Prepare to be haunted in your nightmares by creepy dolls, dummy’s and mannequins.
A carefully selected list of films where creepy dolls are slashing their way through the story or just sitting around being possessed, or are just being creepy as hell.
Updated April 29, 2026
Creepy Dolls and horror films are a great match. The fear of dolls is called pediophobia and I can’t say that I don’t understand where this irrational fear is coming from. Dolls or mannequins are shaped to look like people or kids, but they stare into nothingness, seeing right through you with their dead glassy eyes. But still sometimes you get that creepy feeling that you are being watched and suddenly notice an old creepy looking doll on the shelf. Even if you don’t suffer from pediophobia, dolls can be quite scary and are supposed to look real as if they can stand up any moment and just walk away.
So that’s why horror films gladly make use of dolls to scare us. The more life-like the better. Or old deteriorated dolls that really exist and are supposed to be possessed or cursed. Next time you’re in the kids room take a good hard look at all the dolls, maybe one of them will move.
From surreal nightmarish dolls in the 1970s, killer slasher dolls in the 1980s, dolls symbolizing something in the 2010s, right up till demonic possessed dolls and even AI dolls in the present.
I have put together a list of Creepy Dolls in Horror Films that I have watched and personally recommend. It’s not a list with all the creepy dolls horror films out there or the best ones, but this is a selection of films that I enjoyed watching.
The list is set up by decade and by year. Starting with the most recent films. If a certain Doll has it’s own franchise or keeps coming back in a franchise, than I will only list the first film and name the others. Each time I have found a new film within this genre that I highly recommend it will be added to the list.
So save this post for more recommendations.
The list consists of 17 films at the moment.
825 Forest Road (2025)
Stars: Kathryn Miller, Joe Falcone, Elizabeth Vermilyea, Lorenzo Beronilla. Directed and written by Stephen Cognetti. (1h 41m)
Genres: supernatural, ghosts, haunted house, creepy doll
When Isabella has to live with her brother Chuck after her mother died in a car accident she finds out about a ghost haunting the town causing multiple suicides. However Chuck’s wife Maria is a seamstress and designer and has a very old but creepy looking mannequin that wears her almost finished dress and is called Martha. And Martha seems to move all by herself.
When Maria is filming a livestream Martha stands behind her and we can only see her under arm and the fingers start to move, they clench and relax again. So Maria gets calls from her viewers but she doesn’t pick up. Then Martha even starts to move around but without Maria noticing until it gets really scary. This possessed mannequin has a lot of creepy and scary scenes to offer.
Longlegs (2024)
Stars: Maika Monroe, Nicholas Cage, Blair Underwood. Directed &written by Osgood Perkins. (1h 41m)
Genres: occult, mystery, serial killer, psychological horror, creepy dolls, nineties vibe
Meet a very creepy doll maker who makes life-sized and life-like dolls that resemble a real girl and even contain real human hair. Then that doll gets delivered to that particular’s girl’s house. They are shrouded by a black translucent fabric and their eyes glow red with malice, they are very creepy. Then the father kills his whole family and then kills himself. While the dolls themselves aren’t alive or do anything, there’s something sinister hidden inside. Inside their heads is a mysterious metal ball, apparently empty but filled with the essence of the devil.
10 Families are killed by this deranged serial killer when FBI agent Lee Harker is put on the case with her special intuition and connection to this killer. The film has a creepy, quiet uncanny atmosphere with stunning cinematography and scary vibes. You can Read the Full Review.
Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor (2023)
Stars: Bridget Rose Perrotta, Destiny Leilani Brown, James Liddell. Directed & written by Stephen Cognetti. (1h 38m)
Genres: occult, eighties vibe, creepy dolls, creepy clowns, cults, haunted house
In the first film the creepy clown mannequin played an important role in the scariness and lore of the story. Now the clown is back and brings along two other creepy friends. In October 1989, a massacre took place at the Carmichael Manor and is haunted. Now Margot a sleuth has gotten permission to investigate and film her experiences for a couple of days with her girlfriend Rebecca and her brother Chase.
We get to learn more about the origins of these mannequin clowns. While the clown mannequin moved in the first film, we never saw it move. Now however we not only see it move, but truly come to life as if a person were inside wearing it. It runs and chases and even kills. The clowns are much more sinister than just a creepy gimmick to scare you. This film has a creepy atmosphere and a lot of scary scenes. You can Read the Full Recap.
