Movies Like Midsommar (2019) for Daylight Horror
Sunlit rituals, creeping dread, and folk horror that turns beautiful settings into nightmares.
Sunlit rituals, creeping dread, and folk horror that turns beautiful settings into nightmares.
Best first watch
The Wicker Man (1973)
92% fit93 min · IMDb 7.5 · RT 91%
The direct ancestor of Midsommar's folk horror. A policeman walks into a pagan island community and slowly realizes the rituals aren't quaint, they're deadly. R-rated with a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Watch if
You want the original isolated-community horror that Midsommar drew from.
Skip if
You find 1970s pacing and production values too dated.
For you if
- You love horror that builds slowly through unsettling imagery rather than loud scares
- Great if you enjoy picking apart symbolism and hidden meanings with friends after the credits roll
- Great for anyone craving R-rated horror set in beautiful, deceptively peaceful locations
Not for you if
- You prefer traditional slashers with a clear monster or villain
- You get restless during movies that prioritize mood over plot momentum
- You want lighthearted horror comedies for a casual night in
How Midsommar (2019) alternatives compare
Pick The Wicker Man if you want something grounded, short, and focused. Pick Suspiria if your group has the patience for a long, surreal descent that gets very graphic. Pick Men if you want maximum weirdness packed into just 100 minutes. The Ritual is the easiest modern grab for a quick disorienting watch. Lamb suits anyone who prefers quiet, implied dread over explicit horror.
How slow is the build?
Steady creeping tension
How graphic does it get?
Disturbing but restrained
How long is the commitment?
Quick at 88 min
How weird does it get?
Grounded and eerie
How slow is the build?
Very slow build
How graphic does it get?
Very graphic
How long is the commitment?
Long at 152 min
How weird does it get?
Deeply surreal
How slow is the build?
Moderate build
How graphic does it get?
Extremely graphic
How long is the commitment?
Medium at 100 min
How weird does it get?
Fully surreal finale
How slow is the build?
Steady build, brutal payoff
How graphic does it get?
Moderately graphic
How long is the commitment?
Quick at 94 min
How weird does it get?
Grounded folk dread
How slow is the build?
Very slow build
How graphic does it get?
Mostly implied
How long is the commitment?
Moderate at 106 min
How weird does it get?
Quietly strange
Not sure what to watch?
Date night
At 88 minutes it's tight and leaves plenty to discuss afterward over drinks.
Quick watch
The shortest pick at 88 minutes, and every scene counts toward the gut-punch ending.
Friend group
Suspiria's wild dance sequences and body horror will keep the whole room reacting together.
Find your pick
Do you prefer horror that feels grounded in real-world folklore and traditions?
Moments you loved
Best movies like Midsommar (2019)
1. The Wicker Man (1973)
93 min · IMDb 7.5 · RT 91%
The direct ancestor of Midsommar's folk horror. A policeman walks into a pagan island community and slowly realizes the rituals aren't quaint, they're deadly. R-rated with a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Watch if
You want the original isolated-community horror that Midsommar drew from.
Skip if
You find 1970s pacing and production values too dated.
Where to watch
2. Suspiria (2018)
152 min · IMDb 6.7 · RT 65%
Luca Guadagnino's 152-minute remake replaces Argento's neon with washed-out Berlin grays, building dread through dance rehearsals that turn into body-breaking rituals. Shares Midsommar's R-rated slow burn and mystery layering.
Watch if
You want a long, hypnotic horror film where dance becomes something terrifying.
Skip if
You need a tight runtime and clear plot momentum.
Where to watch
3. Men (2022)
100 min · IMDb 6.0 · RT 69%
Alex Garland drops a grieving woman into the English countryside where every man she meets has the same face. Like Midsommar, it uses a beautiful green setting to build creeping dread before an R-rated finale that goes fully surreal.
Watch if
You want folk horror that gets increasingly bizarre and graphic.
Skip if
You prefer horror with clear explanations for what's happening.
Where to watch
4. The Ritual (2017)
94 min · IMDb 6.4 · RT 74%
Four friends hiking through Scandinavian wilderness stumble into ancient folk horror territory. The creeping forest dread and pagan mythology make this the closest match to Midsommar's unsettling atmosphere.
Watch if
You want Scandinavian folk horror with genuine scares and group tension.
Skip if
You prefer psychological horror over creature-based threats.
Where to watch
5. Lamb (2021)
106 min · IMDb 6.3 · RT 86%
An Icelandic farming couple discovers a mysterious lamb-human hybrid and raises it as their own child. The quiet pastoral setting slowly curdles into folk horror as nature demands its due.
Watch if
You want quiet, slow-building mystery with religious horror undertones.
Skip if
You want overt scares or graphic horror imagery.
Where to watch
Beyond movies
TV shows and books that scratch the same itch
The Third Day
This HBO miniseries traps visitors on a mysterious island with pagan rituals and community secrets. Like Midsommar, it explores how isolation and tradition can become sinister.
Max
Yellowjackets
Stranded survivors develop their own disturbing rituals and hierarchies. The show captures Midsommar's interest in how communities form around violence and sacrifice.
Netflix and fuboTV
The Terror
A doomed Arctic expedition encounters something ancient and hungry in the ice. The same daylight-horror dread and slow unraveling of a group trapped in an inhospitable landscape.
AMC+
The Ritual
by Adam Nevill
Four friends encounter an ancient forest presence that demands worship and sacrifice. Like Midsommar, it explores how old gods still hunger in remote places.
Available in most bookstores and libraries
Common questions about movies like Midsommar (2019)
What is the best movie like Midsommar (2019)?
Based on our analysis, The Wicker Man (1973) is the closest match with a 92% fit score. See the full breakdown above for why it earned the top spot.
For a Midsommar-style watch tonight, is The Wicker Man where I should begin?
Go with The Wicker Man. It captures what makes Midsommar special and runs 88 minutes. Critics loved it at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Is Suspiria worth the 152-minute runtime for a Midsommar follow-up?
Suspiria demands a full evening at 152 minutes. It trades pastoral sunshine for a claustrophobic dance academy but delivers the same ritualistic dread. It holds 65% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Which streaming provider is most likely to have The Ritual available tonight after Midsommar?
The Ritual is currently listed on Netflix for a follow-up to Midsommar. Availability changes by region, so confirm current streaming listings before watching.
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