Top 10 Saddest Deaths In Horror Movies

When it comes to horror movies, the excitement, fear, and suspense usually take center stage. As you sit on the edge of your seat, heart pounding, you never quite know who will survive to see the end credits and who will not. But amid all the jump scares and terrifying moments, there are certain scenes that pull at your heartstrings, the ones that stay with you long after the movie ends: the saddest deaths. You know the ones - where characters you've grown attached to, characters you've laughed with, screamed for, or perhaps even identified with, meet their untimely demise.

In this universe of fear and dread, it's hard to rank the saddest deaths. It's more than just a roll call of victims; it's a tribute to the storytelling power of horror movies, where life, death, and the emotional rollercoaster they bring are part and parcel of the chilling narratives.

So, who made you pause, take a deep breath, and perhaps let a tear slip down your cheek? Which horror movie deaths touched your heart, or shocked you to your core, making you wish that the character had somehow, someway, escaped their grisly fate?
The Top Ten
1 Carrie (Sissy Spacek) - Carrie In the 1976 film "Carrie", the eponymous character, portrayed by Sissy Spacek, experiences a horrifying and tragic death. After enduring extreme bullying, her telekinetic powers culminate in a violent and bloody rampage at the senior prom, only to be later killed by her own mother in their home.

I hate bullies! Not to mention, everyone laughed at her when she won Senior Prom Queen after she was covered in red paint or blood! Poor Carrie! I would beat up those stupid bullies for pushing Carrie too far! I would be her friend if I had to! Bullies are nothing but jerks and snobs who have no respect for introverts like me and Carrie!

Carrie isn't evil. She's just angry because she came into contact with the wrong people. If only someone had been nice to her.

I'm an introverted girl who was picked on a lot during my high school days. Carrie needed someone to support her.

2 Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) - Alien 3 In "Alien 3," Sigourney Weaver's character, Ellen Ripley, sacrifices herself to prevent the alien Queen from wreaking havoc. This selfless act marks the end of Ripley, a character who'd become synonymous with courage and resilience, leaving audiences in deep mourning.

I adore the Alien franchise. Ellen Ripley is definitely one of the greatest characters ever. Her "final" in Alien 3 was predictable, but they made it look sad and very touching.

3 Helen Shivers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) - I Know What You Did Last Summer Sarah Michelle Gellar’s character, Helen Shivers, in "I Know What You Did Last Summer," is an iconic horror movie victim. Despite a valiant run for survival, she ultimately falls prey to the hook-wielding Fisherman after being cornered in an alley, a sad end to the beauty queen.

Definitely the greatest character in this film. I hate this film because the best (most interesting) characters were killed and the two most annoying ones survived. Anyway, Sarah shines in this film.

She was just an innocent girl who was scared. Her death was so sad.

4 Mama (Cordy Clark) - The Hills Have Eyes (1977) In the 1977 version of "The Hills Have Eyes," Cordy Clark's character, Mama, is one of the unfortunate victims of the savage mutant family in the Nevada desert. Her untimely death is a shocking reminder of the harsh realities of the brutal post-apocalyptic world.

I always loved and respected old grannies and can't stand when anybody disses them. Not to mention kills them.

She should have lived!

5 Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) - Scream Casey Becker, played by Drew Barrymore in the horror classic "Scream", is one of the most shocking deaths in horror movie history. Despite being heavily featured in the film's promotional material, she is brutally murdered in the opening scene, setting the tone for the chilling series.

She fought so hard to survive. It was so sad to see her die, and shocking too as she was the best-known actress of the movie.

She only had like 10 minutes of screen time, but I loved her so much.

6 Gage Creed (Miko Hughes) - Pet Sematary Miko Hughes' character, Gage Creed, in "Pet Sematary", is a particularly heartbreaking death. The young, cheerful boy's untimely demise by a speeding truck, and his subsequent disturbing resurrection, delivers a powerful emotional punch to the audience.

Both the first and second deaths of Gage were so sad! I bawled the night I watched the movie (which happened to be yesterday), especially his second death when he then becomes dead forever! Such an innocent cute little boy wasted! SO SAD!

Louis's young son Gage is tragically run over by a truck on the same road during a picnic and is killed. The scene where the truck comes at Gage always shocked me as a youngster.

