Two Hollywood blockbusters are currently flopping at the US box office, while two low-budget horror films are making good money thanks to Gen Z.
Which films are we talking about? Currently, the two indie horror movies Obsession and Backrooms are performing well in US theaters. The latter made a whopping 81 million dollars in its release weekend in May. Obsession, on the other hand, cost just under one million US dollars to produce and made over 17 million dollars in its opening weekend. Moreover, the film continues to attract more and more audiences every week. The last film to achieve this was E.T. in 1982.
In contrast, the current Hollywood blockbusters are performing rather weakly: Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu had the weakest opening of all time for a Star Wars film (via Moviepilot). Master of the Universe, a reboot of the action figure universe from the 1980s, is also flopping according to Forbes.
Currently, two indie horror movies are outperforming the established studios in theaters. This is partly due to the screen preferences of Gen Z.
Gen Z goes to the movies more often – and wants more than just silly antics
Why are the horror films so successful? Right now, there are several theories as to why the two horror movies are so successful. The directors of both films are part of Gen Z – Curry Barker (Obsession) is 26, while Kane Parson (Backrooms) will turn 21 on June 18 – and both learned their craft on YouTube.
As a result, they already have a corresponding following. Backrooms was previously a web series that Parson produced at the age of 16. The first episode now has over 85 million views (YouTube).
Adding to this is the demographic of the respective movie target audiences: According to a Fandango survey in the US, 87% of Gen Z and 82% of Millennials have seen at least one movie in theaters in the past year. However, this only applies to 70% of Gen Xers and 58% of Baby Boomers. The latter are likely the primary target audience for Star Wars and Masters of the Universe – two brands that emerged in the 1970s and 1980s.
According to The Guardian, Gen Zers are also actively seeking spaces outside of work and home. The cinema is one of those spaces. On BBC.com, there is also the theory that the younger generation wants to watch films that they can discuss. Specifically, Backrooms would offer a lot of room for interpretation, while that would be lacking in Masters of the Universe and the latest Star Wars movie.
According to The Economist, the audiences of the two indie horrors were indeed comparatively young: 85% of viewers of Backrooms are under 35 years old. Additionally, 75% of moviegoers watching Obsession are between 18 and 25 years old.
Have you seen any of the four mentioned films? Or has the cinema completely lost its appeal for you? Let us know in the comments – we are curious. If you’re currently excited about fresh blockbuster releases, you won’t have to wait long for the next Marvel movie with Spiderman: Brand New Day. To help pass the time, we have here the 10 characters who have defeated the Hulk in battle.
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