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20 Movies About Female Murderers and Serial Killers

The entertainment industry and in particular the film industry usually releases different genres of movies that cater for different kinds of audiences. Therefore, people have a variety to choose from when they want to watch something as different films and movies are released frequently. When it comes to horror films and especially films that feature serial killers there is quite a variety.

Therefore, in this article, we are going to explore movies that feature female serial killers and murderers. The article will be a good read because when we think of serial killers, we automatically think of male killers and therefore, this piece will be a good chance for the reader to look at the true crime genre in a different light.

1 Monster

A poster of the movie Monster

The movie which was directed by Patty Jenkins was released in 2003. It is a biographical drama that is based on the notorious real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos.  The character of Aileen is played by Charlize Theron, a South African-born actress. The film follows Aileen who is a sex worker as she becomes friends with Selby Wall who is played by Christina Ricci, a woman that she met at a bar. Selby becomes her confidant and Aileen tells her that she killed one of her clients but claims that she did it in self-defence.

 However, Aillen does not stop on the one murderer as she goes on to kill six other men before she is apprehended. The film is captivating because it is based on a real-life serial killer and thus makes the crimes that are committed onscreen more chilling. The protagonist’s performance in the film was so exceptional that she won several awards an Academy Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and a Golden Globe Award for it.

2 The Honeymoon Killers

This movie is also based on the story of real-life serial killers who were popularly known as the Lonely Hearts Killers who were active in the 1940s. The duo killed close to 20 women by pretending to be brother and sister luring lonely women through magazine ads and then proceeded to kill them when they met them. The film which was directed by Leonard Kastlw is filmed in black and white which mimics the time that the serial killers were active.

3 Titane

The phenomenal film was written and directed by Julia Docarnau. The movie which was released in 2021 is considered to be one of the best horror movies that was released in 2021. The film which features Alexia, played by Agatha Rouselle tells the story of a girl who has a titanium plate in her skull after she was involved in an accident as a child. The movie follows her as she commits several murders while working as a showgirl and in order to hide from the authorities, she impersonates the son of Vincent who had gone missing for a decade. Titane is filled with horror that will keep horror movie enthusiasts squirming in their seats as they wait to see what is next.

4 Ma

The movie which was released in 2019 was written by Scott Landes and directed by Tate Taylor. The movie features Octavia Spencer who is the protagonist. It tells the story of a group of teens who want to have fun and, in the process, they meet an adult woman who agrees to buy alcohol for them and also offers them her house so that they can have a party. The lady warms them not to go to the basement and what they thought would be a fun weekend turns into a nightmare as they fight to stay alive and get out of that house. The critically acclaimed movie is one of a kind that has been well received by movie enthusiasts.

5 Criminally Insane

The movie which was released in 1975 is one of the gruesome movies that tells the story of a female serial killer. The film follows Priscilla Alden, a mentally disturbed woman who has just been released from a mental institution into the care of her grandmother. The film shows how Alden who is obese kills anyone who tries to give an opinion about her body and weight. She starts by killing her grandmother when she locks the refrigerator and cupboards in a bid to regulate what Alden eats. She proceeds to kill other people until a smell coming from the bedroom brings police officers to her door. They come to investigate and find out about her crimes and she is arrested and sent back to the mental institution.

6 The Vilianess

The movie which was directed by Jung Byung-gil is a South Korean film that tells the story of Sook-hee who is a trained assassin. The young lady has been an assassin since she was a child and she works for a secret organisation. The movie follows the protagonist as a mission she was in goes awry and she is captured. In order to secure her freedom, she must work as an undercover agent for the South Korean government.  The film which is filled with intense films follows the young woman as she adjusts to her bee life that is filled with violence and deception.

7 Orphan Franchise

The series of Orphan movies was first released in 2009 and it stars Esther Cileman an orphan girl who was sexually abused by her father. The movie shows how the girl killed her father and his girlfriend which led to her being arrested and sent to a mental institution. After being discharged,  she does not go back to living a normal life and instead, she embarks on a series of killings. The captivating movie has intense scenes that are amplified by good soundtracks and eerie settings that will keep the audience at the edge of their seats.

Check out this article on the 15 infamous women serial killers here

8 Serial Mom

The movie was released in 1984 and it stars Beverly Sutphin who plays the character of Catherine Turner, a housewife living in the suburbs. The protagonist seems to have a great life that is peaceful as she cares for her husband who is a dentist and her teenage kids. However, underneath the sweet mom and wife persona that she has on, Catherine is a serial killer who will kill people who have done something minor that will inconvenience her like taking her parking space and a boy standing her daughter up for a date. The movie keeps the audience glued to their screens as they wait to see what the woman who looks very innocent might do next.

9 Carrie

The 1976 film is based on a novel that was written by Stephen King with the same name. The movie features Carrie, a teenager who is bullied by classmates and she decides to take revenge on everyone who bullied her. The film shows how Carrie discovers that she has the power of telekinesis which makes her very destructive. As she goes on a murder rampage her classmates discover h[how dangerous she is. The performance of Sissy Spacek who played Carrie was phenomenal and even led to her being nominated for the Best Actress in the Academy Awards.