I nearly cried watching this part. The little shoe bouncing across the road, the dad's reaction, the flashback memories. It was so sad!

7 Newt (Danielle Edmond) - Alien 3 The death of Newt, played by Danielle Edmond, in "Alien 3" was a shocking twist for many viewers. Despite surviving the horrors of the previous film, her death during cryosleep in between the films was a brutal reminder of the relentless terror of the Alien universe.

Danielle didn't even act. She played a corpse, but we all were shocked because we loved Newt (played by the sweet Carrie Henn) in Aliens.

8 Elizabeth Driscoll (Brooke Adams) - Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) Brooke Adams' character in "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1978), Elizabeth Driscoll, experiences a chilling transformation rather than a traditional death. She succumbs to the alien pod people, her humanity lost, leaving a haunting image that stays with viewers long after the movie ends.

Well, it was more like a "transformation into evil," but I loved this character so much. It was sad when she died as a good woman.

9 George Denbrough (Tony Dakota) - It Tony Dakota, in his role as George Denbrough in "It", portrays the heartrending loss of childhood innocence. The opening sequence where George chases his paper boat into a sewer drain and encounters Pennywise, the Dancing Clown, is a deeply haunting portrayal of a young life cut short.

It was so sad and violent, especially in the 2017 remake.

10 Eddie Kaspbrak (James Ransone) - It: Chapter 2 In "It: Chapter 2", James Ransone portrays Eddie Kaspbrak, a character whose death deeply affects viewers. After battling his fears and finally standing up to Pennywise, Eddie dies a hero, leaving his childhood friends - and the audience - grieving for him.

It's so sad. Eddie didn't deserve to die. Richie was devastated.

The Contenders
11 Brenda (Susan Lanier) - The Hills Have Eyes (1977) In the 1977 film "The Hills Have Eyes," Brenda, portrayed by Susan Lanier, is subjected to a horrific ordeal at the hands of the film's savage mutants. Her tragic demise is as disturbing as it is sorrowful, showcasing the film's unflinching approach to horror.

She was beautiful. She had a horrible ending.

Did she really die?

12 Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) - The Fly "The Fly" features Jeff Goldblum as Seth Brundle, whose death stands as one of the most heart-wrenching in the horror genre. Transformed into a grotesque hybrid of man and insect, his mercy killing by the woman he loves makes his death profoundly tragic.

Whether it's sadness or pity, this is the only death on the list that had me feeling anything at all.

Great movie and emotional at the end that leaves you sweating.
Incredibly sad how Veronica didn't want to kill Seth.

The most tragic scene in cinema. Hands down. The music, Brundlefly's obvious pain...it's such a tearjerker.

13 Sam the Dog - I Am Legend In "I Am Legend", the German Shepherd, Sam, isn't just a dog - he's Robert Neville's only companion in a post-apocalyptic world. Sam's death after protecting Neville from infected creatures marks a significant point in the film, leaving audiences deeply moved.

The thought of having to kill your own dog would be terrible.

The thought of having to kill your own dog is depressing.

14 Rebecca (Alison Brie) - Scream 4 Alison Brie’s character Rebecca in "Scream 4" experiences a sad and unexpected death. After being stalked in a parking garage, she is thrown from a high window by Ghostface, her demise reminding audiences that no one is safe in the world of "Scream".
15 Mitch Roussel (Moses Jacob Storm) - Unfriended In "Unfriended," Moses Jacob Storm portrays Mitch Roussel, whose tragic death is broadcast online for all to see. Haunted by a cyber-ghost, his demise is as unexpected as it is shocking, a poignant commentary on the dangers of the digital age.

It was very sad to see Mitch die because of Blair's sad crying and, plus, the sadder music Laura's playing in the background.

16 Vincent Grey (Donnie Wahlberg) - The Sixth Sense In "The Sixth Sense," Donnie Wahlberg’s character, Vincent Grey, is a disturbed former patient of Dr. Malcolm Crowe. His death, by suicide after shooting Dr. Crowe, is a somber note that sets the tone for the rest of the film's exploration of the afterlife and unresolved issues.

I actually felt really bad for him. He was dealing with a lot and he didn't get the help he needed. Plus, similar to Cole Sear, he was tormented by ghosts. It drove him mad, and he not only killed his psychologist but also took his own life.