Possum (2018)
Stars: Sean Harris, Alun Armstrong. Directed & written by Matthew Holness. (1h 25m)
Genres: art horror, surrealism, symbolism, psychological horror, dysfunctional family, creepy doll
This artistic and expressionistic film tells the creepy and devastating tale of a disgraced puppeteer who has to return home to his abusive uncle. His puppet Possum is a creepy little thing that has the face of Philip the puppeteer but a body of a spider. He looks absolutely disturbing and that’s exactly what he represents.
The puppet Possum is a symbol for Philip’s childhood trauma that he didn’t cope with but now wants to get rid off by getting rid of Possum. But Possum seems to find his way back to Philip every time.
The film is disturbing, tragic and surreal in so many ways. The cinematography and the storytelling are impressive and are artistically beautiful but realistically horrifying. Due to the symbolism this puppet might be scariest of them all.
Continue reading below this announcement.
Did you know I also make Art & Designs.
This Scuttling Spider Doll design is made with pen and a pointillism technique. You can buy this design on a Unisex baseball Shirt and other apparel and products in my shop at Redbubble.
Blood on Satan’s Paw (2017)
Stars: Henry Regan. Directed & written by Richard Mansfield. (1h 10m)
Genres: surrealism, psychological horror, folklore & fairytales, arthouse, creepy doll
When in 1978 Tommy goes into the woods he stumbles upon something very weird and sinister. This film is full of weird happenings, but eventually all revolves around Tommy’s sister Grace, who went missing years ago. He encounters a scary creature Mr Bones who kidnapped her and who now is after him.
In the forest is a tiny little house, the size of a big toadstool, and when Tommy looks through the window he sees the most creepy puppet show you can imagine. With a surreal and scary style this puppet show is excellently made, and is cause for some ominous vibes, while the puppets themselves look absolutely creepy. The whole film is a bizarre trip, but the puppet show really adds to that unnerving atmosphere. You can Read the Full Review.
The Boy (2016)
Stars: Lauren Cohan. Directed by William Brent Bell. Written by Stacey Meaner. (1h 37m)
Genres: creepy doll, psychological horror
Brahms is a doll that resembles the lost boy of a now elderly couple. They treat this doll as if it was their real son. When they have to go away for a while they hire a nanny to watch him and give her strict rules and instructions.
Brahms looks very creepy but doesn’t move and it’s unclear whether he is possessed by their dead son. The fact that he doesn’t move just sits and stares while the nanny has to act as if he was real, is very creepy. She even starts to think Brahms is alive or possessed or haunted, when it has moved, but the end has another sinister reveal. There’s also a sequel with a new mythology.
Hell House LLC (2015)
Stars: Gore Abrams, Danny Bellini, Jared Hacker, Ryan Jennifer Jones, Adam Schneider. Directed & written by Stephen Cognetti. (1h 33m)
Genres: halloween, found footage & mockumentary, occult, haunted house, ghosts, cults, creepy doll, creepy clown, halloween
As five friends turn the old abandoned Abaddon Hotel into a haunted house attraction for Halloween, strange start to happen and at opening night something goes terribly wrong.
One of the main attraction of this horror film, is a clown mannequin with bleeding eyes. Popping up at night at different places in the hotel, without anybody moving him. And you don’t see him moving either, but you do see that he had just moved his head. He’s so terrifying and life-sized creepy that you suspect somebody is in that suit. He makes up for some great jump scares and a very creepy atmosphere while you expect him popping up after every corner. He also makes an appearance in the sequels. You can Read the Full Review.
Krampus (2015)
Stars: Adam Scott, Toni Colette, Enjay Anthony, David Kouchner, Allison Tolman. Directed by Michael Dougherty. Written by Todd CAsey, Michael Dougherty, Zach Shields. (1h 38m)
Genres: Christmas, folklore & fairytales, monsters & creatures, dysfunctional family, creepy dolls
After a disastrous Christmas Eve Max refuses to believe in Santa anymore. But then Krampus shows up to teach him and his family a lesson he won’t forget. They get snowed in and everything seems different. They get the fright of their lives when they are attacked by snowmen, evil elves and the Christmas Angel, Gingerbread men and all the toys. Not per se dolls, but toys and they are just as close and therefore deserve to be on the list.
The Jack-in-the Box who turns evil and is devouring them, the Teddybear with teeth and the super evil looking Christmas Angel all steal the show and turn this Christmas into campy mayhem full of horror fun, that is often hilarious. It’s finally up to Max to end all the madness and save his family. You can Read the Full Review.
