Hollywood keeps trying to manufacture “event” blockbusters out of every superhero and legacy sequel, and audiences have stopped buying it. Meanwhile, horror and anime—once treated as niche curiosities—are packing theaters with genuine urgency. The Conjuring: Last Rites and Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle prove it: smaller budgets, passionate fans, and cultural moments that feel worth showing up for. Horror has the staying power, anime has the spectacle, and together they might just be the real lifeline for theaters.
The Conjuring Shows Hollywood’s Hypocrisy in Real Time
The Conjuring universe has raked in billions by selling itself as “based on a true story.” But when a 2017 report exposed disturbing allegations about Ed and Lorraine Warren—the very couple the franchise is built on—Hollywood shrugged and kept the money machine rolling. Twelve years, eight films, and one ugly truth buried under box office receipts.
Hollywood After Dark 