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The most significant surprise the cinema world has witnessed in 2025? The comeback of horror as a leading genre at the UK film market.

As a genre, it has impressively exceeded previous years with a 22% rise compared to last year for the British and Irish cinemas: over £83 million this year, against £68,612,395 in 2024.

“In the past year, not a single horror movie hit £10 million in UK or Irish theaters. Now, five have achieved that,” says a cinema revenue expert.

The big hits of the year – Weapons (£11.4m), another hit film (£16.2 million), the latest Conjuring installment (£14.98m) and the sequel to a classic (£15.54m) – have all stayed in the multiplexes and in the public consciousness.

While much of the professional discussion highlights the standout quality of prominent auteurs, their triumphs suggest something shifting between moviegoers and the style.

“Many have expressed, ‘You should watch this even if horror isn’t your thing,’” explains a film distribution executive.

“These productions twist traditional elements to craft unique experiences, resonating deeply with modern audiences.”

But outside of creative value, the ongoing appeal of spooky films this year indicates they are giving cinemagoers something that’s highly necessary: catharsis.

“Currently, cinema mirrors the widespread anger, fear, and societal splits,” says a genre expert.

“Scary movies excel at tapping into viewers' fears, amplifying them, allowing you to set aside daily worries and concentrate on the on-screen terror,” remarks a prominent scholar of vampire and monster cinema.

Against a global headlines featuring geopolitical strife, enforcement actions, extremist rises, and ecological disasters, ghosts, monsters, and mythical entities 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.”

Historically, public discord has always impacted scary movies.

Analysts reference the surge of German expressionism after the WWI and the turbulent times of the 1920s Europe, with features such as The Cabinet of Dr Caligari and a pioneering fright film.

Later occurred the Great Depression era and classic monster movies.

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

“Thus, it mirrors widespread fears about migration.”

The boogeyman of border issues shaped the just-premiered folk horror a recent film title.

The filmmaker elaborates: “I aimed to delve into populist rhetoric. Specifically, calls to restore a mythical past that favored a privileged few.”

“Also, the concept of familiar individuals revealing surprising prejudices in casual settings.”

Arguably, the current era of acclaimed, socially switched-on horror commenced with a brilliant satire debuted a year after a polarizing administration.

It ushered in a recent surge of innovative filmmakers, including several notable names.

“It was a hugely exciting time,” says a director whose project about a murderous foetus was one of the era’s tentpole movies.

“I believe it initiated a trend toward eccentric, high-concept horror that aimed for artistic recognition.”

The director, currently developing another scary story, continues: “During the past decade, viewers have become more receptive to such innovative approaches.”

Concurrently, there has been a reconsideration of the underrated horror works.

In recent months, a independent theater opened in a major city, showing cult classics such as The Greasy Strangler, The Fall of the House of Usher and the late-80s version of Dr Caligari.

The re-appreciation of this “raw and chaotic” genre is, according to the theater owner, a clear response to the algorithmic content churned out at the box office.

“It counters the polished content from big producers. The industry has become blander and more foreseeable. Numerous blockbusters share the same traits,” he says.

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

Scary movies continue to upset the establishment.

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

Alongside the re-emergence of the mad scientist trope – with two adaptations of a well-known story imminent – he anticipates we will see scary movies in 2026 and 2027 reacting to our modern concerns: about tech supremacy in the coming decades and “monstrous metaphors in power structures”.

In the interim, a biblical fright story a forthcoming title – which narrates the tale of Mary and Joseph’s struggles after the nativity, and features celebrated stars as the divine couple – is planned for launch later this year, and will undoubtedly cause a stir through the Christian right in the US.</