Horror Movie Boomlet

Horror movies are in a boom cycle. Not only are more horror films made each year, but they are grossing more and becoming more gross.

Why?

There are a number of factors, but one I'd like to discuss is...

Demographics.

Most of us are familiar with the baby boom, the generation that was born to parents returning from WWII. It is the biggest demographic wave in American history.

And like all big hits, it spawned a sequel.

The baby boomlet.



This demographic chart illustrates the baby boom, peaking around 1960, and the baby boomlet, peaking in 1990.

A person born in 1990 will turn how old this year?

17.

What happens when a person turns 17?

They start going to R-rated movies without their parents. (Yes, most kids start early, but we're already a couple of years into the R-rated horror boom.)

Please note that the baby boomlet generation is nearly as large as the baby boom generation.

To understand how the baby boom effected the horror genre, look at some of the horror films of the mid to late '70s:

The Exorcist (1973)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Black Christmas (1974)
Jaws (1975)
Carrie (1976)
The Omen (1976)
Audrey Rose (1977)
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Halloween (1978)
Alien (1979)

What about horror novels of the 1970s?

Ever heard of Stephen King?

Okay, so baby boomer teens loved the scary stuff, but what about the baby boomlet's effect on the horror genre?

They grew up on Goosebumps.

They graduated to Harry Potter.

As Harry Potter matured, so did they.

Now they're turning 17.

They've had their fill of kiddy scares.

And they're ready for the hard stuff.

Are you?

If you've got a horror script ready, now is the time to hit the market.

And if you don't have a horror script, you may want to think about writing one.

My advice:

Make it bloody disgusting.