10 of the Scariest Doubles You Never Want to Meet
Posted on October 1, 2025
by Sam P
Throughout history, there has been a variation on the duplicate, body double, double-walker, spirit double, whatever one may call it. While positive examples of this may exist, most stories I’ve seen don’t have happy endings — or, at the very least, intend to make one think about identity and what makes us, us. If you’re looking for some thoughtful if frightening tales, these will make you work for it.
we used to live here by Marcus Kliewer
Originally a story posted to r/NoSleep, Eve and Charlie purchase an older house in hopes to revitalize it's character. But it's not a haunted house and when previous tenants who allegedly used to live there ask to come in, they don't exactly leave. The less you know going in, the better.
us
By now, the themes explored in Us have been extrapolated on across the world. Since it's such a solid movie with deep worldbuilding and outstanding performances, it will keep making lists such as this.
the dark half by Stephen King
A few King books deal with doubles, but this one is the highest recommended by his frequent readers. Thad Beaumont stages a funeral for his pseudonym George Stark. It should be easy burying someone with no body because they're not real... until the physical manifestation of George Stark, who is super not dead, wreaks havoc on Thad's life.
the night house
After Beth loses her husband Owen to suicide, she wanders life in a haze. When she finds odd photographs in Owen's belongings and, most importantly, a reversed copy of their house in the woods nearby, the story only gets more twisted.
the book of accidents by Chuck Wendig
Equal parts fear and fantasy (not the kind with dragons, but still cool), The Book of Accidents' summary is sparse and all the better for it. Things that happened long ago are happening all over again for the Graves family.
the machinist
Screened in film courses throughout the country, The Machinist has developed a cult status. Chistian Bale's committed performance takes unreliability to the extreme where the titular machinist struggles after not sleeping for an entire year.
annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
A journalistic account of a group of scientists delving into a location only known as an Area X, All previous groups fell apart for various, unfortunate reasons and the next expedition isn't any easier. With propulsive action and mind-bending.
severance
There's work you and there's outside you. Your outie has chosen to be severed. Your innie does not believe it. They do not communicate. Your outie is uncomfortable when you come across severance protests. Your outie thinks their work at Lumon is important. Your outie loves this show. Your innie loves this show.
dark matter by Blake Crouch
Jason was, once, a quantum mechanics physicist. He has a wife and a son. Another Jason was also a quantum mechanics physicist. He did not have a wife and son. Another Jason, one of the many bent on killing the other Jasons, probably doesn't love living in Chicago. When quantum physics goes wrong, it goes wrong.
the thing
This beloved remake of The Thing from Another World stands far above it's namesake in terms of cult popularity. A John Carpenter classic, the titular thing copies the physical attributes of a person as well as their mannerisms and personality to make a convincing duplicate.
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