New Research Studies Explore Why Horror Is Year-Round Phenomena

October brings a plethora of Halloween-themed movies and special events just for horror fans. But fans are also finding their favorite films outside of just Halloween. In new survey data released by Blumhouse, 44% of respondents say they watch horror movies year-round, with just 6% saying they only watch around Halloween.

Across the board, audiences also believe that horror movies have gotten better. Forty-five percent of respondents feel the quality of horror movies has improved since their first introduction. Of respondents that think horror films have improved, improved production quality (49%), use of advanced technology and special effects (44%), and more original and creative concepts (35%) have accounted for their improvement.

The data is part of two new research studies from Blumhouse, one to survey American audiences' introduction to the genre and another to better define its growing subgenres.

When it comes to how Americans are introduced to horror, survey findings indicate that watching horror movies starts younger than many might expect, with the majority (52%) saying they began watching in childhood, under 12 years old. The largest percentages of Millennials (42%) and Gen Z (30%) say they first started watching horror because a family member introduced them to the genre. Respondents’ most frequently cited, first-watched horror films are Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Exorcist, Jaws, and Friday the 13th.

The expanding calendar for horror mirrors the growth in the market, which has doubled since 1995; last year, horror movies generated more than $800 million at the box office. Alongside the surge is a growing sophistication in how audiences think about horror, with a broad spectrum of subgenres welcoming a range of tastes.

To understand this phenomenon, Blumhouse asked 2,000 respondents to categorize 100 of the most significant horror films of the last 50 years into subgenres, resulting in the following top five most popular subgenres, and the film most categorized under each subgenre:

Psychological Thriller - Split

1. Survival Horror - The Road

2. Supernatural/Paranormal/Possession - The Conjuring

3. Horror Comedy - Scary Movie

4. Science Fiction Horror - Alien 

Psychological Thriller proved to be the top personal favorite across horror-watching generations, with the exception of Gen Z:  

• Baby Boomers - 45%

• Gen X - 51%

• Millennials - 43%

• Gen Z preferred Survival Horror (38%) the most. 

Psychological Thriller also proved popular across most horror-watching racial groups, as the top favorite subgenre among the following: 

• Asian - 39%

• Black - 39%

• Hispanic/Latino - 42%

• White - 47%

• Native American respondents chose Survival Horror (38%)

Methodology:

This research, conducted by Sage Outcomes and commissioned by Blumhouse, draws from two distinct online survey projects conducted in July and August 2024 via an online panel. The Genre Categorization Survey (2,000 respondents) aimed to classify 100 prominent horror films from the past 50 years into sub-genres. The Introduction & Perceptions of Horror Survey (1,000 respondents) explored how people were introduced to the horror genre, their viewing habits, and key gateway films.

Quotas were set to ensure the sample matched U.S. Census demographics for gender, race, region, and generational age. Respondents included self-identified avid horror fans, casual watchers, and horror avoiders, offering comprehensive insights into the genre’s evolution. All responses were anonymous, adhering to ethical guidelines for market research.