Blumhouse CEO Jason Blum predicts the future of horror films. Blum has produced hundreds of films over the last few decades, making him one of the most prolific producers in Hollywood. He formed Blumhouse, a production company that focuses on the horror genre, from micro- to big-budget films, which has become a powerhouse go-to for quality horror. Blum's most recent productions include the new Halloween trilogy, Scott Derrickson's upcoming The Black Phone, The Forever Purge, Freaky, and the next chapters in the Paranormal Activity and The Exorcist franchises, amongst countless other projects.
Talking to CBR, the uber-producer gave a prediction of where the horror genre will go next, as it tends to settle into a few different categories throughout the years, ranging in popularity through different sub-genres. Blum says that the genre "swings" between "supernatural and very realistic" and says that the current trend is a focus on more physical violence, rather than supernatural horror. The producer said that horror tends to reflect "what's going on in society" and that he believes the next trend will lean into the pandemic lockdowns, seeing as people have had so much time being holed up in their homes that it will lead to some "great stories" stemming from that experience. Here's his full quote:
"The pendulum with horror usually swings between supernatural and very realistic. I think, recently, with Halloween, with The Purge, we've gotten fewer ghosts and more actual violence. Then it'll swing back, so that certainly happens. What's most interesting about horror, though, is that it really reflects what's going on in society at the moment. I think they're going to be versions of... It's not literal. There's not going to be a disease movie, but I think everyone being inside in their house for such a long period of time will lead to great stories about that, so I'm looking forward to that. That's one of the things I think will be upcoming."
Blum has recently revived the Halloween franchise, which is part of a new trilogy, including 2018's Halloween, this year's Halloween Kills, and Halloween Ends in 2022. His next big franchise revival will be for The Exorcist, which will reboot the series that was started in 1973 by director William Friedkin. The new film will be directed by Halloween's David Gordon Green and will star Leslie Odom Jr. and Ellen Burstyn. Beyond that, Blum also has a remake of Stephen King's Firestarter on the way, as well as an adaptation of the popular horror game Five Nights At Freddy's.
Jason Blum's approach to churning out films quickly is certainly one of the reasons for Blumhouse's success, especially as it allows his studio to create timely material that hasn't been sitting in development hell or on a shelf for so long that it passes from relevancy. That line of thinking goes along with his theory that pandemic-inspired horror films may be on the way, as the news cycle alone is enough to create absolute fear, panic, and paranoia about it. Beyond current filmmakers potentially tackling the subject, the next generation of filmmakers who have lived through the pandemic will no doubt be inspired to create stories from this unpredictable era that will tap into the zeitgeist of popular culture, including the horror movie genre.
Source: CBR
