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Horror's New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse
Celebrate Blumhouse’s 15th anniversary with this lavishly illustrated coffee table book that takes you behind the scenes of the films that have reshaped the horror genre from The Exorcist to the Paranormal Activity and Halloween franchises.
With Blumhouse set to celebrate its 15th anniversary, Horror’s New Wave captures the company’s journey to becoming a powerhouse in the horror and thriller film genres—taking you through the process of conception to premiere for films like Five Nights at Freddy’s, Split, Get Out, Glass, the Paranormal Activity and Insidious franchises, and so much more.
This commemorative book delves into the behind-the-scenes processes that shaped Blumhouse’s iconic films. Featuring an introduction from CEO and founder Jason Blum, it also includes interviews with key filmmakers like Jordan Peele and M. Night Shyamalan, writers, actors, and Blumhouse executives like head of film Couper Samuelson and head of casting Terri Taylor. These interviews explore how each project came together, offering stories and insights into the creative process, such as directing, musical score, makeup, acting, cinematography, and more. You will get a birds-eye view at the triumphs and challenges of some of the most beloved and iconic horror films of all time. This book also includes unreleased photos, storyboards, and creative briefs—giving you a true backstage pass to the making of your favorite films.
With Blumhouse set to celebrate its 15th anniversary, Horror’s New Wave captures the company’s journey to becoming a powerhouse in the horror and thriller film genres—taking you through the process of conception to premiere for films like Five Nights at Freddy’s, Split, Get Out, Glass, the Paranormal Activity and Insidious franchises, and so much more.
This commemorative book delves into the behind-the-scenes processes that shaped Blumhouse’s iconic films. Featuring an introduction from CEO and founder Jason Blum, it also includes interviews with key filmmakers like Jordan Peele and M. Night Shyamalan, writers, actors, and Blumhouse executives like head of film Couper Samuelson and head of casting Terri Taylor. These interviews explore how each project came together, offering stories and insights into the creative process, such as directing, musical score, makeup, acting, cinematography, and more. You will get a birds-eye view at the triumphs and challenges of some of the most beloved and iconic horror films of all time. This book also includes unreleased photos, storyboards, and creative briefs—giving you a true backstage pass to the making of your favorite films.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published September 30, 2025
19 people are currently reading
3511 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 28, 2025
I have so much affection for Blumhouse. I’ve seen countless of their movies on opening weekend, if not on (or even before) opening night. I’ve even gone several screenings with Blum in attendance—always a fun speaker. Horror is my favorite genre, and a few Blumhouse efforts rank among my favorite horror movies. Alongside A24 and James Wan, Blumhouse has defined horror for the past 15 years. So, needless to say, I was pretty thrilled when I learned that a Blumhouse-themed coffee table book was coming out. The results? A bit of a mixed bag.
When it’s just creatives like James Wan, Mike Flanagan, David Gordon Green, and many others talking about what went into making their movies, it’s great! I loved hearing about these productions, and about Blumhouse itself. Getting to hear about Blum’s van and his so-called genius screenings was particularly interesting. I’ve heard he can be a bit of a Hollywood blow-hard, but Blum seems like a good guy if he’s on your team (several directors quote him as regularly saying “Buddy”). Blum’s introduction to the book is also great. The enthusiasm he feels about the work he’s done is infectious, especially regarding the original Paranormal Activity. I’m always inspired whenever I read about the origins of that phenomenon.
However, I found a lot to take issue with outside of these behind-the-scenes recollections. Every chapter opens with a plot summary of the movie being discussed, and, as a fuckin’ NERD when it comes to these movies, I noticed some errors in several of these summaries. Split’s summary names the wrong personality as the one responsible for kidnapping the girls. The Visit’s incorrectly claims how our protagonists learn about the big twist. Halloween’s completely ignores the context behind a key murder sequence. Happy Death Day’s misinterprets why the killer was freed from the hospital. Perhaps the funniest of all is The Black Phone’s, which describes the basement in which Finney is locked as windowless even though there’s an entire scene of him trying to escape through—checks notes—the window (as my friend, Houston, put it: the window is literally one of the only notable things about that basement). Maybe I’m nitpicking here, but the definitive tome on Blumhouse should not misrepresent its movies in these ways.
