When we think of horror as a genre, a specific and vivid image springs to mind: washed-out colors, dark shadows, an ominous soundtrack, and a monster lurking just behind an unsuspecting victim, ready to strike and claim their first victim.
However, horror can be just as versatile as every other genre, and quite a few movies can include a heartfelt relationship that tugs on all of our romance-loving heartstrings. From slasher films to horror comedies and monster movies, there’s an unlimited amount of great dynamics to choose from but below we list ten couples that we feel are exemplary of relationships in the horror genre.
Ed & Lorraine Warren (The Conjuring)
At the heart of The Conjuring universe is the beautiful relationship between Ed and Lorraine Warren, based upon the infamous real-life couple. Throughout the films, they’re shown to have a beautiful marriage that is born out of mutual understanding.
Ed and Lorraine have a tender relationship, full of mutual respect and admiration. Ed is a loving and protective husband, while Lorraine is a loyal and caring wife. It seems that they provide each other a sense of security amidst all the horror they’ve dealt with — and it’s their bond that comforts viewers, too.
Gale Weathers & Dewey Riley (Scream Series)
Gale and Dewey’s relationship was four films of push and pull, will-they-or-won’t-they, and despite numerous problems over the years between them (including a rocky marriage in Scream 4), Gale and Dewey remained a force of nature together as they faced serial killer after serial killer.
For us, Gale and Dewey remain relationship goals because, in spite of their vastly different personalities and all their arguments, they would both die and live for each other — which speaks volumes of the trust and feelings they have for the other.
Rick & Evelyn O’Connell (The Mummy)
If we said Rick and Evelyn didn’t raise the bar for all future cinematic relationships, we’d be lying. Released in 1999, the Mummy was technically a remake of the 1932 film but the similarities end there. At the heart of the action-adventure horror film is the blossoming romance between Rick and Evelyn.
Their relationship is built on an equal partnership (a running pattern in the horror genre it seems) and sweet respect for each other. Though they initially get off on the wrong foot, by the end of the film there is an unshakeable bond between them that continues throughout the series — in the Mummy Returns, despite having been married for several years, they’re still as sweet on each other as they were after their first adventure.
Evelyn & Lee (A Quiet Place)
Played by real-life couple Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, Evelyn and Lee face an endless amount of struggle and adversity in A Quiet Place. Hunted by monsters attracted by sound, Evelyn and Led must use their ingenuity to protect their children and themselves, while trying to lead a semi-normal life.
Although Evelyn and Lee spend most of the movie apart, their trust and sheer love for each other shines when they do share a scene, such as the quietly emotional scene where they dance together in a basement. Their relationship stands out because even in the face of unspeakable tragedy, their relationship remains unbreakable.
Lena & Kane (Annihilation)
2018’s Annihilation is a haunting study into human nature, and more specifically, humans’ tendency to self-sabotage and lead their way to their own destruction. So it should be little surprise that at the heart of the movie is a rocky marriage between Lena and her ill husband, Kane.
Although Lena and Kane’s marriage definitely isn’t a relationship we want to aspire to, the marriage beforehand was a beautiful and loving one — and it takes a certain brand of dedication to someone to walk into the unknown, and that’s exactly what Lena does in order to save Kane.
Fred Jones & Daphne Blake (Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island)
Arguably the most unexpected entry of this list, but Zombie Island is considered a comedy-horror, so we’d be remiss to exclude a couple as iconic as Daphne and Fred.
Zombie Island is a unique film in the sense that it gave us a grown-up Mystery Incorporated, as well as that the monsters were, in fact, the real deal. Though Daphne and Fred’s relationship isn’t at the heart of the film, their partnership carried over from their mystery-solving days to Daphne’s career as a TV host. It’s their dedication to each other and a willingness to follow the other throughout different paths of life that makes them such an iconic relationship to aspire to.
Raleigh Becket & Mako Mori (Pacific Rim)
While Pacific Rim doesn’t make Mako and Raleigh’s relationship explicitly romantic, it’s obvious the two are crushing on each other hard — we dare you to find a scene where Raleigh doesn’t look like the human equivalent of the heart-eyes emoji when Mako is in the same room.
Mako and Raleigh’s dynamic is perfectly balanced, thanks in part to the fact that they’re drift compatible — together they can pilot a Jaeger and share each other’s memory. They understand each other in a way few others ever could, and the respect they have for each other is one of the most memorable things of this monster-flick, and precisely why they make this list.
Sidney Prescott & Mark Kincaid (Scream 3)
In Scream 3, Sidney has shut herself off from the world and is living in a heavily secured house while working over the phone as a counselor under a fake name, but it doesn’t last long when another Ghostface shows up.
Sidney journeys to Hollywood to inform the police she’s also been targeted by the killer, and Detective Mark Kincaid makes it his mission to keep Sidney safe. The film never develops the relationship into a romantic one, but Kincaid is invited to Sidney’s home with Gale and Dewey at the film’s ending. Sidney and Kincaid prove to be a respectful and genuinely charming dynamic, a definite goal for blossoming relationships.
Morticia & Gomez Addams (The Addams Family)
Arguably the happiest couple in pop culture history, for decades Morticia and Gomez have charmed the hearts of fans everywhere with their marriage.
Despite several different iterations over the years, one thing has remained the same in The Addams Family: the love between Morticia and Gomez. Gomez’s sweet dedication to his wife and Morticia’s fondness for her husband make them one of the most romantic relationships in history.
Ellen Ripley & Dwayne Hicks (Aliens)
There’s a shortage of explicit romance in the first two films in the Alien franchise, but regardless, we’re counting Ripley and Hicks among our list due to how well they work together.
Throughout Aliens, Ripley and Hicks play off each other well, and both share the traits of being pragmatic and being level-headed. They watch each other’s backs and protect the other when they need to — romantic or not, they make for perfect partners.
