Tower of Terror sees attendance rise as audiences flock to horror movies
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Broadway Centre Cinemas' annual Tower of Terror horror film series is pulling bigger crowds as horror goes mainstream.
Why it matters: The genre is drawing more moviegoers and earning new respect from critics after decades of being dismissed as lowbrow.
By the numbers: Attendance for the Salt Lake Film Society's annual event grew 35% between 2022 and 2025.
- Organizers attribute the increased popularity to a venue change that helped provide additional screenings and a rising interest in horror.
What they're saying: "People want to jump out of their seat," the film society's president and CEO, Tori A. Baker, tells Axios. "They don't want to have a cerebral horror experience."
- Plus, horror has always been a genre that allows people to confront their fears from the safety of a packed theater, she says. "That's very cathartic."
Zoom in: Nostalgic '80s slashers and cult horror favorites are the bread and butter for Tower of Terror, which runs every weekend from mid-September to October.
- It's capped by screenings of "The Rocky Horror Show," on Halloween weekend, which tend to sell out.
What's new: This year, the series featured the band The Invincible Czars performing a live score to the 1926 silent horror film "Faust" for the movie's 100th anniversary.
- Plus, upcoming showings include classics like "The Craft," "Evil Dead II," and "The Shining."
Context: Tower of Terror began in 2004 at the historic Tower Theatre, which closed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. (It's set to reopen in 2028 after extensive renovations.)
- The event moved to the larger Broadway Centre Cinemas in 2021.
The big picture: The rise of "prestige horror," from Jordan Peele's "Get Out" to Zach Cregger's "Weapons," has shifted how the genre is perceived by critics and audiences.
- Case in point: Focus Features, distributor of the hit horror film "Obsession," is campaigning for the movie's lead actress, Inde Navarrette, to earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
Yes, but: Horror isn't for everyone. A person's tolerance for scary movies may have something to do with their early childhood experiences.
💭 My thought bubble: Tower of Terror has become one of my favorite Halloween traditions in Salt Lake City since I started going in 2022.
- Catch me at Friday's "Nightmare on Elm Street" screening.
If you go: Tickets are available online for $17. Admission for "The Rocky Horror Show" is $30.