What The 2025 Oscar Nominations Mean For Horror
Lily-Rose Depp in Nosferatu (2024), Demi Moore in The Substance (2024), & Isabela Merced in Alien: Romulus (2024). Credit: IMDB
Horror is a genre famously snubbed during awards season, from stellar performances to killer visual effects, it seems like we are always fighting for horror to get the credit it deserves. Although my feelings about this year’s Academy Award nominations are, well, complicated, I am pleased to see the movies in the genre being recognized.
As they would say on stage, here are the nominees:
Demi Moore in The Substance (2024). Credit: IMDB
The Substance for Best Picture, Directing (Coralie Fargeat), Actress In A Leading Role (Demi Moore), Best Original Screenplay (Coralie Fargeat), Makeup & Hairstyling (Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon and Marilyne Scarselli)
Beyond its shocking visuals, The Substance proves to be a smart, poignant, and needed film about a woman’s value in society, which is deeply dependent on her age and sex appeal. With fantastic duel performances from Margaret Qualley (Sue) and Demi Moore (Elizabeth Sparkles), The Substance preys on just how much societal expectations of women destroy our self-confidence and inner sense of self.
Lily-Rose Depp in Nosferatu (2024). Credit: IMDB
Nosferatu for Cinematography (Jarin Blaschke), Costume Design (Linda Muir), Makeup & Hairstyling (David White, Traci Loader, and Suzanne Stokes-Munton), Production Design (Craig Lathrop and Beatrice Brentnerová)
Robert Eggers’ highly anticipated psychosexual remake of the classic German silent film delivered beyond expectations. Even when alongside the impeccable design, direction, and performances, the cinematography shines through here. One of the first properly lit “dark” films I’ve seen in a while, the camera work in Nosferatu is genius, as it draws you into this infected, sick, yet tantalizing world Eggers has created.
Cailee Spaeny & Isabela Merced In Alien: Romulus (2024). Credit: IMDB
Alien: Romulus for Visual Effects (Eric Barba, Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser, Daniel Macarin and Shane Mahan)
Alien: Romulus had the horror community buzzing, from its face-hugger marketing stunt to an expertly crafted trailer, it was no secret that it was going to be a success, especially on the visual effect front. Now the seventh entry in the Aliens franchise, the film has revitalized the series as one of the most recent in the “re-quel” trend that has been surfacing across the genre. It seems to have delivered, with not only this nomination but with an 85% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
With three of 2024’s hottest horror films making their way onto the extensive list of Oscar nominees, one has to wonder; is this a turning point for horror? Will it finally get the recognition it deserves? Have a proper place at award shows? It’s just not that simple.
Despite the many excuses given about horror’s schlock, gore, and penchant for death, these are the least of the Academy’s problems with the genre, but they all stem from one place: subversion.
Horror has been anti-establishment for as long as it has existed, pushing the boundaries of society’s comfort, and daring to show what many other films shy away from. Horror shows manifestations of society’s true fears, disguising them as mysterious chemicals, blood-sucking vampires, and extraterrestrial beings. It opens people’s eyes to what, or who may be oppressing them.
Even in the most B of B-movies, the blood, guts, and gore have a purpose; to show you what you were never meant to see, what society never wanted you to.
The Academy refuses to recognize horror not only because they can dismiss it as “low culture,” but because they are afraid of putting a spotlight on what may be their downfall.
After years of frustrating myself by asking about why Toni Colette didn’t get a nomination for Hereditary, or why Wes Craven never lived to win an Academy Award, I’ve realized something. Demanding horror have a seat at the table defeats its very purpose. Now, flying under the radar, it’s free. It doesn’t have to conform, or pretend, or cater. It can be exactly what it’s meant to be.
The Substance, Nosferatu, and Alien: Romulus are being rewarded for this. They were so unapologetically disgusting, delicious, and daring, not even the Academy could ignore them. This has its own merits, but the line from nominee to winner is stark.
We will see just how much the Academy wants to reward these films, which may indeed set a new precedent for the genre. Regardless, all three of these movies are very deserving of their place amongst the nominees, and I am excited to see how this recognition plays into the genre moving forward.
