Buzz
It’s been some time since a new Jason movie hit the cinemas or a red-and-green striped sweater haunted our nightmares. While those classic frights belong to their era, a new wave of terrifying films keeps our spines tingling. As with every popular film, fan theories emerge quickly. SPOILER ALERT: proceed with caution!
10. The Cabin in the Woods
You might remember The Cabin in the Woods as the horror flick starring Thor and the charming doctor from Grey’s Anatomy. This 2011 film caught audiences off guard with its unique take on the genre and a massive plot twist toward the end.
However, some viewers weren’t entirely sold on the twist. One fan theory suggests that Chris Hemsworth’s character, Curt Vaughan, was in on the scheme from the start. Evidence supporting this theory includes Curt being the one to convince his friends to go to the cabin. Additionally, Curt is the only one who doesn’t pick a summoning object in the basement.
Additional ‘evidence’ suggests that Curt knew his girlfriend, Jules, had to be the first to die according to the rules, so he deliberately separated her to ensure the zombies would take her out. It is also speculated that Curt would have earned the title of ‘hero’ if he had cooperated with the Facility.
9. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The 1974 horror classic, Texas Chain Saw Massacre, is one of the most terrifying films on this list. The antagonist, Leatherface, wears a mask made of human skin and wields a chainsaw with a relentless thirst for blood. Adding to its chilling nature, the Leatherface character is inspired by the real-life killer Ed Gein.
While Leatherface has always been thought of as a male character, a fan theory on Reddit suggests that the brutal murderer might actually be a woman. Supporters of this theory point to the way the killer applies lipstick and blush to a second mask. Leatherface also becomes unhinged when someone meddles with the freezer and emits high-pitched shrieks, which seem unusual for a supposedly large man. Some believe that because Leatherface prepares the meals and likely ‘decorates’ the terrifying house, the killer might actually be a woman.
8. Halloween
The latest Halloween film became a massive box office success in 2018. In it, Michael Myers reportedly escapes from the bus transporting him, returning to Haddonfield to kill a new group of victims. He targets Laurie Strode, who has transformed her home into an impenetrable fortress.
Sharp-eyed fans quickly spotted something unusual about Laurie’s behavior. While in her truck, drinking, she waits for the bus to depart for the high-security prison. Later, she shows up drunk at a family dinner and begins to cry. One fan theory suggests that Laurie’s tears aren’t due to fear but guilt. This theory posits that it was Laurie, not Michael, who was behind the bus crash. Her nearly emotionless reaction to the crash on the news is also seen as evidence that she orchestrated it. Why would she do such a thing? Well, Laurie had been anticipating a confrontation with Michael for 40 years, and she wasn’t about to face him unprepared when he arrived at her doorstep.
7. Us
Michael Myers is also linked to the 2019 horror hit Us. The follow-up to Get Out has generated several intriguing fan theories, including one suggesting that Michael is actually a Tethered, swapped with a clone, and trapped for six decades.
Jordan Peele, the writer and director of Us, has referenced Halloween in multiple interviews about his film. He also discusses the rabbits in Us and how placing a rabbit brain into a human body would result in someone like Michael Myers. Adding fuel to this theory, Michael’s behavior of grunting, rather than speaking, mirrors that of the Tethered in Us. Additionally, in Halloween Resurrection, viewers learn of a hidden tunnel system beneath the Myers house that connects to the basement, facilitating the clone swap theory.
Additionally, Michael’s psychiatrist, Dr. Loomis, tracks his patient using a ‘Rabbit in Red’ matchbook, describing him as someone without a soul. This characterization closely mirrors the Tethered.
6. Hereditary
Hereditary stands out as one of the most unsettling films on this list. It’s filled with darkness, gore, and shock value, all building toward a horrifying revelation involving a demon king named Paimon.
Fans were quick to connect elements of the film, including a theory linking it to Midsommar (another disturbing horror film from Hereditary director Ari Aster). This theory suggests that since both films feature cults, they might take place in the same universe. Some fans even believe that the couple passing Annie in Hereditary is actually Dani and Christian from Midsommar.
Another widely discussed theory claims that none of the horrific events in the film, such as Charlie’s decapitation, actually took place. Instead, it’s suggested that these events were simply manifestations of Annie and Peter’s mental illnesses.
5. A Quiet Place
A Quiet Place completely redefined what we expect from horror films. With its silent characters and monsters reminiscent of the Demogorgon from Stranger Things, this movie created a uniquely unsettling cinematic experience. Many viewers reported a sense of discomfort throughout the film due to the persistent silence.
