Surprising Horror Movie Facts All Horror Buffs Need To Know
Surprising Horror Movie Facts All Horror Buffs Need To Know[Updated for 2026]
Are you ready to dive into the eerie world of horror movie facts?
As a fellow horror buff, I’ve compiled a tantalising list of 15 surprising horror movie facts that will leave you both terrified and amazed.
*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links which means I earn a small commission if you make a qualifying purchase through these links or codes. But don’t worry, there is never any extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my Privacy Policy here for more info. Thank you!*
Whether you’re a die hard fan or just getting into the genre, these intriguing horror movie facts are sure to enhance your appreciation for the films that keep us up at night.
I’ve done the legwork to gather the most fascinating and obscure facts all in one place!
So, sit back, relax, and enjoy this frightful journey without having to search for the gory details yourself.
15 Surprising Horror Movie Facts
Researching these horror movie facts was super fun.
Learning a bunch of new information on the horror movies I LOVE gave me even more appreciation for cinema.
Horror Movie Facts 1 – 8
Psycho (1960)
Did you know, Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller was one of the first American films to feature a toilet flushing on screen!
At the time this was considered quite controversial.
Oh how times have changed! Now it’s nothing more than a passing moment in most movies.
The Exorcist (1973)
In The Exorcist, the creepy sound that can be heard while Regan’s head is spinning 360 degrees was actually created by twisting a leather wallet!
It’s amazing what the sound design team can come up with, that was always one of my favourite parts of working on short films.
RELATED: The Exorcist Movie Poster – Buy Now!
Jaws (1975)
Did you know that the shark in Jaws was nicknamed Bruce by the production team?
It earned its name after Steven Spielberg’s lawyer!
I can imagine how much fun the cast and crew had with that one.
Halloween (1978)
Remember the Michael Myers mask in Halloween?
Of course you do, everyone does!
But did you know that the iconic mask worn by Michael Myers actually started out as a Captain Kirk mask from Star Trek?
They took the masks and painted white to achieve the iconic look.
RELATED: Horrorcells : HALLOWEEN Cult Classic Horror (1978) filmcell
The Shining (1980)
One of the most iconic scenes in horror has to be the “Here’s Johnny!” One Jack Nicholson done in The Shining.
But did you know that according to Shelly Duvall, this famous scene actually took three days to film and they needed 60 doors to get it just right!
They started out with Plywood doors but with Nicholson having previous experience with an axe thanks to his volunteer Firefighter days, they changed to real doors.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Did you know that Wes Craven actually got the idea for Freddy Krueger from an article in the L.A Times?
He had read an article about a refugee family from Cambodia who’s Son was having disturbing dreams, Craven told Vulture.
The young boy was scared to go to sleep due to a terrifying “monster” chasing him in his sleep.
He did try to stay awake for days to avoid drifting into sleep but eventually he nodded off.
His parents thought it was all over, but the boy began to scream and by the time the parents got to him, he had sadly passed away.
Scream (1996)
Another Iconic horror movie and one of my favourites is Scream.
It’s a classic for sure and has became increasingly more popular over the years, but did you know the famous Mask was a random discovery?
A film location scout (Marianne Maddalena) was out looking for locations, and happened upon the mask.
She found it in an abandoned building that was previously used in Shadow of a Doubt by Alfred Hitchcock.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Did you know that when Heather yells “What the fuck is that” while the three main characters are running through the Woods, was actually her real reaction.
While they were running through the woods, Ricardo Moreno the art director was dressed in white long-johns, white stockings, and had white tights pulled over his head, and he ran alongside them.
So, her “what the fuck is that” is her real reaction, making this scene even better.
RELATED: Blair Witch Double Movie Pack – The Blair Witch Project & Blair Witch on Blu-ray
Facts 9 – 15
The Ring (2002)
When The Ring was released, it was a huge hit!
Many were unsettled by the whole premis of a video tape being “deadly” which catapulted The Ring to success.
But did you know that when this film went into production that there was no script?
Now, this may sound like no big deal, but as someone who has studied and worked within the film industry, it sounds chaotic!
