Movies like Tokyo Poltergeist (2023)
The best movies like Tokyo Poltergeist (2023) are Killer Legends (2014), Unknown Dimension: The Story of Paranormal Activity (2021) and Terror in the Aisles (1984). If Tokyo Poltergeist hooked you with its horror and documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedDeliver Us from Evil (2006)7.2/10 from 215 votes
- NewestDreams of a Dead God (2026)Released 2026
- In JapaneseSenritsu Kaiki World Kowasugi! (2023)Also in Japanese
Killer Legends (2014)
Delving into our collective nightmares, this horror-documentary investigates the origins of our most terrifying urban legends and the true stories that may have inspired them.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
SnoozefestMovies like thisUnknown Dimension: The Story of Paranormal Activity (2021)
A deep dive into the making of the Paranormal Activity films with first time ever interviews with cast and crew, never-before-seen footage from the movies, and a preview of the seventh installment in the franchise.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisTerror in the Aisles (1984)
A non-stop roller coaster ride through the scariest moments of the greatest terror films of all time.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror & documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDoc of the Dead (2014)
The definitive zombie culture documentary, brought to the screen by the makers of THE PEOPLE vs. GEORGE LUCAS.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHorror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019)
Delving into a century of genre films that by turns utilized, caricatured, exploited, sidelined, and finally embraced them, this is the untold history of black Americans in Hollywood through their connection to the horror genre.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisIn Search of Darkness: Part II (2020)
The ultimate ‘80s Horror retrospective just got BIGGER. In Search of Darkness: Part II is a four-hour-plus sequel to the Rondo Hatton-nominated In Search of Darkness, adding 15 new interviewees and 40+ returning favorites for the biggest and most comprehensive ‘80s Horror documentary cast ever assembled.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLeap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist (2019)
A lyrical and spiritual cinematic essay on The Exorcist, the last film of Alexandre O. Philippe explores the uncharted depths of William Friedkin’s mind’s eye, the nuances of his filmmaking process, and the mysteries of faith and fate that have shaped his life and filmography.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPennywise: The Story of ‘It’ (2021)
Thirty-plus years after its release, the popular two-part miniseries "It" and its infamous villain Pennywise live on in the minds of horror fans around the world. This documentary captures not only the buzz the "It" saga generated in 1990 but also the lasting impact it has had on an entire generation and the horror genre at large. Several years in the making, the film features exclusive interviews with many of the cult classic's key players, from cast members Richard Thomas, Seth Green, and Tim Curry, who portrayed the notorious monster clown Pennywise, to director Tommy Lee Wallace and special effects makeup artist Bart Mixon. The documentary also boasts a wealth of archival material and never-before-seen footage.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLovecraft: Fear of the Unknown (2008)
A chronicle of the life, work and mind that created the Cthulhu mythos.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Worth the HypeMovies like this42 Up (1999)
Director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born adults after a 7 year wait. The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHalloween: 25 Years of Terror (2006)
Follow the evolution of the 'Halloween' movies over the past twenty-five years. It examines why the films are so popular and revisits many of the original locations used in the films - seeing the effects on the local community. For the first time, cast, crew, critics and fans join together in the ultimate 'Halloween' retrospective.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAs I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000)
A compilation of over 30 years of private home movie footage shot by Lithuanian-American avant-garde director Jonas Mekas, assembled by Mekas "purely by chance", without concern for chronological order.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisEvil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story (2025)
Unravel the case of Utah therapist Jodi Hildebrandt, whose child abuse arrest with parenting YouTuber Ruby Franke exposed a twisted tale of manipulation.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDeliver Us from Evil (2006)
Documentary filmmaker Amy Berg investigates the life of 30-year pedophile Father Oliver O'Grady and exposes the corruption inside the Catholic Church that allowed him to abuse countless children. Victims' stories and a disturbing interview with O'Grady offer a view into the troubled mind of the spiritual leader who moved from parish to parish gaining trust ... all the while betraying so many.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Walking Dead: The Return (2024)
Stars of "The Walking Dead," Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira, walk down memory lane and visit iconic locations where pivotal moments between their characters, Rick and Michonne, were filmed.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisTed Bundy: Mind of a Monster (2019)
