21 Black Women Leads in Horror (So Far This Year)

Let's be honest.

Black women have always been overlooked when it comes to lead roles in horror. We are often cast as the Best Friend (Baghead, 2024) or the sacrificial lamb (Annabelle, 2014). I have an article all about Black horror tropes and how women have shown up in horror historically here if you are interested.

But the tide has been shifting, and while a few of these films have issues on various fronts, it's been refreshing to see more Black women cast as leads in horror. To sit in a theater experiencing my favorite genre and seeing representation of how I show up in the world is an amazing feeling. The hope is to not only see more of us on screen but behind the camera as well. We need more Nia DaCostas and Akela Coopers penning and directing our horror stories.

Related: 12 Horror Shorts Made by Black Filmmakers That You Need to Watch 

2024 has been an exciting year to be a horror fan. From films like The Substance and The First Omen, women have been at the forefront of a lot of the horror hits. After seeing an X post that highlighted many of the performances from women in horror this year, the post failed to mention any Black women at all. So of course I had to do my due diligence and follow up with an article featuring the women who get overlooked. And it's not just Black women but there are other women of color that have truly shown up and out in horror this year as well. @misssharai on X has a post with a list of films that feature women of color in horror such as Exhuma and Sleep that is worth bookmarking and saving for later.

If you're looking for WOC-led genre films from this year:#Sleep#Exhuma#MrCrocket#Animale#Abigail (co-led)#YourMonster#AQuietPlaceDayOne#BlinkTwice#NeverLetGo#TheDeliverance (performances were the only thing working)#TheFrontRoom (Y’all owe Brandy a real movie) pic.twitter.com/8PaBwQD7Hl

— Sharai (She/Her)🕵🏾‍♀️ (@Misssharai) October 25, 2024

 

21 Black Women Leading in Horror This Year

DeWanda Wise, Imaginary (2024)

Directed by Jeff Wadlow

Synopsis: A woman returns to her childhood home to discover that the imaginary friend she left behind is very real and unhappy that she abandoned him.

 

Georgina Campbell, Lovely, Dark, and Deep (2023) & The Watchers (2024)

Directed by Teresa Sutherland

Synopsis: Lennon, a new back-country ranger, travels alone through the dangerous wilderness, hoping to uncover the origins of a tragedy that has haunted her since she was a child.

 

Khosi Ngema, Invasive (2024), Killer Body Count (2024)

Directed by Jem Garrad

Synopsis: A young woman secretly residing in a billionaire's lavish mansion stumbles upon dark secrets, sparking a desperate fight for survival.

 

Savana Tardieu, also in Killer Body Count (2024)

Directed by Danishka Esterhazy

Synopsis: Mistaken as a sex addict by her dad, Cami is sent off to a remote religious treatment center where the other kids are being hunted by a killer.

 

Lupita Nyong'o, A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)

Directed by Michael Sarnoski

Synopsis: When New York City comes under attack from an alien invasion, a woman and other survivors try to find a way to safety. They soon learn that they must remain absolutely silent as the mysterious creatures are drawn to the slightest sound.

 

Brandy Norwood, The Front Room (2024)

Directed by Sam and Max Eggers

Synopsis: Everything goes to hell for newly pregnant Belinda after her mother-in-law moves in. As the diabolical guest tries to get her claws on the child, Belinda must draw the line somewhere.

 

Andra Day, The Deliverance (2024)

Directed by Lee Daniels

Synopsis: A family living in a home in Indiana discovers strange, demonic occurrences that convince them and the community that the house is a portal to hell.

 

Halle Berry, Never Let Go (2024)

Directed by Alexandre Aja

Synopsis: When an unspeakable evil takes over the world, the only protection for a mother and her twin sons is their house and strong bond. Needing to stay connected at all times -- even tethering themselves with ropes -- they must cling to one another and never let go. However, when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.

 

Jerrika Hinton, Mr. Crocket (2024)

Directed by Brandon Espy

Synopsis: A mother embarks on a perilous quest to rescue her son from a demonic children's show host who is kidnapping kids.

 

Brittany Ann O'Grady, It's What's Inside (2024)

Directed by Greg Jardin

Synopsis: A pre-wedding reunion descends into a psychological nightmare for a group of college friends when a surprise guest arrives with a mysterious suitcase that starts to tear the group apart.

 

Deborah Ayorinde, Them: The Scare (2024)

Directed by Little Martin

Synopsis: The story centers on LAPD Homicide Detective Dawn Reeve, who is assigned to a new case: the gruesome murder of a foster home mother that has left even the most hardened detectives shaken. Navigating a tumultuous time in Los Angeles, with a city on the razor's edge of chaos, Dawn is determined to stop the killer. But as she draws closer to the truth, something ominous and malevolent grips her and her family.

 

Niecy Nash, Grotesquerie (2024)

Created by Ryan Murphy

Synopsis: Detective Lois Tryon feels a series of heinous crimes in her small community are eerily personal, as if someone or something is taunting her.  With no leads and unsure where to turn, she accepts the help of Sister Megan, a nun and journalist with the Catholic Guardian. As Lois and Sister Megan string together clues, they find themselves ensnared in a sinister web that only seems to raise more questions than answers.

 

Ariana DeBose, House of Spoils (2024)

Directed by Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy

Synopsis: It tells the story of a chef who opens her first restaurant where she battles kitchen chaos, a dubious investor and self doubt, but the pressure heats up thanks to the spirit of the estate's previous owner who threatens to sabotage her.

Ella-Rae Smith, Cassie Clare, and Miriam-Teak Lee, My Bloody Galentine (2024)

Directed by Traci Hays

Synopsis: When three women plot revenge on their exes after they are dumped before Valentine's day, their attempts to get even turn deadly.

 

Kara Royster, Amp House Massacre (2024)

Directed by Dame Pierre and Mike Ware

Synopsis: A group of social media influencers sharing a mansion in the Hollywood Hills find themselves caught in a life and death game of survival as a killer reveals their deepest secrets before killing them off one by one.

 

Keeya King, Guess Who (2024)

 

Directed by Amelia Moses

Synopsis: A family visit turns deadly when a psychotic killer, hiding behind an unusual tradition, shows up with one target and only one target in mind.

 

Georgina Navarro, My First Horror Film (2023)

Directed by Shihan Van Clief

Synopsis: An aspiring influencer documents her journey to booking her first horror film but receives a bloody surprise when a real-life killer begins murdering her cast mates on set.

 

Naomi Grace, Founder's Day (2023)

Directed by Erik Bloomquist

Synopsis: A small town is shaken by a series of ominous killings in the days leading up to a heated mayoral election.

 

Sophie McIntosh, No Way Up (2024)

Directed by Claudio Fäh

Synopsis: Characters from different backgrounds are thrown together when the plane they're travelling on crashes into the Pacific Ocean. A nightmare fight for survival ensues with the air supply running out and dangers creeping in from all sides.

 

If I missed anyone, please comment them below. Feel free to share some of your favorites from over the years as well.

We are no longer accepting the choice to leave Black women out of the conversation in horror. There are no more excuses for it.