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

As a category, it has remarkably surpassed past times with a annual growth of 22% for the British and Irish cinemas: over £83 million this year, compared with £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 film industry analyst.

The top performers of the year – Weapons (£11.4m), another hit film (£16.2 million), the latest Conjuring installment (£14.98m) and 28 Years Later (£15.54 million) – have all stayed in the cinemas and in the audience's minds.

While much of the industry commentary centers on the unique excellence of certain directors, their successes suggest something changing between audiences and the style.

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

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

But beyond artistic merit, the consistent popularity of horror movies this year suggests they are giving cinemagoers something that’s much needed: catharsis.

“Currently, cinema mirrors the widespread anger, fear, and societal splits,” observes 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 classic monster stories.

Amid a global headlines featuring war, border tensions, far-right movements, and environmental crises, witches, zombies and vengeful spirits resonate a bit differently with viewers.

“I read somewhere that the success of vampire movies is linked to economically depressed times,” says an performer from a successful fright film.

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

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

Scholars reference the rise of German expressionism after the first world war and the chaotic atmosphere of the post-war Germany, with features such as The Cabinet of Dr Caligari and Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror.

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 commentator.

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

The boogeyman of border issues influenced the newly launched 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.”

“Additionally, the notion that acquaintances might unexpectedly voice extreme views, leaving others shocked.”

Maybe, the current era of celebrated, politically engaged fright cinema commenced with a clever critique launched a year after a contentious political era.

It introduced a fresh generation of innovative filmmakers, including various prominent figures.

“Those years were remarkably vibrant,” says a creator whose film about a murderous foetus 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 same filmmaker, who is writing a new horror original, adds: “In the last ten years, public taste has evolved to welcome bolder horror concepts.”

At the same time, there has been a reappraisal of the genre’s less celebrated output.

In recent months, a new cinema 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 “gritty and loud” genre is, according to the venue creator, a clear response to the formulaic productions pumped out at the cinemas.

“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 challenge the norm.

“Horror possesses a dual nature, feeling both classic and current simultaneously,” observes an authority.

In addition to the re-emergence of the deranged genius archetype – with two adaptations of a classic novel imminent – he predicts we will see scary movies in the coming years addressing our current anxieties: about artificial intelligence control in the years ahead and “monstrous metaphors in power structures”.

At the same time, “Jesus horror” The Carpenter’s Son – which depicts the events of biblical parent hardships after the nativity, and features well-known actors as the holy parents – is set for release later this year, and will definitely cause a stir through the religious conservatives in the US.</