Published: 27 Oct 2026
Watching horror films or TV shows is the UK’s favourite Halloween activity (27%), ahead of decorating the house (23%), trick-or-treating (17%), and going to parties (14%).
But generations are split, with Gen Z more than four times as likely as Baby Boomers to mark the occasion by watching horror (49% vs 11%).
Horror is also no longer just reserved for Halloween either, with more than one in five Gen Z (22%) choosing it as the best genre for a romantic date night.
More than half (54%) of parents of under-18s say their child asks to watch horror rated above their age, with 95% saying they find BBFC content guidance reassuring when deciding what is suitable for their children to watch.
New research from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has revealed that watching horror films or TV shows is now the UK’s favourite way to spend Halloween. Almost twice as many people (27%) would rather go to the cinema or curl up on the sofa with something scary to watch, instead of other traditional Halloween activities like decorating the house (23%), trick-or-treating (17%), and going to themed parties (14%).
It comes in a year when horror films have taken over the big screen and the cultural conversation in the UK. Two of 2026’s biggest box office hits, Obsession and Backrooms, are horror films from young directors who started out making films for YouTube. Obsession has become a cult favourite despite being made on a budget of under $1 million, while Backrooms has become production studio A24’s highest-grossing film ever.
While watching horror is the UK’s favourite Halloween activity overall, the data shows that generations are divided. For many, Halloween conjures images of young people trick-or-treating or dressing up for parties, but the BBFC’s research shows Gen Z are less likely to take part in those traditional activities. Half (49%) of Gen Z said they prefer to spend the evening watching horror, more than double the proportion who go trick-or-treating (19%), while only a third (33%) go to or host a party.
The data also shows that Gen Z enjoy horror all year round. For young people, it has also become a date night staple, with more than one in five Gen Z (22%) choosing it as the best genre for a romantic evening, beating comedy (16%), thrillers (7%), and dramas (6%). Horror is also Gen Z’s top pick for a movie night with friends, chosen by almost a third (32%).
But the same can’t be said for ‘old romantics’. The older people are, the less likely they are to choose horror for date night, falling from 22% of Gen Z to 9% of Millennials, 5% of Gen X, and just 2% of Boomers.
Generations are divided too on what scares them most. Among horror viewers overall, jumpscares (25%) and slow-building dread (22%) top the list, with gore and body horror chosen by just 12%. For Gen Z specifically, almost a third (31%) picked jumpscares, while Millennials are most unsettled by psychological horror and slow-building dread (30%), three times the proportion of Gen Z (10%).
Each generation is also starting to watch horror younger than the one before. Boomers said they first watched a horror film at 14 on average, Gen X at 13, and Millennials and Gen Z at 12. Today’s children are testing the boundaries with their parents too, with more than half (54%) of parents of under-18s saying their child asks to watch horror films rated above their age.
But parents are drawing firm lines, with 53% saying they would not let their child watch a 15 or 18-rated horror film at the age they first watched one. It comes as 61% of adults said they think audiences today are more accepting of material that would have been too strong for a 15 in the 1980s.
When it comes to making the call, parents turn to the BBFC for reassurance. Almost two thirds (64%) always or often check the BBFC age rating when choosing a Halloween or horror-adjacent film to watch with their child, with 95% of those who use BBFC content advice saying they find it reassuring.
Without a BBFC age rating or content advice, 83% of parents said they would take extra precautions or say no to their child: 36% would look the film up elsewhere, 29% would watch it themselves first, and 17% wouldn’t let their child watch it. Only 5% would let their child watch it anyway.
David Austin OBE, Chief Executive of the BBFC, said: “Horror has been one of the most reliable and popular genres for decades, and this year Obsession and Backrooms, made by talented young filmmakers, have been among the biggest hits at the box office. Our research shows a new generation is taking horror to heart, making it part of date nights and hangouts with friends all year round.
“But with children now asking to watch horror at a younger age, it’s encouraging to see that so many parents turn to our trusted age ratings and content advice. Whether it’s a cult classic or this year’s latest hit, we encourage families to check the BBFC rating and content advice this Halloween, so that whatever they choose, they know it is right for them and their family to watch.”
The research was conducted by OnePoll on behalf of the BBFC, surveying 2,000 nationally representative UK adults between 18 and 22 September 2026.
Generations are defined by year of birth: Gen Z (after 1996, aged 18 and over in this survey), Millennials (1981 to 1996), Gen X (1965 to 1980), and Boomers (1946 to 1964).
Questions about children were asked of parents of under-18s (694 respondents). The question on checking BBFC age ratings was answered by 642 parents, and the question on content advice by 537 parents who use it.
The BBFC is independent and not-for-profit, and here to help everyone in the UK, especially children and families, choose age-appropriate films, videos, and websites, wherever and however they watch or use them. As well as classifying films released in UK cinemas and on DVD and Blu-ray, it provides age ratings for Video On Demand and music videos online, and helps mobile phone operators set parental controls at the right level. Please visit bbfc.co.uk for further information.
For media enquiries, please contact: press@bbfc.co.uk.
