The 10 best John Carpenter movies

Ranked by weighted audience rating: among 23 movies with at least 50 votes on TMDb, the formula balances the score with the vote count, so a barely-rated title cannot leap past a classic. O Enigma de Outro Mundo leads, rated 8.1 (1982). The average release year on the list is 1986. The list is recalculated weekly; each title links to its full page, including where to watch in Brazil.

Page updated on 09/20/2026.

1

The Thing (1982)

directed by John Carpenter · 109 min · 8.1 8,226 votes
2

Halloween (1978)

directed by John Carpenter · 91 min · 7.6 6,329 votes
3

They Live (1988)

directed by John Carpenter · 93 min · 7.3 3,613 votes
4

Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)

directed by John Carpenter · 91 min · 7.3 1,252 votes
5

Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

directed by John Carpenter · 100 min · 7.2 3,484 votes
6

In the Mouth of Madness (1995)

directed by John Carpenter · 95 min · 7.2 1,987 votes
7

Escape from New York (1981)

directed by John Carpenter · 99 min · 7.0 3,631 votes
8

Christine (1983)

directed by John Carpenter · 110 min · 6.9 2,316 votes
9

Cigarette Burns (2005)

directed by John Carpenter · 59 min · 7.3 146 votes
10

Starman (1984)

directed by John Carpenter · 115 min · 6.9 1,047 votes