Horror Movie Drinking Game

Pick a horror film and agree on the rules before you press play. Take a small sip whenever one of the clichés happens on screen. The list works with almost any scary film, from slashers to haunted houses.

One sip when …

• there’s a jump scare – even a fake one where it’s just a cat jumping out of a cupboard.
• the phone has no signal or the battery is dead.
• the car won’t start.
• the lights flicker or go out.
• the group splits up.
• someone calls into a dark room: “Hello? Is anyone there?”
• someone goes to check out a noise in the basement.
• a hand on someone’s shoulder turns out to be a friend’s.
• a doll or toy moves on its own.
• someone suddenly appears behind a character in the mirror.
• someone trips while running away.

Two sips when …

• a character ignores an obvious warning.
• an expert, priest or medium explains the evil.
• the police arrive too late or don’t believe anyone.
• someone researches in old books or newspaper archives.
• someone starts a Ouija board or a séance.

Finish your glass (or three sips) when …

• the villain everyone thought was dead gets back up.
• the film ends with a twist that resets everything.

Variations

• One cliché each: everyone gets two or three rules and only they drink for those.
• Bets: before the film, everyone guesses who dies first. Whoever is right hands out sips.
• Marathon: for a double feature, only use the one-sip rules.

Tips

Films packed with jump scares add up fast – drop the most frequent rules or play with soft drinks. Perfect for a Halloween party.