The Horror! The Horror!

Something new and exciting is happening in film. And it’s scaring the hell out of people.

This was my second piece for SPIN Magazine (Winter ‘26 edition) as one of its contributing film editors. You can subscribe to the magazine here.

Over the past decade or so, most new movies in most genres have mainly consisted of endless sequels, remakes, or superhero movies. Indie films of the past five years have seemed consumed with showcasing various “causes.” And the streamers continue to be committed to as much “volume content” as they can churn out.

In the horror genre, however, something else entirely is happening.

Creative innovation and the fostering of new directors have bloomed in this genre. Over the past five to 10 years, the horror genre has delivered a slew of very well-done films that are intellectually and creatively provocative.

These are not your typical revenge-based slasher films or your standard devil-harassment films but rather more metaphorical. “Elevated Horror” is the term — HEREDITARY, GET OUT, THE BLACK PHONE, WEAPONS, NOSFERATU, etc.

Visually, the cinematography is rich, the camera angles and moves feel fresh, the production design is imaginative. Creatively, the actors are taking risks, the director is reaching beyond the edges, the script and story feel bigger and not tied to this current era. And financially they are pulling in hundreds of millions of dollars, being given the necessary marketing and release support, and earning multiple high-level film awards.

So what’s going on here? Why is this happening in horror and not much in other genres? Why is fresh, creative, profitable filmmaking emerging in this area?

The Elevated Horror sub-genre isn’t new. THE EXORCIST, ROSEMARY’S BABY, and THE SHINING from the 1970s and ’80s are excellent examples. The difference now, as this sub-genre reemerges, is its stark contrast with what is happening in drama, comedy, and so on. Horror is taking off.

We had Alex Garland’s Ex Machina in 2015 and Robert Eggers’ THE WITCH and Nicolas Winding Refn’s THE NEON DEMON in 2016, all of which garnered multiple awards. 2017 brought Jordan Peele’s GET OUT and Andy Muschetti’s IT. Elevated Horror really exploded in 2018 with ANNIHILATION, BIRDBOX, Hereditary, Mandy, and A Quiet Place. There was no stopping the sub-genre after that. Ma, Midsommer, and US followed in 2019. Titane, Candyman, Lamb, Old, and THE BLACK PHONE were released in 2021. 2022 saw Barbarian, Pearl, and SMILE. The list goes on, with NOSFERATU and THE SUBSTANCE in 2024 earning multiple awards, including Oscar nominations (THE SUBSTANCE won one). And 2025 continued the trend with FRANKENSTEIN, HIM, SINNERS, and WEAPONS.

You could argue there were creative and financial successes in other genres, with 2023’s BARBIE and OPPENHEIMER, and there was innovation in the indie world in the last decade with films like PHANTOM THREAD (2017), SORRY TO BOTHER YOU (2018) and ZONE OF INTEREST (2023). And you’d be completely right.

But what’s happening in horror right now is a combination of elements that used to be more commonplace in other genres: innovative stories and concepts, proper funding for the film, full marketing and release support, and backing new, talented directors. And there’s consistency, with new filmmakers such as Ari Aster, Jordan Peele, Robert Eggers, Zach Cregger, and Julia Ducournau.

Horror may be the most consistently profitable genre. Films are made for small budgets, with limited cast and locations. And Elevated Horror, although pricier, provides a reliable return. HEREDITARY, for instance, earned $80m with a $10m budget, and NOSFERATU earned $181m on $50m expenditure. Cregger’s WEAPONS earned $264 worldwide with only a $38m budget.

This is partially due to horror fans being loyal and dedicated. These fans show up. Damien Leone, known for the Terrifier franchise, says, “Horror fans are like drug addicts. We always need that fix.”

But the final element in this motherlode of excellent filmmaking is the talent of the filmmakers themselves. Some of the most intense and devastating interpersonal relationships ever on film were in Aster’s HEREDITARY. Egger’s attention to detail and commitment to beautiful cinematography made NOSFERATU an instant classic. And Cregger has a style that is both loose in attitude and tight in form, giving us sequences like the chase through the houses in WEAPONS.

These horror filmmakers have also kept the filmgoer in mind and are continuously giving them something they aren’t getting from the other genres right now. “You always have to give them something new and exciting,” Leone says.

Perhaps fans of other genres will show up more in this dedicated manner when “new and exciting” is more of a focus.

If studio executives, financiers, and distributors could see these core reasons for the success of recent Elevated Horror, we could possibly have the same level of work (and success) emerging elsewhere. Fresh new ideas and scripts, not as encumbered by current causes; respect for film fans; and allowing filmmakers to apply their creativity and skills. We’ve seen where the sequel cash-grab, box-checking, and the content conveyor belt gets us. It’s time for other film genres to take a new, braver road