Every year, the project brings together 250 individuals to watch 50 films, in spaced weeks, while being monitored

The “scariest movie of all time” category is certainly debatable. There are those who are more scared by the supernatural, while others may find killers more terrifying or prefer a zombie movie to be scared. As much as the issue is somewhat personal, there is a study that scientifically classifies the films that cause the most fear.

The Science of Scare project, launched in 2020, conducts experiments every year, with different films introduced, and hundreds of human beings as guinea pigs. Unfortunately, the project only considers films spoken in English.

Every year, the project brings together 250 individuals to watch 50 films, in spaced weeks, while being monitored. The 250 have their heartbeats recorded throughout the duration of the exhibition, recording mainly moments of fright and shock.

In 2023, Science of Scare introduced a new formula for defining the scariest movie, which doesn’t just compare the average heartbeat compared to the resting heartbeat. Now, to go beyond the scare effect, the project also takes into account heart rate variability, measured by the variation in the interval between each beat. The record more accurately determines the level of stress or discomfort over a longer period of time. The two factors combined are then transformed into a “horror score”, from 0 to 100.

The introduction of the new measure meant that the first film listed as the scariest on the 2020 list returned to the top in 2023 and maintained its position in 2024. The Entity, a 2012 film by Scott Derrickson, was the first to top the list and maintains its first position in the latest ranking. In the latest experiment, The Entity recorded a 34% increase in heart rate during viewing, and a 21% drop in heart variability, “indicating the perfect balance between fright and constant fear”, according to the project. The final score for The Entity was 96. In 2021 and 2022, it had been relegated to second place by 2020’s 2020, which currently has a score of 95.

To compile the list of films that will be shown, Science of Scare re-screens the bottom 25 on the list, combined with new additions gathered from new film reviews, horror forums, and online communities. The top 25 are not displayed again and remain at their previous score. The list is always released at the end of October, in time for a Halloween marathon.

Science of Scare has already released the results for 2024 and the updated list of the 10 scariest films is this:

1. The Entity (2012) – Available on MGM+
2. Be Careful Who Calls (2020) – Available to rent on Apple TV
3. Skinamarink (2022) – Available on Globoplay
4. Insidious (2010) – Available to rent on Apple TV
5. The Conjuring (2013) – Available at Max
6. Hereditary (2018) – Available at Max
7. Smile (2022) – Available to rent on Apple TV
8. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) – Available at Max
9. Fale Comigo (2022) – Available on Prime Video
10. Hell House LCC (2015) – Available on the Plex platform