Let’s be honest, when you first think of the stars that dominate the horror genre, you don’t think of the men first. You think of Scream Queens like Jamie Lee Curtis and Neve Campbell as they run away from a masked murderer. You don’t think of Bruce Campbell as he tries to fight off his own possessed hand.
In a genre that is mainly centred around women (albeit women’s pain but that’s a different type of conversation), it’s time we appreciate the Scream Kings who have loomed over us in modern horror cinema.
And most importantly, who comes up on top?
Enter The Contenders
Bill Skarsgård
Most iconically known as Pennywise in Andrés Muschietti’s It (2017) duology, many of his fans first saw him in Netflix’s Hemlock Grove series eating a girl out while on her period… In his defence, his character was half-vampire.
Possibly too villain-coded to be considered a scream king fully, Skarsgård is a beloved face in the genre. His clever casting and death scene in Barbarian (2022) were so well done that I can’t wait to see him take on less villainous roles especially, in The Crow (2024) scheduled to come out on August 23rd this year.
Daniel Kaluuya
While he hasn’t starred in many horror films, Daniel Kaluuya has given us such strong performances in the few that he has starred in. His performance in Get Out (2017) got him an Oscar nomination which, while already a great achievement, was an even bigger deal considering how the horror genre often gets snubbed in award shows as it’s regarded as low-brow cinema.
He has also appeared in season two of Black Mirror, ‘Fifteen Million Merits’, arguably one of the best Black Mirror episodes and later in another Jordan Peele film, Nope (2022).
Evan Peters
King of TV horror and everybody’s favourite white boy in 2014, you couldn’t escape from Evan Peters when scrolling through Tumblr. From playing iconic roles like Tate Langdon in season one of American Horror Story and more to playing the lead role in the controversial show Dahmer (2022) on Netflix, Evan Peter is most definitely known for taking on darker roles.
Patrick Wilson
Is it too bold of me to call Patrick Wilson the Daddy of the horror genre?
Not only has he starred in a plethora of Blumhouse films, one of the leading production companies in horror, majority of the characters he plays are father figures. From the possessed yet caring dad in the Insidious movies, the loving husband of Loraine Wilson and doting father to his daughter Judy in The Conjuring franchise, to the disgustingly gross dad in In the Tall Grass (2019). Yet despite playing quite similar roles, he plays them with such distinction that I hope he continues to only play dads in the future.
Dan Stevens
Can you really trust a man who can go from “Downton Abbey” sophistication to “I’m going to haunt your dreams” with alarming ease? Dan Stevens is the perfect example of horror’s answer to the “dangerously attractive man” trope. In The Guest (2014), he’s the perfect blend of politeness and pure, unadulterated menace. Charming you one moment then freaking you out the next, it’s like being seduced and spooked simultaneously – deliciously horrifying! This is further seen in his most recent appearances in Abigail (2024) and Cuckoo (2024) of this year.
Alex Wolff
Netflix’s live-action of Death Note (2017) almost stopped me from putting him on this list but I cannot deny that Alex Wolff has made a consistent wave within the horror movie space, especially with his performance in Hereditary (2018) and Old (2021). Most recently, you can watch him in A Quiet Place: Day One (2024) which came out earlier this summer.
Justin Long
Put your pitchforks down! I know that many people still believe that Justin Long is our ultimate scream king, and a few years ago I would have agreed too.
From Jeepers Creepers (2001) to Tusk (2014) and most recently Dear David (2023), Justin Long’s career in horror spans two decades, demonstrating his love for the genre but also the love people have for seeing him in these films. Having starred in over 13 horror titles, his films range from the supernatural to the psychological. Despite him being an incredibly familiar face in horror, I do believe that he has been usurped.
And we think the crown goes to…
Kyle Gallner
While he might not have the instant name recognition that others on this list might have, Kyle Gallner has been quietly racking up an impressive horror resume over the years. From the cult classic Jennifer’s Body (2009) to his most known performances in Scream (2022) and Smile (2022), Kyle represents a new wave of horror talent.
His ability to transform into a range of horrifying characters to a loveable boy next door is a refreshing change as you never really know what to expect from him or even the films that he takes on. All we know is that no matter what he’s in, expect the darker themes. Gallner’s rise to horror royalty proves that sometimes, the underdog does come out on top.
You can expect to see him in Smile 2 (2024) set to release on October 18th this year.
