Murderous toys, vampires and zombies are killing it in movie theaters, at a time when saviors, sequels and reboots have grown stale among audiences – entertainment industry veterans say.

Hollywood

Horror films are experiencing a surge in popularity at cinemas, with industry data revealing that 17% of tickets sold in North America this year have been for scary movies, up from 11% the previous year and just 4% a decade ago. Industry professionals attribute this trend to audiences seeking new experiences beyond sequels and reboots, as well as the unique communal thrill that horror movies provide in a theater setting.

Low production costs and creative freedom have attracted prominent directors to the genre, resulting in box office successes such as 'Sinners' and upcoming releases from established franchises. The rise in horror's popularity has also coincided with a broader shift in moviegoing habits following the pandemic, as theaters look to horror to help drive audiences back to the big screen.

Horror hooks movie-goers, injecting cinemas with fresh energy

That's not actually coming for our family, because that would be crazy. Good luck. Move over, Superman. There's a new hero at the box office. Horror movies. Murderous toys, vampires, and zombies are killing it in movie theaters. At a time when saviors, sequels, and reboots have grown stale among audiences, entertainment industry veterans say. Jason Blum is a producer. What you can't do at home is sit in a dark room with 100 other people, not on your phone, and jump. And I think horror movies have really become an experience that can only be really felt outside of the home in a movie theater. This year, 17% of tickets bought in North America have been for scary movies. That figure was 11% in 2024 and 4% a decade ago, Comscore data compiled exclusively for Reuters shows. Cinema owners have plenty of reasons to celebrate with box office performances like Sinners and Final Destination Bloodlines. And there are new installments of popular horror franchises coming soon, like The Conjuring Last Rites. One of the knocks on Hollywood and movies that we rely upon is they just lack creativity. People are just trying the same old formulas that maybe worked five years ago, but not necessarily working now. And I feel like, you know, today it's these horror directors that are really some of the most creative minds out there. And they're taking chances that others aren't. Brent Gulley owns a cinema in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Horror customers, at least ours, tend to go to the movies more often than others. And I think it's because they're not as dependent on word of mouth or they don't need to know it's an Academy Award winning potential hit before they commit to, you know, dropping money to go see it. They just are excited that there's a new creative horror movie out there and they want to come see it. Producers, studio execs and theater owners say horror has historically provided a safe outlet for people to cope with contemporary anxieties. And let's face it, there's no lack of material to choose from. The aftershocks of a global pandemic, paranoia over A.I. and resurgent racism. I take almost no pleasure in this. The productions are often low budget and allow greater risk taking than higher cost, higher stakes films. That creative freedom has attracted big name directors like Guillermo del Toro and Danny Boyle. And audiences are responding. Ryan Coogler's Sinners is this year's third highest grossing movie in the U.S. and Canada, Comscore says. Twins? Now we cousins. Horror has been a cinematic staple from its earliest days, when Thomas Edison filmed Frankenstein on his motion picture camera in 1910. Later, when Edison improved the early projector, a new art that was destined to encircle the world was born. But it didn't always get Hollywood's respect. Perceptions began to change with the critical and commercial success of films like Psycho, The Exorcist and The Shining. The genre broke the $1 billion box office barrier in the U.S. and Canada for the first time in 2017. The film adaptation of Stephen King's novel It and Jordan Peele's Get Out were big contributors. Fast forward to 2024 and the number of U.S. horror films that went into production was up 21 percent from the year before, researcher Ampere Analysis found. And scary movies have been scooping up statues at the biggest award ceremonies recently. Here's a clue. It's Megan. Movie theaters are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, which sped up a shift towards watching at home over going out to the movies. But many industry professionals say horror is a genre that manages to get people off their couch and into a theater where the environment heightens the experience. Now, I think more than ever, to get people here in theaters, people want a good story. They love, you know, things like Barbie where they know what's going to happen. They just want to be entertained. But for the most part, people want really good stories that engage them. And it feels like that's the genre where we're getting the most of that from.

Search and rescue operations continued overnight after flash floods slammed central Texas, killing dozens, officials said. More than 20 children are still missing from Camp Mystic, an all-girls camp hit by the floods, the Kerr County sheriff said.

Kerrville

Rescues continue in central Texas after deadly flash floods

Officials in the U.S. state of Texas say at least 13 people have died in overnight flash floods after torrential rains triggered an overflow of the Guadalupe River. Nearly 20 children attending a summer camp in the south-central area are missing.

Kerr County

Deadly Texas floods: Search efforts underway for missing children

Türkiye has been battling wildfires for more than a week, with its western province of Izmir among the hardest hit. Thousands have been forced to flee as flames threaten homes and villages.

Ödemiş

Turkiye wildfires: At least two dead as fires burn for eighth day

It was not clear if Hamas’ statement meant it had accepted the proposal from US President Donald Trump for a 60-day ceasefire.

Jerusalem

Hamas says it is  'positive' about latest ceasefire proposal

President Trump brought pomp and circumstance to his signing of the "big, beautiful bill" on Friday, with an Independence Day ceremony at the White House that included a B-2 bomber flyover.

Washington

Global Tariffs

Trump signs "big, beautiful bill" as tariff deadline looms

Heavy rainfall in central Texas caused the Guadalupe River to overflow and unleash a torrent of water. The bodies of at least 13 children and adults have been recovered and more than 20 girls are missing from a sleepaway camp.

