Best Recent Eco-Horror Films. This is the sixth in a series of articles covering the top Eco-Horror Films by decade. Eco-Horror features narratives about Global Warming, Climate Change, Biohazards and other ecological disasters that affect the environment. A majority of these films also include elements of Natural Horror (or Animals Attack) films where the animal, mammal or marine life has suffered a mutation due to environmental negligence by humans.
Most Eco-Horror Films reside within the Horror, Sci-Fi and Thriller genres and are often closely aligned with other film subgenres including Disaster Films, Survival Dramas, Monster Films, Survival Horror Films, Biotech Films, Dystopian Future Films, Films About Genetic Engineering, Kaiju Films, Aquatic Thrillers, Conspiracy Thrillers and Films About Pandemics & Viruses.
Eco-Horror narratives tend to parallel the societal and ecological concerns of the era: nuclear proliferation and radiation in the 1950’s & 1960’s, climate change and corporate conspiracies in the 1970’s & 1990’s, genetic engineering in the 1980’s & 2000’s, and a combination of climate change, genetic engineering and dystopian futures in the 2010’s to the most recent subgenre films. Popular Eco-Horror Films over the decades include Them! (1954), Matango (1963), Soylent Green (1973), Jaws (1975), The Stuff (1985), Mimic (1997), The Host (2006), Annihilation (2018) and The Animal Kingdom (2023).
This sixth article will cover the Best Recent Eco-Horror Films from 2020 – 2025 and you can check out additional articles by decade below. We are also going to include a Best Of subgenre article as a grand finale. There are so many great Eco-Horror Films over the last 60 years that we felt it best to break down some of the subgenre’s forgotten and lesser-known gems by decade before we give you the Best Of list which will likely feature many films you’ve already heard of or have seen.
- Top Eco-Horror Films You Haven’t Seen – 1970’s
- Top Eco-Horror Films You Haven’t Seen – 1980’s
- Top Eco-Horror Films You Haven’t Seen – 1990’s
- Top Eco-Horror Films You Haven’t Seen – 2000’s
- Top Eco-Horror Films You Haven’t Seen – 2010’s
- Best Recent Eco-Horror Films
- Best Eco-Horror Films of All Time
Even though we’re only covering the first five and a half years of the 2020s, there’s no doubt that eco-horror has continued to grow as subgenre within horror. The first part of this decade was dominated by Kaiju films, genetic mutations through ecological disasters and post-apocalypse thrillers.
Environmental disasters leading to apocalyptic events and post-apocalypse survival themes were one of the most prominent themes of the subgenre in the first half of the 2020s. Apocalyptic environmental events (such as climate change) were themes in films such as In the Earth (2021), The Swarm (2021), Silent Night (2021), Don’t Look Up (2021) and Acid (2023). In contrast, a post-apocalyptic future driven by environmental disasters were featured in films including Vesper (2022), Survive (2024) and Die Alone (2024).
Genetic mutations have always been a “go to” theme of the subgenre, and the 2020s were no different. Subgenre films explored the various effects of mutations caused by ecological hazards from a new form of water-based parasite in Sea Fever (2020) to a mysterious infection in The Beach House (2020) to mutated zombies in Brain Freeze (2021). One film, The Animal Kingdom (2023), took this theme even further exploring environmental changes that lead to humans transforming into animals.
And finally, the king of eco-horror, Godzilla, had three major releases in the 2020s with Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), Godzilla Minus One (2023) and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024). Though none of these films would qualify as horror, they all leaned into themes of eco-horror with typical Kaiju destruction.
Our complete list of Eco-Horror Films features over 211+ films from 1953 – 2025. This collection features almost every horror or sci-fi film involving a biohazard, ecological disaster or man-made disaster such as climate change affecting the environment. As we’re always updating our collections and will be releasing additional articles of great Eco-Horror Films, subscribe to our newsletter for our latest updates as we post them.
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Best Recent Classic Eco-Horror Films: Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), Silent Night (2021), Don’t Look Up (2021), Vesper (2022), Godzilla Minus One (2023) and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024).
Recent Eco-Horror Films that didn’t make our list (and only for completists): Deep Blue Sea 3 (2020), Unearth (2020), In the Earth (2021), Rubikon (2022), The Red Tide Massacre (2022), Caddy Hack (2023), Zombeez (2023), Crackcoon (2024) and Street Trash (2024).
Honorable Mentions: Superdeep (2020), The Swarm (2021), Some Like It Rare (2021), It Came from the Water (2022), Carnifex (2022), The Animal Kingdom (2023), Bad CGI Gator (2023) and Survive (2024).
Here is our list of the Best Recent Eco-Horror from 2020 – 2025:
#10
Brain Freeze
Plot: A fertilizer used in a rich gated community becomes the source of a genetic mutation that transforms its residents into zombies. Can a teenager and his baby sister break free from the quarantined island before turning into grass?
Eco-Horror Element: Ecological Disasters / Zombies
KBZ’s Take: Brain Freeze is worth checking out if you’re into Films About Zombies and want to see one of the better ‘zombie babies’ of the entire subgenre. As for the rest of the film, it has some pacing issues with numerous subgenre clichés, so we only recommend it for completists of this subgenre and the Zombie Film subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#9
Gaia
Plot: A park ranger takes shelter with two survivalists after an attack by mysterious creatures in a primordial forest.
Eco-Horror Element: Genetic Mutations
KBZ’s Take: This South African eco-horror film also delves into both Folk Horror and Body Horror with religious and biblical apocalypse undertones. While some fans of the subgenre might find the film slow, we enjoyed the revelation of the creatures and would recommend the film to fans of the subgenre and The Last of Us tv series.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#8
Carved
Plot: On Halloween 1993, 2 years after a deadly nuclear spill, the staff of a historic pioneer village attraction must work together to survive the attack of a monstrous killer pumpkin set on revenge.
