Horror Summer: New Films and Series Flood Streaming and Theaters

This summer has seen an unprecedented wave of horror content across streaming platforms and cinemas. Netflix has released a slew of horror titles since June, including the three chapters of the Fear Street trilogy (1994, 1976, and 1881), zombie series Army of Death and Black Summer, the Italian film A Classic Horror Story, vampire stories Van Helsing and Blood Red Sky, and the animated Resident Evil series. Amazon Prime Video has also added The Witch (2016). In theaters, M. Night Shyamalan's Old has recently premiered, while A Quiet Place 2 is upcoming. The Conjuring 3, featuring Annabelle, marks the return of a horror icon. At the upcoming Venice Film Festival, Universal will present Halloween Kills and the psychological horror Last Night in Soho. The surge in horror releases is attributed to pandemic-related production delays in 2020 and 2021. Streaming horror films are optimized for mobile viewing with simpler plots and a focus on 19th-century monsters like vampires and zombies rather than classic slashers, appealing to Generation Z. A 2013 Hollywood Reporter survey indicates that female viewership now exceeds 50% for some horror titles, broadening the genre's audience.