17 Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy) - Scream 2 Randy Meeks, played by Jamie Kennedy in "Scream 2," is the horror movie connoisseur who tragically falls victim to the Ghostface Killer. His death during the middle of the film was unexpected and mourned by fans, a reminder that even the genre-savvy aren't safe.

The saddest deaths in the Scream movies are:
Scream: Tatum,
Scream 2: Randy and Cici,
Scream 3: Cotton,
Scream 4: Kirby.

He deserved the luxury that Dewey, Gale, and Sidney get! We need a comedy character that isn't awful!

18 Carly (Emmanuelle Chriqui) - Wrong Turn Emmanuelle Chriqui’s character, Carly, in "Wrong Turn," meets an unfortunate end at the hands of the cannibalistic mountain men. The brutal death of this strong character adds a horrifying twist to the plot, reinforcing the relentless terror of the film.

She was my favorite character, but I realized that she must have died.

19 Alice Hardy (Friday the 13th 2) In "Friday the 13th Part 2", Alice Hardy, the survivor of the first film, meets a tragic end. Her unexpected death at the hands of Jason Voorhees in the film's opening shocks viewers, reminding them that even final girls are not safe from the grasp of horror.

Who wouldn't be saddened to see a final girl in a Luke Skywalker cosplay die?

20 Marge (Martha Swatek) - Jaws 2 Martha Swatek’s character, Marge, in "Jaws 2," faces a terrifying death when she is attacked by the shark while trying to save a fellow teenager. Her heroic sacrifice adds a gut-wrenching layer to the continuous threat posed by the shark throughout the film.

This actually traumatized me as a child, especially since she died saving Shaun.

21 Su-yeon (Geun-young Moon) - A Tale of Two Sisters In the Korean horror film "A Tale of Two Sisters," the character Su-yeon, portrayed by Geun-young Moon, is revealed to have died tragically years prior to the events of the film. This poignant revelation and the realization of her sister's guilt makes Su-yeon's death deeply affecting.

In my opinion, this film was the saddest and most beautiful horror film I've ever seen. The script is complicated, so you have to watch it many times. Maybe the first part wasn't rousing you enough, but when it gets to the end of the film, after you finally realize Su-yeon has died many years ago, the closet scene made me frustrated. It even made me burst into tears. If someone thinks horror films are nonsense, I think just let them watch "A Tale of Two Sisters".

Well... after watching this, I have cried. In my opinion, this film was so gorgeous and brilliant, a unique and beautiful story. At the end of the film, there's such a big revelation that it even made me cry (although I don't like to cry). My rating will be 10/10, I think it totally deserves it.

At the end of the film, it even makes you more depressed because of the soundtrack. You can't hold back tears at that moment. The more you appreciate the movie, the sadder you become.

22 Samara Morgan (Daveigh Chase) - The Ring In "The Ring," Samara Morgan, played by Daveigh Chase, is a disturbing and sympathetic character. Despite being the villain, her backstory of abuse and her tragic death in a well create an air of sadness that overshadows her terrifying nature.
23 Charlie Graham (Milly Shapiro) - Hereditary Milly Shapiro’s character, Charlie Graham, in "Hereditary," faces an unexpected and shocking death early on in the film. The suddenness and the horrifying aftermath of her demise sets the grim tone for the rest of the movie, showcasing the relentlessness of the film's horror.
24 Marty Mikalski (Fran Kranz) - Cabin In the Woods In "Cabin In the Woods," Marty Mikalski, portrayed by Fran Kranz, is the comic relief turned tragic hero. His demise near the film's conclusion, after he's revealed as the film's final hope for survival, is as heartbreaking as it is surprising.

Marty was my favorite character in a movie of all time. He was funny throughout the whole movie, and it was just sad how he died at the end.

Marty was funny and awesome throughout the whole movie. It was just sad how he died at the end.

25 Wade Dalton (Jared Padalecki) - House of Wax Jared Padalecki’s character, Wade Dalton, in "House of Wax," is one of the first to die in a gruesome manner. His shocking death at the hands of the villain not only raises the stakes but also emphasizes the harsh reality of their dire situation.

Pretty good movie, but he was a really good character and the movie would be a lot better if he lasted a little longer. Good movie anyways.

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