A script doesn’t just tell us the dialogue, it also helps tell cast and crew what the atmosphere is to be like, what the tone is, what to wear etc.
The script is a pivotal part of film making, so to not have one when production starts is “insane” by Verbinski’s own words.
Paranormal Activity (2007)
When Paranormal Activity hit theatres, horror fans were treated to quality performances and an eerie take on things that go bump in the night.
I’m sure that many horror fans out there know that this was a high grossing film (grossed over $193 million worldwide to be exact) with an original budget of $15,000.
But did you know that the total budget ended up being $215,000 by the end?
- 15,000 original budget
- Producers Oren Peli and Jason Blum spent an extra $50,000 because Steven Spielberg requested an ending re-shoot.
- The film’s sound was re-shot which cost an additional $150,000
Get Out (2017)
The first draft for Get Out was written in two months by director and writer, Jordan Peele.
But, it took him years before hand just coming up with a fully realised concept. He knew what he wanted and by the time he sat down to write, he already knew every scene.
Speaking of scenes, did you know that the opening scene of the movie is partially inspired by another great horror’s opening, Halloween.
Peele described it as a subversion of “the perfect white neighborhood.”
Hereditary (2018)
Did you know that to achieve the dollhouse feel throughout the movie, that the house scenes were filmed on a set on a soundstage?
How cool! I think this worked quite well for the cinematography and definitely created advantages for great shots.
This was done so that ceilings and walls could be removed when needed to help get the shots wanted.
RELATED: Hereditary (2018) Movie Posters
A Quiet Place (2018)
As a John Krasinski fan, I loved learning that in the movie A Quiet Place which he directed and starred in, he also played some of the creature!
He played the creature using a motion capture suit for the scenes that required close interaction with the human characters.
IT (2017)
Bill Skarsgård, the lead who played Pennywise, could actually move his eyes in two different directions simultaneously!
This only added to the character’s creepy appearance and overall scary feel.
I also found out a fun little tidbit of Trivia about the movie IT (2017) which gave me a little chuckle.
Did you know that the movie was shipped to cinemas using the code name “POUND FOOLISH” the opposite of Pennywise?
I can only imagine this was to lower the chance of any leaks.
RELATED: Killer Clown Bath Bomb – Pennywise from IT Designed Bath Bomb
The Babadook (2014)
This is the only horror movie to ever make me feel petrified. I can’t explain why or how, but it just really creeps me out.
But a fact I found fascinating is that the eerie pop-up book in the movie was created by a real pop-up book artist!
And a limited run of the books were sold to fans after the film’s release, how cool is that?
Final Thoughts on Surprising Horror Movie Facts
I hope you’ve enjoyed diving into these surprising horror movie facts as much as I have!
It’s always thrilling to uncover new tidbits about our favourite spine chilling films.
If you have any cool horror movie facts that didn’t make the list, I’d love to hear them!
Feel free to share them in the comments; let’s keep the spooky conversation alive.
Where to watch horror movies
Looking for somewhere to watch scary movies?
Why not try Amazon Prime Video! It has a wide variety of choice when it comes to movies to stream.
Some of my favourites on Prime Video right now are:
- Terrifier
- The Amityvill Horror
- Carrie (2003)
- The Cabin in the Woods
- Child’s Play
- The Lost Boys
- Scream 2 & 3
- The Evil Dead (1983)
- Don’t Breath
What I love even more about Amazon Prime though is everything that’s included.
Not only do you get Prime Video and it’s amazing benefits such as unlimited streamimg on thousands of titles, you also get all Prime benefits.
When you sign up to Amazon Prime, you also get FREE one day delivery on millions of items, access to over 2 million songs on Prime Music, unlimited photo storage, Prime Gaming and Prime Reading!
How awesome is that?
Sign up for a 30 day free trial of Prime Video now and start your binge watching now.
Posts you may like
- Must-Watch Horror Movies: Strong Female Leads You NEED to See
- The Best Horror Movies Inspired By True Crimes
I knew a few of those like the Michael Myers one but definitely a few hidden gems in there I hadn’t come across before. Very interesting article though for any horror movie fans.
Wow that was strange. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear.
Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again.
Anyway, just wanted to say fantastic blog!