20 films from the 2010s and 2020s that will surely become cult classics

M3GAN had future cult classic vibes from the jump. It’s too unsettling of a premise to be anything but. You’ll know that it’s hit cult classic status when you see one or two people dressed as M3GAN for Halloween each year. 

Cult classics typically have one of two starts: The few people who saw the film loved it or the millions of people who saw the film hated it. For Bottoms, the origin was the former. 

When Madame Web flopped, the natural conclusion was to give it 10 to 20 years for the dust to settle. Once people revisit the film, they’ll forget that the intention was for it to be taken seriously as a film, and they’ll view it as a campy superhero satire. 

Despite being an Oscar nominee and one of the most popular actors in Hollywood, Ryan Gosling has had multiple films that will likely become a cult classic, like The Nice Guys. Imagine a world in which Barbie had that same fate. 

Cocaine Bear’s destiny is to become a cult classic. No matter how well it’s done, any film about a bear that becomes even more lethal after ingesting massive amounts of coke only had one path forward. 

Say a prayer for the people who will one day deem Cats as an underrated gem. Those people are bound to exist, but they’ll need to be shown every other movie musical ever made so they understand why their opinion is wrong. 

Any horror-comedy film is automatically in contention for becoming a cult classic someday. Bodies Bodies Bodies was no different. Rachel Sennott and Pete Davidson need to make more future cult classics together. 

Any movie that the internet describes as “Thriller/Thriller” only has one trajectory: Becoming a cult classic. Luckily for Nic Cage, he’s used to his films ascending to that status. 

Given Mia Goth’s filmography, it’s no surprise that Pearl falls under the category of future cult classic. It’s quite possible that most of Goth’s films will be of that ilk when all is said and done. 

Like the other film on this list featuring Ayo Edebiri (Bottoms), Theater Camp was a film that wasn’t seen by many but was loved by all. It’s a genuinely funny film that will continue amusing theater kids for decades to come. 

The Forbidden Room is another film that was automatically eligible for cult classic status when it was named. The title is ridiculous, and any movie that’s labeled “experimental” in any way has a chance of garnering a niche group of fans decades later. 

This list could almost exclusively be made of Nic Cage films and no one would bat an eye. Cage really knows how to pick films that somehow always perfectly speak to his vibe, and Mandy was no exception. 

Sharknado might already be considered a cult classic. It’s still one of the zaniest movies to come out of the 2010s, and it had multiple sequels to contend with for the title. Which is great news for current and future fans of the film. 

Her still has a few years before it officially becomes a cult classic, but it’s well on its way. The general population still views the Oscar winner as a strange arthouse film, but it’s got a small group of genuine fans. It just needs some time so new generations can discover it. 

The only thing possibly stopping What We Do in the Shadows from becoming a cult classic is its spin-off series. Then again, that might help its case. At any rate, the movie is bound to continue gaining a small group of ardent fans. 

Who knows what possessed Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, Vanessa Hudgens, and Rachel Korine for agreeing to star in Spring Breakers? Nevertheless, the cult classic community thanks them for their contributions to film. 

It’s possible that Train to Busan was too genuinely good to become a cult classic, but it’s also possible that not enough people saw it for it to be considered a straight classic. Time will tell. 

Despite continuing to receive praise for the Digital Shorts they created for Saturday Night Live, The Lonely Island doesn’t get much credit for their contributions to film. Because of this lack of recognition, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is destined to become a cult classic, and Hot Rod already is. 

Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo have written two films together, and they’ve had vastly different outcomes. Bridesmaids received an Oscar nomination while Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is on its way to becoming a cult classic. 

Do Revenge is another film that screamed cult classic just from the title. Hopefully Netflix remains in perpetuity so this film isn’t lost. Small numbers of people in generations to come need to be able to see it.