has impressively outperformed previous years (a 22% year-on-year increase for the UK and Irish box office: 83,766,086 in 2025, compared with 68,612,395 in 2024). Last year, no horror film reached 10m at the UK or Irish box office. This year, five films have, says Charles Gant, box office editor of Screen International. The big hits of the year Weapons (11.4m), Sinners (16.2m), The Conjuring Last Rites (14.98m) and 28 Years Later (15.54m) have all hung about the multiplexes and in the public consciousness.
Spooky season is upon us, and that means the movie theater schedules are stacked with horror movies. This year, more than ever, bigger names are being drawn to the genre as it proves one of the most resilient ways of getting butts in seats. With Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein leading the pack, we've also got Ethan Hawke returning for Black Phone 2, Keira Knightley in The Woman in Cabin 10, and both Justin Long and Kate Bosworth appearing in Coyotes.