100+ Movies like Hereditary
The Pact
Both "The Pact" and "Hereditary" involve a family haunted by supernatural forces tied to a deceased matriarchal figure. The main characters, Annie and Peter, experience disturbing visions and encounter malevolent spirits connected to their mothers' dark pasts involving occult practices and covens. A central plot point revolves around the possession and corruption of a family member, with Annie being possessed by the spirit of a murdered woman and Peter becoming the vessel for the demon king Paimon. The movies explore themes of grief, guilt, and the destructive legacy of family secrets. They also feature shocking, gruesome moments like Charlie's decapitation and Annie's self-beheading. The climaxes involve the main characters confronting the evil forces, with Annie killing her possessed uncle and Peter's body being taken over by Paimon after his death. Both movies blend supernatural horror with family drama and psychological elements.
The Wait
Both "The Wait" and "Hereditary" center around a family dealing with the death of a matriarchal figure and the supernatural events that follow. In the "The Wait", the sisters Emma and Angela are told their mother will be resurrected if they keep her body at home, leading Emma to become obsessed with superstitions and rituals to bring her back. Similarly in Hereditary, after the death of their secretive grandmother Ellen, Annie becomes convinced she can communicate with the spirit of her deceased daughter Charlie through a séance, leading to disturbing supernatural occurrences. The movies parallel each other in depicting the fracturing of family relationships due to grief and the influence of dark, occult forces. Emma's belief in her mother's resurrection strains her relationship with Angela, just as Annie's obsession with contacting Charlie drives a wedge between her and her husband Steve. Both films feature a teenage son, Ian and Peter, who struggle to cope with the loss and strange happenings. Ultimately, the movies climax with the revelation that the matriarchal figures, the mother and Ellen, were involved in sinister occult practices and covens. This leads to a horrific, supernatural conclusion where a family member becomes possessed or inhabited by a demonic entity - Emma's mother seemingly returns from the dead, while Peter is taken over by the demon king Paimon. The movies share themes of grief, the destructive power of occult beliefs, and the disintegration of family bonds in the face of tragedy and evil forces.
The Terrible Two
Both "The Terrible Two" and "Hereditary" center around a family tragedy involving the death of a child/children, which leads the grieving mother to become obsessed with supernatural forces and occult practices. In each case, the mother believes her child's spirit is still present and seeks to communicate with them through seances and rituals. This obsession ultimately leads to the mother becoming possessed by a demonic entity, which causes her to turn against her family in horrific ways. The movies also share themes of grief, the fragmentation of the family unit, and the corrupting influence of the occult and evil forces. The climax of both films involves the mother committing brutal acts of violence against her husband and remaining child while under the control of the demonic possession. Overall, the "Hereditary" Hereditary closely parallels the "The Terrible Two" in its exploration of a family torn apart by tragedy and the mother's descent into supernatural madness, resulting in horrific consequences.
Pay the Ghost
Both "Pay the Ghost" and "Hereditary" involve supernatural forces and the loss of a child. In Pay the Ghost, a father searches for his abducted son who has been taken to another realm by a vengeful spirit. In Hereditary, a family is torn apart after the accidental death of their daughter, which leads to them being targeted by a demonic cult seeking to possess the son's body. The movies parallel each other in their exploration of grief, the occult, and the lengths parents will go to protect or reconnect with their children from dark supernatural forces. They also both feature possession, seances, and the reveal of a family's hidden ties to sinister occult practices.
The Dark and the Wicked
Both "The Dark and the Wicked" and "Hereditary" involve a family being tormented by a demonic, supernatural force. In The Dark and the Wicked, the entity preys on the family's dying father and drives the mother to suicide, while in Hereditary, the demon Paimon targets the Graham family, particularly the son Peter, to possess a male host. The movies share themes of the occult, possession, and the corruption of family bonds. Key plot points include the death of a family member (the mother in The Dark and the Wicked, the daughter Charlie in Hereditary), visions and apparitions haunting the remaining family, and the eventual possession of a central character by the demonic force (Louise in The Dark and the Wicked, Peter/Charlie in Hereditary). Both movies build an atmosphere of dread and horror as the supernatural entity manipulates and torments the families.
