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The most significant surprise the cinema world has encountered in 2025? The return of horror as a main player at the UK film market.

As a style, it has impressively surpassed previous years with a 22% year-on-year increase for the British and Irish cinemas: £83.7 million in 2025, compared with £68 million the previous year.

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

The major successes 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 public consciousness.

While much of the industry commentary focuses on the unique excellence of certain directors, their successes indicate something shifting between viewers and the genre.

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

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

But apart from artistic merit, the steady demand of spooky films this year indicates they are giving moviegoers something that’s highly necessary: emotional release.

“Right now, there’s a lot of anger, fear and division that’s being reflected in cinema,” 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,” remarks a noted author of horror film history.

Amid a current events featuring geopolitical strife, enforcement actions, extremist rises, and ecological disasters, ghosts, monsters, and mythical entities connect in new ways with viewers.

“Some research suggests vampire film popularity correlates with financial downturns,” comments an star from a successful fright film.

“It’s the idea that capitalism sucks the life out of people.”

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

Scholars highlight the boom of European artistic movements after the first world war and the chaotic atmosphere of the post-war Germany, with features such as classic silent horror and Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror.

This was followed by the economic crisis of the 30s and Universal Studios’ Frankenstein and The Wolfman.

“Consider the Dracula narrative: an outsider from the east brings a corrupting influence that permeates society and challenges its heroes,” notes a historian.

“Thus, it mirrors widespread fears about migration.”

The specter of border issues influenced the newly launched folk horror The Severed Sun.

The creator explains: “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.”

Arguably, the present time of praised, culturally aware scary films began with a clever critique launched a year after a divisive leadership period.

It ushered in a recent surge of horror auteurs, including several notable names.

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

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

This creator, now penning a fresh horror script, notes: “Over 10 years, audiences’ minds have been opening up to much more of that.”

Concurrently, there has been a revival of the genre’s less celebrated output.

In recent months, a nicke l venue opened in a major city, showing underground films such as The Greasy Strangler, a classic adaptation and the 1989 remake of the expressionist icon.

The re-appreciation of this “rough and rowdy” genre is, according to the venue creator, a clear response to the algorithmic content produced at the box office.

“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 states.

“Conversely, [such movies] appear raw. As if they emerged straight from the artist's mind, untouched by studio control.”

Horror films continue to challenge the norm.

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

In addition to the return of the deranged genius archetype – with two adaptations of a classic novel imminent – he predicts we will see fright features in the near future reacting to our present fears: about AI’s dominance in the near future and “monstrous metaphors in power structures”.

At the same time, a religious-themed scare film a forthcoming title – which depicts the events of holy family challenges after the nativity, and features celebrated stars as the divine couple – is planned for launch later this year, and will certainly cause a stir through the faith-based groups in the United States.</