Science of scares: Sky Cinema and NOW reveal formula for what makes a horror truly terrifyingMonday 28 October 2024
The average Brit watches 23 horror movies a year
A relatable and realistic storyline that blurs the lines between fiction and reality is key to a truly scary movie
The head-spinning scene from The Exorcist named scariest horror movie moment of all time, according to research from Sky Cinema and NOW
With 34million* Brits set to enjoy a horror movie this Halloween, new research from Sky Cinema and NOW has conjured the perfect horror movie formula, revealing the chilling cinematic elements that make Brits' blood run cold.
According to the study, whilst half (51%) of Brits struggle to sleep after watching a horror movie, 9 in 10 appreciate the unique thrill and rush that comes from being scared by a film. Afterwards, 8 in 10 say they need to do something to put their nerves at ease, like watching something light-hearted (23%), checking around the house (14%) or even sleeping with the lights on (13%).
Despite many movies incorporating guts and gore as a scare tactic, it turns out that this doesn't phase 88% of Brits at all.
The Fear Factors:
The research identified the most effective horror tropes:
Realistic horrors: Brits are more fearful of realistic horrors (60%) over traditional guts and gore (12%)
Anxiety inducing plot: Jump scares (27%) and plot twists (21%)
Classic villains still terrify: Serial killers or psychopaths (30%) remain the most feared antagonists, followed by demonic or possessed characters (25%) and ghosts or spirits (21%)
Location, location, location: Secluded areas (80%) and remote locations (77%) are the most fear-inducing settings, proving that isolation amplifies terror
Based on the research findings, Sky Cinema and NOW have identified the key elements for the perfect horror film. It must have a relatable and realistic storyline which blurs the lines between fiction and reality. There should be a healthy dose of jump scares and unexpected plot twists to keep viewers on their toes. A terrifying villain, such as a serial killer, demon, or ghost, to terrify viewers; and an isolated and eerie setting to heighten the sense of dread.
The study also found The Exorcist tops the list for Brit's top horror movie and scariest moment, while Nightmare on Elm Street's Freddy Kreuger is the most feared character:
For those looking to put the horror formula to the test, Sky Cinema and NOW offer over 1,000 movies on demand, including an array of top horror films, with titles including The Exorcist, Knock at the Cabin, Insidious, IT, Megan and Scream VI, as well asjump-scare, suspense filled movies like The Ring I & II and The Nun I & II.
Jamie Morris, Executive Director of Content Strategy and Performance at Sky, says: "Weve all got our favourite horror movies, the ones that really get under our skin, so we wanted to find out exactly what makes them so effective. Turns out, its a mix of things: realistic storylines that make you feel like it could actually happen, unexpected twists that keep you guessing, classic villains that tap into our deepest fears, and isolated settings that leave you feeling vulnerable. Films like The Exorcist and The Ring are masters of this formula, and thats why theyre still terrifying audiences today.
With Halloween just around the corner, were offering a huge range of horror movies on Sky Cinema and NOW, so viewers can explore what really scares them. Whether you're in the mood for supernatural frights, psychological tension, or iconic villains, Sky Cinema captures the essence of what makes horror truly unforgettable.
From terrifying classics like Rosemary's Baby and The Ring, to haunting new masterpieces like Scream VI, M3GAN, Annabelle: Creation, and Friday Night at Freddy's, Sky Cinema is the home of horror for fans this spooky season.
Stay home if you dare this Halloween with Sky Cinema. Upgrade for £10 extra a month. Offer ends 6th November.
Notes to editors
The research was conducted by Censuswide with 2,000 UK citizens (weighted to be nationally representative) between 11-14.10.2024. Censuswide abide by and employ members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles and are members of The British Polling Council.
*Based on the ONS adult population of UK and Wales at mid-2023
Upgrade for £10 extra a month. Offer ends 6th November. Prices may change during 24 month contract. £10 extra a month on 24-month contract (standard pricing after currently £19pm), available until 06/11. Requires Sky TV subscription (from £26pm). Prices may change. Further terms apply. https://www.sky.com/app/view/tv/cinema
Latest news
Sky Cinemas new Christmas advert celebrates connection, joy and the power of festive films
Sky and Prime Video extend multi-year deal
Sky News boards The Beast: a gripping documentary exploring perilous migrant journeys via an infamous freight train through Mexico
The Day of the Jackal' becomes biggest Sky Original ever
Most recent headlines
06/10/2025
France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...
04/09/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...
30/08/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission has adopted its FY 2025 Regulatory Fees Order that establishes the regulatory fee rates for the broadcast stati...
29/08/2025
Australian Red Cross and SBS launch training to help workplaces in the fight aga...
29/08/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
29/08/2025
L3Harris Technologies has concentrated decades of expertise across the entire enterprise to develop affordable and reliable best-of-breed solutions to rapidly c...
29/08/2025
BURBANK, Calif. The CW Network and the Pac-12 Conference have announced a new media rights deal that will extend their broadcast partnership beginning with the ...
29/08/2025
NEW YORK Gracenote has released a new analysis of its global video dataset showing that the number of FAST channels grew nearly 14% from Q1 2025 and 76% since 2...
29/08/2025
SAN JOSE, Calif. Harmonic has announced a series of improvements to its live sports streaming solution that the company said will improve fan engagement, protec...
29/08/2025
NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES Fox Corp. and YouTube TV last night announced a renewal of the full portfolio of Fox networks, including Fox News Channel, Fox Business...
29/08/2025
Budapest, Hungary, August 2025 - The integration of Microsoft Teams Rooms (MTR) with Lightware's Taurus universal matrix switchers delivers a new level of f...
29/08/2025
Frequency, the engine behind many of the world's best-known streaming television channels, today announced it will launch Studio Live, a next-generation uni...