I imagine these were written by this Dave Schilling guy who’s credited on the cover. I’d be ashamed of myself if I were him. Especially if he’s the one who wrote the introductions to these chapters and made some of these ludicrous claims, like when it’s suggested that Paranormal Activity was responsible for the success of movies like Cloverfield or District 9—movies that opened BEFORE it. Or when it’s suggested that Leigh Whannell found the humanity at the heart of the Invisible Man, a point he tries to illustrate by not even focusing on the Invisible Man, but on the victims of his monstrous gaslighting. My personal favorite was the claim that Octavia Spencer was in Rob Zombie’s first Halloween and not the second. Now, to be fair, both Spencer and Tate Taylor repeatedly talk about her having been in a Halloween, and the number 2 is nowhere to be found in these recollections. But they get the benefit of the doubt—they could just be using shorthand, or maybe they actually don’t remember which one she was in. The so-called critic/historian writing the context for each of these movies should do his fucking research, though. Come on, dude, give me a break!
Who doesn’t love a good coffee table book? And while this gets the job done in that department, even that part has its issues. We’ve got the big pages filled with beautiful pictures from the movies and their productions. You get to see Chris Landon and Jessica Rothe goofing around on the Happy Death Day set, or David Gordon Green and Andi Matichak goofing around on the Halloween set. We’ve also got fun little kill count/jump scare graphics for each movie, although it’s a little annoying when they’re not describing slashers or they’re describing movies with off-screen deaths. The back of the book has some fun, if questionable, lists: Blumhouse’s top ten boogeymen (Calux from Truth or Dare…?) and top ten twists (The Wolf Man…?). Theres a two-page spread that features photos of some Blumhouse directors on set, but I wish there were more. What we have feels a bit scattershot and random. Though I do appreciate highlighting lesser-known Blumhouse productions, I don’t think we need a picture of alleged rapist Rob Cohen on the set of The Boy Next Door. Also, the photo descriptors are hard to read—you need to use your phone’s flashlight and camera zoom. One of them is absolutely indecipherable. If I hadn’t recognized Catherine Hardwicke, I wouldn’t have been able to figure out the movie from which that pic was taken (it’s Plush, by the way). Finally, my favorite inclusion might be the comprehensive list of every single Blumhouse production, but even this isn’t without issue. I imagine David Gelb is listed as the director of Unfriended because the writer wasn’t paying attention and the proofreader wasn’t expected to know the intricacies of the Blumhouse director cannon. But rest assured, there’s are dozens of dorks out there who know their shit when it comes to Blumhouse.m, and they will take notice. Honestly, I havent written off the possibility that some of this was written by AI.
Fortunately, the majority of this book is directors, writers, actors, and other creatives talking about the movies they made, and that stuff is engaging. I devoured that content, and wanted more. So, in the end, I would recommend this if you’re at all interested in any of these movies. Just know that not all parties involved put forth their full effort.
When it’s just creatives like James Wan, Mike Flanagan, David Gordon Green, and many others talking about what went into making their movies, it’s great! I loved hearing about these productions, and about Blumhouse itself. Getting to hear about Blum’s van and his so-called genius screenings was particularly interesting. I’ve heard he can be a bit of a Hollywood blow-hard, but Blum seems like a good guy if he’s on your team (several directors quote him as regularly saying “Buddy”). Blum’s introduction to the book is also great. The enthusiasm he feels about the work he’s done is infectious, especially regarding the original Paranormal Activity. I’m always inspired whenever I read about the origins of that phenomenon.
However, I found a lot to take issue with outside of these behind-the-scenes recollections. Every chapter opens with a plot summary of the movie being discussed, and, as a fuckin’ NERD when it comes to these movies, I noticed some errors in several of these summaries. Split’s summary names the wrong personality as the one responsible for kidnapping the girls. The Visit’s incorrectly claims how our protagonists learn about the big twist. Halloween’s completely ignores the context behind a key murder sequence. Happy Death Day’s misinterprets why the killer was freed from the hospital. Perhaps the funniest of all is The Black Phone’s, which describes the basement in which Finney is locked as windowless even though there’s an entire scene of him trying to escape through—checks notes—the window (as my friend, Houston, put it: the window is literally one of the only notable things about that basement). Maybe I’m nitpicking here, but the definitive tome on Blumhouse should not misrepresent its movies in these ways.