New exclusive access and never before heard testimony gives a unique insight into the mind of America's most notorious serial killer, Ted Bundy. Breathtaking archive from the time and the voice of Bundy himself, reveals the monster inside the man.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisTrainwreck: The Real Project X (2025)
A night of drunken chaos rocks a quiet Dutch town in this shocking documentary about a teen's birthday invite that accidentally went viral on Facebook.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
SnoozefestMovies like thisNaqoyqatsi (2002)
A visual montage portrait of our contemporary world dominated by globalized technology and violence.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSeduced and Abandoned (2013)
SEDUCED AND ABANDONED combines acting legend Alec Baldwin with director James Toback as they lead us on a troublesome and often hilarious journey of raising financing for their next feature film. Moving from director to financier to star actor, the two players provide us with a unique look behind the curtain at the world's biggest and most glamourous film festival, shining a light on the bitter-sweet relationship filmmakers have with Cannes and the film business. Featuring insights from directors Martin Scorsese, 'Bernando Bertolucci' and Roman Polanski; actors Ryan Gosling and Jessica Chastain and a host of film distribution luminaries.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLove, Antosha (2019)
From a prolific career in film and television, Anton Yelchin left an indelible legacy as an actor. Through his journals and other writings, his photography, the original music he wrote, and interviews with his family, friends, and colleagues, this film looks not just at Anton's impressive career, but at a broader portrait of the man.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Lucifer Effect (2017)
The film centers around 8 people, from all walks of life, who thought they had bought a 'movie role' in a horror film, only to be locked inside the haunted mental asylum to test "The Lucifer Effect" experiment.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & horror
Galicia! (2026)
What if you went on a holiday... and the apocalypse happened?!
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & horror
Dreams of a Dead God (2026)
October 1936: In the swamps north of New Orleans, sanity and reality itself are tested during the filmed interrogation of a kidnapper and murderer with ties to an ancient cult.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both horror
Husbandhood (2016)
In January of 2014, five filmmakers suddenly disappear while shooting in the nearby Drigh Lake Larakana woods. One week later, their camera was found.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both horror
The Bloody Way of Ehraman (2021)
A film crew travels out to a village in Anatolia to shoot a movie. But after each were affected by a dream they saw, the remaining four team members decide to stay and investigate the incident.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both horror
Lianne (2024)
Social Media influencer Erin takes her millions of fans on a live stream adventure inside an abandoned haunted house to raise money for the disease that took her friends life. The longer she stays the more she can raise.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both horror
Nightlight (2015)
Five friends play a game in a "mysterious" forest with a long history as a beacon for troubled young people contemplating suicide.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both horror
SnoozefestMovies like thisSenritsu Kaiki World Kowasugi! (2023)
The submitted footage, taken in a cursed ruin, shows a creepy altar, a "red woman" covered in blood, and the crying of a baby that is nowhere to be seen. The "Too Scary!" team of rough producer Kudo, director Ichikawa, and cameraman Tashiro have reunited. They will now transcend time and space to solve the mystery!
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both horror
Ermon County: Gateway of the Fallen (2015)
ERMON COUNTY is a found-footage style mystery-thriller. Set in an old farmhouse, the story unravels through surveillance cameras as two siblings struggle to decipher the mysterious disappearance of their younger brother. A mystery that will lead them into a web of pure evil.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both horror
Dead Residence (2019)
A young couple buys a house with intention of "flipping it". Mysterious activities start happening to them while they are repairing the home.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both horror
Like Tokyo Poltergeist and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Tokyo Poltergeist?
The closest matches to Tokyo Poltergeist are Killer Legends (2014), Unknown Dimension: The Story of Paranormal Activity (2021) and Terror in the Aisles (1984). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Tokyo Poltergeist?
Start with Killer Legends (2014), the closest match to Tokyo Poltergeist.
What is the highest-rated movie like Tokyo Poltergeist?
Deliver Us from Evil (2006), rated 7.2/10 by 215 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Tokyo Poltergeist?
Dreams of a Dead God (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there Japanese movies like Tokyo Poltergeist?
Yes: Senritsu Kaiki World Kowasugi! (2023).
How are movies similar to Tokyo Poltergeist chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Tokyo Poltergeist, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.