7 Horror Movies Like Malignant You Must See

Directed by James Wan, ‘Malignant’ is a horror film about a woman named Madison (Annabelle Wallis), whose abusive husband and unborn child die during what seems like a violent break-in. But she soon starts having vivid visions of people being brutally murdered and realizes that she is actually watching these deaths in real-time. Madison subsequently sets out on a perilous path to find more about her forgotten past, which might be linked to the murders. If you loved ‘Malignant,’ then we have the perfect list of recommendations of films you might like. You can watch most of these movies similar to ‘Malignant’ on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.

7. Basket Case (1982)

Written and directed by Frank Henenlotter, ‘Basket Case’ revolves around Duane Bradley, a young man who arrives in New York. He draws attention to a locked wicker basket that he goes around with. It is revealed that the basket has his underdeveloped conjoined twin brother, who was surgically separated from him at birth. The brothers resent being separated without their consent and seek revenge against those who carried out the surgical procedure. In both ‘Malignant’ and ‘Basket Case,’ the forceful removal of one twin from the second twin’s body serve as one of the main plot devices.

6. Saw (2004)

Also directed by Wan, ‘Saw’ is one of the best horror films of all time. Since its release, it has spawned a successful franchise. The story’s primary antagonist is the notorious serial killer Jigsaw, who traps his victims in a cruel game and watches as they rapidly lose their humanity and sanity. In the first film, Jigsaw’s initial victims are Adam Stanheight and Lawrence Gordon. Besides sharing the director and the genre, ‘Saw’ and ‘Malignant’ are thematically similar. In neither film, the concept of evil is supernatural.

5. The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)

Developed with the characters created by Alexandre Dumas, ‘The Man in the Iron Mask’ is more of a historical fiction movie than a horror film. However, like ‘Malignant,’ this Leonardo DiCaprio-starrer freely uses the evil twin trope. In the movie, the titular character is the good brother, who has been kept captive for years by his evil twin, King Louis XIV. When the four musketeers discover the truth, they decide to free the imprisoned prince and place him on the French throne.

4. Alone (2007)

‘Alone’ is a Thai film that tells the story of conjoined twins Pim and Ploy. Although they look identical and are joined at the stomach, they couldn’t be more different as people. However, things get complicated when both sisters fall for the same man, Wee. They start to fight with each other and eventually decide to separate through surgery. But the surgery doesn’t go according to the plan, and Ploy seemingly dies. This sets off a series of disturbing events, which ultimately leads to Pim being haunted by Ploy. In both ‘Malignant’ and ‘Alone,’ the main characters are forced to deal with the hatred and jealousy of their sibling.

3. Insidious (2010)

Insidious’ is yet another highly successful, franchise-spawning horror film by Wan. It follows the Lambert family, whose son, Dalton, descends into a coma without any reason. A psychic named Elise Rainier informs the family that Dalton’s consciousness is trapped in the astral plane while his body is possessed by a demon. This is quite similar to the plot of ‘Malignant,’ in which Madison loses control of her mind because of her parasitic twin Gabriel.

2. The Other (1972)

In ‘The Other,’ identical twins Holland and Niles spend the summer on their family farm. They have lost their father in an accident, and their mother struggles with mental illness. It is revealed that their grandmother, Ada, has given Niles instructions on how to control other entities with his mind. After Holland’s sudden death, Niles uses his ability to revive and control his brother. ‘The Other’ has multiple similarities with ‘Malignant.’ Both films are about twins and depict one twin asserting control on the body of the other.

1. Twins of Evil (1971)

This British horror film takes place in 17th century Styria. After losing their parents, twin sisters Maria and Frieda relocate to Karnstein in Central Europe to live with their uncle. However, Frieda soon grows tired of her uncle’s guardianship and becomes enamored with Count Karnstein, who turns her into a vampire. Like ‘Malignant,’ ‘Twins of Evil’ is about the duality of things. Madison and Maria represent the light, while Gabriel and Frieda embrace the darkness.

Read More: Malignant Ending, Explained 

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