6 Best Cult Leader Movies

By Vlad Zakh · May 16, 2026

A charismatic cult leader is a ready-made horror story, and these films show how people get drawn in. Midsommar sends a grieving woman to a Swedish festival that hides a pagan cult, The Master has a troubled war veteran falling under a spiritual leader’s spell, and The Sacrament has journalists uncovering a commune leader’s terrifying control. Faults, Martha Marcy May Marlene and Sound of My Voice complete the six.

Midsommar (2019)

IMDb ★ 7.1 RT 83% Metacritic 72

A grieving woman's trip to a Swedish festival reveals a cult's escalating rituals.

Directed by Ari Aster · 2h 27m · Rated R

27 wins & 74 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Faults (2014)

TMDB ★ 6.2

A disgraced cult deprogrammer is hired to save a young woman from a mysterious religious group.

Directed by Riley Stearns · 1h 30m

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Sacrament (2014)

TMDB ★ 5.7

Journalists visiting a remote commune uncover its charismatic leader's terrifying control over his followers.

Directed by Ti West · 1h 39m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Philo, Magnolia Selects Amazon Channel, Monsters and Nightmares Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Master (2012)

TMDB ★ 7.1

A troubled war veteran falls under the spell of a charismatic leader of a burgeoning spiritual movement.

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson · 2h 17m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)

TMDB ★ 6.5

A young woman struggles to readjust to normal life after escaping a manipulative rural cult.

Directed by Sean Durkin · 1h 41m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Sound of My Voice (2011)

TMDB ★ 6.4

A documentary filmmaker infiltrates a mysterious cult led by a woman claiming to be from the future.

Directed by Zal Batmanglij · 1h 25m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Cinemax Amazon Channel, Cinemax Apple TV channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Cult Leader Movies

Midsommar (2019)

Faults (2014)

The Sacrament (2014)

The Master (2012)

Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)

Sound of My Voice (2011)

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