Two Witches
Both "Two Witches" and "Hereditary" revolve around supernatural forces and witchcraft, with a central focus on a powerful, malevolent elderly woman who is the leader of a coven. In each story, this woman targets a young woman who is pregnant, seeking to possess or consume the unborn child for nefarious purposes. The pregnancies are disrupted through tragic and violent means, with the fetuses being consumed by the elderly witch. The movies explore themes of the occult, possession, and the corruption of innocence. There are parallels in the family dynamics being torn apart by supernatural events, with the husbands meeting gruesome fates. The stories culminate in the witches' covens successfully summoning a demonic entity to possess a young male host, with the possessed individual being hailed as a new dark ruler or "king".
The Exorcist: Believer
Both "The Exorcist: Believer" and "Hereditary" involve a young girl who becomes possessed or influenced by demonic forces after a supernatural event. In The Exorcist: Believer, Angela and her friend Katherine perform a séance and appear to make contact with the underworld, leading to their possession. In Hereditary, the death of Charlie and her family's attempt to contact her spirit through a séance opens the door for the demon Paimon to possess Peter. The possession of the young girls causes them to exhibit disturbing, violent behavior and puts a strain on their families. In both films, the parents seek help from religious figures and experts to perform exorcisms or rituals to expel the demonic entities. However, these efforts are complicated and met with resistance, leading to tragic consequences. Ultimately, the demon's goal in each movie is to inhabit a male host - Angela's father Victor in The Exorcist: Believer, and Peter/Charlie in Hereditary. This involves a sacrifice or "choice" being made, with one of the possessed girls being chosen to live while the other is taken to hell or killed. The movies explore themes of faith, the supernatural, and the lengths parents will go to protect their children from evil forces.
The Yellow Wallpaper
Both "The Yellow Wallpaper" and "Hereditary" involve a family dealing with the tragic death of a child, which leads them down a dark supernatural path. In The Yellow Wallpaper, the death of Charlotte and John's daughter Sarah haunts them and draws them into a house filled with malevolent spirits. Similarly in Hereditary, the accidental death of Charlie fractures the Graham family and opens them up to demonic forces and a cult led by the grandmother. The movies parallel each other in the way the grieving mothers, Charlotte and Annie, become obsessed with communicating with the spirits of their dead children through occult means like seances. This obsession leads them to be possessed by dark entities - Charlotte by the spirits in the wallpaper, and Annie by the demon Paimon. Their possession causes them to turn against their families in disturbing ways. Both films also feature the husbands, John and Steve, initially being skeptical of the supernatural events before being confronted by undeniable evidence. The movies build an atmosphere of dread and the sense that the families are being manipulated by malicious forces for their own ends. Ultimately, the children's spirits are corrupted and used as vessels for evil, with Peter becoming the host for Paimon just as Sarah seems to return as a demonic entity.
Terrifier 2
Both "Terrifier 2" and "Hereditary" involve supernatural horror elements centered around a demonic entity. In Terrifier 2, the demonic entity is Art the Clown, a resurrected murderous clown who terrorizes a family, particularly the teenage daughter Sienna. In Hereditary, the demonic entity is the demon king Paimon, who possesses the body of the son Peter after a series of tragic events befall the family. Both movies feature a mysterious young girl figure associated with the demonic entity - the Little Pale Girl in Terrifier 2 and Charlie in Hereditary. The movies share themes of family trauma, grief, and the consequences of dabbling in the occult. In both cases, the families suffer devastating losses that fracture their relationships and make them vulnerable to the demonic forces. The mothers, Barbara in Terrifier 2 and Annie in Hereditary, become obsessed with contacting the supernatural, ultimately leading to their downfall and possession. The plots follow a similar structure of escalating horror and violence as the demonic entities torment and kill members of the families. Grisly, graphic deaths are a key feature in both movies as the body counts rise. Ultimately, the surviving family members must confront the demonic entities in a climactic showdown, though the outcomes differ.
