Every Hayden Panettiere Horror Movie Ranked From Worst to Best

In the wake of actor Hayden Panettiere’s death at 36, many fans are likely to return to the performances that defined her career across film and television. Viewers who know her best from hit shows such as “Nashville” and “Heroes” may soon discover that Panettiere also built a notable, if uneven, résumé in horror. Across her career, she appeared in at least four genre films, and like many horror lineups, the results range dramatically in quality.

Die-hard fans may feel compelled to seek out every one of Hayden Panettiere’s horror movies. But for anyone hoping to focus on the strongest entries first, it helps to know what each title brings to the table. With that in mind, we reviewed Panettiere’s four horror outings and ranked them from worst to best, using Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer scores as the primary guide.

Hayden Panettiere’s final film, “Sleepwalker,” sadly does not stand among her most acclaimed work. Brandon Auman’s 2026 horror movie holds a weak 14% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it an easy pass for viewers who would rather remember Panettiere through her stronger performances. For those still interested, Looper’s sister site /Film has a guide explaining how to watch “Sleepwalker.”

That low score is unfortunate, because “Sleepwalker” has the bones of an unsettling psychological horror story. Panettiere plays Sarah Pangborn, an artist devastated by the death of her daughter in a car crash that also leaves her troubled husband in a coma. As Sarah begins sleepwalking, the nightmarish visions she experiences may not be confined to her dreams after all.

Panettiere, who faced her own share of painful life experiences, said she was drawn to the role because of the emotional weight Sarah carries. “I’m really drawn to characters that have been through trauma,” she told Moviefone. “It’s something that I relate to.”

A loose remake of Wes Craven’s 2006 horror film “The Breed,” Griff and Nathan Furst’s “A Breed Apart” takes a more comedic approach than the other Hayden Panettiere horror titles. The setup has real B-movie appeal: a group of clout-chasing influencers travels to a remote island in pursuit of online attention, only to discover the location is crawling with vicious, flesh-eating dogs.

The idea of mismatched outsiders trapped in an isolated place with something deadly is a reliable horror formula. Even so, “A Breed Apart” fails to rise above the pack, earning just an 18% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes. Panettiere fans may also be disappointed to learn that her part in the film is relatively limited.

Still, when Panettiere does appear, she makes the most of it. She plays Hayden Hurst, a bold action star who throws herself into several lively battles with the killer dogs and seems to understand exactly what kind of movie she is in. Panettiere later told Far Out Magazine that the role was a joy to play. “I loved that character. [She’s] a character that I don’t think people have ever really seen me play,” she said. “I’d love to do more action films in the future. I love that combination of physicality and acting.”

The “Scream” franchise was always a touch meta, but “Scream 4” got an extra scoop. Standing at a solid 61% on Rotten Tomatoes, the Wes Craven-directer 2011 film brings habitual Ghostface survivor Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) back to Woodsboro for a promo tour of her book about trauma. Of course, the newest incarnation of the Ghostface killer is waiting in the shadows to provide plenty more for her therapist to unpack. If she survives. 

As old hands Sidney, Gale Weathers-Riley (Courteney Cox), and Dewey Riley (David Arquette) get drawn back into the latest series of murders, a new generation of youngsters is stalked by the slayer. Hayden Panettiere’s Kirby Reed is an integral part of this crowd as the horror-obsessed best friend of Sidney’s cousin Jill Roberts (Emma Roberts). Despite initial appearances, Kirby ends up being far more resilient than she seems, and lives on to fight another day in one more installment of the franchise.

During pre-production, “Scream VI” producer Kevin Williamson originally couldn’t find Hayden Panettiere to cast her for a reprisal of her role as Kirby Reed. It’s a good thing that he did, though, because Panettiere is great in her return to the screen franchise. The “Scream” film responds to her efforts in kind, giving Panettiere her far and away best-rated horror movie.

With a 77% Tomatometer rating on Rotten Tomatoes, all bets are off in “Scream VI.” It’s a great horror flick that’s just as subversive as any of the franchise’s finest films, and it uses the previous installment’s gimmick of combining franchise veterans with newcomers like Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera — both on their second outing here — to great effect. 

As for Panettiere’s Kirby Reed, she’s now a law enforcement agent. Her role is far from a brief blink-and-you-miss-it cameo, too. She plays a pivotal role in revealing the identity of a Ghostface killer, and gets a wonderful punch-the-air moment at the film’s climax. “Scream VI” combines a great Hayden Panettiere performance in a great Hayden Panettiere horror film, and as a result, it’s a must-watch for fans of the star’s horror career.