Horror fans can scream “original horror” all they want but the truth is that risks are only taken when there’s proof of success. Studios and distributors are reactionary and when horror fans vote with their dollars it tells them to take more risks.
2022 has been an excellent year for both the genre and risks. Universal Pictures’ The Black Phone was a massive hit, so much so that discussions are underway to turn it into a franchise. That’s the irony here – an original idea that hits becomes IP and then there’s less room for those risks.
Digressing, it’s all a win for horror fans. And for those complaining there aren’t enough original horror films, you just aren’t looking hard enough. Thankfully, some sneak their way into theaters and continue to prove that these are risks worth taking.
This week it was 20th Century Studios’ Barbarian, which Meagan Navarro calls a “violent, ruthless crowd-pleaser [that] makes for one of the year’s biggest surprises.”
Nothing can prepare you for twists and turns in this unusual horror film that hails from, get this, “The Whitest Kids U’ Know’s” Zach Cregger.
Horror fans showed up in troves, propelling yet another horror film to the top of the box office with a $10M opening. Two weeks ago it was Sony’s The Invitation, which is now sitting pretty with $25M worldwide while Jordan Peele’s Nope has topped $165M!
In Barbarian, which will likely land on HBO Max following its VOD release, a young woman (Georgina Campbell) traveling to Detroit for a job interview books a rental home. But when she arrives late at night, she discovers that the house is double booked, and a strange man (Bill Skarsgård) is already staying there. Against her better judgment, she decides to spend the evening, but soon discovers that there’s a lot more to fear than just an unexpected house guest.
What did you guys think?