The Haunting in Connecticut
Both "The Haunting in Connecticut" and "Hereditary" involve families moving into haunted houses with dark histories. In The Haunting in Connecticut, the family moves into a former funeral home where the previous owner practiced necromancy, while in Hereditary, the family inherits a house with ties to a demonic cult led by the grandmother. Both films feature a young son who becomes possessed or influenced by malevolent supernatural forces residing in the house. The possessions manifest through disturbing visions, strange behavior, and self-harm. As the haunting escalates, the families fracture under the stress, with the parents struggling to understand and cope with the paranormal events. Ultimately, the haunting culminates in tragic deaths and the revelation that the houses were used for sinister occult rituals to summon demonic entities. The movies explore themes of the corrupting influence of the supernatural, the fragility of family bonds under extreme circumstances, and the consequences of delving into forbidden occult practices.
The Invisible
Both "The Invisible" and "Hereditary" involve a teenager who becomes disconnected from reality and the physical world, though in different ways. In The Invisible, Nick has an out-of-body experience after being beaten and left for dead, while in Hereditary, Peter becomes possessed by a demonic force after his sister's tragic death. The movies parallel each other in depicting the protagonists' struggles to communicate with those around them and influence events from their detached states. Both Nick and Peter witness their families being torn apart by grief and guilt over the traumatic events. Ultimately, the movies explore themes of loss, guilt, and the supernatural, with the protagonists seeking redemption and closure despite their metaphysical predicaments.
The Lodge
Both "The Lodge" and "Hereditary" involve a family being haunted and tormented by supernatural forces tied to a cult or occult group. In The Lodge, Grace was raised in an extremist cult and becomes the target of psychological torment by her new stepchildren, who gaslight her into believing they are in purgatory. In Hereditary, the family is haunted by demonic forces after the death of the matriarch, who was the leader of a cult that worships the demon king Paimon. The movies share themes of grief, trauma, and the fracturing of family bonds in the face of horrific events. They also both feature disturbing imagery and visions related to the cults, as well as shocking acts of violence and self-harm committed by characters who become possessed or descend into madness. Ultimately, the cult's sinister agenda is realized through the possession or sacrifice of a family member.
You Are Not My Mother
Both "You Are Not My Mother" and "Hereditary" involve a family dealing with supernatural forces that threaten to replace or possess a family member with an evil entity. In "You Are Not My Mother", the mother Angela is replaced by a malevolent changeling, while in "Hereditary", the demon Paimon seeks to possess the son Peter as a male host. The grandmother figures, Rita and Ellen, are connected to occult rituals and covens attempting to summon these dark forces. A key ritual involves fire, with Rita attempting to use fire to restore the real Angela, and the Hereditary cult worshipping Paimon through a fiery ritual. Both films explore themes of family dysfunction, the loss of a child, and the haunting aftermath. The protagonists, Char and Peter, witness disturbing changes in their mothers and must confront the sinister forces threatening their families. Ultimately, the evil entities succeed in possessing the family members, though Char manages to restore her real mother through fire.
Haunting Sarah
Both "Haunting Sarah" and "Hereditary" involve a supernatural entity seeking to possess a human host, with a focus on the entity's attempts to inhabit a child. In "Haunting Sarah", the spirit of a deceased child named David tries to take over the body of his cousin Sarah, and later the newborn son of Sarah's mother Erica. In "Hereditary", the demon Paimon seeks to possess the body of a male host, eventually taking over the body of Peter after manipulating the family through supernatural means. The movies share themes of the occult, possession, and the lengths to which supernatural forces will go to achieve their goals. Both feature family members who become aware of the entity's intentions and attempt to stop it, with the entity manipulating and turning family members against each other. Tragic events befall the families, including the deaths of children, as the entity grows stronger. The climax of each movie involves a ritual or ceremony where the entity finally achieves its goal of possessing the desired host body. In "Haunting Sarah", David's spirit enters Erica's newborn son, while in "Hereditary", Paimon takes over Peter's body after the cult members perform a ritual. Both movies end with the possessed child being hailed or accepted by the occult forces, suggesting the entity's victory.
