Horror Movies Are Popular (& Why You Should Write Them)

We’re writing about horror movies and why they are so popular. We also tell you why you should write horror.

Note: No AI was used in this post as you can tell by my inability to spell “sashsquach?” “sasquach?” “sasquatch?” and my unwillingness to look it up.

Horror Movies Are Popular (& Why You Should Write Them)

They Are Cheap To Make

You may have noticed the boom in horror on streaming services as well as in theatres lately.

Some will be good. Notable examples include Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity. Both cost thousands of dollars to make and made millions at the box office.

Unfortunately, there have also always been bad horror movies that mostly just boil down to a fun name and not much else. See Shark Exorcist and Death Bed: The Bed That Eats as examples of this.

And, then there is the cult classic ‘so bad it’s good’ category. Suburban Sasquatch being the one that comes to mind.

Nevertheless, because of its low investment, horror is the one genre that studios and even individuals are willing to produce in quantity. You never know when a Sharknado-like movie will break through and make a name for itself.

It’s Easy To Write

It is a classic Three Act Structure.

1. You have the introduction and foreshadowing.
2. The struggle and threat.
3. And, the conclusion and resolution.

In other words:

1. Show us who is in danger and who to root for.
2. Show us how they fight or flee the danger.
3. Show us if they win or lose.

If you can do that, you can write horror.

[ You can learn How To Write A Screenplay with Writers Write.]

People Love To Be Scared. But, Also Entertained.

Make sure you don’t just have a cool name! Like Ghost Butler The Reckoning.

You need a neat premise and a fun assortment of characters.

Normally, you have the jock, the stoner, the geek, the skeptic, and the final girl.

1. The jock dies due to overconfidence.
2. The stoner is comic relief.
3. The geek is for information that leads to the resolution.
4. The skeptic is there to die first and establish that the threat is real.
5. The final girl is resourceful and usually lives, or is saved by an unlikely hero.

AND of course you have your monster or villain. They are there to do bad things in fun ways.

Tucker & Dale vs Evil is a perfect meta example of all these tropes. It pokes fun at all the roles in a way that makes them obvious to the viewer. And, as such is a great learning aid.

It is also a horror comedy. Because, as I always say: “Comedy sells!”

Is There Big Money In This?

Yes and no. If you can write and produce these films, then yes and the Blumhouse Company often does this. They write cheap-to-make, easy-to-sell films that will never be number one, but will make 10 times their costs back.

On the other hand, there is a lot of “AI Slop” on streaming that has no writer at all associated with it. They don’t do well, but they do unfortunately make entry level writing jobs harder to get in this genre. Reportedly, Late Night with the Devil, an AI generated film, made $12 million. But, the backlash has been substantial and people now want to see that “No AI” stamp on their media! Ironically, often they make this stamp with AI but that’s another issue.

The Last Word

Unique ideas that are scary and fun are what you should aim for. (You may want to write in the cozy horror genre.) Make a dozen or more outlines of scripts to shop around to studios. Be careful not to let them steal your ideas!

As usual, agents handle submissions for big companies.

The best way in the door is writing for competitions that guarantee that your script will then be considered by an agent of studio. The BBC Writersroom hosts open calls for new scripts if you are in the UK. Sundance Labs and Austin Film Festival are organisations that can be entry points to people in the US. Lastly Virtual Pitch Fest is an online written pitch system that is said to guarantee a response, positive or not.

I hope this gives you hope that you can write a great and successful horror script that scares the pants off me one day. Have fun!

More Horror Posts:

1. 101 Horror Tropes For Writers
2. Horror Masters: 3 Spooky Tips To Write Like Lovecraft, Poe, & King
3. 10 Ways To Kick Start Your Horror Story
4. Why Writers Should Know About Monsters Before They Write a Word
5. 7 Spine-Chilling Tips For Writing An Unforgettable Horror Story
6. On Ghosts & How To Write About Them
7. What Is A Cozy Horror & How Do I Write One?
8. The 3 Pillars Of Horror

Source for image: Pixabay

Written by Christopher Luke Dean. Christopher writes and facilitates for Writers Write. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisLukeDean

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6. What Is A Cozy Horror & How Do I Write One?
7. Which Book Genre Should You Be Writing In 2026?
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