(Source: Everett Collection, Universal, Bryanston Distributing Company)
With Halloween upon us once more, new horror releases have been consistently rolled out in the lead up. Among the recent slate of content, one sub-genre has been making a surprisingly noticeable appearance; the slasher. Could a genre of horror whose most iconic characters hail from the 80s and 90s be facing a revival? If so, is it a sign of the times? MediaNaama conducted a survey of avid media consumers to gather some insight.
In the wake of a pandemic that saw cinemas globally close their doors, and production giants rush to invest even more in streaming platforms, 2021 oversaw the box office struggle, as cinemas valiantly opened up again, in brief bouts, owing to mutations of the coronavirus coming along, and even surefire blockbusters like The Suicide Squad underperformed.
In the midst of this uncertainty, the popularity of horror did not wane with A Quiet Place Part II being one of the most successful pandemic openings, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It making five times its production budget as profit and even more recently, Halloween Kills opening with $50.4 million, an impressive figure in the present landscape, especially considering that it was simultaneously released on the streaming platform, Peacock. For comparison, Godzilla vs. Kong, which had a similar release model of being available to stream the same day as its theatrical release, opened with $31.6 million, and was the previous highest grossing film for this model.
So, with the relatively lower budget and high returns of horror movies, it makes sense for production companies to turn to the slasher genre once again, especially if it comes with a dusty brand label. After all, it is the age of franchises.
“I think the film industry, particularly Hollywood, is going through an era of remakes and creating sequels to previous movies. Will it be good? I can’t say for sure.” — A female American respondent, on why they believe slashers are making a comeback.
It does feel as though every movie and tv show these days is another iteration of the spinoff of the reboot of an original film from a decade or two ago, and if you do not keep up with the backlog of lore, you cannot hope to understand even half of the self-referential dialogue. There has been ample frustration expressed at Hollywood’s insistence on draining the life force from franchises, with production companies dusting off their IPs near constantly, but, there is a method to the madness. In an interview with The Guardian, David Hancock, research director of cinema at Omdia, said, “If you’re putting £150m into making a film, you want to minimise the risk.” He went on to add, “Of the top 50 films in the US in 2019, 75% of revenue was taken by films that were part of a franchise series.” So making the 13th instalment of the Halloween (1984) franchise is the next logical step. As one survey respondent said, “Anything that can be recycled will be recycled.” Succinctly put.
Several beloved slasher properties have returned in 2021, to both the big screen and the small screen. You can currently experience the infamous villains, Michael Myers and Chucky, yet again, in Halloween Kills and Chucky, the tv series. In addition to this, Ghostface will return after a decade in Scream (2022), slated for a January 14 release. I Know What You Did Last Summer has also been revived as a tv series on Amazon Prime Video, with Netflix releasing the on-screen adaptation of the Fear Street books by R. L. Stine while also recently acquiring the global streaming distribution rights for the upcoming Texas Chainsaw Massacre film. Suffice it to say, there has been an uptick in slasher releases, courtesy of both traditional production companies as well as streaming platforms, and established IPs have dominated over original content, all signs pointing towards a probable revival.
“The success of Halloween (2018) is spawning more films.” A male Colombian respondent, on why slashers are making a comeback.
“It’s on par with the 70s-80s revival that’s been happening, also Netflix is really pushing those movies...” A female French respondent, on slashers making a comeback.
When asked about why this genre may be making a comeback, some survey respondents also seem to believe it has to do with a younger audience that is ready to experience these old IPs for the very first time, or in a revamp that caters to their generation in a way the old movies never could; Jenna Ortecho in the Scream (2022) trailer being tormented by Ghostface via text conversation, in addition to the landline call and using a smart home security system instead of rushing to lock her doors juxtaposed with the original Drew Barrymore Scream (1996) sequence, is a prime example.
“Teenagers definitely have a renewed interest in it, and media has a tendency to appeal to a younger audience of 14-early 20s. I am currently in high school and newer slashers seem to be a popular topic with a lot of students.” — A female American respondent, on why slashers are making a comeback.
“Nowadays the target is for a newer generation that may not have watched the old movies. And so it is making a comeback and being reintroduced in a new way.” A female Pakistani respondent, on why slashers are making a comeback.
But, what is it about horror specifically, that causes the genre to prevail even when our current global reality is quite horrific in and of itself. Maybe it is because of the catharsis on offer. According to data provided by Movies Anywhere, a platform that allows users to collect digital purchases from multiple streaming services like Amazon Prime Video under one roof, to Business Insider, horror sales increased 194 percent during May 2020, compared to May 2019, in the US, when the anxiety and uncertainty surrounding the pandemic were at an all time high. Instead of shying away from the adrenaline inducing fear factory, viewers were more tuned in than ever.
(Source: Paramount Pictures)
“Horror movies are scary. They make you think about death and fear for your life. They give you a glimpse at how life-threatening situations might play out, which can make you feel more prepared for actual danger.” A male Pakistani respondent, on why they are a fan of the horror genre.
“Horror fiction is like having danger shrunk into a safe consumable package where we can experience it without any harm. It's fun like going on a rollercoaster or standing in front of a lion's cage at the zoo. It's an adrenaline rush, in a controlled environment.” — A female Pakistani respondent, on why they are a fan of the horror genre.
Exactly. Horror content allows its audience to experience and process fears and anxieties through the viewing experience, a claim not a lot of genres can tout. Slashers, in particular, can offer that experience in a formulaic, reliable bundle, where the masked killers operate on a similar sliding scale of invulnerability and affinity for letting the Final Girl escape from their clutches till the penultimate scene, only to be defeated; except not really, because there is another sequel to be made. So, slasher horror then becomes the ultimate catharsis.
“I love watching them when I'm anxious as it's a good channel to direct all that energy towards.” A female Pakistani respondent, on why they are a fan of the horror genre.
As the pandemic crafts a new and unfamiliar socio-economic landscape for the world at large, perhaps turning to the slasher horror genre, with its stubborn, knife-wielding villains and easily recognisable tropes such as the Final Girl, can give audiences a much needed sense of control over their fear of the ‘invisible’ virus that haunts their lives, in the most reliable horror package. The scene is certainly set for a slasher resurgence and 60.4 percent of our survey respondents agree.
