2019 was one of the best years in movie history due to the treasure trove of horror movies that were released that year, especially because the trio of Ari Aster, Jordan Peele, and Robert Eggers made unique and refreshing horror films that year. Now, we are in a year with a similar, or perhaps even stronger, domination of horror films.
The new horror movies that came out near Halloween in 2025 further enriched the already impressive roster of horror cinema released this year. Directors like Guillermo del Toro, Zach Cregger, and the Philippou Brothers have made this year a particularly important one for the genre, as moviegoers kept flocking to theaters every other week for some enthralling new horror movie.
The domestic box-office milestone of $50 million has been crossed by multiple horror movies this year, a rare feat for a genre often considered lowbrow or with such niche and independent roots that it struggles to make a big commercial splash. Some of the best horror films this year were even released twice in theaters due to their streaming success.
An Impressive Number Of Original High-Concept Horror Movies Came Out In 2025
It’s impossible to talk about 2025’s horror movies without mentioning Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, which got a theatrical IMAX release and re-release. It is a vampire movie that metaphorically addresses racial tensions in the country, particularly the threat of erasure brought by coercive homogenization. Meanwhile, 2025’s The Long Walk addresses people’s growing concerns regarding the media’s role in normalizing violence.
Another high-concept movie released this year, Companion, perfected the “Good For Her” subgenre of horror movies by exploring themes of female agency through a unique twist on the evil AI category of horror cinema. Moreover, real-life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie played a fictional couple in Michael Shanks’ Together, a romantic body horror film about codependency and power dynamics.
Even original horror movies without a high concept were great this year. Zach Cregger’s Weapons proved the strength of horror for entertainment’s sake, finding commercial and critical success despite being a style-over-substance film. A24’s Bring Her Back and Death of a Unicorn also enthralled viewers this year, especially the former, which proves the Philippou brothers’ talent as directors.
Two Major Horror Franchises Were Revived With Resounding Success In 2025
IP fatigue is a real phenomenon today, as sequels, spin-offs, prequels, legacy sequels, reboots, and remakes dominate the industry’s output. Even this year, only one original film was among the ten highest-grossing movies. However, two legacy sequels of beloved, long-dormant, blockbuster horror movie franchises proved that, with originality and creativity, even IP movies can be well-made.
Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later was a global success, even on streaming, despite being a sequel to a 2007 movie and retconning details from 28 Weeks Later. The bigger surprise was Final Destination: Bloodlines, which is a fantastic addition to the franchise, referring to fan-favorite moments and adding details to the lore that will keep the franchise going.
2025 Has Also Had Amazing Hits Outside Hollywood
Julia Ducournau’s third directorial feature is also her second one to compete for the Palme d’Or after Titane won the award in 2021. The reviews of her new movie, Alpha, may not all agree about the screenplay, but the performances have received universal appreciation. Another film festival favorite was the Norwegian film, The Ugly Stepsister, a dark twist on Cinderella.
In India, two vampire films, Thamma and Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, were among the biggest commercial successes, but the best achievement in horror filmmaking was made by Rahul Sadasivan with Diés Iraé, continuing his streak of fantastic horror cinema after 2022’s Bhoothakaalam and 2024’s Bramayugam. Even outside Hollywood, horror has found major success as a genre, both commercially and critically.
A Potential Best Picture Winning Horror Movie Was Released In 2025
The impact of Hollywood embracing the horror movie genre more seriously than ever before has been felt all over the year, as there were major releases every year, and even the indie films managed to shine brighter than usual. However, the biggest indicator of 2025 being a year for horror is Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, and the buzz it has generated.
Only seven horror movies have been nominated for a Best Picture Oscar in the Academy’s long history, and only one horror movie has won the award. So, Sinners being an awards contender expected to receive a Best Picture nomination makes 2025 a major milestone in horror movie history. It just received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Picture – Drama.
No Movie Genre Had A Better 2025 Than Horror
Despite the release of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Materialists, and The Roses, romance didn’t have a great year in 2025, as the biggest films remained underappreciated or were critically dismissed. Wicked: For Good and The Kiss of the Spider Woman underperformed, and despite the records set by KPop Demon Hunters, musicals didn’t do as well as horror movies.
Both TRON: Ares and the new Jurassic World movie, as well as Mickey 17‘s poor performances demonstrate 2025 wasn’t a year for sci-fi either. The 2025 superhero movie box offices proved they had a good year, but had the lowest box office for the genre in recent memory. It’s clear that no genre had a better 2025 than horror.
