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Finding love might not be the first thing on a horror movie main character's mind, as they're fighting villains or figuring out a supernatural mystery. But even though scary films are focused on, well, the scares, there are several that feature interesting relationships.

Whether the protagonist has fallen in love at an inconvenient time (and they have to face a killer before they can commit to this person) or the film features a couple going through something tough, many horror films have compelling love stories.

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Scream 2 (1997)

Dewey Riley (David Arquette) and Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) in Scream 2

The Scream franchise may be all about final girl Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), but the movies have a sweet love story featuring Dewey Riley (David Arquette) and Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox). While Dewey and Gale meet cute in the original 1996 film and like each other, they see each other again in Scream 2, which is the movie when they officially begin their romance.

When Dewey is investigating the murder at Windsor College, Gale comes across him, and they start flirting and chatting, although they are both nervous to be around each other. The two survive Ghostface and start dating, getting engaged in Scream 3, showing that they have a sweet marriage in Scream 4, and ultimately divorcing before Scream (2022). In Scream 2, however, fans can see that the characters really love each other as Gale respects Dewey's job and Dewey knows Gale is actually nice.

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)

Ray (Freddie Prince Jr.) and Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) in I Know What You Did Last Summer

I Know What You Did Last Summer is a '90s horror movie that holds up, and it also has a sweet romance. Before Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and her friend group accidentally kill someone by running them over on graduation night (or so they think), Julie and Ray (Freddie Prince Jr.) are super in love. They're enjoying the summer before real life begins, thinking that they'll always be together.

As the movie continues, Julie stops talking to Ray along with her best friend Helen Shivers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), but Ray never stops loving Julie and she still cares about him, too. This love story is realistic, as the characters lose touch as Julie goes away to college and Ray works as a fisherman in their hometown. While most couples aren't dealing with the scary situation here, many couples struggle to date long-distance or when one of them changes as they get older.

The Strangers (2008)

James (Scott Speedman) and Kristen (Liv Tyler) crouching down in The Strangers

It's possible to think of The Strangers as the scariest 2000s movie. It also has a compelling love story that provides the backdrop for the terror that is happening.

After attending a wedding, Kristen McKay (Liv Tyler) and James Hoyt (Scott Speedman) know that their own relationship is over, and they're going to sleep in a cabin before going about the sad business of officially ending things. Before too long, a knock on the door reveals masked intruders, who torment and torture the couple. The movie may be genuinely horrifying to watch, as it doesn't seem like there's any hope of the pair getting out alive. But the story also focuses on how emotional it is when two people love each other but know that they can't stay together. The Strangers stays vague about what went wrong, which works well since it feels more relatable.

Happy Death Day (2017)

Carter (Israel Broussard) and Tree (Jessica Rothe) in Happy Death Day

The fun Blumhouse horror comedy Happy Death Day may focus on Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe), who finds herself in a time loop as she keeps reliving the same day over and over again and then getting murdered. Tree begins interacting with Carter Davis (Israel Broussard) because she keeps waking up in the bed in his dorm room. Before too long, Carter is on her side, wondering if she can solve her own murder.

Tree and Carter have clear chemistry throughout the movie, and in the end, they kiss and seem to have fallen in love. While some Blumhouse horror movies are overrated, Happy Death Day is super entertaining and it's moving watching Carter care so much about Tree and want to be there for her during this strange situation.

The Rental (2020)

The Rental Featured Image

Dave Franco's directorial debut The Rental is not only a great horror movie but there's a fascinating love story inside of it as well. Michelle (Alison Brie) and Charlie (Dan Stevens) are married, but things between them aren't perfect, as Charlie sleeps with Mina (Sheila Vand), his brother Josh's (Jeremy Allen White) girlfriend.

The main characters discover that there's a camera hidden in the bathroom and realize that they're being watched and the film has a particularly gruesome ending with an interesting twist. But before that point, Josh and Michelle can tell that something is up with their partners, and it's as much fun watching this drama unfold as it is seeing that someone is stalking and killing people who stay in vacation or weekend rentals.

NEXT: The 5 Most Unnecessary Blumhouse Sequels