If you loved
Orphan
Jaume Collet-Serra · Film · 2009
If Orphan captivated you, it is because you crave stories where deceptive appearances mask terrifying domestic secrets and unraveling sanity.
Books on the same thread
The Girl on the Train
Paula Hawkins · Book · 2015
Shares a thread with Orphan: Gaslighting.
Like the gaslighting found in Orphan, this story forces you to question every perspective through an unreliable narrator who leaves you doubting the reality of the domestic situation.
Verity
Colleen Hoover · Book · 2021
Shares a thread with Orphan: gaslighting.
If you enjoyed the chilling atmosphere of Orphan, you will be drawn to this narrative, which centers on dark family secrets and the unsettling manipulation of a deceptive household.
The Haunting of Hill House
Shirley Jackson · Book · 1987
Shares 3 threads with Orphan: gaslighting, Gothic Horror, Psychological Horror.
Much like the psychological dread present in Orphan, this classic explores the fragility of the human mind and the uncanny nature of a home that hides dangerous, hidden truths.
Verity
Colleen Hoover · Book · 2018
Explores: Unreliable narrator, Obsession, Dark family secrets.
This story mirrors the obsession and dark secrets seen in Orphan, pulling you into a tense environment where you cannot trust the intentions of the people behind closed doors.
Series on the same thread
The Promised Neverland
Series · 2019
Explores: Orphanage, Child Protagonists, Hidden Truth.
The childhood innocence subverted in Orphan finds a terrifying parallel here, as you discover that the safe, comfortable environment of the orphanage hides a much darker, existential reality.
Servant
Tony Basgallop · Series · 2019
Shares a thread with Orphan: Gaslighting.
This series captures the same grief-stricken domestic tension as Orphan, where a tragic loss creates a fractured home environment perfect for a mysterious and unsettling force to take hold.
Small Sacrifices
Series · 1989
Explores: Infanticide, Postpartum Mental Health, Maternal Filicide.
Those who appreciated the maternal trauma and disturbing behavior in Orphan will find this true crime drama equally haunting, as it explores the collapse of a family unit.
Monster
Series · 2004
Explores: Moral Dilemma, Existentialism, Nature vs. Nurture.
If the sociopathic nature of Esther in Orphan fascinated you, this story offers a similar deep dive into the psychological consequences of encountering a truly manipulative and dangerous mind.
Podcasts on the same thread
Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén
Spotify Studios · Podcast · 2026
Explores: dark human nature, criminal psychology, public fascination.
This podcast mirrors the dark human nature depicted in Orphan, inviting you to explore the same criminal psychology and obsession that made you stare at the screen in disbelief.
Crime Junkie
Audiochuck · Podcast · 2026
Explores: justice seeking, obsession, societal impact.
Much like the gripping mystery of Orphan, this show fuels your need to uncover the truth behind unsettling events, keeping you focused on the dark secrets people hide.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Orphan based on a true story?
The 2009 movie Orphan is a fictional psychological thriller directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. It follows a married couple who adopt a nine-year-old girl named Esther after suffering the loss of their own baby, leading to a series of unsettling events that reveal she is not as innocent as she seems.
What is the premise of the movie Orphan?
In Orphan, a grieving married couple decides to adopt a nine-year-old girl named Esther to help them cope with the loss of their baby. However, the family soon discovers that Esther is hiding a dark secret and is not the innocent child she initially appears to be.
Who directed the 2009 film Orphan?
The movie Orphan was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. The plot centers on a couple who adopt a nine-year-old girl named Esther after the loss of their baby, only to find that she is not the innocent child they expected to bring into their home.
How old is Esther in the movie Orphan?
In the 2009 film Orphan, the character Esther is introduced as a nine-year-old girl. She is adopted by a married couple after they experience the loss of their baby, but her behavior quickly suggests that she is not as innocent as she appears to be.