5 Gothic Romance Films & Shows You NEED to Watch

(originally written on cafecrashdown)

Welcome to Cafe Crashdown, your home for everything from classic horror to mysterious, beautiful stories that linger in the shadows. I’m Kayla, your guide through all things spooky and romantic, and today we’re diving into a genre that’s making a huge comeback: gothic romance.

With the upcoming Nosferatu (2024) and this fall’s highly anticipated Frankenstein, it’s clear that the allure of tragic love, obsession, and supernatural beauty is alive and thriving. From timeless vampire tales to stories of forbidden romance, gothic romance captures the beauty and heartbreak of love in its darkest forms.

So, if you love love stories that are dark, intense, and steeped in mystery, here are five must-watch gothic romance films and shows that will transport you into a world of haunted passion and timeless obsession.

1) Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) – Love as an Endless Elegy

Some love stories burn bright and fade fast. Others stretch across centuries like a song that never ends.

Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive is a slow, meditative exploration of time, love, and immortality. It follows two centuries-old vampires, Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton), whose love transcends time yet is tinged with melancholy. Adam, a disillusioned musician, contemplates the bleak state of humanity, while Eve finds solace in life’s beauty through art and history.

The gothic romance here is not about bloodlust—it’s about the struggle of eternal life and the unshakable bond between two immortal souls. The film’s crumbling settings and desaturated lighting create a visual mood that perfectly reflects the characters’ timeless longing. If you crave gothic romance with a contemplative edge, this one is essential viewing.

2) Penny Dreadful – Where Horror and Romance Collide

Some of the most famous gothic tales ever written come to life in this dark and passionate series.

Penny Dreadful is a masterpiece of gothic horror and romance, blending characters like Dracula, Frankenstein, and Dorian Gray into one deliciously dark narrative. At the heart of the show is Vanessa Ives (Eva Green), a powerful medium haunted by supernatural forces. Her passionate yet doomed romance with Ethan Chandler (Josh Hartnett) explores love in its most tortured forms.

But it doesn’t stop there. From Frankenstein’s tragic obsession with his creation to Dorian Gray’s seductive immortality, the series dives into love as both salvation and destruction. The fog-shrouded streets of Victorian London and decaying mansions set the perfect tone for this atmospheric, tragic tale of obsession and desire.

3) Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) – Love That Defies Death

Love never dies—or so Dracula would have us believe.

Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a visually stunning, erotically charged retelling of the classic vampire tale. Gary Oldman’s Dracula is a tragic lover driven by an obsessive desire to be reunited with Mina Harker (Winona Ryder), who resembles his lost love from centuries past.

The film’s lush, baroque visuals and gothic atmosphere create a tale of love that is both beautiful and destructive. Dracula’s duality as a dangerous predator and tragic romantic hero elevates the story into something unforgettable. If you’re drawn to tales of eternal, obsessive love, this film is the ultimate gothic romance.

4) A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) – A Modern Gothic Romance

Not all gothic romances unfold in crumbling Victorian mansions. Sometimes, they emerge under flickering streetlights.

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, directed by Ana Lily Amirpour, is a mesmerizing blend of gothic romance, horror, and western influences. Set in the fictional Iranian town of Bad City, it follows a lonely vampire (Sheila Vand) who preys on criminals by night and forms a strange connection with a man named Arash (Arash Marandi).

This film is defined by its stark minimalism and slow-burn exploration of loneliness and longing. The blossoming romance is quiet yet intense, capturing the essence of gothic romance in a modern setting. If you’re craving something haunting and intimate, this is a must-watch.

5) Rebecca (1940) – The Original Gothic Romance Thriller

Even after death, some love stories never fade.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca is a classic that defines gothic romance. The unnamed second Mrs. de Winter (Joan Fontaine) marries the wealthy Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier) and moves into his sprawling estate, Manderley. But she soon finds herself haunted by the memory of Maxim’s first wife, Rebecca, whose presence seems to linger in every shadow.

The film explores love’s dark side—obsession, jealousy, and the ghost of past relationships. Maxim’s love for Rebecca is all-consuming, leading to tragedy and heartbreak. With its chilling atmosphere and slow-burn mystery, Rebecca captures the beauty and madness of love that can’t be escaped.

There you have it—five gothic romance films and shows that will transport you into a world of love, death, and obsession.

Whether it’s tragic vampire lovers or haunted romances, these picks capture the dark beauty of the genre.

Do you have a favorite gothic romance we didn’t mention? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. And if you’re looking for more dark, mysterious stories, stay tuned for more recommendations from Cafe Crashdown. Until next time, stay spooky, my ghouls and gals!