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The largest shock the film industry has experienced in 2025? The return of horror as a dominant force at the UK film market.

As a category, it has notably outperformed past times with a 22% rise compared to last year for the British and Irish cinemas: over £83 million this year, compared with £68.6 million last year.

“Last year, no horror film reached £10m at the UK or Irish box office. This year, five films have,” says a box office editor.

The top performers of the year – Weapons (£11.4 million), Sinners (£16.2 million), The Conjuring Last Rites (£14.98m) and the sequel to a classic (£15.54m) – have all hung about in the cinemas and in the popular awareness.

Even though much of the professional discussion highlights the unique excellence of certain directors, their achievements indicate something shifting between audiences and the category.

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

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

But apart from aesthetic quality, the consistent popularity of frightening features this year indicates they are giving moviegoers something that’s greatly desired: therapeutic relief.

“These days, movies echo the prevalent emotions of rage, anxiety, and polarization,” says a genre expert.

“The genre masterfully exploits common anxieties, magnifying them so that everyday stresses fade beside the cinematic horror,” says a noted author of classic monster stories.

In the context of a real-world news cycle featuring war, border tensions, far-right movements, and environmental crises, ghosts, monsters, and mythical entities 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.”

Historically, public discord has always impacted scary movies.

Experts reference the surge of European artistic movements after the WWI and the turbulent times of the post-war Germany, with movies such as classic silent horror and Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror.

This was followed by the Great Depression era and iconic horror characters.

“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,” explains a commentator.

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

The boogeyman of border issues inspired the just-premiered folk horror The Severed Sun.

The filmmaker elaborates: “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 modern period of celebrated, politically engaged fright cinema started with a sharp parody debuted a year after a divisive leadership period.

It introduced a new wave of horror auteurs, including various prominent figures.

“Those years were remarkably vibrant,” says a director whose film 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 underrated horror works.

In recent months, a new cinema opened in London, showing underground films such as The Greasy Strangler, a classic adaptation and the late-80s version of the expressionist icon.

The fresh acclaim of this “rough and rowdy” genre is, according to the cinema founder, a straightforward answer to the calculated releases produced at the cinemas.

“It’s a reaction to the sanitised product that’s coming out of Hollywood. You have a film scene that’s more tepid and more predictable. A lot of the mainstream films are very similar,” he explains.

“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 upset the establishment.

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

Besides the return of the mad scientist trope – with multiple versions of a classic novel imminent – he forecasts we will see fright features in 2026 and 2027 addressing our present fears: about tech supremacy in the years ahead and “monstrous metaphors in power structures”.

Meanwhile, a biblical fright story a forthcoming title – which narrates the tale of Mary and Joseph’s struggles after the nativity, and features well-known actors as the divine couple – is planned for launch soon, and will definitely cause a stir through the faith-based groups in the America.</