{'It’s like they’ve erupted out of someone’s subconscious': how horror has come to dominate today's movie theaters.

The most significant shock the film industry has experienced in 2025? The resurgence of horror as a main player at the UK film market.

As a category, it has impressively exceeded past times with a 22% rise compared to last year for the UK and Ireland film earnings: over £83 million this year, against £68 million the previous year.

“Previously, zero horror films made £10 million in the UK or Ireland. Currently, five have surpassed that mark,” comments a cinema revenue expert.

The big hits of the year – Weapons (£11.4 million), Sinners (£16.2 million), the latest Conjuring installment (£14.98m) and 28 Years Later (£15.54m) – have all remained in the theaters and in the popular awareness.

Even though much of the expert analysis highlights the standout quality of prominent auteurs, their achievements point to something evolving between viewers and the style.

“Viewers often remark, ‘This is a must-see regardless of your genre preferences,’” states a head of acquisition.

“Films like these play with genre and structure to create something completely different, and that speaks to an audience in a different way.”

But outside of artistic merit, the consistent popularity of frightening features this year suggests they are giving moviegoers something that’s much needed: therapeutic relief.

“Currently, cinema mirrors the widespread anger, fear, and societal splits,” observes a horror podcast host.

“The genre masterfully exploits common anxieties, magnifying them so that everyday stresses fade beside the cinematic horror,” says a noted author of vampire and monster cinema.

In the context of a real-world news cycle featuring conflict, immigration issues, political shifts, and climate concerns, supernatural beings and undead creatures connect in new ways with viewers.

“Some research suggests vampire film popularity correlates with financial downturns,” states an star from a popular scary movie.

“It’s the idea that capitalism sucks the life out of people.”

From film's inception, societal turmoil has shaped horror.

Scholars point to the boom of German expressionism after the first world war and the chaotic atmosphere of the early Weimar Republic, with films such as early expressionist works and a pioneering fright film.

Later occurred the economic crisis of the 30s and iconic horror characters.

“Consider the Dracula narrative: an outsider from the east brings a corrupting influence that permeates society and challenges its heroes,” explains a academic.

“So it reflects a lot of anxieties around immigration.”

The boogeyman of migration inspired the newly launched supernatural tale The Severed Sun.

The creator clarifies: “I wanted to explore ideas around the rise of populism. Firstly, slogans like ‘Let’s Make Britain Great Again’, that harken back to some fantasy time when things were ‘better’, but only if you were a rich white man.”

“Secondly, the idea that you could be with someone you know and then suddenly they blurt out something round the dinner table or in a Facebook post and you’re like, ‘Where did that come from?’”

Maybe, the modern period of praised, culturally aware scary films commenced with a sharp parody released a year after a contentious political era.

It ushered in a recent surge of horror auteurs, including a range of talented artists.

“That period was incredibly stimulating,” comments a creator whose project about a deadly unborn child was one of the era’s tentpole movies.

“In my view, it marked the start of a phase where filmmakers embraced wildly creative horror with artistic ambitions.”

The same filmmaker, who is writing a new horror original, adds: “In the last ten years, public taste has evolved to welcome bolder horror concepts.”

Concurrently, there has been a revival of the overlooked scary films.

Earlier this year, a new cinema opened in London, showing cult classics such as The Greasy Strangler, a classic adaptation and the late-80s version of Dr Caligari.

The renewed interest of this “rough and rowdy” genre is, according to the cinema founder, a direct reaction to the algorithmic content pumped out at the theaters.

“It’s a reaction to the sanitised product that’s coming out of Hollywood. You have a film scene that’s more tepid and more predictable. A lot of the mainstream films are very similar,” he explains.

“Conversely, [such movies] appear raw. As if they emerged straight from the artist's mind, untouched by studio control.”

Scary movies continue to disrupt conventions.

“They have this strange ability to seem old fashioned and up to the minute, both at the same time,” observes an expert.

Alongside the re-emergence of the mad scientist trope – with several renditions of a classic novel on the horizon – he anticipates we will see horror films in 2026 and 2027 responding to our current anxieties: about tech supremacy in the near future and “vampires living in the Trump tower”.

At the same time, “Jesus horror” a forthcoming title – which narrates the tale of holy family challenges after the nativity, and includes celebrated stars as the holy parents – is planned for launch in the coming months, and will certainly send a ripple through the faith-based groups in the United States.</