I imagine these were written by this Dave Schilling guy who’s credited on the cover. I’d be ashamed of myself if I were him. Especially if he’s the one who wrote the introductions to these chapters and made some of these ludicrous claims, like when it’s suggested that Paranormal Activity was responsible for the success of movies like Cloverfield or District 9—movies that opened BEFORE it. Or when it’s suggested that Leigh Whannell found the humanity at the heart of the Invisible Man, a point he tries to illustrate by not even focusing on the Invisible Man, but on the victims of his monstrous gaslighting. My personal favorite was the claim that Octavia Spencer was in Rob Zombie’s first Halloween and not the second. Now, to be fair, both Spencer and Tate Taylor repeatedly talk about her having been in a Halloween, and the number 2 is nowhere to be found in these recollections. But they get the benefit of the doubt—they could just be using shorthand, or maybe they actually don’t remember which one she was in. The so-called critic/historian writing the context for each of these movies should do his fucking research, though. Come on, dude, give me a break!
Who doesn’t love a good coffee table book? And while this gets the job done in that department, even that part has its issues. We’ve got the big pages filled with beautiful pictures from the movies and their productions. You get to see Chris Landon and Jessica Rothe goofing around on the Happy Death Day set, or David Gordon Green and Andi Matichak goofing around on the Halloween set. We’ve also got fun little kill count/jump scare graphics for each movie, although it’s a little annoying when they’re not describing slashers or they’re describing movies with off-screen deaths. The back of the book has some fun, if questionable, lists: Blumhouse’s top ten boogeymen (Calux from Truth or Dare…?) and top ten twists (The Wolf Man…?). Theres a two-page spread that features photos of some Blumhouse directors on set, but I wish there were more. What we have feels a bit scattershot and random. Though I do appreciate highlighting lesser-known Blumhouse productions, I don’t think we need a picture of alleged rapist Rob Cohen on the set of The Boy Next Door. Also, the photo descriptors are hard to read—you need to use your phone’s flashlight and camera zoom. One of them is absolutely indecipherable. If I hadn’t recognized Catherine Hardwicke, I wouldn’t have been able to figure out the movie from which that pic was taken (it’s Plush, by the way). Finally, my favorite inclusion might be the comprehensive list of every single Blumhouse production, but even this isn’t without issue. I imagine David Gelb is listed as the director of Unfriended because the writer wasn’t paying attention and the proofreader wasn’t expected to know the intricacies of the Blumhouse director cannon. But rest assured, there’s are dozens of dorks out there who know their shit when it comes to Blumhouse.m, and they will take notice. Honestly, I havent written off the possibility that some of this was written by AI.
Fortunately, the majority of this book is directors, writers, actors, and other creatives talking about the movies they made, and that stuff is engaging. I devoured that content, and wanted more. So, in the end, I would recommend this if you’re at all interested in any of these movies. Just know that not all parties involved put forth their full effort.
October 4, 2025
I was very excited to read this book to see what they had to say about the FNAF movie specifically as a massive FNAF fan. But I was also excited to read this as I just love learning about behind the scenes stuff and hearing people talk about things they love, especially movies. The majority of my enjoyment with this book came from the same part of me that enjoys The Backdrop from Darren Mooney, The Rewind Podcast, and The Kill Count. As well as books like Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know About the Films You're Too Scared to Watch and Hi Honey, I'm Homo!: Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture. There is something just so enchanting about the world surrounding movies beyond the final product you can watch on your TV, that you find when you tune into the conversation.
There was a lot of really interesting information stuffed in hear, I got through the audiobook in a day, which hasn't happened for a while and almost never happens with a nonfiction title. I highly recommend the audiobook, its a full cast recording and it really brings to life all the different people who contributed their thoughts and feelings into this book. This was just overall a solid read and I think any fan of horror movies would enjoy this peak behind the curtains.
There was a lot of really interesting information stuffed in hear, I got through the audiobook in a day, which hasn't happened for a while and almost never happens with a nonfiction title. I highly recommend the audiobook, its a full cast recording and it really brings to life all the different people who contributed their thoughts and feelings into this book. This was just overall a solid read and I think any fan of horror movies would enjoy this peak behind the curtains.
