Are horror movies to Gen Z what chick flicks were to Millennials? It seems so. With each new generationthere seems to be a film genre that defines it. This is demonstrated by the fact that Millennials from all over the world are still able to remember the exact meaning of October 3rd and to quote Clueless till you drop, after experiencing the golden age of “girl” movies in the early 2000s. For a while it seemed this period would go unmatched, having made such a significant mark on pop culture, but now we’re seeing that this is proving to be false, given that the horror genre is quickly gathering interest among the younger generation, Gen Z.
If you follow the film business, or if you happen to be one of those rare people over 25 who are active on TikTok, you might be aware that there is a lot new in horror cinema right now, which explains the growing love of Gen Z for the genre. Many revivals and sequels have come out recently, such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre, That had a sequel on Netflix last year, and the franchise of scream, which continues its run with some new additions to the cast, in hopes of ushering the series into a new era. This proved to be a success, as the latest installment in the franchise of Scream – which includes a slew of Gen Z actors, including Hollywood’s new IT girl Jenna Ortega – was a box office winner, and one of the best-loved entries in the series thus far. This is only part of the appeal and the very reason why Gen Z is so enthralled by this genre, a phenomenon that is directly related to why so many promising young talents from the entertainment industry have chosen to work in this scene .
Horror cinema is experiencing a big change, thanks in large part to the independent studios and to a new generation of industry creatives, who have chosen to revolutionize it even though it was a long-discarded and predictable genre. Gone are the ultra-cheap clichés and the industry is having fun elevating horror from a predictable kill-fest to striking portraits of feminist antiheroit’s a renewed representation of the LGBTQ+ community from a secondary to a leading role. The film Pearl it’s a good example of the kind of evolution visible in today’s horror scene. My Goththe star of the film, said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that horror itself has become “a broad term, within which many things can exist.” Pearl fits exactly into this definition, showing the heartbreaking story of a woman with violent tendencies who is constantly underestimated and belittled and finally pushed to the breaking point. The film presents the concept of female rage in a familiar and engaging way rarely seen in Hollywood, or horror in general. This mood had previously been evoked in films such as Jennifer’s Bodybut sadly it had been hyper-sexualized and misrepresented by the industry and from the media, thus failing to be appreciated at the time of its release. Now, however, things have changed and, coincidentally, viewers have even established a connection between Mia Goth’s Pearl and the modern Joker, which a young generation of women like so much. So what has changed? Why is Megan Fox’s portrayal of Jennifer considered a sex symbol that pleases the male gaze, while Pearl’s portrayal of Mia Goth is seen as a sympathetic feminist anti-heroine? The answer is simple: the public has changed and, with it, the industry.
We must remember that the film industry follows a profit-driven analysis. As consumer demand changes, industry has to adapt. For this it is important to remember that transparency, inclusiveness and representation are not just buzzwords when talking about Gen Z, but rather the values that define them, and it is necessary to take these into account when addressing this audience. The reason why the horror genre is increasingly popular with this generation is that it anticipates and accurately stages the themes of interest to these young adults. In essence, the new horror is refresh too many tired to best represent and attract the target audience. One way we’ve seen this is the greater representation of LGBTQ+ in recent movies. This community, which was once overlooked or used for cheap laughs in slasher films, lately seems to own the scene, on screen and on social media, where the viral horror icon M3GAN she recently came out as queer.
Overall, it is thanks to the Generation Z’s refusal to settle of a mediocre torture porn that studios like A24 had the chance to achieve recognized success, following original ideas and betting on independent cinema and on directors who might otherwise have been overlooked by an industry hungry for profits. This progress has led to the continued evolution of horror, which we are sure to see more in the future. Hopefully, denim overalls will be the new pink by the end of the term, when Gen Z is in charge.