In 2021, a monster film was released titled Antlers. Unlike most creature features that have been released in recent decades, this entry was unique because it didn't bother creating a new monster. Instead, it was released on established folklore to bring a mysterious and dangerous cryptid to life. As a result, the film was as creative as it was suspenseful and remained deeply rooted in the source material that helped inspire the monster. Because of this, it proved that Hollywood might be ready for a new type of horror sub-genre -- cryptids.
Antlers was a film that followed a young, socially distant boy who caught the curiosity and concern of one of his teachers. At first, she thought he may have been a victim of abuse, but it was slowly revealed that his circumstances were very different. In reality, he was forced to find food for his father, who had succumbed to the curse of the Wendigo, but the more he fed him, the more the curse took over, and the boy's father eventually changed into a massive and powerful creature that he and his teacher had to stop.
In folklore, the Wendigo is a spirit that latches itself onto the souls of those that are weak, have consumed human flesh or were in the vicinity of an area where the environment was being harmed. Once infected, those with the curse would suffer from an insatiable urge to feed on meat until the metamorphosis completely took over. It's a cryptid rooted deeply in folklore, but Antlers showed this wasn't the only type of creature that could get an equally emotional and violent story.
For example, one of the most famous cryptids ever is the Sasquatch. However, a high-budget film based on the creature rarely, if ever, gets made. Using a similar formula to Antlers, this film could work as a story about a violent, misunderstood creature that's both heartfelt, scary and accurate. Essentially it would be a mix of Frankenstein meets King Kong, but with much more scares and using the forest to the creature's advantage.
Another character that would work well to usher in a new era of cryptid horror could be the Loch Ness Monster. For decades many have claimed to have seen it, and more claimed that it's a dinosaur. By melding the influences of Jaws and Jurassic Park, this film could be a suspenseful creature feature set in a loch harboring a dangerous creature. Furthermore, by playing on the emotional cores of its characters and creature effects that would make the cryptids scary but realistic, it could be a new genre that would bring in even more fans thanks to its originality.
Films like The Hallow have already shown how folklore creatures, like fairies, can generate creative and frightening special effects experiences. Expanding that with even more cryptids would be an opportunity worth capitalizing on. Ultimately, Antlers could be the start of something unique and great, and with folk and supernatural horror being all the rage, now is the time to try something new.