What you will find in the article
- Horror films are the UK’s favourite Halloween activity, especially among Gen Z.
- Gen Z increasingly chooses horror for date nights and movie nights with friends.
- Younger generations are watching their first horror films at earlier ages.
- Parents rely on BBFC ratings and content advice to assess horror films.
The findings come in a year when horror films have dominated the big screen and cultural conversation in the UK. Two of 2026's biggest box office hits, Obsession and Backrooms, are horror films from young directors who began their filmmaking careers creating videos for YouTube. Obsession has become an instant cultural phenomenon, taking more than $520 million at the box office despite being made on a budget of less than $1 million. Meanwhile, Backrooms has become production studio A24's highest-grossing film ever, earning $400 million in cinemas.
While watching horror is the UK's favourite Halloween activity overall, the BBFC research reveals significant generational differences. For many people, Halloween brings to mind young people trick-or-treating or dressing up for parties. However, Gen Z is less likely to participate in these traditional activities. Almost half (49 per cent) of Gen Z prefer spending Halloween evening watching horror films, more than double the proportion who go trick-or-treating (19 per cent), while only a third (33 per cent) attend or host a party.
The research also shows that Gen Z enjoys horror throughout the year, rather than just at Halloween. Among younger audiences, the genre has also become a popular choice for romantic evenings. More than one in five Gen Z respondents (22 per cent) consider horror the best film genre for a date night, ahead of comedy (16 per cent), thrillers (7 per cent), and dramas (6 per cent). Horror is also Gen Z's top choice for a movie night with friends, selected by almost a third (32 per cent).
However, the same cannot be said for older generations. The appeal of horror as a date-night genre declines sharply with age. While 22 per cent of Gen Z choose horror for a romantic evening, that figure falls to just 9 per cent among Millennials, 5 per cent among Gen X, and only 2 per cent among Baby Boomers.
Each successive generation is also starting to watch horror films at a younger age than the previous one. Baby Boomers reported watching their first horror film at an average age of 14, compared with 13 for Gen X and 12 for both Millennials and Gen Z. Today's children are also testing the boundaries set by their parents, with more than half (54 per cent) of parents of under-18s saying their child asks to watch horror films with age ratings above their age.
Parents, however, are setting clear boundaries. More than half (53 per cent) said they would not allow their child to watch a horror film rated 15 or 18 at the age when they themselves first watched one. At the same time, 61 per cent of adults believe today's audiences are more accepting of material that would have been considered too strong for a 15 rating in the 1980s.
When deciding which horror films are suitable for children, parents frequently turn to the BBFC for guidance. Almost two-thirds of parents (64 per cent) always or often check the BBFC age rating when selecting a Halloween or horror-related film to watch with their child. Among those who use BBFC content advice, 95 per cent say they find the information reassuring.
Without a BBFC age rating or content advice, 83 per cent of parents said they would take additional precautions or refuse to let their child watch the film. More than a third (36 per cent) would look up information about the film elsewhere, 29 per cent would watch it themselves first, and 17 per cent would not allow their child to watch it at all. Only 5 per cent would let their child watch the film regardless.
"Horror has been one of the most reliable and popular genres for decades, and this year Obsession and Backrooms, made by talented young filmmakers, have been among the biggest hits at the box office. Our research shows a new generation is taking horror to heart, making it part of date nights and hangouts with friends all year round. But with children now asking to watch horror at a younger age, it's encouraging to see that so many parents turn to our trusted age ratings and content advice. Whether it's a cult classic or this year's latest hit, we encourage families to check the BBFC rating and content advice this Halloween, so that whatever they choose, they know it is right for them and their family to watch."
added David Austin OBE, Chief Executive of the BBFC.
Source: advanced-television.com