For over a decade, superhero movies have had an uncontested dominance over blockbuster money and in general. Many have speculated how or if the genre would ever begin to really lose its steam or at least have a bit more challenge at the financial throne. Strangely enough, a film genre that predates the capes and tights movies is seeing a renaissance in 2022.

Horror movies have been around almost as long as the medium, with the genre providing all manner of potential for narrative diversity. This gives it a definite edge over superhero films, which are still many times locked in similar straits. Here's how horror's incredible 2022 could position it as the genre to take down superhero films.

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2022 Has Given Audiences Several Successful Horror Movies

The devil-masked Grabber carrying an unconscious Finney in The Black Phone.

The beginning of horror's reign at the 2022 box office truly began in March with the release of the film X. Praised for its spiritual callbacks to classic '70s slasher flicks, it was followed by the prequel Pearl, released later in the same year, with a third film on the way. These movies were both produced on a $1 million budget while also securing over ten times that or more in revenue. Other unexpected success stories include The Black Phone, an adaptation of the Joe Hill short story, as well as the big-budget sci-fi horror flick Nope. Since then, the number of successful horror flicks, be it financially, critically or both, has only increased.

While receiving mixed reviews, Halloween Ends has definitely made a lot of money so far into its theatrical run, all the while being a boon to the Peacock streaming service. Barbarian and Smile were both sleeper hits, coming out of nowhere to slash away at the competition. Finally, Terrifier 2 completely blew its predecessor out of the water, all the while scoring a tidy profit. Creature features like Beast and arguably even the action-packed Jurassic World Dominion also fit into the horror category.

While some of these have been released near Halloween, just as many were spread throughout the year, with The Black Phone and Nope both being summer releases. Thus, horror isn't nearly as confined to the spooky season as many would expect, and there's a plethora of topics that can be utilized in the genre. From vampires and ghosts to slashers, stalkers, animals and aliens, horror movies can touch upon all manner of subjects and even subgenres. This is one of many strengths that it has over the increasingly saturated superhero movie genre.

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Horror Films Offer More Freedom and Less Financial Risk Than Superhero Movies

pearl terrifier 2 nope

For better or worse, many superhero films fit into a certain niche and set of tropes. This is especially the case for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has been somewhat criticized for sticking to its formula so rigidly. It's also despite the endless potential for many of the superhero characters used, who could easily slot into different narrative subgenres. Utilizing genre is something that always comes along with successful horror movies, and this thematic diversity gives horror an immediate edge over its superheroic counterpart.

Likewise, there's the simple fact that many horror films are incredibly cheap to make. The aforementioned Pearl and X, as well as Terrifier 2, both had marginal budgets, with The Black Phone and even Halloween Ends being made for a nickel and dime compared to almost every 2022 superhero movie. The only true horror movie with a budget rivaling superhero flicks is Nope, and it was definitely an outlier for both the genre and the director. Given that live-action superhero movies require so much money to make the various heroes' powers and abilities look good on screen, it's a much safer financial bet to simply have a guy running around the woods slashing at innocent teenagers.

Even if superhero movies aren't necessarily beaten by horror, the latter can definitely put up a good fight. If nothing else, it'd offer an excellent source of alternatives, especially for older audiences looking for something beyond a blockbuster for the whole family. Many have wondered how long the superhero bubble can be maintained, but horror has been around for much longer and released more consistently. Whereas superhero films are defined by the Marvel Cinematic Universe and increasingly the DC Universe, horror isn't so controlled by specific franchises. This alone shows that it has the draw and potential to give the costumed crowd a run for its money, offering more varied experiences for a fraction of the production price.