Moviefone logo
Trending
'Zootopia 2' Teaser Trailer
'Superman' Trailer
'Ironheart' Trailer
'Peacemaker' Season 2 Teaser Trailer
Prime Video
MurderbotMurderbot
Babygirl - Harris Dickinson Clip
Babygirl
The Friend - Bill Murray Exclusive Interview
The Friend
The Studio Season 1 - Seth Rogen in the New Episode Clip
The Studio
Zootopia 2 - Nick Wilde, Judy Hopps, and Gary
Zootopia 2
Lilo & Stitch - Noisy Moviegoer Clip
Lilo & Stitch
The Bear Season 4 - First Official Poster
The Bear
Fountain of Youth - Teaser Clip
Fountain of Youth
Materialists - Dakota Johnson Character Poster
Materialists
Wednesday Season 2 - Teaser Trailer
Wednesday
Materialists - Pedro Pascal Character Poster
Materialists
A Minecraft Movie - Danielle Brooks Exclusive Interview
A Minecraft Movie
Alien: Earth Season 1 - First Look at Timothy Olyphant as Kirsh
Alien: Earth
Cleaner - Daisy Ridley Exclusive Interview
Cleaner
The Buccaneers Season 2 - Official Poster
The Buccaneers
Thunderbolts* - Premiere Clip
Thunderbolts*
Splitsville - Adria Arjona, Alexander Skarsgård & Dakota Johnson at Cannes Film Festival World Premiere
Splitsville
  1. News

14 Scary Movies That Are (Surprisingly) Not R-Rated

Moviefone
February 22, 2018 - 1 min read

Some horror fans believe that the only films worth watching are those that are rated R. But sometimes horror movies manage to get away with a surprising amount of gore and terror despite being rated a measly PG or PG-13. Here are 14 movies that are more adults-only than you'd expect.

'Jaws' (1975)

"Jaws" is rated PG, which nowadays seems wholly inappropriate given all the gory death scenes, including Quint's bloody demise and the shark's explosive fatality. It caused an entire generation of moviegoers to fear the ocean, and it's a major reason why the MPAA went to work on a PG-13 rating that wouldn't be formalized until the '80s. 

'Poltergeist' (1982)

"Tobe Hooper were able to charm their way into a much more family-friendly PG rating. 

'The Gate' (1987)

"The Monster Squad." But some of the scenes in this film are so grisly and disgusting, that we really don't know what audience the producers were trying to target.

'Tremors' (1990)

"Tremors" is the epitome of "good, dumb fun." Maybe that's why it managed to squeak by with a PG-13 rating, despite some pretty grisly scenes of monster-on-human carnage.

'Fire in the Sky' (1993)

"Fire in the Sky" claims to be based on a real-life case of alien abduction. Whether you choose to believe that or not, there's definitely an unsettling quality to the film's graphic and realistic depiction of said abduction. We're surprised that sequence alone didn't net the film an R rating.

'The Sixth Sense' (1999)

An R rating no doubt would have cut into the box office draw for this massively popular supernatiral drama. But it's hard to argue that "The Sixth Sense" didn't deserve an R, what with all the terrifying jump scares and that infamous closet scene threatening to scar younger viewers for life.

'The Ring' (2002)

We have to assume that the original "Ringu" would have received an R rating if it had been released theatrically in the US. Its English-language remake managed to squeak by with a PG-13, despite some pretty dark themes and a grisly depiction of a drowned ghost claiming vengeance on anyone stupid enough to watch her videotape. 

'The Grudge' (2004)

Like "The Grudge" certainly has creep factor to spare.

'1408' (2007)

One of the better and more underrated John Cusack. And given the depths the room goes to carry out its mission, we're surprised "1408" didn't get slapped with an R rating.

'Drag Me to Hell' (2009)

"Sam Raimi, with all the campy horror and excessive gore that comes with it. There was a time where this movie would have been for audiences 17 and older, but the absence of strong R-rated language and nudity helped the film score a more audience-friendly rating. 

'The Last Exorcism' (2010)

How did this contemporary exorcism film squeak by with a PG-13? If anything, the found footage format only makes this one seem all the more authentic and unsettling.

