In 2023, Netflix has yet to release an original horror movie that has really captured people's attention. In 2022, the streaming service put out the Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot, along with the forgettable Choose Or Die about a killer video game. While Netflix has made some great strides in this genre, with stand-outs like the Fear Street franchise and Eli, there have also been a lot of misses. 2018's The Open House is the perfect example of a boring movie that doesn't have any character development or a proper ending.
It's definitely possible for Netflix to release better horror movies, and it wouldn't cost the company that much. There are many reasons why the streaming service should focus on its horror content.
Horror Movies Are Hugely Popular
There's no doubt that the 1980s was a golden age for slashers and supernatural movies alike. The most timeless '80s horror movies include Poltergeist, A Nightmare On Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and The Shining. But 2022 was a great year for horror fans and the genre saw a massive uptick in popularity.
Because horror movies are so popular and there is such an appetite for them, Netflix should put out more creative original scary films. There's definitely a time and place for legacy horror. It can be exciting to revisit beloved characters and tell these stories in a new, contemporary light. But there will always be room for fresh storytelling and Netflix is a great place to do so. The popularity of Scream IV, which has many kills and genuinely surprising moments, is further proof that horror is here to stay.
Horror Movies Can Be Made On The Cheap
Netflix should also produce more horror movies because they don't cost a lot. There are many horror franchises that got worse with big budgets, proving that more money doesn't equal more creativity.
In fact, many horror movies are filmed in just one location or at the very most, a few, which cuts down on costs. One of the best examples of this is the Netflix original horror movie Hush, which was co-written by Mike Flanagan and his wife Kate Siegal and directed by Flanagan. The budget was only $1 million. This is much different from big-budget studio films which sometimes even go over planned budgets as the filmmaking process continues.
Audiences Like An At-Home Horror Experience
There are many popular Netflix horror movies, which proves that audiences enjoy being able to watch this type of film at home on a weekend evening when they're relaxing. It's not always better to go to the movie theater. Sometimes, in fact, it can feel even scarier to watch a horror movie at home. It's much easier to imagine that something sinister and dangerous is hiding under the bed or in the closet when sitting in a dark living room at night than in a theater full of other people. And that is an advantage that Netflix has. Since so many people use the streaming service, there is a built-in audience who will watch many films that the service puts out.
In some ways, watching a horror movie in the comfort of someone's own home can elevate the experience. Hush can be mentioned here again. Hush has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of over 90% and tells a fascinating and terrifying story of a deaf writer named Maddie Young (Siegal) who is at home when an intruder tries to kill her. Since it's about someone who is home alone, this is even more horrifying to watch in that type of setting.
Netflix's Horror Successes Prove It Can Be Done
Netflix has had a lot of success in the horror genre. For one thing, the streaming service has put out many unforgettable Mike Flanagan horror TV series like Midnight Mass, The Midnight Club and The Haunting of Hill House. If Netflix kept producing horror TV but focused on movies as well, there's a built-in audience ready and waiting.
Netflix's Fear Street franchise is another example of a fun, entertaining, and ultimately satisfying entry into the horror genre. The sweet love story in Fear Street between Samantha Frasier (Olivia Scott Welch) and Deena Johnson (Kiana Madeira) was one of the best parts of the movies. It was also great seeing a nod to the opening scene in Scream in the first movie Fear Street Part One: 1994 when Heather (Maya Hawke) is at the mall.
There will be a fourth Fear Street movie, which is great news. Netflix should continue this trend and produce more horror movies, switching up the subgenres and focusing on slashers, the paranormal, demonic possession stories, and even some creative takes on found footage if the stories are good.