Summary
- Comic books inspire some of the best horror movies, showcasing unconventional heroes and terrifying narratives.
- Spawn, Hellboy, Constantine, Blade, and The Crow exemplify how comic book adaptations can thrive in the horror genre.
- Films like Creepshow and Tales From The Crypt demonstrate the enduring influence of horror comics on the big screen.
Comic books aren't always for kids, and the protagonists don't have to be conventional superheroes. Some of the best horror movies are adapted from comic books and graphic novels, giving artists more room to explore the visceral and terrifying, complete with detailed illustrations.
8 Strongest Demons In DC Comics, Ranked
DC's heroes have had to face off against plenty of powerful supervillains but some of their worst enemies come straight from Hell.
That might be why some of the most creative horror movies are adapted from comic books. It's a trend that dates back much further than the Marvel universe, beginning in the 1980s with literary and experimental horror, and has evolved from there.
7 Spawn
The Horror Of The Afterlife
Spawn
- Release Date
- August 1, 1997
- Runtime
- 98 Mins
- Director
- Mark A.Z. Dippé
- Cast
- Michael Jai White, Martin Sheen, John Leguizamo
Spawn broke new ground in horror, comic book adaptations, and adult animation. Creator Todd McFarlane was inspired by shows like Akira and wanted something similar for his creation, and not only did he get his Emmy-winning HBO miniseries adaptation, but also a live-action adaptation that featured Michael Jai White as Spawn and John Leguizamo as his underworld guide, the Violator.
Part of the horror is Spawn himself, a "hellspawn" who has been recruited and resurrected by Malebolgia, a high-ranking demon, and made a Commander in Hell's army. The intention is that Spawn, formerly CIA operative Al Simmons, will fight for Satan against the armies of God. The story is about how Spawn rebels against the powers of darkness in an attempt to reclaim his humanity.
6 Hellboy
The Demon Is The Hero
- Cast
- Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, John Hurt, Rupert Evans, Jeffrey Tambor, Ladislav Beran, Bridget Hodson, Karel Roden, Brian Steele, Corey Johnson, Kevin Trainor, Brian Caspe, James Babson, Stephen Fisher, Garth Cooper, Angus MacInnes, Jim Howick, Mark Taylor, Daniel Aarsman, Bettina Ask, Álvaro Navarro, Emilio Navarro, Rory Copus, Tara Hugo
- Runtime
- 122 minutes
- Director
- Guillermo del Toro
The premise of Hellboy is that a baby demon is separated from his roots and raised by people, which is essentially what happened when an American scientist, backed up by a part of the US Army, opened a portal to Hell. This adorable little demon dropped out of the portal, accidently summoned by Nazis practicing the occult, and was raised by Professor Trevor Bruttenholm, who also gave him his name.
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Hellboy, as a character, is terrifying, dangerous, and overall well-meaning, despite his awkward and often impulsive nature. This makes him an ideal character to carry an exciting horror plot, as he can be problematic and unpredictable. The Hellboy movies also incorporate elements of humor and dark fantasy, in true Guillermo del Toro fashion.
5 Constantine
A Haunting Vision Of The Occult
- Cast
- Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Djimon Hounsou, Max Baker, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Gavin Rossdale, Tilda Swinton, Peter Stormare, Jesse Ramirez, José Zúñiga, April Grace, Larry Cedar, Francis Guinan, Suzanne Whang, Jhoanna Trias, Alice Lo, Nicholas Downs, Tanoai Reed, Quinn Buniel, Ann Ryerson, Stephanie Fabian, Connor Dylan Wryn, Laz Alonso, Jeremy Ray Valdez
- Runtime
- 121 minutes
- Director
- Francis Lawrence
Constantine has been reappearing in the news cycle lately, thanks to the buzz surrounding the impending sequel, which has been in the works for almost 30 years. Keanu Reeves is perfectly cast as the brooding and troubled John Constantine, born with the ability to see demons, which is partly how he knows he's going to hell for trying to commit suicide as a teenager.
The main character uses his powers to act as a powerful exorcist, but he's connected to a whole network of occultists who have similar abilities, so he's not exactly alone. The first movie involves him trying to cheat the devil, so to speak, so there might be something similar planned for the second film.
