I Loved The Great Year Horror Had In 2025, But I'm Hoping One Growing Trend Fades Away

I don't think it's being said enough, but 2025 was a killer year for the horror genre. When people go back and have to choose which of these entries will join the best horror movies list, they'll have to pick between massive hits like Weapons, Frankenstein, Sinners, Bring Her Back, 28 Years Later, and The Conjuring: Last Rites. I could list more, but there's an important thing that needs to be addressed.

I love horror movies, and I have to say, the past seven or eight years have really churned out some quality movies that delivered some chills I won't soon forget. That said, I can't help but notice a trend that keeps popping up, and I'm hoping filmmakers exercise caution when incorporating it into upcoming movies in 2026 and beyond.

2025 Featured Two Movies With Violent Self-Mutilation Scenes

Out of all the horror movies I saw this year, there were two that had scenes that I vividly remember the minute they're mentioned. With Bring Her Back, it's the scene in which Andy gets hold of the butcher knife and begins to slam it into the roof of his mouth repeatedly.

Then there's Weapons, in which Aunt Gladys forces Alex's parents to stab themselves in the face with their forks until he swears that he won't tell anyone about her presence. It's hard to watch, but ultimately that's the point. Oof, I can only imagine how that would feel if it were real, which makes it equally horrifying in both cases.

Some Of My Favorite Recent Horror Movies Have Done The Same, But I Worry The Trend Is Being Overused

While past horror movies have frequently had some form of self-mutilation or something of that nature happening, there's a definitive trend as of late where movies have leaned into the intensity of it. I think back to the movie Talk To Me, where Riley slams his head into the coffee table while he's being possessed. I also think about Hereditary (for which you can buy Christmas ornaments), in which Peter ended up breaking his nose after he was also possessed.

Now, in fairness, I should point out that Bring Her Back and Talk To Me are set in the same movie universe. Perhaps it's a callback of sorts to have the demons of that universe do the same sort of things to humans when they get a hold of them. That said, it seems like the horror industry has really latched onto the idea that showing people violent self-mutilation can get a big response, because I swear I just keep seeing it pop up in more movies.

Like I said, this isn't anything new to the horror genre, though I feel like the intensity of the scenes has amplified in recent years. My big fear is that I'm going to be heading into upcoming 2026 movies, and still seeing this happen. By the year's end, it'll become old hat, and I'd rather not be burnt out on one of horror's newest scare tricks so quickly.