29 Freaky Possession Movies Like 'Annabelle'

Why watch just one scary movie when you can watch dozens? With these movies like Annabelle, you can do just that. The 2014 movie probably ruined dolls for a lot of people — and with good reason. When a husband gifts his expectant wife with a doll, he thinks he’s just getting her a nice present. Then a group of devil worshippers break into their house and wreak havoc. In trying to summon a demon, the occultists inadvertently curse the doll, turning her into a demonic conduit. So… worst gift ever?

This movie is also part of the Annabelle franchise that includes a prequel and a sequel — Annabelle: Creation and Annabelle Comes Home — because who doesn’t want more of a demon doll in their lives? The Annabelle doll also found herself a place in The Conjuring franchise for paranormal experts Ed and Lorraine Warren to explore. Basically, she’s this generation’s Chucky doll, and she is not one we want to play with!

But if you want more super creepy movies that will give you nightmares and make you want to sleep with the light on, check out these other movies like Annabelle.

Movies Like Annabelle

1. Thir13en Ghosts (2001)

For all things demented, Thir13en Ghosts is the go-to movie. In this film, a family inherits a house that’s coated in spells trapping ghosts inside. But as they all begin to escape, the family soon realizes they’re on the hunt for the 13th ghost. This movie is definitely gruesome and will have you questioning what’s in your own basement.

2. The Ring (2002)

This movie is the reason the VHS went out of style, we swear. In the film, a cursed VHS tape results in a viewer’s death seven days after they watch it. Naomi Watts plays a journalist trying to get to the bottom of why this is happening without causing her own death as a result of the creeptastic tape.

3. The Amityville Horror (2005)

Any of the Amityville movies fit the bill as far as the scare factor, but the 2005 version is a more modern take on the 1979 original. In the haunting film, a family moves into a new home that they didn’t realize was the site of a mass murder. The result is a string of scary occurrences and violent manifestations that will absolutely give you nightmares.

4. It (2017)

If you weren’t scared of clowns before, Pennywise will change your mind. In the thriller based on Stephen King’s book of the same name, a group of kids come together to confront the creepy shape-shifter (Pennywise) that shows up once every 27 years to wreak havoc. While a horrifying and gruesome film, the heart of the kids make this movie slightly less terrifying than some others here.

5. The Exorcist (1973)

In what is quite possibly the scariest movie of all time, The Exorcist is the story of a young girl who becomes possessed by the devil. The family brings in a priest and an expert to exorcise the devil, but it won’t be easy. There is not one second of this film that won’t stick with you long after it ends, because the supernatural elements of this vintage movie are far more terrifying than any blood and guts could be.

6. Paranormal Activity (2007)

The original film in this franchise kicked off a series of movies about, well, paranormal activity. The movie makes you feel like you’re inside this couple’s home while they try to understand the paranormal experiences they’ve been having, using found footage. It’s creepy in its believability.

More Possession Movies Like Annabelle

1. The Babadook (2014)
2. The Abandoned (2006)
3. Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (2010)
4. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
5. Insidious (2010)
6. Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)
7. Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)
8. Sinister (2012)
9. Child’s Play (1988)
10. Mama (2013)
11. Poltergeist (1982)
12. Doctor Sleep (2019)
13. Dark Water (2005)
14. What Lies Beneath (2000)
15. The Grudge (2004)
16. Dead Silence (2012)
17. The Conjuring (2013)
18. The Conjuring 2 (2016)
19. Ouija (2014)
20. The Nun (2018)
21. The Grudge (2004)
22. Oculus (2013)
23. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)