October 18, 2025
This is an AMAZING compendium! I have long been a fan of horror, and I especially love films put out by Blumhouse, so this was an instant hit for me. It dives deeply into the lore of Blumhouse and shares with readers the ethos of what it means to make a Blumhouse production. The book perfectly dissects many of the best films and franchises that have come out of Blumhouse in the past 15 years. There are interviews from some of the biggest voices in horror, anecdotes, filming information, production stills, and the history behind each film presented. The book also drops some crumbs about upcoming projects.
Any and every horror fan and film buff needs to get their hands on this one!
Now I'm off to go binge-watch some of my favorite Blumhouse movies.....
Any and every horror fan and film buff needs to get their hands on this one!
Now I'm off to go binge-watch some of my favorite Blumhouse movies.....
November 8, 2025
Not my fave movies but cool insight.
October 13, 2025
Few names have left as indelible a mark on the horror film genre as Blumhouse, and
Horror's New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse
is a wonderful tribute to that legacy. Stuffed with behind-the-scenes stories and images, plus candid insights from the filmmakers who help define a generation of terrifying moments, this book doesn't just chronicle Blumhouse's rise, but celebrates the creative spirit that makes them so special. From films like
Paranormal Activity
to
Get Out
to
M3GAN
, it's a thrilling remainder on how Blumhouse has reaped the genre one horrifying film at a time.
With Blumhouse celebrating its 15th anniversary throughout 2025, Horror's New Wave captures the company's journey to become a powerhouse in the horror and thriller film genres—taking you through the process of conception to premiere for films like Five Nights at Freddy's , Sinister , Split , Get Out, M3GAN, now-classic franchises like The Purge , and so much more.
It's a fun exercise to go back and pick out your favorite horror films from the last 15 years and then dig deeper and find out who was integral in getting these films made and I would assume that a good portion of those films have the name Blumhouse Productions attached to them. From the early days of getting Paranormal Activity distributed to taking on classic franchises like Halloween , Universal Monsters , and more, Blumhouse has had their fingers on the pulse of horror for nearly two decades and the genre is all the better for it.
Horror's New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse , co-written by Blumhouse and Dave Schilling, doesn't explore each and every film produced by the company over the past 15 years, but highlights a number of best of the bunch. Discussing things such has when the films were made, what they cost to make, how much they made, how many kills it featured, along with interviews with some of the best names in horror to really get to know not only how these films were made, but why they were made.
The interviews on how these amazing films came together from those behind-the-scenes was such a thrill, hearing from names such as Jordan Peele, M. Night Shyamalan, Leigh Whannell, James Wan, Mike Flanagan, and more. Plus the faces you seen on screen like Allison Williams, Ethan Hawke, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Octavia Spencer. Not to mention Blumhouse executives like Jason Blum himself, head of film Couper Samuelson and head of casting Terri Taylor. These interviews gave us a real feeling of being behind the curtain and to see how the sausage was made with insights into the creative process and so much more.
While the discussion with some outstanding filmmakers and actors was a highlight, the layout, featuring film stills, on-set photographs, storyboards, creative briefs, and title treatments, was absolutely fantastic. All packaged into a stunning hardcover book with incredible cover art.
Horror's New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse truly is the definitive Blumhouse book. Diving head first into some of the more iconic horror films from the past two decades like we have never seen before. Reading this book didn't make me a fan of Blumhouse, that happened years ago, but it furthered my love for the films they make. Horror films made by people who care about the story, the quality, and the genre itself. This book is a great addition to my library and perfect for anyone who loves movies and even more for those who love horror. Horror's New Wave is a must-read!
Horror's New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse is available at bookstores everywhere from Simon & Schuster. The audiobook, narrated by Daniel Henning, Graham Halstead, Jaime Lincoln Smith, Ramón de Ocampo, Raphael Corkhill, Raquel Beattie, Vikas Adam & Chanté McCormick, is available via Libro.fm! Be sure to check out Dave Schilling on the Capes and Tights podcast this Halloween as part of Horror Week!
NOTE: We received an advance copy of Horror's New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
With Blumhouse celebrating its 15th anniversary throughout 2025, Horror's New Wave captures the company's journey to become a powerhouse in the horror and thriller film genres—taking you through the process of conception to premiere for films like Five Nights at Freddy's , Sinister , Split , Get Out, M3GAN, now-classic franchises like The Purge , and so much more.
