🔗 Share this article

The biggest surprise the cinema world has experienced in 2025? The return of horror as a leading genre at the UK film market.

As a category, it has remarkably surpassed earlier periods with a 22% rise compared to last year for the UK and Irish box office: over £83 million this year, versus £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 box office editor.

The big hits of the year – a recent horror title (£11.4m), another hit film (£16.2 million), The Conjuring Last Rites (£14.98m) and the sequel to a classic (£15.54m) – have all stayed in the multiplexes and in the audience's minds.

Although much of the industry commentary focuses on the singular brilliance of renowned filmmakers, their triumphs indicate something evolving between viewers and the style.

“Viewers often remark, ‘This is a must-see regardless of your genre preferences,’” explains a film distribution executive.

“Such movies experiment with style and format to produce entirely fresh content, connecting with viewers on a new level.”

But outside of creative value, the ongoing appeal of horror movies this year indicates they are giving cinemagoers something that’s greatly desired: therapeutic relief.

“Right now, there’s a lot of anger, fear and division that’s being reflected in cinema,” says a genre expert.

“The genre masterfully exploits common anxieties, magnifying them so that everyday stresses fade beside the cinematic horror,” explains a prominent scholar of horror film history.

Against a real-world news cycle featuring conflict, immigration issues, political shifts, and climate concerns, witches, zombies and vengeful spirits strike a unique chord with viewers.

“Some research suggests vampire film popularity correlates with financial downturns,” comments an performer 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.

Scholars point to the rise of European artistic movements after the first world war and the turbulent times of the 1920s Europe, with movies such as classic silent horror and the iconic vampire tale.

Subsequently came the economic crisis of the 30s and classic monster movies.

“Take Dracula: it depicts an Eastern European figure invading Britain, spreading a metaphorical infection that endangers local protagonists,” says a historian.

“Therefore, it embodies concerns related to foreign influx.”

The specter of border issues inspired the newly launched supernatural tale The Severed Sun.

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

“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?’”

Perhaps, the current era of celebrated, politically engaged fright cinema commenced with a brilliant satire launched a year after a contentious political era.

It introduced a recent surge of innovative filmmakers, including various prominent figures.

“It was a hugely exciting time,” says a creator whose movie about a deadly unborn child was one of the time's landmark films.

“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.”

Simultaneously, there has been a reconsideration of the genre’s less celebrated output.

In recent months, a nicke l venue 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 renewed interest of this “rough and rowdy” genre is, according to the cinema founder, a clear response to the algorithmic content produced at the theaters.

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

“In contrast [these alternative films] are a bit broken. It’s like they’ve erupted out of someone’s subconscious and been planted out there without corporate interference.”

Scary movies continue to disrupt conventions.

“These movies uniquely blend vintage vibes with contemporary relevance,” observes an authority.

In addition to the return of the deranged genius archetype – with multiple versions of a literary masterpiece upcoming – he predicts we will see scary movies in the near future addressing our current anxieties: about tech supremacy in the years ahead and “supernatural elements in political spheres”.

At the same time, a biblical fright story a forthcoming title – which depicts the events of biblical parent hardships after Jesus’s birth, and stars celebrated stars as the divine couple – is set for release later this year, and will undoubtedly cause a stir through the Christian right in the US.</