4 Blade
Introducing The Dhampir
Blade
- Release Date
- August 21, 1998
- Runtime
- 120 Minutes
- Director
- Stephen Norrington
- Cast
- Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, N'Bushe Wright, Donal Logue, Udo Kier, Arly Jover, Traci Lords, Kevin Patrick Walls, Tim Guinee, Sanaa Lathan, Eric Edwards, Carmen Thomas, Shannon Lee, Kenny Johnson, Clint Curtis, Judson Scott, Sidney S. Liufau, Keith Leon Williams, Andray Johnson, Stephen R. Peluso, Marcus Aurelius, John Enos III, Eboni 'Chrystal' Adams, Lyle Conway
The idea of a "half-vampire" creature was already floating around for a while, but it was Blade that brought the concept into the mainstream. According to his origin story, his mother was bitten by a vampire when she was pregnant, and when Blade was born, he had all the same powers of the vampire but without the weaknesses, like an aversion to holy water and daylight.
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Wesley Snipes plays the role of Blade, and he's joined by his companion Whistler, a human who lives for revenge because of what the vampires did to his young family. Blade is also a superhero, in the same spirit as modern anti-heroes like Venom who also appear in an urban setting, but with a more clearly stated mission and slightly less chaos.
Unlike so many other movies adapted from comics, Blade isn't an origin story. The audience only finds out more of Blade's backstory because of Whistler's exposition and a few scattered flashbacks. The plot incorporates classic vampire lore, as well as new myths and legends, which are also adapted from the comics.
3 The Crow
A Story Of Revenge
The Crow
- Release Date
- May 11, 1994
- Runtime
- 102 Minutes
- Director
- Alex Proyas
- Cast
- Brandon Lee, Rochelle Davis, Ernie Hudson, Michael Wincott, Bai Ling, Sofia Shinas, Anna Thomson, David Patrick Kelly, Angel David, Laurence Mason, michael massee, Tony Todd, Jon Polito, Bill Raymond, Marco Rodríguez, Kim Sykes, Rock Taulbee, Norman Max Maxwell, Jeff Cadiente, Henry Kingi Jr., Erik Stabenau, Cassandra Lawton, Lou Criscuolo, Todd Brenner, Joe West, Thomas Rosales Jr., Jeff Imada, Tierre Turner, Tim Parati
A perfect example of the dark and gritty movies that defined part of the mid-1990s, The Crow was the perfect movie for a brooding audience of discontented edgelords. It starts on Devil's Night, aka. October 30th, following an urban legend that the night before Hallowe'en is when the jokes, pranks, and vandalism can really begin.
An innocent man and woman are killed in a gang-related act of violence, bringing another ancient legend to life; the one of The Crow that returns as a spirit to life to render judgement on the living who wronged them. Eric Dravin, one-half of the stricken couple, is guided by the crow to avenge his death and that of his fiancée.
2 Tales From The Crypt
An Anthology Of Sordid Stories
Tales from the Crypt
- Release Date
- March 9, 1972
- Runtime
- 92 minutes
- Director
- Freddie Francis
- Cast
- Joan Collins, Peter Cushing, Roy Dotrice, Richard Greene, Ian Hendry, Patrick Magee, Barbara Murray, Nigel Patrick, Robin Phillips, Ralph Richardson, Geoffrey Bayldon, Martin Boddey, Chloe Franks, Oliver MacGreevy, Susan Denny, Angela Grant, David Markham, Robert Hutton, Harry Locke, Frank Forsyth, Louis Mansi, Bart Allison, George Herbert, Bartlett Mullins
One of the earliest examples of comic book adaptation, this anthology movie is made up of five stories from the comic books of the same name. The Tales From the Crypt HBO series, produced in the 1980s, features an ensemble of directors, covering quite a few more adapted tales.
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Like in the books, the Crypt Keeper appears to tell their story, but this time they're surrounded by several different people who don't seem to be connected. As their stories unfold, however, it becomes clear that they do have something in common, and that's the same horrific fate; they have died without redemption and are bound for Hell.
1 Creepshow
Adapted By Stephen King
|
Release Date |
November 12, 1982 |
|---|---|
|
Rating |
R |
|
Runtime |
2h00min |
|
Director |
George A. Romero |
|
Cast |
Hal Holbrook, Leslie Nielsen, Adrienne Barbeau, Ed Harris, Ted Danson, Stephen King |
George Romero is a director known for making horror, and Stephen King wrote the screenplay and two of the stories for Creepshow, and also appears in the movie. It's partly based on old pulp comics like Tales from the Crypt and The Vault of Horror, and the graphic novel was released the same year as the movie. That means it was based on comic books and was then made into its own comic book.
The story begins when Billy Hopkins gets in trouble with his dad for reading a Creepshow comic. Billy is upstairs in his room wishing his father would go to hell for throwing out his comic, which is what prompts the Creep to appear and make a sordid deal with the angry child.
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