10 Under The Skin

Jonathan Glazer is the director of the movie “Under the Skin”. Scarlett Johansson plays an intriguing alien character who takes on the persona of a female human in the movie. She prowls the streets of Scotland, picking off unwary men and enticing them into a shadowy abyss where they meet their deaths. The alien becomes increasingly curious about human emotions and experiences as she completes her evil objective. Her purpose is called into question by this newfound insight, which also makes her feel sympathetically. She gradually develops a deeper sense of humanity, which causes a significant change in her. With its moody images and melancholy score, the movie uses its exploration of identity, loneliness, and the human condition to provide a chilling and thought-provoking viewing experience.

11 Friday the 13^th

The film is among the best slasher films that has ever been released and earned quite a large following. The movie was released in 1980 and it stars Mrs Voorhees played by Betsy Palmer. The story follows the woman who is grieving after her son Jason Voorhees drowned while at camp as she avenges the death of her son. The camp counsellor at the teenage camp starts turning up dead and the investigation reveals that Mrs. Voorhees is the one behind the murders. The movie is great because it is among the first films to feature a woman serial killer and thus entrance the audience as they are used to films portraying the killers as male.

12 Prevenge

The comedy slasher film was released in 2016 and it features Alice Rowe. She not only writes and directs the film, but she also stars in it which is quite phenomenal. She plays the character Ruth who is pregnant and alone after her husband died while climbing. The film follows ger her as she claims that the fetus is compelling her to seek revenge for her husband’s death by killing people that were present when he died. The film was well received by the audience and it led to Aluce winning the Monster Innovation Award in 2016.

Read this article on the 10 best french scary movies here

13 Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer

Aileen Wuornos was a notorious female serial murderer, and the 2003 documentary “Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer” gives a detailed look into her life and deeds. Aileen Wuornos herself, as well as people close to her, such as her lawyer and childhood acquaintances, are featured in the documentary directed by Nick Broomfield, which provides a distinct perspective.

The movie delves into the depths of Wuornos’ problematic life, including her tragic childhood, her experiences as a sex worker, and the circumstances that led to her committing a string of homicides. It looks at the possible psychological triggers for her behaviour and sheds light on her mental health and the demands she was under.

14 The Stylist

Released in 2020, the film features Claire a lonely hair stylist who is obsessed with her clients. The stylist obsesses over the lives of her clients and even wants to imitate them. The movie takes a dark turn when Claire’s mental health spirals and she goes on a murderous routine. The movie gives a deeper insight into how social anxieties and loneliness can have dangerous impacts on a person’s mental state.

15 American Mary

The Soska sisters from Canada are the filmmakers behind the horror movie “American Mary.” Mary Mason, a bright medical student who is having financial problems, is the protagonist of the story. After an accidental encounter with a strip club owner who requires her medical expertise, she is dragged into the realm of covert body alteration surgery.  Her recent success, nevertheless, also makes her vulnerable to warped cravings that are darker and more sinister. Mary’s transformation from a troubled student to an accomplished underground doctor takes a sinister turn as she enters a world of moral ambiguity, power, and retaliation.

16 High Tension

The film was released in 2003 and it follows two best friends, Alexia and Marie who decide to unwind by going on a weekend retreat in a remote farmhouse that belongs to Alexia’s parents. However, when they reach the house, they discover that a killer is loose on their property and has taken Alexia hostage. Marie must work to free her friend but what if Marie is the actual killer?

17 Baise-Moi

The film follows two people, Nadine who is a prostitute and Manu who is a porn star as they go on a murder rampage because of the discrimination they usually face because of their sexual history. The duo storm into a swinger’s nightclub and kill everyone but their spree does not make any change because, in the end, they do not feel any different.

Read this article about the 10 most famous movie villians here

18 Colombiana

The movie was released in 2011 and it tells the story of a girl who decides to avenge her parent’s deaths who were killed while she was young. Cataleha, a character played by Zoe Saldana goes after everyone that was involved in her parent’s death as she tries to ensure that she is not caught by law enforcement authorities in the process.

19 Dark Angel

The show is an adaptation of a book written by David Wilson and it tells the story of a woman who is said to have been Britain’s first woman serial killer Mary Ann Colton. The movie is based on a similar tale of an 1800s woman who left a path of death in the North East. For the insurance money, Mary would wed men and then poison them with arsenic. The character’s capacity to maintain the charade undetected is what makes her so terrifying. But as her fortune grows, her secret could come out.

20 Misery

The movie which is based on Stephen King’s novel was released in 1990 and directed by Rob Reiner. The movie stars Annie Wilkes who kidnaps Paul Sheldon and takes him to her house because she is obsessed with him. The story follows Sheldon as he tries to escape the dark prison that the crazy woman obsessed with him has put him in. The gripping thriller captivates the audience as they anticipate to see what the terrifying villain will do.

Check out this article on the 55 best movies about serial killers here