In the film, the creatures are hypersensitive to sound and will attack anyone who makes a noise (as shown in the chilling scene with the young boy and the toy rocket). This is why the characters must remain silent.
According to a newspaper clipping in the movie, these monsters are said to have arrived from outer space following a meteor strike on Earth. However, some fans believe this is a red herring and that the creatures are actually biological weapons left behind after World War III. Another theory proposes that the only way these creatures could spread so rapidly from a single crash site in Mexico is with the meteor’s impact. If they had crashed while in the spore stage of their lifecycle, the impact could have sent the spores high into the atmosphere, where they would then travel to locations across the United States.
4. It Follows
When it comes to psychological horror, It Follows is a perfect example of how to do it right. With a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, most critics agree that this film is genuinely terrifying without relying on overused jump scares or excessive gimmicks.
The story revolves around a curse in the form of a shape-shifting entity, which is passed on to Jay Height after a casual encounter in a car. To avoid being killed by the entity, which takes the form of loved ones of its victims, she must pass on the curse to someone else, continuing the cycle.
A dark theory circulating on Reddit suggests that the young people in the movie, fleeing from the eerie shapeshifter, were actually kidnapped by demons from different time periods and sent to Hell. In this theory, the Earthly versions of these people were replaced by changelings. The monster that follows Jay is believed to be a denizen of Hell, and its form is chosen by the victim’s past trauma, such as abuse or attempted murder. Since Jay has experienced sexual assault, the entity takes the shape of a naked woman.
3. IT
One of the wildest theories on this list is the connection between Disney’s Mary Poppins and Stephen King’s IT. While Mary Poppins is a sweet, umbrella-flying nanny and IT is a murderous clown, this theory argues that both characters share similar abilities. They can tap into children’s deepest thoughts, whether for benevolent or malevolent purposes.
Both movies feature a young boy named Georgie. While Mary Poppins returns to Cherry Tree Lane after 25 years, drawing energy from the joy of children, IT resurfaces in Derry every 27 years, feeding off the fear of children. In both films, the children's interactions with Poppins and IT seem to blur from their memories. Additionally, both Poppins and IT share a fondness for dancing. The most intriguing connection comes from a scene in Mary Poppins where characters float away with balloons. Since ‘floating’ and ‘balloons’ are strongly associated with IT, this theory holds water for many viewers.
2. Carrie
Carrie is a chilling lesson in the consequences of bullying, as well as a disturbing horror film. Originally Stephen King’s debut novel, it was adapted into a movie in 1976, followed by a remake in 2013.
As with most of Stephen King’s work, Carrie has sparked various fan theories. One such theory suggests that Matilda, the protagonist from Roald Dahl’s novel, grows up to become Carrie.
According to this theory, after Miss Honey and Matilda move to Chamberlain, Maine, they assume new identities—Margaret and Carietta. Like Carrie’s mother, Honey/Margaret becomes deeply religious, prompting Matilda/Carietta to conceal her telekinetic powers. This, in turn, leads to the events of Carrie’s story. Essentially, this theory proposes that Matilda is the prequel to Carrie. Further evidence supporting this theory is a car named Christine (from another Stephen King story), a 1958 Plymouth Fury owned by Matilda’s father. The car’s tragic accident, which results in a passenger's death, leads to Matilda’s father’s arrest and the family’s relocation to Maine.
1. The Babadook
The Babadook is a chilling psychological horror that revolves around a sinister child and an even more disturbing entity. Amelia, in the throes of labor, was being rushed to the hospital by her husband when they tragically crashed. Her husband didn’t survive, and the film depicts Amelia’s struggle with life as a single parent. While reading her son a book about the Babadook, Amelia grows uneasy, especially after her son insists that the Babadook haunts him at night. In a moment of distress, she tears the book apart and throws it away.
Surprisingly, the book reappears at their doorstep, pieced back together, and the situation in the household takes a dark turn. Amelia begins to exhibit signs of possession, her voice changing during episodes of rage. She even kills their dog before eventually turning on her son. After vomiting up a black substance, it appears the Babadook has been vanquished. However, in the final scenes, it retreats to the basement where Amelia seems to be feeding it maggots, suggesting that it still exerts control over her.
One popular theory claims that the Babadook is a manifestation of Amelia’s deep-seated hatred for her son, whom she gave birth to on the same day she lost her husband. The disturbing sounds of the Babadook are seen as a reflection of Amelia’s rage, further supporting this theory. Another theory suggests that the Babadook is not born from rage but from Amelia’s overwhelming grief, which brings the creature to life.
A well-known theory proposed that the Babadook is gay, a concept that filmmaker Jennifer Kent later acknowledged, though she never fully confirmed it.
