50 Cult Movies You Need to Add to Your Watch List Pronto
It would be fair to assume that a cult movie is any film that has managed to gather a cult-like following, but it's not necessarily that simple.
Cult movies have a way of sticking around long after their release dates have faded from memory. Some bomb at the box office, some confuse audiences at first, and some become beloved for exactly the reasons they were never meant to be.
That is what makes this list so fun, because it brings together films that built devoted followings through quotable lines, strange characters, midnight screenings, and pure rewatch value. From offbeat comedies to eerie favorites and genre classics, these are the movies people keep coming back to.
If your watch list needs a serious upgrade, this is a good place to start. Here are 50 cult movies worth adding right now.
1. Pulp Fiction, 1994
Amazon2. The Warriors, 1979
Amazon3. Harold and Maude, 1971
Amazon
Some of these picks are obvious, and some are the kind of cult favorites people defend with real passion.
4. The Big Lebowski, 1998
Amazon
5. The Breakfast Club, 1985
Amazon
6. Labyrinth, 1986
Amazon
7. Some Like It Hot, 1959
Amazon
8. The Room, 2004
Amazon
9. Hairspray, 2007
Amazon
10. Monty Python and the Holy Grail, 1975
Amazon
That mix of weird, funny, and unforgettable is exactly what gives cult movies their staying power.
11. Eraserhead, 1980
Amazon
12. The Princess Bride, 1987
Amazon
13. The Sixth Sense, 1999
Amazon
14. Reservoir Dogs, 1993
Amazon
15. Wet Hot American Summer, 2001
Amazon
16. Jurassic Park, 1993
Amazon
17. Napoleon Dynamite, 2004
Amazon
18. 12 Monkeys, 1996
Amazon
19. Fargo, 1996
Amazon
20. The Thing, 1982
Amazon
By this point, the list has already covered a lot of different corners of cult movie history.
If you’re chasing outrageous cult-comedy chaos like the trailer for Scary Movie 6, fans debate where the jokes cross the line.
21. Ghostbusters, 1984
Amazon
22. Office Space, 1999
Amazon
23. Trainspotting, 1996
Amazon
24. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, 1971
Amazon
25. Heathers, 1990
Amazon
26. Big Trouble in Little China, 1986
Amazon
27. A Clockwork Orange, 1971
Amazon
28. This Is Spinal Tap, 1985
Amazon
29. The Blues Brothers, 1980
Amazon
30. Young Frankenstein, 1974
Amazon
The back half keeps the momentum going with even more fan favorites.
31. Evil Dead 2, 1987
Amazon
32. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, 1993
Amazon
33. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, 1989
Amazon
34. Donnie Darko, 2001
Amazon
35. The Evil Dead, 1983
Amazon
36. Being John Malkovich, 1999
Amazon
37. Oldboy, 2013
Amazon
38. Dazed and Confused, 1994
Amazon
39. The Gods Must Be Crazy, 1980
Amazon
40. The Exorcist, 2001
Amazon
And yes, the list still has room for a few more heavy hitters.
41. Army of Darkness, 1993
Amazon
42. Jaws, 1975
Amazon
43. Clue, 1986
Amazon
44. Idiocracy, 2006
Amazon
45. The Nightmare Before Christmas, 1994
Amazon
46. Repo Man, 1985
Amazon
47. The Goonies, 1985
Amazon
48. Rushmore, 1999
Amazon
49. The Terminator, 1984
Amazon
50. The Rocky Horror Picture Show, 1975
Amazon
So, there you have it: 50 cult movies you need to add to your watch list pronto!
How many of these films have you already seen? And do you agree with their cult status?
As always, we would love to hear your opinions on this. You can share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.
Now the only hard part is deciding where to start.
Want more “how did they even think of that” energy after The Room? See the collectors with 54 wildly specific obsessions.
