2025 started with…..

Let me tell you, 2025 was the year for horror, though as always, quality varied. The standout, without a doubt, was Robert Eggers’ ‘Nosferatu’ remake. It’s a fresh take on the classic 1922 film, and Stellan Skarsgard absolutely kills it in the lead – he’s quickly becoming a modern master of monster roles after his incredible work as Pennywise. The film was a massive hit with both critics and audiences, earning Oscar nods and bringing in a career-best $181 million worldwide. Now, everyone’s buzzing about Eggers’ next project – a werewolf film – and honestly, after ‘Nosferatu’, my expectations are sky-high!

The stand out horror film directors….

Director Osgood Perkins continued his success in 2025, building on the acclaim he received for his 2024 film, ‘Longlegs’. He released two more movies that year: ‘The Monkey’, a gory and action-packed adaptation of a Stephen King story, and ‘Keeper’, a more understated but still creepy film. While each movie had a distinct style, all three have cemented Perkins’ position as a leading figure in modern horror filmmaking.

Those 2025 franchise relaunches – good and bad!

2023 was a strong year for revitalized horror franchises. The new “Final Destination: Bloodlines” arrived after a 16-year hiatus and became the most successful film in the series, earning $315 million. This success quickly led to plans for another installment. Similarly, “28 Years Later,” a sequel arriving 18 years after the original, performed very well with $151 million at the box office, and a fourth film was already in the works. “The Conjuring: Last Rites” unexpectedly became the year’s biggest horror hit, grossing $494 million despite originally being intended as the franchise’s conclusion – those plans were quickly abandoned. Not all revivals succeeded, however. The reboot of “I Know What You Did Last Summer” was a flop, and the studio’s decision not to screen it for critics signaled trouble. Even worse was “Him,” a spiritually ambitious sports horror film produced by Jordan Peele, which was a critical and commercial disaster, earning only $27 million and widely considered one of the year’s worst films.

The Blumhouse year….

Even Blumhouse Productions, known for consistently delivering successful films, faced challenges this year. Their releases, including Wolf Man (directed by Leigh Whannell, who previously helmed the Saw and Insidious franchises), underperformed at the box office, earning just $34 million. The Woman in the Yard ($23 million) and the enjoyable thriller Drop ($28 million) also disappointed. The biggest surprise was the sequel to M3GAN, which earned $180 million for the first film but only $39 million with its new sci-fi focus. Universal has now put a planned spin-off, SoulM8te (originally slated for 2026), up for sale, but so far, no other studio has expressed interest. Fortunately, the success of The Black Phone 2, which earned $132 million, helped offset some of these losses for Blumhouse.

Big name bombs….

Horror films continued to underperform at the box office, even those directed by well-known names. Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Presence’ (reviewed here) was a unique ghost story told from the ghost’s perspective, but it only earned $11 million. David Cronenberg’s ‘The Shrouds’ was also largely ignored, bringing in just $1.5 million, which might suggest the 82-year-old director’s most acclaimed work is behind him.

Those indy hits!

In 2025, a couple of smaller, independent horror films really stood out: ‘Companion’ (you can read our review here) and ‘Together’ (reviewed here). While they didn’t have huge budgets, both films were original and thought-provoking, making them worth seeking out if you didn’t catch them initially. They earned $36 million and $32 million at the box office, respectively.

The critical and commercial big hitters!

The year’s biggest successes were two very different films. The first was the large-scale, star-powered ‘Sinners,’ featuring Michael B. Jordan and directed by Ryan Coogler. This historical vampire story, set in the American South, earned $367 million and is expected to be a major contender for Oscars. The other standout film was ‘Weapons,’ which proved that a trailer doesn’t need to reveal everything. The film was initially promoted with very little information – just a short description about a class of children disappearing overnight. This mystery intrigued audiences, and the film delivered, becoming one of the year’s best. If you haven’t seen ‘Weapons’ yet, we highly recommend it, and please don’t spoil it for others!

As a horror fan, I can tell you 2025 was a fantastic year for the genre – critics loved it, and audiences turned out in droves. Now the big question is, can 2026 possibly live up to that standard? I’m really hoping it does!

2025-12-23 03:24

2025 horror films – What a really great year!