Annabelle (2014)
Stars: Annabelle Wallis, Ward Horton, Alfre Woodard. Directed by John R. Leonetti. Written by Gary Dauberman. (1h 39m)
Genres: occult, demons, creepy doll
Based on the real doll Annabelle who’s supposedly haunted, she made her first appearance in The Conjuring (2013) before getting her own spin-off and even a franchise of her own. She actually doesn’t resemble the real rag doll Annabelle, but she is much creepier as a porcelain doll.
In this film we see what happened before Ed and Lorraine Warren visited the two nurses haunted by Annabelle and took her home. She is haunting John and Mia Form and their newborn babygirl. A demon has attached itself to Annabelle, making her a conduit of pure evil and the doll has a whole history of death and violence. You can Read the Full Review.
Continue reading below this announcement.
Did you know I also make Art & Designs.
This painting “The Heir” is made with soft pastels. You can buy this fine art print on museum-quality paper in my shop at Printify. Take a look at my other art prints as well.
Dead Silence (2007)
Stars: Ryan Kwanten, Amber Valetta, Donnie Wahlberg. Directed by James Wan. Written by Leigh Whannell & James Wan. (1h 29m)
Genres: supernatural, ghosts tory, creepy dolls
This film is all about the legend of famous ventriloquist Mary Shaw with her puppet Billy. It’s a legend that originated in Jamie’s hometown and when he is sent the dummy Billy as a present, his wife dies gruesomely killed, sending him on a journey home. There he is about to unravel a sinister evil plot and we get treated to many creepy dolls and a big creepy puppet surprise at the end.
When you thought Billy looked creepy in his box, then you’re in for shelves full of them, among which a demonic creepy clown doll and a life-sized terrifyingly sinister doll. The dolls look absolutely scary and they act upon it too, not being mere lifeless puppets who only look scary, but dolls that can actually hurt and kill you.
Puppet Master (1989)
Stars: Paul Le Mat, William Hickey, Irene Miracle, Jimmie F. Skaggs, Robin Frates. Directed by David Schmoeller. Written Charles Band, Kenneth J. Hall, David Schmoeller. (1h 30m)
Genres: slasher, occult, creepy dolls
Andre Toulon is a puppeteer with many dolls who has fled to the Bodega Bay Inn to escape the nazi’s. Toulon has the secret to bring his dolls to life and the nazi’s are after that secret ritual. Toulon hides his dolls and kills himself, keeping the dolls and the secret safe.
Years later a group of mediums is looking for the dolls and the secret. Although the dolls seem evil, they are in fact not, but they do reflect the personality of the one who’s controlling them. Blade, Tunneler, Jester, Pinhead and Leech Woman make their first appearance when some mediums try to find the key to animate objects, the way Toulon did, but instead stumble upon the dolls who are out to kill them. With great gory kills, wonderful roles for the puppets and the actual puppeteers behind the scenes, and a mystery this is a cult classic that was the start of a great franchise. You can Read the Full Review.
Child’s Play (1988)
Stars: Catherine Hicks, Alex Vincent, Brad Dourif. Directed by Tom Holland. Written by Don Mancini, John Lafia, Tom Holland. (1h 27m)
Genres: slasher, occult, creepy doll
He might well be the most well-known and vicious doll out there. And that’s because he isn’t a doll at all, but a serial killer named Charles Lee Ray who put his soul into a Good Guy Doll with an occult ritual to escape the police.
When Andy gets this Good Guy Doll as a present, Chucky is starting a new killing spree and wants to use Andy as his new body. The human traits of the doll make Chucky extra creepy and his kills are very original, brutal, an he has some great nasty one-liners. Chucky has made himself immortal not only by the occult ritual and being stuck in one of the most friendly dolls ever made, which is full on irony but also through his legacy.
Dolls (1987)
Stars: Carrie Lorraine, Stephen Lee, Ian Patrick Williams, Carolyn Purdy-Gordon. Directed by Stuart Gordon. Written by Ed Naha. (1h 17m)
Genres: fairytale, occult, slasher, comedy, supernatural, creepy dolls
For a whole house full of dolls that are out to punish the bad guys, this film does deliver. Little Judy and her father and stepmother are stranded with their car in a storm, and they take shelter in a doll-maker’s house full of dolls. Judy is delighted but the others, including two punk hitchhiker girls soon will get very well acquainted with the killer dolls who punish everyone who’s bad.
Only Judy and the innocent Ralph get spared for the obvious reasons. This results in a very fun dark fairytale, with some gruesome deaths, a big surprise in the attic and two endearing characters that embody kindness and innocence. The dolls are all very different and wonderfully made and cause some great mayhem that will make your cheer them on. This is creepy campy fun at its best. You can Read the Full Review.
