Horror films have always held an interesting place in cultural and cinematic circles. Despite proving consistently profitable and boasting a considerable fanbase, the genre has also been the target in several moments of cultural crisis. Think the video nasties of the 1970s and 1980s, or the implied conservatism of the violence in torture-porn films of the 2000s.

Though the genre has been one of the industry’s most profitable genres since the 1930s, due to its perceived low status, horror has largely been unrecognised by award bodies, mainstream critics and the gatekeepers of more “legitimate” cinema. There’s an implied sense that the genre is somewhat different from respectable filmmaking — that it is low status, trashy and, in some cases, outright nasty.

Only seven horror films have been nominated for best picture at the Oscars since the first ceremony in 1929. Two of those nominations were in the last decade and there was widespread conversation about the bias against the genre after Toni Collette failed to receive an Oscar nomination for her performance in the 2018 film Hereditary.

Even then, Collette’s excellent performance was in an auteur film released by indie studio A24. Far from the more conventional forms of horror that tend to be overlooked year on year by bodies recognising the year’s achievements in filmmaking. However, if we leap ahead to 2025 and look at the horror films that took the past year by storm — The Substance, Nosferatu, Terrifier 3 — all forms of the genre are represented.

Why Hollywood is finally taking horror films seriously…

The Substance and Nosferatu could both be described as “elevated horror”, a sub-genre that focuses on negative moods rather than explicit gore (although both films certainly get bloody, especially in The Substance’s monstrous climax).

On the other end of the scale, Terrifier 3 is particularly brutal, aligning itself more with grindhouse and slasher films and celebrating the practical effects that bring violence to the big screen. In another era, there is no doubt that Terrifier 3 would have been a target of censors and cultural critics over its depictions of violence, with brutal deaths and the murder of several children. But in 2025, it is celebrated by genre fans and an object of serious academic interest.

The films were all successes. Both The Substance and Nosferatu received multiple nominations at the 2025 Academy Awards. Along with Alien: Romulus, the horror genre picked up ten nominations, its best performance since 1974.

Elsewhere, Terrifier 3 broke records as the highest-grossing unrated film (a movie not given a rating by film censors, normally because of offensive content) of all time. Terrifier 3 never seemed likely to receive an Oscar nomination, even despite its success and a sustained and entertaining marketing campaign. Nonetheless, both fans and industry figures alike have suggested that its practical make-up effects warranted recognition.

So why is horror becoming more widely appreciated in the 21st century? The “elevated horror” dimension is certainly one factor, presenting works that align more with the conventions of art cinema, which is essentially easier to sell as legitimate.

Alongside this, we have the political dimension. Horror films have always been political, representing the fears and marginal identities of a particular country and time period. But in an era characterised by increased instability, pandemics, wars and all manner of social crises, the need for the genre might be more prevalent than ever.

In light of the industry’s continuing struggle with declining cinema attendance numbers, horror remains one of the rare genres that consistently draws audiences to theatres. Although films such as Terrifier 3 might be looked down on by the cinema establishment, it was event cinema and widely discussed in a way that few films in the past five years have managed to be.

Audiences have always loved horror and, in a tough period for the cinema industry, the genre continues to prove financially stable and appealing to film-goers. That the gatekeepers of the industry are tentatively starting to recognise the genre is a new development and, although it remains to be seen whether this recognition will be sustained in future years, we’re in a moment when horror of all varieties is being praised like never before.

The writer is Director of Student Experience and Progression for the Faculty of Arts at the University of Warwick in the UK

Republished from The Conversation

Published in Dawn, ICON, May 4th, 2025