Horror fans are sharing which scary movie they watched first, and Scream, Alien, and Nightmare on Elm Street are top choices

Drew Barrymore as Casey in 1996's original Scream. — (Image credit: Dimension Films)

There is an important moment in any horror fan's life when they go to watch their first ever scary movie, but what title did you choose to kick-start your horror journey?

One horror buff took to Reddit to ask this very question, "What was your first horror movie?" adding, "Mine was Scream." It sounds like the 1996 Wes Craven slasher was a starting point for many other genre fans, with another Reddit user replying, "Mine was Scream as well. I initially had no interest in horror whatsoever until I watched this movie. Now I am obsessed with the genre. But this is still my all-time fave."

However, it looks like many other horror fans started their journey with older titles, with the first movie in the Freddy Krueger series being a top choice. "Nightmare on Elm Street, when I was around 12," said one fan, and another replied with, "Same here, but I was 9. Nightmares for years, my parents were not impressed!"

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Of course, some scary sci-fi titles were thrown in the ring, from Ridley Scott's chest-bursting 1979 picture Alien, to M. Night Shyamalan's Signs. We don't think we'll ever forget the first time we saw that tall green alien walk across the street in the 2002 movie.

More honorable mentions include Tobe Hooper's original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The Exorcist, Pet Semetary, Jaws, Friday the 13th, and the first Chucky movie. "Child's Play was the first one I remember watching," said one fan, "Scared the crap out of me and didn't watch it for years after. Maybe it's because of Andy's age in the movie, and I was so young when I watched it."

It looks like the classics will never fail to scare kids silly and put them on a path of loving horror movies forever, that is, after they have recovered from the first watch. But it is important to note that some younger horror fans in the Reddit chain stated that their first introductions to the horror genre came from more modern titles, from A Quiet Place to The Conjuring.

For more, check out our guide to the best horror movies, and keep up with upcoming horror movies heading our way.

I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.