Continue reading below this announcement.
Did you know I also make Art & Designs.
This painting “Spring” is made with soft pastels. You can buy this fine art print on museum-quality paper in my shop at Printify. Take a look at my other art prints as well.
Tourist Trap (1979)
Stars: Chuck Conners, Jocelyn Jones, Jon Van Ness, Robin Sherwood, Tanya Roberts. Directed by David Schmoeller. Written by David Schmoeller, J. Larry Carroll (1h 30m)
Genres: slasher, supernatural, creepy dolls
When five young adults are stranded with car trouble in the middle of nowhere, they take shelter at a doll museum owned by Mr Slausen. But a killer is on the loose and an old mansion is inhabited by lots of creepy mannequins and a man who turns people into dolls.
It’s a deadly tourist trap, from which there is no escape.The living killer dolls under control of the real killer wearing creepy masks, are all very scary and original. It’s a whodunit with occult elements, creepy masks and dolls and a sinister background story, that offers a big twist, some gruesome scenes. The final scene brings a big surprise and a nightmarish ending, that makes this film an unforgettable watch. You can Read the Full Review.
Trilogy of Terror (1979)
Stars: Karen Black. Directed by Dan Curtis. Written by William F. Nolan, Richard Matheson. (1h 12m)
Genres: anthology, slasher, occult, creepy doll
This anthology film tells three stories in which Karen Black plays all the leading roles. The film offers three scary tales of the macabre and supernatural. The first tale is about a teacher who is not to be trusted. The second story is about two rivaling sisters, both played by Karen Black.
But the last story ‘He Who Kills’ is the story why this film made it to this list. For the evil and ugly Zuni fetish doll is not only the most fierce and best story but also the most creepy one when the doll comes to life to haunt and kill Amelia. The doll looks and acts absolutely terrifying.
It has a great structure and buildup with suspense and with smart storytelling, focusing completely on Amelia and the fetish doll. With terror and dread this is a game of cat and mouse where a doll on the haunt with his gleaming eyes, his spear and his deadly intent tries to steal the show. Wait for the twist at the end for an unforgettable creepy doll segment.
Genres: anthology, slasher, occult
Lisa and the Devil (1973)
Stars: Elke Sommer, Telly Savalas. Directed by Mario Bava. Written by Mario Bava, Alfredo Leone, Giorgio Mauling. (1h 35m)
Genres: surrealism, gothic, psychological horror, occult, creepy dolls
In this gothic horror Lisa gets lost in an Italian village and is taken in by a Countess and her son. But something is really wrong and Lisa finds herself caught in a surreal nightmare.
The dolls in this film are mostly mannequins and one in particular, a life-like and life-sized mannequin which is the spitting image of Carlos the dead husband of the Countess. But it seems that this mannequin comes to life, probably by the hands of the devil himself played by Telly Savales who drags the mannequin around, with in his other hand a lollipop (wink wink Kojak).
The story is shown and filmed in a very surreal, atmospheric, but creepy way, lifting the veil between limbo and a dream from where is no escape. You can Read the Full Review.
Dead of Night (1945)
Stars: Mervyn Johns, Michael Redgraves. Directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden. Written by John Baines, Angus MacPhail, T.E.B. Clarke. (1h 43m)
Genres: anthology, surrealism, supernatural, Christmas, creepy doll
This anthology horror film might be quite old and is shot in black and white, but doesn’t feel outdated at all, mainly due to the last part of the film that is brilliantly shot and in which a ventriloquist’s dummy plays a big scary surreal part.
The film contains five spooky “true” tales that are told by a group of people. One of those tales is about a ventriloquist’s dummy controlled by Maxwell Frere.
The dummy looks really creepy and strange things happen out of Maxwell’s control. While this tale itself is very creepy, wait till the end of the film when everybody has told their own spooky story. Then the real horror is about to begin and where the dummy shows up again even more frightening than before, actually coming to life in a surreal nightmarish dream or vision to finish it off. You can Read the Full Review.
Genres: surrealism, gothic, psychological horror, occult
Explore more Lists of Horror Films:
- The List of Christmas Horror Films
- The List of Halloween Horror Films
- The List of Summer Horror Films
- The List of Winter Horror Films
Did You Know I Also Make Art and Designs?
you can buy my designs on apparel or stationary, mugs and more. You can learn more about it on my art & design shop page or go directly to one of my shops.