'Insidious' (2011)

We're still surprised that neither "Insidious" nor its two sequels are rated R. Granted, these horror movies are more about creating dread and psychological tension, but we have to imagine a whole host of younger viewers were permanently scarred by this unsettling franchise.

'The Woman in Black' (2012)

"Daniel Radcliffe had grown up and moved on. 

'World War Z' (2013)

You don't make a blockbuster summer movie starring World War Z." Still, with all the epic zombie carnage on display in this film, maybe PG-13 was underselling things a bit.

jaws
Moviefone
Article by Moviefone
Moviefone Writers

Related News

Watch the Marvel Movies in Story Order
Watch the Marvel Movies in Story Order
Every Eli Roth Movie, Ranked
Every Eli Roth Movie, Ranked
Every 'Alien' Movie, Ranked
Every 'Alien' Movie, Ranked
Glen Powell the Top Choice for a ‘Backdraft’ Remake
Glen Powell the Top Choice for a ‘Backdraft’ Remake
Every 'Planet of the Apes' Movie, Ranked
Every 'Planet of the Apes' Movie, Ranked
Every Jack Ryan Movie, Ranked
Every Jack Ryan Movie, Ranked

More News on Moviefone

Jude Law and Andrew Garfield to Play Siegfried and Roy
Jude Law and Andrew Garfield to Play Siegfried and Roy
Movie Review: ‘Fear Street: Prom Queen’
Movie Review: ‘Fear Street: Prom Queen’
Best Tom Cruise Movies
Best Tom Cruise Movies
TV Review: ‘Poker Face’ Season 2
TV Review: ‘Poker Face’ Season 2
TV Review: ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2
TV Review: ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2
Ryan Kiera Armstrong s New ‘Buffy’ Series
Ryan Kiera Armstrong s New ‘Buffy’ Series
David Leitch to Direct ‘Gears of War’ Movie
David Leitch to Direct ‘Gears of War’ Movie
TV Review: 'Murderbot'
TV Review: 'Murderbot'
'Karate Kid: Legends': Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio and Ben Wang
'Karate Kid: Legends': Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio and Ben Wang
Best Stephen King Movie Adaptations
Best Stephen King Movie Adaptations
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Delayed to December 2026
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Delayed to December 2026
Joey King in Talks for ‘Practical Magic 2’
Joey King in Talks for ‘Practical Magic 2’
Moviefone Mobile App

Movie and TV Reviews

Nine Perfect Strangers poster
Nine Perfect Strangers
Season 2
TV Show Review
65
Fear Street: Prom Queen poster
Fear Street: Prom Queen
Movie Review
55
Duster poster
Duster
Season 1
TV Show Review
70

Top Movies

Mickey 17 poster
Mickey 17
He's dying to save mankind.
69
Fountain of Youth poster
Fountain of Youth
The best secrets are the hardest to find.
65
Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One poster
Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One
We all share the same fate.
75

Top Series

The Last of Us poster
The Last of Us
Every path has a price.
86
Rick and Morty poster
Rick and Morty
Science makes sense, family doesn't.
87
Sirens poster
Sirens
Not all songs are sweet.
68

Follow Moviefone

RSS

Latest Trailers

'Materialists' Trailer 31:07'Materialists' Trailer 3
'Chief of War' Teaser Trailer1:08'Chief of War' Teaser Trailer
'Daniela Forever' Trailer2:25'Daniela Forever' Trailer
'The Buccaneers' Season 2 Trailer2:05'The Buccaneers' Season 2 Trailer
'Grenfell: Uncovered' Trailer2:17'Grenfell: Uncovered' Trailer
'Caught Stealing' Trailer2:31'Caught Stealing' Trailer
Moviefone logo

our Newsletter

Movies by Keyword
TV Show Clips
Apple TV+
Cinemark Theatres
Made In Hollywood Teen
Documentary Movies
TV GenresCrime TV Shows
Marvel Cinematic Universe
Brie Larson
We Live in Time
RSS
Copyright © 2025 Moviefone Media LLC
Asset 1 This product uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDb.