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The Boogeyman

The Boogeyman

It's not real. It's not real. It's not real.

202398 minPG-13Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
Director
Rob Savage
Starring
Sophie Thatcher, Vivien Lyra Blair, Chris Messina, David Dastmalchian

Still reeling from the tragic death of their mother, a teenage girl and her younger sister find themselves plagued by a sadistic presence in their house and struggle to get their grieving father to pay attention before it’s too late.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Boogeyman?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Boogeyman streaming on Disney+ and Netflix and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Boogeyman?

The Boogeyman earns 5 badges, led by Heavy for a PG-13-rated film and Bittersweet.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is The Boogeyman worth watching?

The Boogeyman's Midcredits score is the 36th percentile of all films, from 271K ratings across 6 sources. 37% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

36th percentile

Better received than 36% of films

79th percentile among Horror38th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)40th
Approval (how many liked it)33rd

59 /100

40th percentile of all films

83rd percentile among Horror42nd percentile among 2020s

Critics 55 · Audience 59

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.0 — solid but not unanimous.

37% liked it

33rd percentile of all films

75th percentile among Horror35th percentile among 2020s
37% rated it 7–1063% rated it 1–6

Critics 60% · Audience 65%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 3 noms overall

90th percentile

271K ratings across platforms

90th percentile among Horror91st percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 41% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$35M
Opening weekend$12M
Domestic gross$43M
Worldwide gross$67M

Returned 1.9× its budget — 91st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors agree the film is a conventional, familiar horror movie that relies on jump scares and a monster-in-the-dark premise.

Fans praised

  • Creepy atmosphere and constant dread
  • Strong lead performances, especially Sophie Thatcher
  • Effective jump scares and tense set pieces

Detractors panned

  • Predictable, derivative, and cliché-ridden plot
  • Illogical character behavior, especially refusing to turn on lights

What stands out

Acting72

Sophie Thatcher and Vivien Lyra Blair praised; Chris Messina serviceable but underused

AtmosphereDivisive70

Oppressive, creepy mood well-maintained throughout

CinematographyDivisive65

Skilled use of darkness and shadow; effective framing

TensionDivisive60

Effective in sequences but undermined by over-reliance on jump scares

PacingDivisive45

Slow first half, picks up in third act but has momentum issues

CharactersDivisive40

Likeable sisters but underdeveloped father and paper-thin supporting roles

Plot and storyDivisive30

Generic and predictable story with no surprises

Originality20

Derivative of Lights Out, Smile, Babadook; nothing new

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 4 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is The Boogeyman like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseBittersweet
Heaviest: middle
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Bleak · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its supernatural threat and the family's grief with earnest gravity, maintaining a consistently dark and tense atmosphere.
The rideThe film sustains a pervasive sense of dread and tension, with the heaviest emotional weight concentrated in the middle act when the creature's threat escalates and the family's trauma is most exposed.
StructureThe story unfolds linearly from the creature's arrival through the escalating attacks to the final confrontation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe family's survival and tentative therapy session are undercut by a final hint that the creature is not defeated, leaving a lingering unease.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe Harper family, still grieving their mother's death, is targeted by a predatory supernatural entity that feeds on fear and grief, forcing Sadie to confront the monster to save her family.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfGriefSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% (this title) · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

Grief · 6% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how the Harper family processes the sudden death of their mother, with the Boogeyman serving as a physical manifestation of unresolved grief and fear.
StanceThe film asks whether grief can be externalized and fought, and whether confronting the monster is the same as confronting loss, without offering a definitive answer.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Patrick Jonsson
SettingA contemporary American suburban home where the Harper family lives, with the central events occurring in the basement and bedrooms.
MusicJonsson's score uses tense strings and unsettling drones to reinforce the film's atmosphere of dread.

Content guide

Is The Boogeyman okay for kids?

PG-13

The Boogeyman is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for terror, violent content, teen drug use and some strong language” (MPAA). As of August 19, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at minimal (8/100), language at moderate (49/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (41/100) and frightening material at severe (83/100). Overall it is heavier than 96% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 35 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland15A
  • New ZealandM
  • JapanPG12
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil16
  • Argentina+16
  • Austria16
  • Belgium16
  • BGD
  • Czechia15+
  • FinlandK-16
  • Hungary16
  • Israel14
  • LTN-16
  • LU16
  • LV16+
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/16
  • PRPG-13
  • RO18
  • SingaporeNC16
  • SK15
  • Spain16
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
  • Taiwan15+
  • TH13
  • Türkiye18+
  • VIPG-13
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 66% of all filmsHeavier than 96% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 89%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 7%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 67%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 83%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 97%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material and violence.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Boogeyman have?

MovieCove's classifier found 4 depicted content warnings in The Boogeyman: Gun violence (mild), plus 3 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. 1 more is mentioned only, in dialogue or backstory: Death of a parent. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

MildGun violence
MentionedDeath of a parent

Mentioned: referenced in dialogue or backstory, not shown in the story’s present.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Boogeyman?

Cast

Sophie Thatcher
as Sadie Harper
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Vivien Lyra Blair
as Sawyer Harper
Chris Messina
as Will Harper
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
David Dastmalchian
as Lester Billings
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Marin Ireland
as Rita Billings
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Madison Hu
as Bethany
Maddie Nichols
as Natalie
Leeann Ross
as Cassidy
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Shauna Rappold
as Cara Harper (Mom)
LisaGay Hamilton
as Dr. Weller
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Boogeyman?

Movies like The Boogeyman include The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016), Do Not Enter (2026) and Lights Out (2016). Of the 12 closest matches, most are supernatural horror films, and several are stories about siblings.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its world: medicine. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Boogeyman?

2.1K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: creature feature. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.