It's a fun exercise to go back and pick out your favorite horror films from the last 15 years and then dig deeper and find out who was integral in getting these films made and I would assume that a good portion of those films have the name Blumhouse Productions attached to them. From the early days of getting Paranormal Activity distributed to taking on classic franchises like Halloween , Universal Monsters , and more, Blumhouse has had their fingers on the pulse of horror for nearly two decades and the genre is all the better for it.
Horror's New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse , co-written by Blumhouse and Dave Schilling, doesn't explore each and every film produced by the company over the past 15 years, but highlights a number of best of the bunch. Discussing things such has when the films were made, what they cost to make, how much they made, how many kills it featured, along with interviews with some of the best names in horror to really get to know not only how these films were made, but why they were made.
The interviews on how these amazing films came together from those behind-the-scenes was such a thrill, hearing from names such as Jordan Peele, M. Night Shyamalan, Leigh Whannell, James Wan, Mike Flanagan, and more. Plus the faces you seen on screen like Allison Williams, Ethan Hawke, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Octavia Spencer. Not to mention Blumhouse executives like Jason Blum himself, head of film Couper Samuelson and head of casting Terri Taylor. These interviews gave us a real feeling of being behind the curtain and to see how the sausage was made with insights into the creative process and so much more.
While the discussion with some outstanding filmmakers and actors was a highlight, the layout, featuring film stills, on-set photographs, storyboards, creative briefs, and title treatments, was absolutely fantastic. All packaged into a stunning hardcover book with incredible cover art.
Horror's New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse truly is the definitive Blumhouse book. Diving head first into some of the more iconic horror films from the past two decades like we have never seen before. Reading this book didn't make me a fan of Blumhouse, that happened years ago, but it furthered my love for the films they make. Horror films made by people who care about the story, the quality, and the genre itself. This book is a great addition to my library and perfect for anyone who loves movies and even more for those who love horror. Horror's New Wave is a must-read!
Horror's New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse is available at bookstores everywhere from Simon & Schuster. The audiobook, narrated by Daniel Henning, Graham Halstead, Jaime Lincoln Smith, Ramón de Ocampo, Raphael Corkhill, Raquel Beattie, Vikas Adam & Chanté McCormick, is available via Libro.fm! Be sure to check out Dave Schilling on the Capes and Tights podcast this Halloween as part of Horror Week!
NOTE: We received an advance copy of Horror's New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
November 28, 2025
I really enjoyed this book and learning more about the movies and Blumhouse. It was also interesting to read a section and then check the reviews online. (For instance Five Nights at Freddy’s is talked about very favorably in the book but the reviews are LOW.)
M Night’s section was the weakest and he didn’t have much to say despite taking up so much space for his section of the book.
Also, I loved the design and layout and colors of the book. I read a book about the art of books and design which has influenced how I read and interact with books.
I wouldn’t say this book goes super deeply into a specific movie. But it is a great launching point to want to research more.
M Night’s section was the weakest and he didn’t have much to say despite taking up so much space for his section of the book.
Also, I loved the design and layout and colors of the book. I read a book about the art of books and design which has influenced how I read and interact with books.
I wouldn’t say this book goes super deeply into a specific movie. But it is a great launching point to want to research more.
November 5, 2025
As a book about Blumhouse BY Blumhouse, it’s obviously very sanitized. Like, even though the majority of the writeups on movies include discussion of their sequels, there is nary a mention of M3GAN 2.0 and they basically hid Sinister 2 under a pile of coats.
It has some interesting stories about the making of a few of their hit movies, but I wish there was more of an arc following the development of Blumhouse itself. It’s all very anodyne and press releasey.
It has some interesting stories about the making of a few of their hit movies, but I wish there was more of an arc following the development of Blumhouse itself. It’s all very anodyne and press releasey.
February 14, 2026
Loved learning more about how Blumhouse was formed and some of the values they hold as filmmakers and lovers of the craft! They really have managed to bring something new to the world of horror cinema.
October 23, 2025
Really enjoyable flow & transcends being purely promotional.
November 4, 2025
weirdly the book doesn't have a whole chapter dedicated to Mr. Harrigan's Phone
Read
November 14, 2025worth checking out for the section on Halloween (2018)
December 12, 2025
a great dive into some fantastic films in horror over the last decade.
February 8, 2026
I loved this and would love other companies to do this!
February 8, 2026
Really enjoyed this. As big Blumhouse fans, it was great to listen to all the insider info about the films.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews