This is the third in a three-article installment of Top Dark Fantasy Films You Haven’t Seen. Additional articles can be found below.
The Dark Fantasy Films subgenre typically resides within the Fantasy, Horror and Drama Genres. Due to the number of Dark Fantasy Films over the last 5 decades, we created lists of Top Films with different periods:
- Top Dark Fantasy Film You Haven’t Seen 1970 – 1989
- Top Dark Fantasy Film You Haven’t Seen 1990 – 2009
- Top Dark Fantasy Film You Haven’t Seen 2010 – 2022
Films in the Dark Fantasy subgenre often feature other subgenres and microgenres including Films About Vampires, Films About Werewolves, Films About The Occult & Witches, Films About Psychic Powers, Films About The Paranormal, Hauntings and Ghosts, Films About Mythology, Films About Folk Horror and Films About Gothic Horror.
From 2010 – 2022, The Golden Age of Dark Fantasy Films occurred. During this time period, there were more Dark Fantasy Films released over the two previous 19-year periods and an increasing amount of subgenre themes embraced Dark Fantasy elements. Though this period featured classic subgenre themes of Vampires, Werewolves, Frankenstein and Mummies, themes involving the Supernatural & Ghosts, The Devil, Demons & Hell, Darker takes on classic Fairy Tales, and Psychological Horror became much more prominent within the subgenre. In addition, various World Cinema genres also featured Dark Fantasy themes for the largest influx of subgenre films during the 2010 – 2022 period.
World Cinema Dark Fantasy films appeared from different countries with various themes. Sweden contributed to the subgenre with supernatural-themed films in Cirkeln (The Circle)(2015), Draug (2018) and Koko-di Koko-da (2019). Finland gave us Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010) and Hatching (2022) – the latter film also satirizing suburban happiness with underlying horror elements. Iceland developed one of the weirdest films of the subgenre with Lamb (2021). France embraced the entire spectrum of the subgenre with the tame Alone (2017) to the utterly bizarre After Blue (2022). Germany released a unique female-led Vampire film in We Are the Night (2010) and Spain released a Devil-focused dark fable with Errementari: The Blacksmith and the Devil (2018). Not to be outdone by other European countries, Poland created one of the strangest and most unique Dark Fantasy films about Mermaids with The Lure (2015). Finally, Dark Fantasy mainstays were present from Japan with Attack on Titan (2015) and Tokyo Ghoul (2017) and South Korea with Alice: Boy from Wonderland (2015), Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017) and Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days (2018).
The Supernatural and Paranormal was the most utilized subgenre theme from 2010 – 2022 with Intruders (2011), The Woman in Black (2012), The Brass Teapot (2012), Crimson Peak (2015), Don’t Knock Twice (2017), A Ghost Story (2017), The Lodgers (2017), Winchester (2018) and I Still See You (2018).
Subgenre films featuring The Devil, Demons or Hell included Legion (2010), Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic (2010), Drive Angry (2011), Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011), Horns (2013) and Errementari: The Blacksmith and the Devil (2018).
Dark Fairy Tale themed films (which were more adult driven and not part of our separate Films About Fairy Tales list) included notable efforts with Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013) and Tale of Tales (2015). Delving into more psychological horror within Dark Fantasy were films such as Before I Wake (2016), A Cure for Wellness (2017), Old (2021) and Men (2022).
Finally, though there wasn’t the volume of subgenre creature films compared to previous periods, there were many classic and notable efforts. Vampires were represented with Let Me In (2010), We Are the Night (2010), Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012), Byzantium (2012) and Living Among Us (2018). Werewolves were featured in The Wolfman (2010), Howl (2015) and The Cursed (2021). And Frankenstein made an appearance in I, Frankenstein (2014) and The Mummy was featured in a reboot of the Disney film Under Wraps (2021).
Other classic and notable Dark Fantasy films from 2010 – 2022 included Knights of Badassdom (2013), Starry Eyes (2014), The Hallow (2015), Sicilian Ghost Story (2017), The Cleanse (2018), Mandy (2018), The Room (2019), The Mortuary Collection (2019), Spontaneous (2020), Monster Hunter (2020), Mortal Kombat (2021), The Green Knight (2021) and Firestarter (2022).
Our list of Dark Fantasy Films includes over 284+ films from 1931 – 2022. Our list primarily includes Dark Fantasy films in the Horror, Fantasy and Drama genres.
Classic, must-see Dark Fantasy Films from 2010 – 2022: Legion (2010), Let Me In (2010), Horns (2013), Tale of Tales (2015), Howl (2015), A Cure for Wellness (2017), Mandy (2018), The Cursed (2021) and The Green Knight (2021).
Lesser-known Dark Fantasy Films from 2010 – 2022 that didn’t make our list: Dante’s Inferno (2010), Intruders (2011), The Brass Teapot (2012), Starry Eyes (2014), Attack on Titan (2015), Crimson Peak (2015), Alone (2017), Living Among Us (2018), The Mortuary Collection (2019), The Room (2019), Spontaneous (2020) and Men (2022).
Note: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. We have embedded a compilation video of our Top Dark Fantasy Films From 2010 – 2022 You Haven’t Seen and more details on these films can be found in the list below.
#10
The Lure
Plot: Two mermaid sisters perform in a nightclub but one of them falls in with love a young man with bloody consequences.
KBZ’s Take: This is one of those films that’s hard to describe as it doesn’t fit into one genre or subgenre. It’s ultimately a Dark Fantasy film but also a musical, romance and has a dose of splatter and gore. Visually the film is striking from the set pieces to the mermaid designs themselves but the plot (or lack thereof) is hard to follow in this Polish film. However, it’s one of the more unique Dark Fantasy films out there and is worth checking out by fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3Y9WQeJ
Plot: A blacksmith holds a demon in captivity until an orphan girl unwittingly releases it.
