Movies like When I Was Scared of the Dark (2023)
The best movies like When I Was Scared of the Dark (2023) are You Shall Not Sleep Tonight (2024), Little Monsters (1989) and Ted (2012). If When I Was Scared of the Dark hooked you, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
When I Was Scared of the Dark
Quick picks
- Highest ratedA Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)7.4/10 from 6,074 votes
- NewestDust Bunny (2025)Released 2025
- In FrenchBrother (2019)Also in French
You Shall Not Sleep Tonight (2024)
A boy is haunted by terrifying nightmares where a monster lurks inside the closet. To his relief, his father appears in the middle of the night helping him to face his fears. But the boy will begin to question the true nature of these apparitions, having to face the truth about his father's destiny and the evil force that threatens to consume him.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisLittle Monsters (1989)
A young boy is scared of the monster under his bed. He asks his 6th grade brother to swap rooms for the night as a bet that the monster really exists. Soon the brother becomes friends with the monster and discovers a whole new world of fun and games under his bed where pulling pranks on kids and other monsters is the main attraction.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisTed (2012)
John Bennett, a man whose childhood wish of bringing his teddy bear to life came true, now must decide between keeping the relationship with the bear or his girlfriend, Lori.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisImaginary (2024)
When Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family, her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister. As Alice’s behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisBrother (2019)
Because he wanted to protect his little brother, Teddy, a young man without a history, is accused of the murder of his father and sent to a closed educational center, waiting for his trial for parricide. He then plunges into a brutal universe of which he does not know the rules.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOrion and the Dark (2024)
A boy with an active imagination faces his fears on an unforgettable journey through the night with his new friend: a giant, smiling creature named Dark.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDust Bunny (2025)
Ten-year-old Aurora asks her hitman neighbor to kill the monster under her bed that she claims ate her family. To protect her, he must battle an onslaught of assassins while accepting that some monsters are real.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Monster Calls (2016)
12-year-old Conor encounters an ancient tree monster who proceeds to help him cope with his mother's terminal illness and being bullied in school.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisArcadian (2024)
In the near future, on a decimated Earth, Paul and his twin sons face terror at night when ferocious creatures awaken. When Paul is nearly killed, the boys come up with a plan for survival, using everything their father taught them to keep him alive.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisScary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)
Mill Valley, Pennsylvania, Halloween night, 1968. After playing a joke on a school bully, Stella and her friends decide to sneak into a supposedly haunted house that once belonged to the powerful Bellows family, unleashing dark forces that they will be unable to control.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Boy Behind the Door (2020)
Bobby tries to save himself and his best friend when they are kidnapped on their way home from school.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPhoebe in Wonderland (2008)
The fantastical tale of a little girl who won't - or can't - follow the rules. Confounded by her clashes with the rule-obsessed world around her, Phoebe seeks enlightenment from her unconventional drama teacher, even as her brilliant but anguished mother looks to Phoebe herself for inspiration.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCobweb (2023)
Eight year old Peter is plagued by a mysterious, constant tapping from inside his bedroom wall—one that his parents insist is all in his imagination. As Peter's fear intensifies, he believes that his parents could be hiding a terrible, dangerous secret and questions their trustworthiness.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Mighty (1998)
Kevin, an intelligent guy helps out Maxwell to improve his reading skills. In return, Kevin wants Maxwell to take him out places since he is not authorized to go out. Being the social outcasts of the town, Kevin and Maxwell come to realize that they are similar to each other and accept that they are "freaks" and nothing will stop them.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisA Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Teenagers in a small town are dropping like flies, apparently in the grip of mass hysteria causing their suicides. A cop's daughter, Nancy Thompson, traces the cause to child molester Fred Krueger, who was burned alive by angry parents many years before. Krueger has now come back in the dreams of his killers' children, claiming their lives as his revenge. Nancy and her boyfriend, Glen, must devise a plan to lure the monster out of the realm of nightmares and into the real world...
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisInk (2009)
Invisible forces exert power over us in our sleep. A mercenary named Ink, on a literal nightmare mission, captures the spirit of 8-year-old Emma in the dream world. To save her, the dream-givers marshal all their resources, focusing on saving the soul of Emma's tragically broken father.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Watchers (2024)
A young artist gets stranded in an extensive, immaculate forest in western Ireland, where, after finding shelter, she becomes trapped alongside three strangers, stalked by mysterious creatures each night.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Bear (1988)
An orphan bear cub hooks up with an adult male as they try to dodge human hunters.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCold Skin (2017)
A young man who arrives at a remote island finds himself trapped in a battle for his life.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBefore I Wake (2016)
An orphaned child's dreams—and nightmares—manifest physically as he sleeps.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like this
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like When I Was Scared of the Dark?
The closest matches to When I Was Scared of the Dark are You Shall Not Sleep Tonight (2024), Little Monsters (1989) and Ted (2012). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after When I Was Scared of the Dark?
Start with You Shall Not Sleep Tonight (2024), the closest match to When I Was Scared of the Dark.
What is the highest-rated movie like When I Was Scared of the Dark?
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), rated 7.4/10 by 6,074 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like When I Was Scared of the Dark?
Dust Bunny (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there French movies like When I Was Scared of the Dark?
Yes: Brother (2019) and The Bear (1988).
How are movies similar to When I Was Scared of the Dark chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside When I Was Scared of the Dark, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.