The summer of 2022 has been a big time for slashers, with The Black Phone scaring audiences with its story of a villain named The Grabber who takes kids. There are other subgenres to enjoy this season as well, with Jordan Peele's Nope as a fresh take on a movie about aliens.
While many horror fans will check out any new release as long as the story sounds riveting, or it's from a favorite filmmaker, there are some subgenres that people gravitate to more than others. Redditors have discussed the horror stories that interest them the most.
Creature Features
For Redditor MisterBl0nde, "creature features" are a favorite subgenre. The fan wrote "I've always been fascinated by monsters just like I've been with the paranormal. The Thing & Alien are a few examples."
Horror movies about monsters are so much fun to watch because they are truly an escape from reality. Watching characters fight these creatures, learn more about them, and figure out what makes them tick is always going to be a fascinating experience.
Ghost Stories
The best supernatural horror movies involve characters who either believe in evil spirits or are cynical and uncertain that they really exist, but either way, their lives are affected by a nearby presence. Redditor burnerfret loves movies about ghost and wrote, "I want lore, I want people doing research, I want clues, I want twist endings."
Franchises like The Conjuring have made a huge impression, with audiences enjoying returning to the same universe time and time again and watching familiar characters like Ed and Lorraine Warren investigate ghosts. Characters in ghost stories are always active as they solve mysteries and that's a satisfying moviegoing experience.
Slasher Films
Fans of the horror genre often love slashers, with an appreciation for '80s movies like A Nightmare On Elm Street, the 1996 classic Scream, and several films in the Halloween franchise. This is one of Redditor mintmothman's favorite horror subgenres, with the fan writing, "they are just a ton of fun."
2022 has been a thrilling year for slashers, including Ti West's beautifully crafted X about filmmakers making an adult movie and staying at the Texas farm of elderly characters Pearl and Howard. This subgenre often includes shocking scenes and good endings.
Demonic Possession Movies
Ever since The Exorcist was released in 1973, movies about demons taking over regular people who have no idea what's about to happen to them have been popular. For Redditor Kripla, "demon possession movies" are a favorite subgenre, and Redditor vladval posted that "Hereditary helped reignite my love for that genre."
When King Paimon takes over Annie Graham in Hereditary, it's one of the scariest movie demonic possessions, and this scene has definitely become the standard by which others will be judged from now on. Annie's takeover feels so terrible and full of emotion as she is carrying around the pain of her family.
Gothic Horror
If horror fans want moody locations and interesting environments, Gothic films are the types to turn to. Redditor Welles_Bells wrote, "I love the atmosphere with crooked trees, creaky mansions, subtle hauntings, and gorgeous black and white cinematography."
Movies like Crimson Peak from 2015 are impressive, as they typically feature haunted houses, characters who are truly creeped out by the situations that they're in, and period costumes that add to the fun. Visually, these are some of the most stunning and emotionally affecting horror movies ever made.
Zombies
Ever since The Evil Dead was released in 1981, moviegoers have enjoyed stories about zombies taking over the world. Redditor mintmothman posted that this is their favorite subgenre because they are "basically disaster movies meet monster movies."
While both slashers and zombie films feature characters running from killers and villains and trying to live, characters have to actively participate in an apocalyptic story since they need to find shelter, figure out the rules of survival, and see if there is anyone else who they can trust.
Films About Evil Dolls
One Redditor posted, "I'm all about evil doll movies," and many horror fans love Child's Play and Annabelle. Just like some people have always been terrified of clowns, many people find dolls to be really eerie since they are meant to be innocent and sweet.
There is no shortage of creepy horror movie dolls and they're all effective. While it's hard to imagine really being afraid of a doll in real life, it's also tough not to find these objects to be unnerving. No one would want to be in a room with Chucky, that's for sure.
Haunted House Films
The haunted house subgenre might just be the most classic one, besides stories about people being taken over by demons. Redditor mrsloblaw wrote, "recently I’ve been into haunted house movies," and there are so many to choose from, whether looking for a classic like Poltergeist or something more recent.
While haunted house films follow the same structure, as families move in, discover a strange spirit, and try to make it out alive, hopefully moving far away, that can be comforting.
Horror Comedies
When replying in a thread about the different types of horror movies, Redditor DoctorMystery wrote, "I'm a sucker for horror-comedies." Whether horror comedies are family friendly or darker and more terrifying, the combination of scary moments and jokes somehow just works.
Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil is a great example of one of the most popular films from this subgenre. When Tucker McGee and Dale Dobson meet a group of young adults, the friends think that they're scary when they couldn't be more innocent. The movie is silly and chaotic, which can be a refreshing change of pace from disturbing horror movies.
Found Footage
For Redditor CRISIS37, "found footage" is a great horror subgenre, something that many agree with after watching 2009's Paranormal Activity. While some found footage movies are better than others, it's generally entertaining watching the video that the main characters have taken, and this can be a really cool and creative way to structure a film.
Character development and dialogue become even more important when a story is told in this format. Found footage stories are often about the supernatural, which makes them even more enjoyable, as the characters are sharing the wild experiences that they have had.