6 Best Possessed Doll and Puppet Horror Movies

By Vlad Zakh · June 7, 2026

A doll or puppet coming to murderous life is horror’s creepy standby. Child’s Play has a doll housing a serial killer’s soul, Dead Silence has a widower tracking a vengeful ventriloquist, and Puppetmaster has psychics stalked by a puppeteer’s living puppets. Dolls, Magic and The Devil-Doll round out the six.

Dead Silence (2007)

TMDB ★ 6.0

A widower returns to his hometown to investigate his wife's murder, which is linked to a vengeful ventriloquist's ghost.

Directed by James Wan · 1h 29m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Bloodstream · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Bloodstream · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Puppetmaster (1989)

TMDB ★ 6.0

A group of psychics investigating a mysterious death are stalked by a puppeteer's deadly living creations.

Directed by David Schmoeller · 1h 28m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Shudder Amazon Channel, Full Moon Amazon Channel, Shudder Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Child's Play (1988)

TMDB ★ 6.9

A single mother's gift of a seemingly ordinary doll turns out to house the soul of a serial killer.

Directed by Tom Holland · 1h 27m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Dolls (1987)

TMDB ★ 6.4

Stranded travellers take shelter in a mansion full of antique dolls with a murderous secret.

Directed by Stuart Gordon · 1h 17m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus · Rent or buy: Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Magic (1978)

TMDB ★ 6.6

A troubled ventriloquist's sinister dummy begins to take control of his fracturing sanity.

Directed by Richard Attenborough · 1h 47m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, Shudder, Night Flight Plus, Shudder Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Devil-Doll (1936)

TMDB ★ 6.8

An escaped convict uses a scientist's formula to shrink people into deadly living dolls for revenge.

Directed by Tod Browning · 1h 18m

Where to watch

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 Possessed Doll and Puppet Horror Movies

Dead Silence (2007)

Puppetmaster (1989)

Child's Play (1988)

Dolls (1987)

Magic (1978)

The Devil-Doll (1936)

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