The Best Horror Movies Based on Plays

Abby Brenker
6 days ago
3 min read

A person in a suit holds a pair of scissors over another person in dim lighting. Bold yellow text reads "HORROR MOVIES BASED ON PLAYS."

In 1954 Alfred Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder was released, and in the early 2000s it became one of my obsessions. The film stars Grace Kelly and Ray Milland.

Looking back through adult eyes, I think one of the things I love about this movie is how contained it is. And it should be, it was adopted from a play that premiered in 1952 on television through the BBC. It later went on to be produced on the West End and eventually Broadway. The New York Times review claimed Dial M for Murder was a “technical triumph.” When I found out that Dial M for Murder was first a play, I got curious about other horror and thriller films that were first written for the stage. Here are the best horror movies based on plays.

Three people in an interior setting; a woman looks up with concern, while two men, both in suits, engage with serious expressions.

Dial M for Murder (1954) The New York Times review claimed Dial M for Murder was a “technical triumph.” And it makes sense, only two years previously the BBC staged the story for television. Hitchcock had a starting point to work from.

Man in vintage attire walks through overgrown path towards an old, misty mansion. The scene is atmospheric with dense foliage.

The Woman in Black (2012) A rare pure horror play that was turned into a movie in 2012. The cinematic version stars Daniel Radcliffe and was produced by Hammer Film Productions (among others). It was based on a novel written by Susan Hill, first published in 1983. The book was also adapted into a stageplay and ended up being the second longest running West End show with over 13,000 performances.

A woman in a pink sweater holds a lit match in a dark room, looking intently. The flame casts a soft glow on her focused expression.

Wait Until Dark (1967) The stageplay for Wait Until Dark was written by Frederick Knott in 1966. It tells the story of a blind woman who endures a home invasion. It was turned into a film the following year starring Audrey Hepburn and Alan Arkin.

A man and a woman look at themselves in a mirror.

Gaslight (1944) The play Gaslight premiered in 1938, it was written by Patrick Hamilton. The movie was released six years later and stars Ingrid Berman and Charles Boyer. Both works tell the story of a woman who is driven to insanity because her husband manipulates and devices her. The play (and film) popularized the term “to gaslight.”

Pale man holds a straight razor with a contemplative expression, while a woman closely observes. Dim lighting and dark, gothic setting.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) One of the most iconic horror musicals of all time, Sweeney Todd famously originated as a musical for the stage. The musical premiered in 1979 and was written by Stephen Sondheim, with a book by Hugh Wheeler. It was adapted from Christopher Bond’s 1973 play. In 2007, Tim Burton’s cinematic version starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter was released.

Two people are indoors, one embracing the other from behind. Warm lighting creates a cozy atmosphere. Both appear contemplative.

Deathtrap (1982) First a play from 1978, Deathtrap was originally written by Ira Levin (who also wrote the novels Rosemary’s Baby and The Stepford Wives.) It premiered at the Music Box Theatre in New York City and was nominated for four Tony awards. The film was released four years later. The film is famous for fantastic performances by Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve.

Three men in suits converse tensely in a dimly lit room with a cityscape backdrop. One holds a rope; another appears angry.

Rope (1948) Rope was first written for the stage by Patrick Hamilton in 1929. It tells the story of two Oxford students who aim to commit the perfect murder. It premiered at the Strand Theatre in London. Alfred Hitchcock later turned it into a movie that was released in 1948, the film adaptation stars James Stewart and John Dall.

Recently someone told me that their art and the stories they tell with it don’t change from project to project, but the medium tends to. That’s stuck with me.