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The biggest shock the film industry has witnessed in 2025? The resurgence of horror as a dominant force at the UK film market.

As a category, it has notably outperformed past times with a 22% year-on-year increase for the British and Irish cinemas: £83.7 million in 2025, compared with £68,612,395 in 2024.

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

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

Even though much of the expert analysis highlights the unique excellence of prominent auteurs, their triumphs suggest something shifting between audiences and the style.

“Viewers often remark, ‘This is a must-see regardless of your genre preferences,’” states 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 outside of aesthetic quality, the steady demand of horror movies this year suggests they are giving audiences something that’s much needed: catharsis.

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

“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,” says a noted author of classic monster stories.

In the context of a real-world news cycle featuring geopolitical strife, enforcement actions, extremist rises, and ecological disasters, supernatural beings and undead creatures connect in new ways with viewers.

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

“The concept reflects how economic systems can drain vitality from individuals.”

Historically, public discord has always impacted scary movies.

Analysts highlight the boom of German expressionism after the first world war and the chaotic atmosphere of the early Weimar Republic, with movies such as classic silent horror and the iconic vampire tale.

Later occurred the economic crisis of the 30s and classic monster movies.

“The classic example is Dracula: you get this invasion of Britain by someone from eastern Europe who then causes this infection that gets spread in all sorts of ways and threatens the Anglo-Saxon heroes,” says a academic.

“Thus, it mirrors widespread fears about migration.”

The phantom of border issues shaped the just-premiered folk horror The Severed Sun.

Its writer-director elaborates: “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?’”

Perhaps, the modern period of celebrated, politically engaged fright cinema began with a sharp parody debuted a year after a contentious political era.

It introduced a fresh generation of visionary directors, including various prominent figures.

“That period was incredibly stimulating,” comments a filmmaker 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.”

At the same time, there has been a reappraisal of the overlooked scary films.

Earlier this year, a nicke l venue opened in a major city, showing cult classics such as The Greasy Strangler, a classic adaptation and the 1989 remake of the expressionist icon.

The renewed interest of this “rough and rowdy” genre is, according to the cinema founder, a straightforward answer to the formulaic productions pumped 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 states.

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

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 expert.

In addition to the re-emergence of the deranged genius archetype – with two adaptations of a classic novel on the horizon – he forecasts we will see scary movies in 2026 and 2027 responding to our modern concerns: about artificial intelligence control in the years ahead and “vampires living in the Trump tower”.

In the interim, a biblical fright story a forthcoming title – which depicts the events of holy family challenges after the nativity, and includes celebrated stars as the sacred figures – is set for release in the coming months, and will definitely create waves through the faith-based groups in the United States.</