6 Best Vampire Movies Released Since 2010

Image via Overture Films/Relativity Media Published Jul 25, 2026, 5:14 PM EDT A New York native, Joe graduated from an avant-garde theater school upstate, where he was obsessed with sketch comedy. There, he and his lunatic friends founded The Sketchies — which still lives on at Skidmore College today. Living in New York City, a screenwriter friend of his then taught him how to write for film. This awakened a new passion in Joe. Since then his scripts have garnered over 200 festival selections, nominations, and wins all over the globe (including the BlueCat Best Feature award). Several of his screenplays have been made into feature films — some of them not that bad! Overall, he loves to create unique, hilarious, touching, and bizarre stories. Sign in to your Collider account The last (sickeningly sweet) sixteen years have been a very succulent time for vibrant vampire flicks. The bloodsucking bevy of fine films that have been released aren’t your typical vampire fare, either. Many of these movies explore new and very different topics than their predecessors. The dissolving of identity, abject isolation, and even existential ennui have been at the forefront. Here are the six best vampire films from this luscious era. Some of these dip into the lifeblood of other genres, like the highly comedic What We Do In The Shadows. Other fanged films mixed some grave, cleverly symbolic drama into them, like A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night. All in all, these crepuscular flicks really hit the spot, providing some thought-revoking topics mingled with all the nocturnal niftiness of vampire movies of yore. 6 'Let Me In' (2010) Image via Overture Films/Relativity Media It’s no secret that the original, Swedish version of this movie (Let the Right One In) is superior, but that doesn’t make this any less of a fine (and ferociously feral) film in its own right. The Americanized take on it shifts the setting from a remote Swedish enclave to New Mexico, but maintains the snowy, bleak landscape. Director and co-writer Matt Reeves’s handling of the material is superb, as he instills each scene with his own brand of unique, icy creepiness. The story follows Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a kid who’s been dealt a pretty terrible hand. His home life is a mess (bordering on abusive, as his mom hits the bottle quite hard), and at school a legion of bullies endlessly harass him. He takes salvation in his new friend, Abby (Chloë Grace Moretz) — a new girl that lives with her “dad” (Richard Jenkins), who is actually just a dude that fetches her blood. She only likes to hang out at night though, for some reason… As the two “kids” bond (she’s really, oh, about three hundred years old), Abby becomes quite protective…and naturally slays (and drains) all the nasty little children who harangue Owen. Just like the original, some deep themes of loneliness, instinctual attachment, and justice are explored here. Unlike the other film, this one is a little less, well, “morally ambiguous,” as Abby’s caretaker here seems to be more of a “normal” familiar, and not an inappropriate one… All in all, this is a great kids’ movie…if you like movies about murderous kids, that is. 5 'What We Do in the Shadows' (2014) Image via The Orchard Comedy is all about subverting expectations. So, when the topic of your film is blood-craving ghouls of the night, if you showcase their lives in a mundane manner, it’s comedic gold. That’s what director/stars Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement certainly did with What We Do In the Shadows, a zany New Zealand movie about the lives of vampire roommates and their daily (nightly) going-ons (yes, it was a film before it became one of the funniest television shows ever conceived). This mockumentary follows four co-habitators “living” out their days together. There’s the tidy Viago (Waititi), who was turned in the 1500s and still carries those sensibilities about him, Vladislav (Clement), a medieval torturer, Deacon (Jonny Brugh), the cool, rebellious one, and, of course, Petyr (Ben Fransham), an ancient creature who resembles and acts suspiciously like Nosferatu. Oh, also there is Jackie (Jackie van Beek), Deacon’s belittled familiar/servant. The movie initially simply shows each of these characters’ daily routines; their proclivities, interests, chore allocation, etc. Then, one evening, they accidentally "turn" a hipster human (into a vamp), and their lives are thrown out of whack. It’s really a funny movie, but the horrific vampire stuff is all quite well-done — as it contains some outrageous gore and unexpected explosions of good old blood. 4 'Only Lovers Left Alive' (2013) Image via Soda Pictures/ Pandora Film Only the master of nuanced, stylishly somber, character-driven cinema, Jim Jarmusch, could pull off this film. It’s such a different look at vampires; their motivations, struggles, and strife. Most movie-goers probably never thought about the ennui a vampire could suffer, but hey, living forever definitely has to have its drawbacks, right? The story is centered on Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton), a vampire couple with a long, long history (they are not the biblical figures themselves, but the allusion isn’t lost on us). They spend decades together, then drift apart, coalesce again, and so forth. Such is the life of the eternally undead. Eve still has a passion for all of life’s gifts (she’s got culture coming out the coffin), but the brooding musician Adam seems to be in need of some vampy Prozac. He’s tired of it all. Also, to make matters worse, the human blood endemic to Adam’s Detroit home appears to be tainted (a result of humanity’s inevitable collapse, naturally). When Eve’s younger sis, the reckless Ava (Mia Wasikowska, having an absolute blast with this role), shows up, Adam and Eve’s lives are thrown into chaos (the kid really loves to suck blood, even their friend’s). After some serious soul-searching, the bedeviled couple ventures to Tangiers to put Ava out of their minds and to enjoy some cool, crisp, unpolluted blood. Watching these actors give remarkably human performances is just part of the fun. Jarmusch knows just how to pace things, to lull the viewer in a sense of placidity, and then hit them with some shockingly wild imagery. Also, killer soundtrack. 