🔗 Share this article

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

As a style, it has notably surpassed previous years with a annual growth of 22% for the UK and Ireland film earnings: 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,” notes a film industry analyst.

The top performers of the year – Weapons (£11.4 million), Sinners (£16.2m), The Conjuring Last Rites (£14.98 million) and the sequel to a classic (£15.54 million) – have all remained in the cinemas and in the audience's minds.

While much of the expert analysis focuses on the singular brilliance of prominent auteurs, their successes suggest something changing between moviegoers and the category.

“I’ve heard people say, ‘Even if you don’t like horror this is a film you need to see,’” explains a film distribution executive.

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

But apart from artistic merit, the ongoing appeal of horror movies this year suggests they are giving audiences something that’s much needed: therapeutic relief.

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

“Horror films are great at playing into people’s anxieties, while at the same time exaggerating them. So you forget about your day-to-day anxieties and focus on the monster on the screen,” explains a noted author of vampire and monster cinema.

In the context of a global headlines featuring war, border tensions, far-right movements, and environmental crises, witches, zombies and vengeful spirits connect in new ways with viewers.

“Some research suggests vampire film popularity correlates with financial downturns,” states an star from a recent horror hit.

“This symbolizes the way modern economies can exhaust human spirit.”

Since the early days of cinema, social unrest has influenced the genre.

Analysts reference the rise of European artistic movements after the the Great War and the turbulent times of the post-war Germany, with features such as early expressionist works and a pioneering fright film.

This was followed by the Great Depression era and classic monster movies.

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

“Thus, it mirrors widespread fears about migration.”

The boogeyman of immigration inspired the just-premiered rural fright The Severed Sun.

The filmmaker elaborates: “My goal was to examine populist trends. For instance, nostalgic phrases promising a return to a 'better' era that excluded many.”

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

Perhaps, the current era of praised, culturally aware scary films started with a sharp parody released a year after a polarizing administration.

It ushered in a recent surge of visionary directors, including various prominent figures.

“It was a hugely exciting time,” recalls a director whose movie about a murderous foetus was one of the time's landmark films.

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

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 revival of the underrated horror works.

In recent months, a new cinema opened in the capital, showing cult classics such as a quirky horror title, a classic adaptation and the late-80s version of the expressionist icon.

The renewed interest of this “gritty and loud” genre is, according to the theater owner, a direct reaction to the formulaic productions churned out at the cinemas.

“This responds to the sterile output from major studios. Today's cinema is safer and more repetitive. Many popular movies feel identical,” he says.

“On the other hand, [these indie works] feel imperfect. They seem to burst forth from deep creativity, free from commercial constraints.”

Fright flicks 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 specialist.

Alongside the return of the mad scientist trope – with several renditions of a classic novel upcoming – he anticipates we will see horror films in the near future addressing our modern concerns: about artificial intelligence control in the coming decades and “supernatural elements in political spheres”.

Meanwhile, “Jesus horror” a forthcoming title – which tells the story of holy family challenges after Jesus’s birth, and stars celebrated stars as the holy parents – is set for release in the coming months, and will definitely create waves through the Christian right in the US.</