With the gory body horror The Substance and musicals Emilia Perez and Wicked competing for top Oscars, this marks the biggest year for both genres in over 50 years.Sky News analysis last year found that top Oscar nominees were often lesser-known, artistic films rather than major box office hits. But the success of Barbie and Oppenheimer signalled a shift, which horror and musicals have continued this year, with The Substance and Wicked earning both critical and commercial success.Horror films have received more Oscar nominations in 2025 than in any year since 1974, when The Exorcist became the first horror movie to be nominated for Best Picture. It remains the most successful horror film in Oscar history, winning awards for Sound and Screenplay.Both years, saw horror films earn 10 nominations overall. In 1974, all 10 went to The Exorcist, with five in top categories.This year, Nosferatu has received four nominations, though none in major categories, while The Substance has secured five, including three in major fields: Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Directing. This makes The Substance the most successful horror film at the Oscars since The Exorcist.The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), whose members vote for Oscar nominations and winners, has made a concerted effort in recent years to expand its membership in response to concerns over a lack of diversity in nominations.
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The Exorcist was the first horror films to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Pic: Warner Bros/Hoya Prods/Kobal/Shutterstock
A younger, more globally diverse voting body may be driving horror’s increased recognition at the Oscars.”With horror, traditionally there’s been an inherent barrier just based on the fact that some people can’t stomach the content or the simple intensity of horror films, no matter the level of quality. That has probably contributed historically to horror not being as widely recognised,” said Jordan Farley, film critic and author of the film-focused newsletter The Movie Wingman.”I think that attitude is eroding, simply because the voting body is expanding to include a greater number of younger voters, more global voters and people raised on more extreme horror films,” he added.The Substance, one of this year’s most celebrated horror films, has already dominated the awards season.Lead actress Demi Moore has won multiple Best Actress awards, including at the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, and the Critics Choice Awards, solidifying its momentum ahead of the Oscars.
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The Substance is one of the most successful horror films at the Oscars since The Exorcist. Pic: Mubi
“It’s in times of uncertainty that horror films begin to reflect our anxieties,” said Dr. Steven Gerrard, a reader in film at Leeds Beckett University with a special interest in horror.Coralie Fargeat, director of The Substance, told Sky News: “For me, this
