[
A chilling breeze rustles some desiccated leaves. The screech of an unseen owl echoes through the night. A scrim of opaque clouds passes over the moon, as a raspy whisper calls out from the grave. Any of these elements pop up, and you just may be watching a supernatural thriller.
The supernatural thriller is that rare breed of niche cinematic: not a full horror, and not a straight thriller grounded in reality. It’s packed with mystery and suspense, flirting with the otherworldly. Hence, any good supernatural thriller worth its salt (poured in a circle for protection) has to start off with a stirring sequence that alerts the viewer that they are in for a freaky ride. Here are the greatest paranormal thriller openings in existence, from the misleadingly serene beginning of The Others to the absolutely petrifying Sinister opener.
10
‘The Witch’ (2015)
The angelic, heartbreakingly innocent face of Anya Taylor-Joy, as Thomasin, stares ahead, listening intently to the gravelly voice of some elder male. It appears that she’s in a congregation of some nature, and the audience is immediately alerted to the fact that religion (in all its forms…) will play a big part in Robert Eggers’ film The Witch.
Next seen are the faces of smaller children, also ingesting this bombastic, somewhat terrifying sermon. It then becomes clear that this is not a church at all, but rather a sort of hearing, where the patriarch, William (the potent Ralph Ineson) — and his clan — are being excommunicated for not practicing Christianity in the method that the Puritan village authorities of the time preferred. This quick flipping of expectations sets up the whole folkloric film as a work that continuously subverts the norm. Who is the real “witch?” Who are the truly “wicked?” Only time will tell, and this scene leaves the audience rapacious to find out.
9
‘Suspiria’ (1977)
While Italian monster maestro Dario Argento’s classic dancer/occult film Suspiria’s opening sequence is chock-full o’ anxiety-inflicting images and sounds, it doesn’t contain anything overtly supernatural. That being said, it’s a near-perfect set-up for the major theme of the film: when you’re a stranger in a strange land, things are going to be quite weird.
Jessica Harper, as the American Suzy Bannion, exits a Berlin airport, wide-eyed and alert, as a spine-tingling score dances in the audience’s ears. It’s pouring rain outside, but she is thankfully able to hail a cab. The unfortunate, and quite hilarious, thing, though, is that this cabbie is a German curmudgeon. Suzy tells him the address she needs to get to, and because she mispronounces it slightly, he acts like he hasn’t a clue what she’s talking about. Anyone who’s ever visited a foreign country can probably relate. This bit of wry humor also sets the tone for the baffling, yet sometimes cheeky, things to come. Suzy eventually makes it to her destination, which is eerie in its own right; yet, she has a difficult time getting inside, as buckets of rain drench her. It’s yet another example of the alienation she will feel throughout the entire witchy story.
8
‘Sleepy Hollow’ (1999)
Mad genius Tim Burton’s take on the classic Washington Irving tale Sleepy Hollow is a fun one. He creates a highly unique aesthetic and campfire story-like atmosphere that persists throughout the film. The opening of this haunting period piece encapsulates all of these creepy components, gearing the audience up for some well-deserved goosebumps.
The opening shot is of a dollop of red — dripping on a floor. This must be blood. Alas, it is not. It’s wax; the seal on someone’s last will and testament. This little misdirection alone sets up a major theme of the film: all is not what it seems. This document is then transported by horse-drawn carriage through a dusky, foggy road, adjacent to some foreboding cornfields. The nervous purveyor of the will spots a frightening scarecrow out the window — with a jack-o-lantern head. After a little cat and mouse action with an unknown specter, the old chap’s head is dealt a similar fate as the pumpkin. Cleanly cut off. The exhilarating mystery of the murderer’s identity is singed into the viewer’s mind, and we’re only three minutes in…
7
‘Fallen’ (1998)
Fallen is a rare, dark gem of a film: a blend of crime-thriller and supernatural-thriller. The way it charges out the gate is captivating, masterfully setting up the thrilling, chilling movie to come. It begins with a brief exchange between Detective John Hobbes (an appropriately skeptical Denzel Washington) and the phenomenally bonkers, perfectly cast Elias Koteas, as Edgar Reese. Edgar is behind bars, and the outlook is grim. They have a little tête-à-tête (complete with some random Dutch that communicates the karmic theme of the film), and then Hobbes ironically tells him to “Have a safe trip.”
Next, The Rolling Stones’ banger “Time Is on My Side” plays as Edgar joyfully sashays (and even dances) down the long hall which leads to his demise: he’s going to be executed. Odd behavior for someone who’s about to meet his maker… It’s all so wryly satisfying, as director Gregory Hoblit lays the groundwork for a film that’s truly about “what goes around, comes around.”
6
‘Weapons’ (2025)
Zach Cregger begins Weapons with the sweet voice of a child, who narrates the story of something quite peculiar that happened in her town. This voice over occurs, at first, over black. Then, stylized shots of an elementary school are displayed. The rest of the tale is told as the main protagonist of the story, Justine (Julia Garner, once again resplendent as ever), is seen moving through the hallways, her back to the camera the whole time. She reaches her classroom and…there is only one kid there. Strange.
The precocious little girl goes on to explain that the kids all went missing the night before, at precisely 2:17 A.M. Even stranger. Next, the audience witnesses the children fleeing into the night, their arms all held in the same stiff position. The use of the George Harrison song “Beware of Darkness” over these images informs the viewer that while this is going to be a truly terrifying cinematic experience at times, it’s also going to be delightfully quirky and darkly funny, too.
