Two independent horror films directed by twenty-something YouTube creators have claimed the top spots at the global box office, outpacing major studio franchises with strong turnout from Generation Z audiences.
The psychological thriller "Backrooms," directed by 20-year-old Kane Parsons and produced by A24, earned $140 million worldwide in its opening week, including $80 million in North America.
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Meanwhile, the supernatural horror film "Obsession," directed by 26-year-old Curry Baker, has generated nearly $150 million since its May 15 debut against a production budget of just $750,000.
Why Gen Z Loves Horror
Market research from Statista shows that 91 percent of Gen Z consumers watch horror movies or television shows, the highest share of any generation.
Data from advertising agency Dentsu reveals that scary movies now account for 17 percent of North American ticket purchases, up from 4 percent a decade ago.
Mental health professionals and film analysts attribute this trend to the generation's comfort with darker, unvarnished themes that reflect real-world anxieties.
According to A24, Parsons became the youngest filmmaker in Hollywood history to achieve a number-one weekend box office opening.
"The genre of horror has kind of shifted with Gen Z, where it's exploring some darker real life concepts sometimes rather than just the gore and things like that," said Lauren Cook, a therapist and author.
Cook noted that younger viewers appreciate the raw perspective offered by modern horror productions over highly sanitized narratives.
"They enjoy the honesty that horror can bring. It's not trying to sugarcoat things," said Cook.
"They can sit with that morbidity a little bit more than maybe previous generations have, where they want to plaster things and put a smile on it and I think that's actually a strength."
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Industry commentators point out that the thematic focus of horror traditionally evolves to mirror contemporary societal anxieties across different decades.
"Moving into the 2000s, we had horror that almost seems more like action based.
That's where we had all the zombie movies and, in my opinion, I think it's really reflective of the war on terror in America's kind of militaristic environment there," said Kaitlyn Ruano, a high school teacher and film analyst.
Ruano stated that the current generation actively dissects digital media and prefers analytical, socially conscious content over traditional feel-good tropes.
"I think because Gen Z tends to be very focused on social issues, that's kind of a defining factor of our generation that horror plays into that really well," said Ruano.
Ruano expressed that past cinematic depictions of easily attainable prosperity feel disconnected from current economic realities.
"Because we live in an era that is so dictated by media and by our interactions with other people, I think I would argue Gen Z likes to be a little bit more analytical about things than most," said Ruano.
"I think Gen Z loves to overthink every single piece of content we come across. We were raised on think pieces and YouTube video essays."
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Ruano observed that older mainstream television shows often present an unrealistic standard of life success that frustrates modern viewers.
