Horror has grown from a niche category into a tentpole business across gaming, film, and television, with 2026 marked by a concentration of hits in several mediums at once.
Resident Evil illustrates the shift. The survival horror series is 30 years old, but its newest game, Resident Evil Requiem, has sold 8 million copies since launching in February, making it the 14th best-selling title in Capcom's history, according to the company. A film reboot from Weapons director Zach Cregger is on pace to become the highest-grossing movie in the franchise. Capcom, in an earnings report, described the result as a cycle in which sales of new and past titles grow together.
Film has provided the clearest evidence this year. Obsession and Backrooms, both directed by filmmakers who came up through YouTube, have combined for nearly $1 billion at the box office, out-grossing established franchises such as Star Wars and directors including Steven Spielberg, despite budgets far below typical blockbusters. Backrooms cost an estimated $10 million, while Obsession cost less than $1 million. Iron Lung, another YouTube-centered horror film, brought in more than $50 million without a major studio behind it.
On television, Apple TV released the horror-comedy Widow's Bay in April. The show went on to win a record number of Emmys and remains on the service's most-watched list. Every major streaming service is investing in horror-related series with major star power attached, even though streaming viewership data is harder to obtain than box office figures.
In games, Silent Hill has continued a steady run, highlighted by the Scottish spinoff Townfall this year, and Hellraiser received its first proper video game adaptation. Indie horror titles have been consistent bestsellers on Steam and have supplied source material for theatrical releases including Iron Lung and Exit 8. Twitch reported that viewers watched 287 million hours of horror content from January through September, with the dedicated horror tag up 6 percent in viewership from a year earlier.
Studios are pursuing the trend further. Kane Parsons has reportedly signed on for a Backrooms sequel, Obsession director Curry Barker has a new film due next year, and Cregger's next project has major star power attached. A24 and Neon are developing competing films set in the SCP Foundation universe, Warner Bros. has acquired the rights to Siren Head, and Amazon poached Mike Flanagan from Netflix with an exclusive deal. Xbox has invested in bringing Hideo Kojima's horror game OD to consoles.
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