5
‘The Others’ (2001)
“Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin,” purrs Grace, the Victorian woman who narrates the opening storybook tale in Alejandro Amenábar’s The Others. It’s the perfect way to tell the audience that they are about to take in an old, folky yarn. The whimsical bedtime story is spooled out by Grace, as sepia illustrations from a children’s book are shown onscreen. It’s an elegant, effective technique to demonstrate that this film will mix childlike innocence with curious intrigue.
And then, just when the viewer is lulled into a false sense of complacency: AAAHH! Grace, the ever-amazing Nicole Kidman, is seen, unfurling a blood-curdling scream for the ages. The camera spins outward, in Hitchcock-ian fashion, revealing the horrified Grace in her bed. Perhaps just a nightmare…probably something more. No spoilers here, but while The Others delivers one of the coolest twist endings of 21st century cinema, the opening is a delicately presented wonder of storytelling — mingled with its own brand of Gothic terror.
4
‘The Sixth Sense’ (1999)
Start with a bang. Good advice for any upcoming filmmaker. Here, in M. Night Shyamalan’s best movie to date, this tactic is employed with stunning efficiency. Dr. Malcolm Crowe, played with subdued intensity by Bruce Willis, enjoys a relaxing evening at home with his lovely wife, Anna (Olivia Williams). There is an alarming noise, so Malcolm cautiously investigates. Soon, he’s face-to-face with a former patient of his (he’s a child psychologist), a disturbingly thin Donnie Wahlberg, as Vincent Gray. See, Vincent feels that Malcom “failed him.” Also, he’s got a gun. Nothing that outlandish here so far, it’s just the way that Shyamalan reveals Vincent, shivering and sunken-eyed, in only his underwear, that’s so disturbing (also, note, the little patch of gray in his hair). Anyway, Vincent shoots the good doctor, and he is seen bleeding profusely…
It’s really the ambiance of this scene that makes it so memorable. Shyamalan is great at crafting scenes that resonate, often from their imagery alone. Again, another film known for its jaw-dropping ending, but one has to marvel at how well the opening was executed — and how the ending wouldn’t be nearly as effective without this initial, scary scene.
3
‘Sinister’ (2012)
Is there any creepier viewing format than Super 8 film? Scott Derrickson doesn’t seem to think so, and that’s precisely why he opens Sinister with one of the scariest “home videos” ever recorded. A grainy, flickering recording starts the film off, with a seemingly hooded collection of family members in their backyard — all with nooses around their necks. A low, rumbling sound is heard, mingling with the unsettling clattering of the old film reel playing. All this looks pretty grim, but the real eerie part hasn’t even begun…
One by one, each person is raised up by their necks. Their legs dangle helplessly as life slowly drains from their bodies. This goes on for an uncomfortably long period. The only thing is, there isn’t anyone or any thing doing this — well, not visibly anyway. The viewer is momentarily dumbstruck, but one thing is clear: they must know what happened to this unlucky clan. It’s a simple scene, but chilling unlike any other.
2
‘Longlegs’ (2024)
And here’s another example of a preterite form of film used to kick off a bone-chilling thriller — only this time the old video…is in a little box. This is a technique that director Osgood Perkins (yes, the son of that Perkins) uses whenever showing the audience a flashback. It’s a brilliant tactic, immediately making the viewer feel like they are watching someone’s old home movies (a decidedly disturbed someone, sure).
It all starts with a car pulling up to a white house, sitting atop a snow-covered hill. It’s a POV shot from inside the car, and it’s already quite disquieting. Next, we’re introduced to a little girl, drawing at a desk, inside the home. She goes outside, looks around…a loon calls out, and then…she meets one of the most bizarre characters ever conceived (fearlessly played by the tremendously entertaining Nicolas Cage). The hook, though, is that we only see the very bottom half of his face. He eerily tells the girl he wore his “long legs.” As a viewer, we’re already freaked out and simultaneously scratching our heads. Without warning, the scene culminates with the spooky, kooky figure suddenly dipping down; we get a glimpse of his face, and the screen cuts to blood RED. It’s all so odd, so unique, and so utterly terrifying…
1
‘Hereditary’ (2018)
This has got to be one of the absolute coolest opening scenes in cinematic history, in any genre. Ari Aster’s bone-chilling masterpiece Hereditary begins in such a beautiful, artistic manner, it’s hard to conceive how this was even accomplished at all, let alone so seamlessly. The initial shot is that of a window, with a tree house in the near distance — as a low, ominous, droning sound is heard. The camera, very slowly, pulls back to reveal a home…where there’s a model house on a table. Oh, this is an art project. But…wait…the actors are actually living in it?
As the extraordinary Toni Collette, as the tortured Annie, and Gabriel Byrne, as the dense Steve, come alive and walk around like nothing out of the ordinary at all just happened, the audience inherently knows that we collectively are in for an orgy of the senses. The theme that the characters are mere “toys” for something otherworldly to play with is unraveled here, along with a message about authenticity and control. Obviously, the rest of this modern-classic doesn’t disappoint, as it is scary as hell, thought-provoking, and leaves one with a lingering sense of existential hopelessness. Yet, it’s this beginning sequence that truly is an eye-opener.
https://static0.colliderimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/weapons-julia-garner-1.jpg?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop
https://collider.com/supernatural-thriller-opening-scenes-best-ranked/
Joe Leone
Almontather Rassoul
