Science of Scare project releases annual ranking of terrifying horror films

The Science of Scare Project has released its seventh annual ranking of horror movies, Euronews reported. The study uses heart rate monitors to measure the pulse of hundreds of volunteers while they watch hours of English-language horror films. [1]

To determine the rankings, researchers established a Scare Score system, according to Euronews. The system combines measurements of audience heart rates in beats per minute with heart rate variability. [1]

A new release in 2026 broke the heart rate record during the testing process, Euronews reported. The annual study aims to provide a scientific measure for viewers seeking scary films ahead of Halloween, regardless of individual tolerance for jump scares. [1]

The 2012 supernatural horror film Sinister was directed by Scott Derrickson and co-written with C. Robert Cargill, starring Ethan Hawke as a true-crime writer who discovers gruesome snuff films in his new home. [7]