KBZ’s Take: This is another Dark Fantasy film where the visuals are much better than the plot. Though the film’s plot is a bit easier to follow than The Lure, it gets rather muddled by the third act. However, by the time you get to the third act, you won’t care much about the plot. The visuals of the devil and various demons shepherding lost souls to hell are worth seeing for alone.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://www.netflix.com/title/80239565
#8
Lamb
Plot: An Icelandic farm couple discover a strange newborn sheep on their land.
KBZ’s Take: This film takes its time getting to the mid-film reveal and the even more surprising third act twist but you will be rewarded if you are patient. It’s a very unique and disturbing film of the subgenre and the slower moments of the film are carried by the main leads in Noomi Rapace and Hilmir Snær Guðnason. If you like Dark Fantasy with a Folk Horror twist, there aren’t many better subgenre films than Lamb.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3HDKbuP
Plot: Three dark fantasy fairy tales involving three Kings and Queens of a realm.
KBZ’s Take: Dark Fairy Tales are a major theme of the Dark Fantasy subgenre, and Tale of Tales checks off all the boxes as one of the better tales of darkness. There are three separate tales involving a Queen risking everything to be a mother, a King becoming obsessed with a flea which leads to his daughter getting married to an Ogre and a King falling in love with the voice of a mysterious girl. All three tales are intertwined with each other, but we personally enjoyed the tale of the Flea and Ogre the best. This is a great subgenre film to check out if you haven’t seen it yet.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3wB4suH
Plot: A trio of female vampires introduce a new 18-year-old Lena to their vampiric lifestyle.
KBZ’s Take: This German film is a refreshing look at how a group of female vampires would operate in the modern world. While we were watching this film it reminded us of The Lost Boys (1995) but with a more serious tone. Nina Hoss (Louise the head vampire) and Karoline Herfurth (Lena the newly initiated 18-year-old vampire) both excel in their roles depicting the allure and rejection of the vampiric lifestyle. Highly recommended film of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3HfOLOD
#5
Hatching
Plot: A 12-year-old Tinja desperate to please her obsessive mother, finds a strange egg.
KBZ’s Take: We’re recommending this Finnish film with a few caveats. First, this film falls on the very dark spectrum of Dark Fantasy films. Though it starts off lighthearted and feels like a satire of suburban perfection and obsession, it gets very, very dark. Second, this film would also fall into the Body Horror subgenre so if you’re averse to films in that subgenre, you might find this film too hard to stomach. With all of that said, it’s a great subgenre film that explores the excessive expectations put upon a 12-year-old girl by her demanding mother.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3wDsXHH
#4
Horns
Plot: After his girlfriend’s death, a young man awakens with devilish horns.
KBZ’s Take: Part Dark Fantasy and Part Whodunnit, Horns combines both subgenres for one of the better Dark Fantasy subgenre films. A highlight of the film involves Ig (Daniel Radcliffe) learning he has the power to see someone’s past by touching them as he’s investigating his girlfriend’s death. Though the third act falls off a bit plot-wise (but is visually more exciting), as a whole, Horns is a highly recommended film for fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3DjO5qg
#3
The Cursed
Plot: In the late 19th century, locals suspect a wild animal is murdering people.
KBZ’s Take: Films About Werewolves are one of the classic themes of the Dark Fantasy subgenre and The Cursed is one of the more unique Werewolf movies you’ll find. We can’t say much about the Werewolf itself, but the film is much more a Dark Fantasy fable involving a curse thrust upon a brutal land baron by the gypsies he slaughters. Even if you are averse to Werewolf films, you will likely enjoy this film as it’s one of the best Dark Fantasy subgenre films out there.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3jklD0B
#2
Mandy
Plot: Man goes on a bloody vengeance rampage after his wife is killed by a cult.
KBZ’s Take: If you are a fan of the revenge subgenre and still haven’t see Mandy, you need to stop reading this and watch it now. Panos Cosmatos brings violence, gore and weirdness to this Dark Fantasy tale (much like he did with his even weirder previous effort Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010)). The film can slow down at times but Nicholas Cage’s performance as a man descending into madness anchors the film throughout.
Additional Lists: Top Films About Revenge You Haven’t Seen #6
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3Y1jaHe
Plot: An orphaned child’s dreams and nightmares become reality as he sleeps.
KBZ’s Take: We debated having Mandy as our #1 film here, but ultimately went with Before I Wake for a few reasons. First, it’s a great film the encompasses everything about the Dark Fantasy film subgenre. It’s firmly in the middle of the spectrum (not too light or too dark) and has classic themes of ‘be careful what you wish for”. Second, it’s one of Mike Flanagan’s lesser-known efforts and he has shown an ability to create iconic films across various subgenres. He does that with Before I Wake in the Dark Fantasy subgenre, he did it with Hush (2016) in the Home Invasion subgenre, he created one of the more memorable Survival Horror films with Gerald’s Game (2016) and even had Stephen King’s blessing with The Shining (1980) follow-up Doctor Sleep (2019) which incorporated multiple subgenres.
As for the film itself, it’s ultimately a classic dark tale dealing with two dual issues – one of a grieving family and their attempts to overcome that grief and one of a child who dealt with early life tragedy he is too young to understand. Flanagan’s ability to develop these themes around visual (and often frightening) manifestations of a child’s dream make it a near-classic film of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://www.netflix.com/title/80002667
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