Every Osgood Perkins Horror Movie, Ranked by Our Horror Expert

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Director Osgood Perkins first gained attention in 2015 with his debut feature, February (later released as The Blackcoat’s Daughter). The film was a slow-burn horror, similar in tone to classics like Rosemary’s Baby and The Shining, or more recent titles like The House of the Devil. While it didn’t receive widespread acclaim, it signaled Perkins’ potential and launched his career in the horror genre. In the last year and a half, Perkins has released three horror films, establishing him as a particularly active and discussed filmmaker in the horror world. All three have generated significant buzz among horror fans.

While his latest projects have generated a lot of discussion, the reactions from viewers and critics have been all over the place. However, even if you’re not drawn to stories about family secrets and deaths, you might still enjoy his work if you like suspenseful tales of mysterious events happening in a remote, wooded setting.

Films such as Longlegs, The Monkey, and this month’s Keeper have brought director Oz Perkins widespread attention, while movies like The Blackcoat’s Daughter, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, and Gretel & Hansel were less widely acclaimed. Similar to the range of themes in his work, the impact of each film has varied. Perkins has directed six films—and written four of them—and is currently filming his next project, The Young People, which is slated for release in 2026.

In honor of the release of Keeper, here’s every Osgood Perkins-directed movie ranked.

6
‘Gretel & Hansel’ (2020)


United Artists Releasing

In recent years, many independent filmmakers have reimagined classic stories after their copyrights expire, often creating dark and unsettling versions. Gretel & Hansel arrived when audiences were becoming accustomed to these twisted fairy tales, and if you haven’t seen it, it’s essentially a much scarier take on the traditional Brothers Grimm story.

Even Perkins’ weaker films have good qualities. This movie, while not his best, stands out for its particularly dark and atmospheric portrayal of the classic story. The main issue is that the plot itself feels somewhat predictable. However, considering audiences previously endured the over-the-top Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters in 2013, Gretel & Hansel represented a definite improvement.

5
‘I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House’ (2016)


Netflix

Interest in streaming shows has followed a predictable pattern. At first, new originals appeared occasionally and generated excitement. Then, they became major events. But now, with so many shows launching every month across all streaming services, they’re getting lost in the crowd. This happened with I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House; it didn’t get much promotion when it arrived on Netflix because streaming services weren’t pushing many originals at the time. Plus, the stars, Ruth Wilson and Lucy Boynton, weren’t widely known, so the movie couldn’t attract viewers simply by having recognizable faces.

Similar to Gretel & Hansel, the movie I Am the Pretty Thing follows a familiar story: a nurse starts working for an elderly writer and strange events make her question her own sanity. However, director Perkins, like with Gretel & Hansel, brings his own distinctive visual style and creepy atmosphere to the classic haunted house story. The film unfolds slowly, which might be difficult for viewers used to fast-paced streaming content, but fans of Perkins will likely appreciate its deliberate pace.

4
‘Keeper’ (2025)


Neon

The movie Keeper was made in Canada during the 2023 actors’ and writers’ strikes, using a fully Canadian cast and crew, and that fact is noticeable in the film’s feel. This isn’t a criticism of the talented cast – Tatiana Maslany is in almost every scene, and Rossif Sutherland’s performance keeps both her character and the audience guessing. While the film works well overall, the more mysterious parts of the story feel somewhat underdeveloped, as if they were quickly finished to help support the Canadian film industry.

The film centers on Liz and Malcolm, who plan a romantic getaway, but their weekend is disrupted when Malcolm has to work. Liz then starts to feel like something unsettling is happening, and she begins to question if it’s all in her imagination. Despite challenges during production, director Perkins delivers a bizarre, visually striking, and genuinely creepy movie, offering a fresh take on the classic story of a couple isolated in a spooky cabin.

3
‘The Monkey’ (2025)


NEON

Although Perkins is known for creating scary movies, he’s often shared in interviews that he has a strong sense of humor. His film, The Monkey, finally allowed him to fully showcase this comedic side. What makes the humor even more surprising and effective is that the movie is based on a Stephen King story – King is famous for his frightening tales, not for making people laugh.

It’s no surprise that The Monkey is considered Perkins’ most unusual film. The story centers around a toy monkey that seems to cause a string of strange and deadly accidents. While the film’s shocking deaths are similar to those in the Final Destination movies, it manages to feel original. Despite its dark subject matter, The Monkey has a playful sense of humor. Perkins has spoken about how the story was deeply personal, reflecting the unexpected loss of his own parents. With so many Stephen King adaptations being made, The Monkey stands out as one of the most enjoyably gruesome and consistently entertaining.

2
‘Longlegs’ (2024)


Neon

A major reason for the success of Longlegs is NEON’s brilliant marketing. They skillfully released teasers that hinted at the film’s captivating visuals without giving everything away. However, this effective campaign wouldn’t have been possible without the strong foundation laid by Perkins’ original work, particularly the film’s dark, unsettling, and atmospheric style, which he’d hinted at in his previous projects.

Despite not breaking much new ground, Longlegs tells a pretty simple story: an FBI agent, played by Maika Monroe, is on a mission to catch a serial killer (Nicolas Cage) before he can kill again. The movie clearly draws inspiration from classics like The Silence of the Lambs and Se7en, and it uses familiar horror elements like Satanism, unsettling dolls, and psychic powers. It also features striking visuals, constantly shifting between different screen shapes and briefly flashing images of the Devil. Longlegs offers something for most horror fans, but it would have been even better if director Oz Perkins had brought a more unique vision to the table.

1
‘The Blackcoat’s Daughter’ (2015)


A24

Many consider director Oz Perkins’ debut film to be his strongest, not necessarily because his later work was weak, but because The Blackcoat’s Daughter is genuinely exceptional. The film tells the story of two students, Katherine and Rose, left at boarding school during February break, and interweaves their experiences with Joan, a young woman traveling to rejoin them. As Katherine’s behavior becomes increasingly strange, worrying Rose, Joan’s motivations for her journey become more unsettling. The film slowly builds to a final act that reveals the truth behind the girls’ experiences and the darkness they’re facing.

The movie is visually striking and creates a deeply unsettling atmosphere, almost like another character in the story. Every scene, filled with bleak, snowy landscapes and visible breath, feels cold and isolating. The director cleverly cast charming actors and then deliberately stripped away their warmth, making them feel hollow and distant, which added to the overall unease. Despite its short 93-minute runtime, the film delivers a more effective and creeping horror experience than many longer, more ambitious movies. It’s easily one of the best horror films of the 2010s and remains the director’s most accomplished work to date.

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2025-11-19 23:50