29/08/2025
In an era when AI and cyber resilience are essential, Scality will mark the 10th anniversary of Scality Day on October 16, 2025 in Paris. This flagship global e...
29/08/2025
Disguise's In-House Creative and Technical Teams Pre-Visualised, Programmed and Delivered Content for the Experience, All Powered by EX 3+
Technology solu...
29/08/2025
Disguise will be demonstrating the latest workflows for TV, film and live events on a number of partner booths at the show
Disguise, the industry-leading tech...
29/08/2025
STOCKHOLM, Sweden Accedo will showcase Accedo Compose, its AI agent-powered modular orchestration layer that assists streaming providers in transitioning client...
29/08/2025
LOS ANGELES Cineverse has announced that it is working with Xperi to bring four of its streaming channels to automobiles for the first time as part of the DTS A...
29/08/2025
DALLAS & ATLANTA Gray Media has announced an agreement with the sports streaming service Victory+ to simulcast 17 Dallas Stars NHL games in 15 television market...
29/08/2025
NEW YORK AND CULVER CITY Comcast NBCUniversal and Amazon have announced new and extended distribution agreements that will expand the content available on their...
29/08/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. RED Digital Cinema will feature its Cine-Broadcast Module supporting live broadcast workflows during IBC2025, Sept. 12-15, at the RAI Ams...
29/08/2025
29 Aug 2025
Kyivstar Rings Opening Bell at Nasdaq Marking Landmark Listing and ...
29/08/2025
More than half of all NFL games live on Sky for the first timeFriday 29 August 2025
Sky Sports has announced a new three-year deal with the NFL, extending its ...
29/08/2025
Back to All News
RIV4LRIES: The Trailer of the New Series With Samuele Carrino ...
29/08/2025
Get ready for an inspiring and emotional insight into the world of competitive Irish dancing with My Story: Tomi Champion of the World airing on RT 2 this monda...
29/08/2025
RT has today announced that David McCullagh is to be the new presenter of RT Radio 1's flagship Today programme, which airs every weekday at 10am, replaci...
28/08/2025
By Kristin Feeley, Director, Documentary Film & Artist Programs
If you want to tell untold stories, if you want to give voice to the voiceless, you've got ...
28/08/2025
Directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, Sundance Institute-supported Amer...
28/08/2025
Corridos have been a cornerstone of M sica Mexicana for generations, telling stories rooted in everyday life. Now, a new chapter is taking shape: motivational c...
28/08/2025
Los corridos han sido un pilar de la M sica Mexicana durante generaciones, contando historias enraizadas en la vida cotidiana. Ahora, un nuevo cap tulo est tom...
28/08/2025
Earlier this month, we promised our Verano Forever party would bring the heat, a...
28/08/2025
L3Harris will provide the Polish F-16V fleet with the Viper Shield electronic warfare system as part of an upgrade program....
28/08/2025
Bilbao, August 26, 2025 - AgileTV, an international television and video technol...
28/08/2025
Ken Wilkinson is an Emmy Awards nominated New York audio engineer who specialises in production sound mixing for film, commercial, episodic and documentary work...
28/08/2025
NEW YORK FuboTV today announced that it will launch Fubo Sports, a skinny bundle that focuses on sports with a subscription price of $56 monthly....
28/08/2025
NEVADA City, Calif. At IBC2025, Sept. 12-15 at the RAI Amsterdam, Telestream will debut its new Global Ingest strategy, introducing a next-generation ingest arc...
28/08/2025
Dr. Rhoda Bernard Releases Groundbreaking Debut Book on Accessible Arts Educatio...
28/08/2025
TAG Video Systems, the leader in software-based IP end-to-end workflow monitoring, deep probing, and real-time visualization, has named Oliver Gappa as Sales Di...
28/08/2025
AI-based voice enhancement will be among a series of innovations making their IBC 2025 debut on the DHD stand B46 in Hall 8 at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Cent...
28/08/2025
Telef nica Servicios Audiovisuales (TSA), the leading system integrator and service provider in the media sector in Spain, with the support of Appear, the globa...
28/08/2025
To fully immerse sailing fans in the world's biggest offshore yacht race, production company, Optical Media turned to LiveU's On-site Production solutio...
28/08/2025
Working with Calrec on its most recent overhaul, radio and television broadcaster, WNED has migrated to a fully IP infrastructure with multiple Type R consoles,...
28/08/2025
Cleeng, the Subscriber Retention Management (SRM ) inventor, has unveiled Cleeng Pro, the first-ever direct-to-consumer (D2C) subscription management platform t...
28/08/2025
Zixi, the industry leader in live broadcast-quality video over IP, today announced that French media distribution platform OKAST has selected Zixi to enable rel...
28/08/2025
Solution offers a streamlined, speaker-free architecture to optimize integration with premium external loudspeakers and advanced loudness metering
Nixer Pro Au...
28/08/2025
Cinegy, the premier provider of software-defined television technology, has announced a strategic partnership with Vision One Touch Film Production Services L.L...
28/08/2025
Telestream, a global leader in media workflow technologies, will debut its new Global Ingest strategy at IBC2025, introducing a next-generation ingest architect...
28/08/2025
Tier 1 operator selects Broadpeak to power high-performance, unified CDN solution across Norway, Sweden and Finland
Broadpeak, a leader in streaming and moneti...
28/08/2025
Leading video software provider, Synamedia, today announced that 24 Frames Digital, one of India's leading live event streaming service providers, has chose...
28/08/2025
Meet VisualOn at IBC2025: See What's Next in AI-Powered Video Streaming Join VisualOn at IBC2025 and discover how our AI-driven Optimizer and advanced media...
Science of scares: Sky Cinema and NOW reveal formula for what makes a horror truly terrifyingMonday 28 October 2024