Run Rabbit Run
Both "Run Rabbit Run" and "Hereditary" center around a mother struggling with the supernatural possession of her child. In Run Rabbit Run, Sarah's daughter Mia becomes possessed by the spirit of Sarah's deceased sister Alice, while in Hereditary, Annie's son Peter becomes possessed by the demon Paimon. The possession causes the children to exhibit disturbing behavior and personality changes, straining the family dynamic. Both movies explore themes of grief, trauma, and the lengths a mother will go to protect her child, even from supernatural forces. The possession also leads to shocking acts of violence and tragedy within the family. Ultimately, the movies parallel each other in their depictions of a mother's descent into madness and the horrific consequences of the supernatural possession of her child.
Separation
Both "Separation" and "Hereditary" involve a family tragedy involving the death of a child, which fractures the family unit and leads to supernatural occurrences. The mothers in both films (Maggie and Annie) have a strained relationship with the supernatural world, which manifests after the child's death. The children's deaths are accidental but involve a close family member (Jeff and Peter). After the deaths, the families experience haunting and possession by malevolent spirits seeking to inhabit a new host body. The mothers become conduits for these spirits, with Maggie seeking revenge against her killer and Annie being part of a cult summoning a demon king. The climax involves the spirits attempting to take possession of the remaining child (Jenny and Peter) as their new host. Ultimately, the mothers sacrifice themselves to save their children from the supernatural forces.
The Attic
Both "The Attic" and "Hereditary" involve a family moving into a new house that harbors dark supernatural forces and secrets from the past. A young female protagonist (Emma/Annie) becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind the haunting, which is tied to a deceased female relative (Beth/Ellen). The haunting manifests as an apparition or possession of the protagonist's identical self or family member (Beth/Charlie). As the protagonist delves deeper, she discovers her family's involvement in occult rituals and covens, with the goal of summoning a demonic entity (Paimon). This leads to the gruesome deaths of family members and the protagonist herself becoming possessed or consumed by the evil force. The movies end with the implication that the cycle will continue with a new family moving into the haunted house.
Stephanie
Both "Stephanie" and "Hereditary" involve a young girl with supernatural powers that manifest in violent and destructive ways. In the "Stephanie", Stephanie has powerful telekinetic abilities that allow her to kill with invisible tentacles, while in Hereditary, Charlie is possessed by the demon king Paimon who takes over her brother Peter's body. The movies parallel each other in depicting the families being torn apart by the girls' powers and the parents' attempts to stop them, ultimately leading to the deaths of family members. Both movies build an ominous, supernatural atmosphere with dark forces lurking, and culminate in apocalyptic events where the girls' powers are unleashed to wreak havoc and destruction on a global scale. The movies share themes of the horrors of the supernatural intersecting with family dynamics, parental struggles to protect their children, and the loss of innocence as the girls embrace their dark powers.
Saturday Morning Massacre
Both "Saturday Morning Massacre" and "Hereditary" involve families being haunted and terrorized by supernatural forces with sinister origins. In the "Saturday Morning Massacre", a group investigating a mansion is targeted by the feral, cannibalistic children of a family accused of Satanic rituals. In the "Hereditary", a family is tormented after the death of the matriarch, who was the leader of a cult that worshipped the demon Paimon. The movies parallel each other in depicting the breakdown of family units due to tragic events and malevolent supernatural entities. They also share themes of the occult, human sacrifice, and possession. The climaxes involve the protagonists being pursued by the main antagonists, who are revealed to be possessed or controlled by demonic forces seeking to inhabit a new host body.
The Uninvited
Both "The Uninvited" and "Hereditary" involve a young woman who experiences disturbing visions and hallucinations related to a family tragedy. In The Uninvited, Anna suffers from dissociative identity disorder and schizophrenia, imagining her dead sister Alex and believing her father's girlfriend Rachel murdered her mother. In Hereditary, Annie is drawn into a cult after her mother's death, leading to the supernatural possession of her family by the demon Paimon. The movies parallel each other in their depictions of mental illness, grief, and the fracturing of family bonds in the aftermath of trauma. They also both feature shocking twists where the protagonist's perception of reality is revealed to be distorted, and they are implicated in the very tragedies they believed themselves to be victims of.