Floods kill at least 13 in Texas, over 20 missing from summer camp

The talk comes a day after President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Ukraine, Iran and other issues in a call the Kremlin described as "frank and constructive."

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskyy, Trump agree on joint defense efforts in phone call

Russia pummeled Kyiv with the largest drone attack of the war, injuring at least 23 people and damaging buildings across the capital only hours after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Russia's Vladimir Putin, officials said.

Russia hits Kyiv with largest drone attack after Trump-Putin call

U.S. President Donald Trump marked the passage of the new spending bill, which includes changes to food assistance, student loan programs, and clean energy credits. Robert Costa joins "CBS Mornings" to break down what's in the legislation.

Trump set to sign "big, beautiful bill"

More than 80 Palestinians were killed in Gaza on Thursday (July 3), according to health officials, as Israel intensified its strikes, hitting a school-turned-displacement facility. CNN’s Paula Hancocks looks at the damage and humanitarian toll.

More than 80 people killed in Gaza in one day

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv will do "anything" to advance EU accession talks. Zelenskyy spoke alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

Ukraine will do 'anything' to advance EU accession talks: Zelenskyy

President Donald Trump said Washington will start sending letters to countries on Friday specifying what tariff rates they will face on imports to the United States, a clear shift from earlier pledges to strike scores of individual deals.

Trump: Letters telling countries their tariff rate going out Friday

Indonesian rescuers on Thursday (July 3) temporarily halted a search for 30 people still missing after a ferry carrying 65 people sank near the island of Bali with the loss of six lives, the national search and rescue agency said.

Gilimanuk

Indonesia suspends search for 30 missing after ferry sinks near Bali

After marathon debate sessions in the Senate and House, President Donald Trump’s budget bill passed in the House. Republicans secured the biggest win of Trump’s presidency.

Trump’s landmark ‘big, beautiful bill’ narrowly passes U.S. House

Florida says the first group of migrant detainees have arrived at the new immigration detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz." CBS News correspondent Shanelle Kaul has more.

Ochopee

First group of detainees arrive at "Alligator Alcatraz," Florida says

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday (July 3) that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that he plans to hold a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. CBS News White House reporter Willie James Inman has more.

Trump speaks with Putin, plans call with Zelenskyy

CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez reports on a lawsuit from lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia alleging he suffered “torture and mistreatment” after he was wrongfully deported and held in El Salvador’s notorious mega prison.

Tecoluca

Kilmar Abrego Garcia claims he was tortured in El Salvadoran prison

The Kremlin welcomed the development, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov claiming it proves Western arsenals are being depleted and predicting that less aid will hasten the end of the conflict.

U.S. pauses military aid to Ukraine over depleted weapons stockpile

Two contractors employed by UG Solutions spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity as they were revealing their employers’ internal operations.

U.S. contractors say live ammo used at Gaza aid distribution site

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke for hours on the House floor about potential impacts of President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" that Republicans are looking to pass before July 4. Following debate, the House is set for a final vote on the massive budget bill.

House debates Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' ahead of final vote

CBS News political contributor Caroline Polisi joins "CBS Mornings" to break down the jury's verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal trial and the judge's decision to deny bail for the music mogul ahead of his sentencing.

Manhattan

Sean "Diddy" Combs denied bail after split verdict

Liverpool soccer player Diogo Jota has died aged 28, just weeks after marrying his childhood sweetheart. The footballer passed away in a car crash in northern Spain.

Madrid

Liverpool soccer player dies in car crash 10 days after wedding

The Pentagon said that U.S. strikes 10 days ago had degraded Iran's nuclear program by up to two years, suggesting the U.S. military operation likely achieved its goals despite a far more cautious initial assessment that leaked to the public.

Tehran

Iran Strikes

Iran nuclear program degraded by up to two years: Pentagon

Days before his 90th birthday, the Dalai Lama announced the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a non-profit he founded, will have the sole authority to recognize his future reincarnation, but China insists it will choose the successor of the Tibetan spiritual leader.

Lhasa

China rejects Dalai Lama’s succession plan

The U.S. Congress inched towards approving President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, despite attempts by Democrats to stop it. The bill is Trump’s signature legislation which includes massive spending increases on the military and immigration enforcement while slashing social programs.

Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill nears approval

Sean (Diddy) Combs was found guilty on prostitution-related charges, but was acquitted on more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking giving him a maximum sentence of 20 years. But the courtroom victory was subdued following a judge’s ruling to deny him bail.

New York

Diddy denied bail, avoids life in prison

President Trump says Israel has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, but it remains unclear if Hamas will accept the terms. CBS News senior foreign correspondent Debora Patta has more.

Trump says Israel has agreed to Gaza ceasefire conditions

Bryan Kohberger changed his plea to guilty Wednesday for the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students. CBS News national correspondent Carter Evans has more on the case.

Boise

New details revealed as Kohberger pleads guilty for 2022 Idaho murders

The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down a state abortion law that was adopted in 1849 in a 4-3 landmark decision. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul reports.

Madison

Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down 176-year-old state abortion ban

Macron and Putin held regular discussions around the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Macron visiting Putin in Russia in February 2022, but dialogue eventually stalled.