Last Rites and Long Walks: Is 2025 the Biggest Horror Year of All Time?

(Original Recording Date: September 20th, 2025)

If there were ever any doubts that the horror genre is more dominant than ever, the first week of September has put those to bed. This is only the second time horror has crossed a domestic total of one billion dollars in one calendar year -- and the earliest that milestone has been reached by nearly two months. On this episode, we discuss two of 2025's most significant horror offerings as well as three surprising movie-adjacent theatrical experiences that have garnered a collective $750 million at the worldwide box office.

We also forgot to talk about what we ate. Zach had Chick-Fil-A and Aaron had a Saquon Barkley hoagie from Wawa.

This episode's schedule:

'The Conjuring: Last Rites' (3:40)

'Hamilton,' 'Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Infinity Castle,' and 'Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale' (20:36)

'The Long Walk' (34:24)

Aaron's Picks: 'Signs/The Happening' by M. Night Shyamalan and 'War of the Worlds' by Rich Lee (48:49)

Bets (53:44)

Artwork by Mackenzie McCarron.

Theme Song by Will DiNola.

Edited and produced by Aaron Bartuska.