Date night doesn’t have to mean predictable romcoms with your favorite person. Sometimes love can be unexpected, strange, or even scary at times. Within this article, I have gathered six romance horror films that redefine love in a genre that doesn’t often lean into themes of love. Horror takes a unique approach to romance that other genres can’t quite match. From killer dolls to zombie boyfriends, these six movies explore various subgenres to fully immerse you in a world of horror, romance, and much more. 

If you’re looking for a good gateway into the horror genre, Warm Bodies (2013) is a unique approach to one of the most popular horror tropes of all time: zombies. It explores forbidden romance, loneliness, and a sense of belonging. In this film, a plague has taken over the world and left the population split between zombies and humans. A living woman, Julie (Teresa Palmer), is being attacked by a zombie when another member of the undead rescues her. The zombie, R (Nicholas Hoult), and Julie form an unlikely relationship after he saves her from the other zombies. The pair begins to explore a connection after he saves her from this near-death experience, and a relationship begins forming between the forbidden pair. They realize quickly that R is becoming increasingly more human. Could this relationship change the trajectory for the rest of the world? If you’re looking for a heartwarming, comedic film, then Warm Bodies is a perfect pick. 

Bones and All is a more intense, raw approach to horror romance. Set in the 1980s, Taylor Russell and Timothee Chalamet play a pair of young cannibals who develop feelings for one another during a 3,000-mile journey across the United States. Lee (Chalamet) and Maren (Russell) appreciate one another for their shared hunger, bonding over the quirks that isolate them from the rest of the world. Unlike typical romance movies, opposites do not attract in this film as they did in Warm Bodies. This story focuses on acceptance for one another, exploring themes of deep connection and longing. The couple in this film attempts to escape their dark pasts, focusing on their connection with one another to keep them distracted from their former lives. Bones and All is not a conventional pick for a date night movie, but it explores a very raw and true romance. Even with the premise of the movie being so taboo, you find yourself overlooking their shared peculiarities to focus solely on the unexpected relationship blossoming on your screen. 

Lovers of gothic romance will find themselves in awe over Bram Stoker’s Dracula. This 1992 adaptation of Dracula’s story has been praised over the years for its immaculate costumes, makeup, and overall look. Bram Stoker’s Dracula is the blueprint for modern movies that explore vampiric romance and gothic imagery. It is a staple for lovers of the Gothic era. In this film, Count Dracula (Gary Oldman) finds himself infatuated with Mina (Winona Ryder), the young wife of a lawyer seeking land, when he realizes that she is the spitting image of his late wife. With only Mina on his mind, the Count imprisons her husband and travels to London to track her down. Dracula’s infatuation with Mina is insatiable, forbidden, and fueled with lust. He stops at nothing to ensure a future with the woman he barely knows. As his actions become more drastic, a professor (Anthony Hopkins) who has a deep connection with Vampirism is sent to end Dracula’s reign of terror. This classic movie is a feast for the eyes for both you and your partner this Valentine’s Day. 

The most recent movie on the list is 2025’s Together. Body horror is a subgenre of horror that focuses on unnatural body imagery that may make you flinch or hide your eyes. For me, this subgenre has always been a very powerful way to tell stories. In Together, the actors who play the couple (Alison Brie and Dave Franco) are also a couple in real life. Their acting within this film is immaculate, as you can sense the relationship they have offscreen. In this film, a couple moves to the countryside to explore a new life together. Tensions in their relationship are already high when they realize they have encountered an unnatural force that is changing them. The change? It’s physical. With their love being corrupted by outward forces, they must now deal with the strange force causing them to become one. Sometimes love can be monstrous, challenging, and hard to watch. 

Little Shop of Horrors is a camp classic known for blending its comedic and heartwarming music with the overarching story of a flesh-eating plant from outer space. Based on the 1982 musical, this film follows Seymour (Rick Moranis), a flower shop assistant, who discovers a strange plant during an eclipse. The plant requires more upkeep than water and sun, needing human flesh and blood to stay alive. He uses this monstrous plant as an attraction for the once-struggling flower shop. As Seymour’s consequences become greater, he finds himself struggling as he tries to impress the woman he loves, Audrey (Ellen Greene). This 1980’s cult classic is definitely the most light-hearted on the list. It blends neon colors, catchy music, and a wild premise into a very authentic love story between two outlandish characters. Little Shop of Horrors will remain one of Broadway’s most iconic love stories. 

Lastly, we have one of the most iconic horror couples of all time. Chucky and Tiffany have remained one of the most recognized couples in the genre since the release of Bride of Chucky in 1998. Jennifer Tilly, the actress behind Tiffany, can effortlessly keep up with quick and snappy humor that Chucky (Brad Dourif) is known for in his other films. Chucky, a serial killer trapped in a doll’s body, needs love too. After being separated by the police, Tiffany, the ex-girlfriend, finds Chucky and resurrects him from the dead. Following an argument, Chucky kills Tiffany and transfers her soul into a female doll. On the hunt for an amulet that can restore them both to their original form, the killer duo hitches a ride to New Jersey in hopes of returning to their bodies. The relationship between Chucky and Tiffany is over-the-top, campy, and wild, but it is authentic and relatable. These two are icons within the genre for their shared chaos that results in lots of laughs, lots of slaying, and twisted romance that cannot be denied. This dysfunctional pair will leave you laughing all night. 

Valentine’s Day often celebrates the easy, predictable, and picture-perfect couples throughout the endless selection of boring romcoms. These six films remind you that there is more out there than Pretty Woman and The Notebook. While my choices may be unconventional for some, it is a reminder that all love does not look the same. Whether it is a zombie discovering his humanity through the power of love, or a couple of killer dolls navigating their whacky relationship, it is important to remember love means something different to everyone. So, I hope you have found at least one film to watch on the 14th. Love can be heartwarming, but it is also terrifying!