Myths, monsters, and the supernatural. These subjects have intrigued us for years and in doing so have spawned many films and TV shows. From the classic Twilight Zone to today’s Trese, the uncanny continues to be part of these forms of media, evolving with the times, and continuously telling tales that give the viewers frights and awe.
On this list, we’ve rounded up some of the series and shows that feature mythical creatures, monsters, ghosts, gods, aliens, and other otherworldly beings.
Series
1. Trese
Trese follows Alexandra, whose lineage has destined her to keep the peace between humans and the creatures of Filipino folklore that are secretly living in the city. The show features well-known local creatures such as the aswang, tikbalang, nuno, and santelmo to name a few.
Watch it here.
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2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Chosen by fate to become a Slayer, Buffy Summers is gifted with superhuman powers that allow her to fight off vampires, demons, trolls, and other forces that threaten humanity. While doing her job of saving the world, Buffy also has to face the common problems faced by girls her age.
3. Supernatural
Supernatural follows the many adventures of the Winchester brothers Sam and Dean who are searching for their missing father. To do so, they must follow their father’s footsteps as a hunter of ghosts, monsters, spirits, and other supernatural beings.
4. The X-Files
Combining sci-fi and the supernatural, The X-Files follows FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, who are assigned in a small department called the X-Files, where they investigate unsolved cases. What they would soon discover is that most of these cases involve mutants, monsters, and extraterrestrial beings.
5. The Twilight Zone
One of the earliest and most successful shows to feature supernatural stories, The Twilight Zone is an anthology series much like today’s Black Mirror. While telling stories about the mysterious and the macabre, the series is also known for adding social commentaries to its episodes.
6. American Horror Story
This longtime running TV show follows a different horror story in each season. With nine seasons already, the series has explored some of the most popular horror tropes, including a haunted house, an insane asylum, a freak show circus, a spooky hotel, a crazy cult, and a summer camp with a killer on the loose.
Watch it here.
7. American Gods
Based on Neil Gaiman’s novel of the same name, American Gods follows Shadow Moon whose wife died in a car accident just a few days before he got released from prison. He is soon hired by the mysterious Mr. Wednesday, an Old God who is trying to reclaim the Old Gods’ place in a world where the New Gods such as Technology and Media, are taking over.
Movies
8. The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings remains one of the most acclaimed high fantasy film franchises to date. Based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, the first film begins with the hobbit Frodo Baggins, who inherits a ring that holds immense power. To stop the Dark Lord Sauron from taking the ring, Frodo and his companions must journey to Mount Doom– the only place where the ring can be destroyed.
Watch it here.
9. Pan’s Labyrinth
From director Guillermo del Toro, Pan’s Labyrinth imbues a war film with terrifying dark fantasy. It tells the story of the ten-year-old girl Ofelia who follows the instructions of a mythical faun to save her ailing and pregnant mother.
10. Dayo
Before Trese, local folkloric creatures such as the tikbalang, unano, and tiyanak were first animated in Dayo. The film centered on the young boy Bubuy whose grandparents were abducted and sent to the magical world of Elementalia. Joined by a manananggal and a tikbalang, the young boy goes on an exciting adventure to save his grandparents.
11. Percy Jackson
If you love Greek Mythology, the Percy Jackson films are worth checking out. Based on the books by Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson puts a modern spin on Greek Gods and myths. The film begins with Percy, the demigod son of Poseidon who was accused of stealing the Master Bolt of Zeus. To prove his innocence, Percy must find the Master Bolt and its real thief before war erupts between the Greek Gods.
Watch it here.
12. Onward
This animated adventure film from Disney stars the voices of Chris Pratt and Tom Holland as the elf brothers Ian and Barley. Set in a world where mythical creatures live in a modern society like ours, the film follows the two brothers in their magical quest to bring back their dead father and spend one more day with him.
Watch it here.
13. Princess Mononoke
This film from Hayao Miyazaki is set in a world where the peace between humans, animals, and gods is beginning to fall apart. It follows the young Ashitaka who was smitten by a raging animal’s curse and is seeking a cure from the deer-like god Shishigami. He then finds himself at the center of a conflict between humans and the wolf god Moro, who is accompanied by the human Princess Mononoke.
Watch it here.
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