10 Horror Movies Ruined By Fan Overhype

At some point or another, every moviegoer has fallen victim to overhype. If you found out a film you loved was getting a sequel, how do you stop yourself from getting pumped? If you learned your favourite actor is making a feature with an iconic director, you'd expect it to be an instant classic.

Unfortunately, this sort of mentality often leads to disappointment. Even if the movie isn't bad, you can feel let down, since the buzz convinced you that you were going to bear witness to the be-all-and-end-all.

Interestingly, overhype is a common issue with horror, since the genre routinely deals with the familiar. There are over a dozen Halloween instalments. The Conjuring has conjured its own cinematic universe. Because horror classics like Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Halloween are remade constantly, we are always promised "a hot take" on a beloved property.

If an upcoming horror isn't based on a recognised source, we can still get suckered in by a mind-blowing trailer, a striking poster, a phenomenal cast, or overwhelmingly positive reviews.

Obviously, slashers and supernatural thrillers have to advertise themselves to encourage potential viewers to check them out. But if these films were built up less, the end result wouldn't have felt so anticlimactic.

Because Jordan Peele was initially known for his comedy skits, no one expected his directorial debut to be a psychological horror called Get Out. As an extra shocker, Get Out was among the most thought-provoking films in recent years, which helped cement Peele as a director to look out for.

So, when Peele announced his next project, Us, fans were immediately invested. Although the trailer gave little away, save the story revolved around a family being tormented by their doppelgängers, many assumed it would be another smash hit.

However, Get Out was a deeply personal story which the filmmaker spent four years fine-tuning to perfection. Because he spent less than half that time on Us, it didn't carry the same level of finesse as its predecessor.

Also, the style and structure of both features was very different. Despite Get Out's outlandish reveal during the climax, it ends with everything explained and resolved. Us, on the other hand, was surreal and deliberately vague, forcing viewers to fill in the blanks themselves.

The reception of Us was positive, but saying it fell short of expectations is an understatement.