Horror films have had surprisingly strong showings in the 2025 Oscar nominations

Horror films tend to be frowned upon by awards season’s big players, but that’s never meant that the genre lacks artistic merit. While it’s true that the horror segment of cinema has its fair share of cheesy slasher flicks, many of the best horror movies these are mind-blowing novels with plots that can leave viewers on the edge of their seats—even without all the scares.

Over the years there have been occasional Oscars for horror projects, but Oscar nominations 2025 give the genre a surprising amount of prestige. Both Robert Eggers’ film about vampires “Nosferatu” and Caraly Fargit’s body-horror trip “The Substance” received nominations in several categories. In addition, Alien: Romulus was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, bringing this year’s Academy Awards to three respectable films.

The stylishly terrifying Nosferatu is nominated in four categories — cinematography, costume design, makeup and hair, and production design. Elsewhere, “The Substance” did even better. Star Demi Moore’s win at the Golden Globes already (correctly) meant she could win the Oscar for Best Actress. In addition, writer-director Fargit was nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay, and the film itself is among the 10 nominees for this year’s Best Picture award. Add a well-deserved nod for best makeup and hair to the list, and Substance can claim five Oscar nominations.

While horror films can’t even compete with biopics or prestige dramas when it comes to the sheer number of Oscar nominations, the genre has boasted some high-profile nominees and even winners over the years. The most famous of the latter is undoubtedly Jordan Peele’s star-studded 2017 psychological horror Get Out, which was nominated for four Oscars in 2018 – in the same categories as The Substance, except the best make-up and hair – and won Peel the Oscar for best original screenplay. Likewise, in 1974, William Friedkin’s supernatural horror classic The Exorcist scored an impressive 10, eventually winning two gold statues for Best Sound and Adapted Screenplay by William Peter Blatty. Then, in 1991, Kathy Bates took home the Oscar for Best Actress for the horror-adjacent (but admittedly thriller-leaning) Misery.

It’s been a quarter of a century since there were as many horror movies as this year’s list of Oscar nominees. The last time more than one horror film seriously impressed the Oscars was back in 1999, when “Sleepy Hollow” by Tim Burton (three nominations) and “The Sixth Sense” by M. Night Shyamalan (six nominations) made waves. In particular, The Sixth Sense won in some very impressive categories, thanks to Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, and Best Supporting Actor (Haley Joel Osment) and Best Supporting Actress (Tony). Collette) nominations. However, at the end of the ceremony, “Sleepy Hollow” was the only one to win anything (taking the award for best director). Horror fans will no doubt be hoping that the combined might of Nosferatu, The Substance and Alien: Romulus can top the Dolby Theater on March 2, 2025.