10 Horror Movies That Deserved To Become Cult Classics (But Didn’t)

James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Suicide Squad) has landed himself one of the current key roles in Hollywood, having been handpicked by Warner Bros. to steer the ship in the next phase of their DC Universe. But it was with his debut feature film Slither (2006) - an ode to B-movie monster and sci-fi horror features - that Gunn first made his name as a director. At the time of its release, Slither didn’t exactly break any box office records, and it would have hoped that a cult run on home entertainment would have balanced the books.

However, the film soon faded into obscurity, and looking back knowing we what we do now about its writer and director, it is surprising that Slither isn’t remembered more fondly for being the grotesquely over-the-top, fun horror-comedy that it is. The story is a simple yet effect premise that we’ve seen a dozen times before, but, in Gunn’s hands, the homage, which blends practical effects with decent enough CGI for the time, is a uniquely intriguing offering.

Slither provided us with a cast which included Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games) and a thoroughly gross performance from Michael Rooker (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer), who steals the show and undergoes an unforgettably hideous transformation. The movie holds up as being highly rewatchable, and a fast-paced, fun example of modern schlock horror all done rather well.