10 Movies and TV Shows Similar to Tremors (1990)

Description: Piranha shares Tremors' B-movie charm and creature feature premise, with deadly fish replacing worms. Both films were produced by low-budget masters (Roger Corman here, Stampede Entertainment for Tremors) and feature a mix of horror and dark comedy. The films similarly escalate their creature threats progressively.

Fact: This was Joe Dante's directorial debut before Gremlins. The film was rushed to capitalize on Jaws' success. A young James Cameron worked on the production design.

Description: Critters shares Tremors' blend of sci-fi and horror comedy, featuring small, vicious creatures terrorizing a rural community. Both films feature unlikely heroes rising to the occasion and share a similar tone that doesn't take its B-movie premise too seriously. The creature designs in both are memorable and inventive.

Fact: The first film launched a franchise with four sequels. A young Leonardo DiCaprio auditioned for a role in Critters The Critters' voices were provided by Corey Burton, who also voiced Dale in Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers.

Description: The Blob remake shares Tremors' structure of a small town battling a mysterious, ever-growing threat. Both films feature practical effects-heavy creatures and a group of protagonists trying to warn unbelieving authorities. The films balance gruesome deaths with moments of humor and feature inventive creature designs.

Fact: The film's gore effects were created by Tony Gardner, who later worked on Zombieland. Kevin Dillon's mullet hairstyle was his own idea for the character. The film's failure at the box office led to the cancellation of planned sequels.

Description: Arachnophobia shares Tremors' premise of an isolated community facing off against deadly creatures (spiders in this case). Both films balance genuine scares with humor, and feature ordinary people becoming unlikely heroes. The films also share a similar pacing, gradually building the threat before the explosive finale.

Fact: This was the first Hollywood film produced by Amblin Entertainment to receive a PG-13 rating. Real spiders were used alongside animatronics - the filmmakers bred 300 South American killer spiders for production. John Goodman's exterminator character was originally written as a much smaller role.

Description: Anaconda shares Tremors' adventure-horror blend and creature feature premise, swapping underground worms for a giant snake. Both films feature a diverse group trapped in an isolated location with a deadly predator. The films similarly mix genuine tension with moments of campy fun.

Fact: Jon Voight's over-the-top performance became iconic. The snake was a mix of animatronics and early CGI. Ice Cube's character was originally written as white but was changed when he was cast.

Description: Deep Rising shares Tremors' formula of a diverse group trapped with a mysterious, hungry creature. Both films feature a mix of action, horror and humor, with charismatic leads (Treat Williams here vs Kevin Bacon in Tremors). The creature effects in both are practical-heavy with CGI enhancement.

Fact: Director Stephen Sommers went on to make The Mummy reboot after this. The film was a box office disappointment but gained cult status. Famke Janssen's character was originally written as more of a damsel in distress before she pushed for changes.

Description: The Relic shares Tremors' structure of a scientific monster loose in a confined space (a museum here vs the desert in Tremors). Both feature practical creature effects and a mix of horror and action. The films similarly build tension through the creature's unseen movements before full reveals.

Fact: The creature design was based on insect and reptile physiology. Tom Sizemore and Linda Hunt reportedly didn't get along during filming. The film was based on a novel by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.

Description: Lake Placid mirrors Tremors' setup of rural locals and outsiders teaming up against a deadly creature (a giant crocodile here). Both films balance horror with dark comedy and feature memorable one-liners. The creature is kept mostly hidden until key moments, similar to Tremors' graboid reveal.

Fact: The film's humor was heavily improvised by the cast. Betty White's foul-mouthed character was written specifically for her. The crocodile was a combination of animatronics and CGI, with the practical effects done by the Stan Winston Studio.

Description: Like Tremors, Eight Legged Freaks is a creature feature that blends horror with comedy. Both films feature small-town settings under siege by monstrous creatures (giant spiders in this case), and they share a lighthearted, self-aware tone that doesn't take itself too seriously. The films also emphasize teamwork among the townspeople to survive the threat.

Fact: The film was originally titled 'Arac Attack' but was changed due to concerns about sensitivity after 9/1Director Ellory Elkayem made a short film called 'Larger Than Life' which served as inspiration for Eight Legged Freaks. The spiders' movements were created using a combination of CGI and practical effects.

Description: Slither shares Tremors' mix of horror and humor, along with its small-town setting threatened by grotesque creatures. Both films feature eccentric characters and a gradual reveal of the monster threat. James Gunn's script pays homage to 80s creature features like Tremors, blending gore with witty dialogue.

Fact: This was James Gunn's directorial debut before he moved on to Guardians of the Galaxy. Nathan Fillion's performance helped establish his cult following in genre films. The film uses practical effects alongside CGI, much like Tremors did with its graboids.