eggers’s Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 film that combines elements of Murnau’s film and Stoker’s novel. Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp and Willem Dafoe star; the film was shot mostly at Barrandov Studios in Prague. It premiered in Berlin on December 2, 2024, and was released in the US on December 25. Why watch: to compare the new version with the first one on the list.
Sinners
Official trailer · “Sinners” (2025)Sinners is a horror film by Ryan Coogler. 1932, the Mississippi Delta: twin brothers who are criminals (Michael B. Jordan plays both roles) return to their hometown in the Jim Crow era and face a supernatural evil that includes vampires. The music was written by Ludwig Göransson. Why watch: the newest film in the selection: vampires appear here in the unusual setting of the 1930s American South.
How we chose
We took different decades and genres, only feature films that are already out. There are no cartoons or series in the selection. The two “Nosferatu” films are listed separately: the 1922 film and the 2024 remake. There are no ratings or box-office figures here: we are interested in what kind of story each one is and what makes it unusual.
If vampires are only the beginning and you want more scary movies, see our selection of 20 horror films for Halloween, and for those who do not like being scared, there are 12 gentle horror films.
What to choose by mood
| What you want | What to pick |
|---|---|
| Silent and early classics | Nosferatu (1922), Dracula (1931) |
| Gothic based on Stoker | Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Nosferatu (2024) |
| Vampires with humor | The Lost Boys, What We Do in the Shadows |
| Action | Blade, Underworld |
| Romance and drama | Interview with the Vampire, Twilight, Let the Right One In |
| Not in English | Nosferatu (1922), Let the Right One In |
| Newest | Nosferatu (2024), Sinners |
Tip. For an evening with friends, “The Lost Boys” or “What We Do in the Shadows” will work, while the silent “Nosferatu” and “Let the Right One In” are better saved for a quieter evening.
Frequently asked questions
Where to start with vampires in film?
Start with the classics: Dracula (1931) is the first sound adaptation of Stoker’s novel. Closer to the present day, Interview with the Vampire (1994) and Twilight (2008) are good choices.
How do the two Nosferatu films differ?
Murnau’s 1922 film is silent and is an unofficial, unauthorized adaptation of Dracula. Robert Eggers’s 2024 film is its remake, combining elements of the film and the novel.
Are there any comedies among these films?
Yes: The Lost Boys (a horror comedy) and What We Do in the Shadows (a mockumentary comedy).
Are there films not in English?
Yes: Let the Right One In was shot in Swedish, and the 1922 Nosferatu is a silent film with German intertitles.
Sources
- Nosferatu (Wikipedia)
- Dracula (1931 English-language film) (Wikipedia)
- Interview with the Vampire (film) (Wikipedia)
- Let the Right One In (film) (Wikipedia)
- Sinners (2025 film) (Wikipedia)
Data was checked against Wikipedia on October 19, 2026.
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