Eco-Horror Element: Ecological Disaster
KBZ’s Take: This subgenre has had its share of horror comedies and Carved is one of the better eco-horror focused comedies of recent years. Though the film’s plot involving a killer pumpkin’s mutation caused by a chemical spill is ludicrous, Carved redeems itself with some very funny and inventive kills, that are often gory, that gorehound fans of the subgenre should enjoy.
Where to Stream / Buy: Hulu
#7
The Feast
Plot: A wealthy family hosts a sumptuous dinner, only for a mysterious young server to chillingly unravel their lives with terrifying consequences they could never see coming.
Eco-Horror Element: Climate Change
KBZ’s Take: This is another film on our list that is a slow-burn horror that has underlying themes often found in Folk Horror. However, the patient horror film fan will be rewarded with a film that slowly builds to an unsettling and bloody third act.
We can’t discuss the third act and climax without ruining the film but still recommend The Feast for its unique blend of eco-horror and folk horror themes and overall creep factor.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#6
Die Alone
Plot: A young man with amnesia bands together with a rugged survivalist after a devastating virus causes a zombie-like outbreak.
Eco-Horror Element: Viral Outbreak
KBZ’s Take: We have seen our share of horror films over the years (especially within this subgenre) and we’ll have to admit we did not see Die Alone’s twist coming (though it seems to be telegraphed quite a bit in the first two acts). We’re also a sucker for post-apocalyptic zombie films, so this is another film we recommend for fans of The Last of Us and film fans of this subgenre will also likely enjoy.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#5
Acid
Plot: In the middle of a heat wave, an ominous cloud appears before lethal acid rain falls. A separated family must come together to escape the plague ravaging the world.
Eco-Horror Element: Climate Change
KBZ’s Take: We’re ranking the French film Acid (or Acide) here not just for this film, but for its film cousin, The Swarm (2021), that were both directed by Just Philippot and based in the same cinematic universe. The universe features apocalyptic events from acid rain in Acid to genetically mutated locusts in The Swarm that develop a taste for human blood.
Though we preferred the disaster action of Acid to The Swarm’s slow-burn horror, we would still recommend both films as they each expand on underused themes of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#4
Sea Fever
Plot: The crew of a West of Ireland trawler – marooned at sea – struggle for their lives against a growing parasite in their water supply.
Eco-Horror Element: Environmental Disaster / Mutation
KBZ’s Take: Creature features involving wildlife mutations caused by environmental disasters have always been one of the most prominent themes of this subgenre for the last 50+ years. As a result, many of these films tend to use the same tropes and are a bit predictable.
However, Sea Fever is a breath of fresh air within this ‘mutated wildlife’ subset theme of the subgenre with its very effective and claustrophobic atmosphere coupled with a monster that brings out the worst during a pandemic fear. It’s a low budget film that hits much higher above its weight and recommended for fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: A romantic getaway for two troubled college sweethearts turns into a struggle for survival when unexpected guests – and the surrounding environment – exhibit signs of a mysterious infection.
Eco-Horror Element: Climate Change / Mutations
KBZ’s Take: The Beach House is yet another slow burn horror film on our list with an exceptional (and horrific) third act. However, this film excels in building up the sense of dread that will soon affect the college sweethearts Emily (Liana Liberato) and Randall (Noah Le Gros).
This is also a film that isn’t for the faint of heart or you’re not a fan of Body Horror. There are some terrifying scenes of a new species of creature (unlocked by climate change) that are not only anti-human but infect humans in unimaginable ways.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#2
Silent Night
Plot: Nell, Simon, and their boy Art are ready to welcome friends and family for what promises to be a perfect Christmas gathering. Perfect except for one thing: everyone is going to die.
Eco-Horror Element: Climate Change / Apocalypse
KBZ’s Take: Probably the most depressing film on our list, Silent Night is a horror-scifi-drama hybrid film that focuses on a family awaiting its inevitable death. And though the scenes of the approaching apocalypse (in the form of a seemingly poisonous cloud) are frightening, the film comes off as even more tragic with its elements of black comedy and satirical tone that encompass the relationships between different family members.
We wouldn’t advise watching the film if you are prone to depression as Silent Night will soon have you questioning not only the existence of family but of life itself.
Additional Lists: The Ultimate List of Christmas Horror Films #7
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Japan has barely recovered from the Second World War when a gigantic peril emerges off the coast of Tokyo. Koichi, a deserter traumatized by his first confrontation with Godzilla, sees this as an opportunity to redeem his conduct during the war.
Eco-Horror Element: Ecological Disaster / Nuclear Radiation
KBZ’s Take: Godzilla has always been a constant presence within the subgenre as different versions of the mutated dinosaur have wreaked havoc on Tokyo and the rest of the world. And though the two other primary Godzilla films of the early 2020s, Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) & Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024), were massive blockbusters at the box office, it’s the lesser-known Godzilla Minus One that we feel is the best Godzilla film since the original Godzilla (1954).
Though Godzilla Minus One isn’t a horror film per say, it is action-packed and is grounded with its focus on Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) and his relationship with Godzilla over the years. It’s the classic tale of redemption as Kōichi experiences the monster for the first time and must rise up to help defeat Godzilla from destroying Tokyo.
This is a visually amazing film that won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards. There are sequences in the film that are jaw dropping from Godzilla’s first appearance to the havoc and destruction caused by the monster as he rampages through Tokyo. It’s a film we highly recommend for fans of the subgenre even though it’s lite on horror elements. We’re that confident that after seeing the film, you’ll agree with us that it’s one of the best adaptations of Godzilla from the last 50 years.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
