Gen Z filmmakers top box office with horror hits 'Backrooms' and 'Obsession', reflecting generational anxieties
By
Jesse Hassenger
Kettled twice. Extra chewy, extra trustworthy.
Summary
The article analyzes how two recent horror hits, 'Backrooms' and 'Obsession' (both made by Gen Z filmmakers), are topping box office charts and outperforming legacy franchises like Star Wars. It explores what these films reveal about Gen Z's unique anxieties and fears, contrasting them with older generations' horror sensibilities. The piece examines how Gen Z creators are reshaping horror cinema by tapping into distinctly modern terrors like social cringe, digital existential dread, and the pressures of online performance culture.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledMembers of Gen-Z haven't just dominated the most frequent moviegoing demographic; now, naturally, they're starting to actually make the movies bringing younger filmgoers out in droves.
They both beat back the second-weekend grosses for a new entry in the legacy franchise Star Wars, which now seems most attractive to aging Gen-Xers and some Gen Alpha kids.
Are the two biggest horror hits of the year really just scared of cringe?
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