Horror Movie Posters: An Image Gallery and Design Guide

Explore horror movie poster images through six different approaches to fear: a solitary figure, forceful typography, an unexplained object, a holiday symbol, an unsettling trace and a character montage. Each image links to the larger artwork already used in the matching film guide.

Horror poster gallery

These are the poster versions displayed on this website. Films can have different theatrical, regional and reissue designs, so this selection does not claim to show every official edition or identify an artist without a verified credit.

The Exorcist (1973) poster

The Exorcist poster showing a silhouetted man outside a house in a beam of light — The Exorcist (1973) — view the larger poster image.

A silhouetted man with a bag stands outside a house in a bright beam of light. The largely monochrome scene makes the single figure and the illuminated window the points of attention. The purple title is set apart above the scene.

Read the The Exorcist (1973) film guide for story, cast and viewing context.

The Shining (1980) poster

The Shining poster with a distressed face and black lettering on a yellow background — The Shining (1980) — view the larger poster image.

This version uses a saturated yellow field and heavy black lettering. A distressed face is integrated with the title graphic rather than presented as a conventional cast portrait. It is a strong comparison with the darker photographic compositions elsewhere in the gallery.

Read the The Shining (1980) film guide for story, cast and viewing context.

Alien (1979) poster

Alien poster showing a cracked egg glowing yellow-green against black — Alien (1979) — view the larger poster image.

An egg-like form opens with yellow-green light against an almost black field. The widely spaced title and the open space around the central object make the image feel isolated. The dark textured ground adds a second visual layer beneath it.

Read the Alien (1979) film guide for story, cast and viewing context.

Halloween (1978) poster

Halloween poster combining a hand holding a knife with a glowing pumpkin — Halloween (1978) — view the larger poster image.

A hand and knife are combined with a glowing jack-o’-lantern image. Orange highlights stand against a dark background, while the title anchors the bottom. The design joins an ordinary Halloween object to a direct suggestion of danger.

Read the Halloween (1978) film guide for story, cast and viewing context.

Sinister (2012) poster

Sinister poster with a child walking beside a dark stain on a wall — Sinister (2012) — view the larger poster image.

The displayed artwork uses a child beside a dark stain on a wall. The contrast between the familiar wall surface, the small figure and the unsettling mark creates a different kind of threat from a large creature or an action montage.

Read the Sinister (2012) film guide for story, cast and viewing context.

Terrifier 2 (2022) poster

Terrifier 2 poster with Art the Clown above a red-and-black montage — Terrifier 2 (2022) — view the larger poster image.

Art the Clown appears above a red-and-black montage in the displayed poster. Its layered composition presents a more overtly character-led horror image than Alien’s isolated object or The Exorcist’s distant silhouette.

Read the Terrifier 2 (2022) film guide for story, cast and viewing context.

Compare the images by composition

Look first at what occupies the most space: a title, a face, a silhouette or an object. Then compare how much of the frame remains empty, where the brightest area falls and whether colour draws attention to one detail or spreads across a montage. These choices help explain why posters for the same broad genre can suggest very different viewing experiences.

Finding the right poster version

Use the film title and release year together. A remake can share a title while using different characters and artwork. If you need a print or a particular edition, confirm its dimensions, region and credited publisher separately; the image-view links here provide the displayed web artwork rather than a print-quality file.

For the films themselves, browse the horror movie catalogue. For a seasonal watch, use the October movie guide.