The horror genre is undergoing a renaissance. After the awkwardly-named ‘elevated horror’ trend that followed on from 2018’s HEREDITARY, the distinction between mainstream horror and its more highbrow cousin started to blur. Now, mainstream and elevated have become one and the same, with last year’s WEAPONS winning an oscar and this year’s OBSESSION becoming the highest grossing movie of all time with a budget sub-$1 million.
But what is it about the current state of horror that seems to have such wide and consistent appeal?
There are no doubt multiple answers to this question, but the one we’re going to examine here is a trend in their approach to story, namely the focus on the everyday.
By examining the screenplays from four recent horror flicks – OBSESSION, WEAPONS, EXIT 8 and BACKROOMS – this exclusive members-only whitepaper picks apart what makes modern horror tick and how to write a fantastic entry in the genre.
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