Horror has moved from niche to tentpole, according to a new Verge analysis. The Resident Evil franchise illustrates the shift: the most recent game has sold 8 million copies since February, and a film reboot is on track to become the highest-grossing entry in the series' history. Capcom described the dynamic as a "virtuous cycle" in which new and past titles sell together.
Low production costs amplify the business case. The Verge notes that Backrooms was made for an estimated $10 million and Obsession for less than $1 million, yet the two films have brought in nearly $1 billion combined at the box office. On streaming, every major service has offered a horror series this season—from Amazon's Carrie to Netflix's Below to Peacock's Crystal Lake—and Apple's Widow's Bay won a record number of Emmys.
Games remain a core driver of the trend. Twitch reported 287 million hours of horror content watched from January through September, and indie horror titles have fueled theatrical hits such as Iron Lung and Exit 8. The Verge concludes that studios are now hunting for the next Backrooms or Five Nights at Freddy's, with sequels and follow-ups already in the works.