3 'A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night' (2014) Image via Vice Films Vengeance is always a delicious guiding theme, and it’s certainly at the forefront of the protagonist's mind here in A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night. While this stunning film was shot in California, enterprising director Ana Lily Amirpour billed it as the first “Iranian vampire Western,” as it is set in the dark, dusty corners of “Bad City” (a made-up, dismal and decimated town in Iran), and all dialogue is only in Farsi. This movie has got all kinds of symbolism going on, and is a truly heady cinematic experience that goes a long way in the “horror movies can have real cultural value” discussion. The expressionistic tale focuses on “The Girl” (a wildly intoxicating Sheila Vand) who roams the streets of Bad City (well, a lot of the time she’s shredding on her skateboard) in a full, black chador (this is the kind of hijab that basically covers the whole person). The Girl sees a lot of bad men doing bad things; abusing sex workers, wives, and basically all women in general. She takes it in her own (sharply manicured) hands to dispatch with these vile males, using her chador to mask her (albeit lovely) vampire visage. The Girl develops a relationship with one of the only nice guys in town, Arash (Arash Marandi). He acts as a stark contrast to the drug pushers, criminals, and other miscreant men. This is a truly unique take on the vampire genre, mixing the black and white aesthetic of vampy films of yesteryear with the thoroughly modern notions of feminism and self-empowerment. This movie really has some bite. 2 'Byzantium' (2012) Image via IFC Films Vampires are one of the great paradoxes of the “human” experience. They represent a rare form of ethereal, poetic beauty, while they also serve as a reminder of the brutality of nature. Vampires are alluring…but they must feed. This is just one of the salient messages touched upon in Byzantium, brilliantly directed by Neil Jordan and poignantly written by Moira Buffini. One of the other major themes is that of the dichotomy of self; a person can be one thing at one moment, and something entirely different the next. Again, dealing with motifs of duality, the basic story is that of a woman and her daughter — just trying to survive in this world — who have come to a crossroads. They have to flee “The Brethren,” a secret society of male vampires who want to eradicate female vamps (they don’t want the “curse” passed down to future generations). The daughter, Eleanor (the super talented Saoirse Ronan, in one of her most heartfelt roles), is a sensitive soul who only wants to feed when necessary, in the least harmful way possible (she selects only people who want to die). Clara (the eternal stunner Gemma Arterton) exists on an alternate plane of consciousness; she enjoys draining malevolent males of their lifeblood, and she’s unapologetic about it. Mother and child coexist, each aiding the other in unique ways. So, Clara and Eleanor escape to a dilapidated town on the coast. They have plenty of conflicts, but ultimately support each other, with Clara providing one of the best, bloodiest fanged kills in vampire cinema history. The whole film is sumptuous, with the bold colors of their lush environments (and the blood that’s released) displayed in vibrant fashion. Byzantium (the name of the run-down resort they hide out in) is the Ancient Greek name for the city of Constantinople, a bustling place where many corners of the world intersected. Here the implication has never been more relevant: when many things come together, life is bound to get bloody. 1 'Sinners' (2025) Image via Warner Bros. Pictures With Sinners becoming the most nominated film in Oscars history, horror movies are finally receiving the recognition they insidiously deserve. When this previously-maligned genre often shines brightest (or darkest), though, is when it is seamlessly woven together with a complementary genre. Sinners demonstrated this by blending a fairly straightforward vampire story with a period drama showcasing the racially unjust world of 1930s Mississippi. How well did this work out? Just ask Michael B. Jordan, who took home the Best Actor trophy at the Academy Awards for his dual role as twin brothers Smoke and Stack, and writer-director Ryan Coogler, who won the golden statue for Best Original Screenplay. This Southern Gothic tale is centered around Sammie Moore (amazing new talent Miles Caton), the son of a preacher man. He’s quite conflicted, since his pops wants him to live a virtuous, God-fearing life, but Sammie “lied to him,” since his soul belongs to the blues. Sammie is friendly with the twin gangsters, who have rolled back into town from Chicago with the goal of opening up their own juke joint, which will cater exclusively to their people. The plan runs smoothly…until someone of the vampiric persuasion comes to town and infects some Irish folk. They then make it their mission to enter “Club Juke” and drain the revelers of their lifeblood…all except Sammie, that is. This is because Sammie has the rare gift of making music so pure that it transcends space and time. Remmick (Jack O'Connell), the leader of the undead, wants to use Sammie's gift to channel the Gaelic crooning relatives of his past. Throw in some very heavy themes on race, identity, and familial obligation, and you’ve got one seriously smart storyline. Aside from the performances, which are all essentially flawless, Coogler’s handling of the material is exquisite. One can smell the sweat, fear, and passion of every character. This is the best vampire movie to come around in a long time, and will be very hard to beat...which isn't a sin at all. Sinners Release Date April 18, 2025 Runtime 138 minutes