In the 1930s, iconic monsters such as Universal’s "Dracula," "Frankenstein," and "The Wolf Man" launched a horror renaissance when they were reintroduced to moviegoing audiences, offering a shared escape from real-world anxieties.

Following World War II, Americans’ anxieties evolved into fears around unchecked science, nuclear annihilation, and Communism aka "the Red Scare." Horror filmmakers responded with legendary films like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "The Blob."

In the 1960s and ‘70s, horror films reflected the real and intangible change younger Americans demanded. A new generation of auteur horror filmmakers pushed the envelope with films like "Halloween," "Carrie," "Rosemary’s Baby," and "The Exorcist."

In the 1980s, 24-hour cable news was dominated by the threat of new modern terrors. Moviegoers embraced slashers like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees. And by the 1990s, GenX took hold and horror evolved as Wes Craven took screams to the next level.

The emergence of cellphones and new technology in the 2000s exposed Americans to new terrors. Horror filmmakers adapted, and seminal films like "The Blair Witch Project" opened new doors. And then Blumhouse reinvented the genre with new nightmares.