Adventure and horror genres brought in over $80 billion in 2023, and it’s not slowing down

By: Lucinda Bruce, Award-Winning Film Producer and Founder of Lady of the Light Productions

There are many theories about why the Horror and Adventure genres appeal to such a wide audience, but the fact remains that the two genres have had some of the biggest hits in the history of cinema.

From adventure classics such as “King Kong,” “The Three Musketeers” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” to horrors that redefined the genre like “Jaws,”“The Blair Witch Project” and “Scream,” the two genres have shaped the way cinema has influenced our culture and broadened the awareness of the profits that can be made for the savvy invest

If you’re looking to dip your toes into the potential profits that can be made, then there are a few steps to ensure that you’re taking into consideration the highly speculative and risky elements of investing in film. Speaking with a financial advisor to discuss asset allocation and to better understand how investing in film can help you is one of the first steps.

Entertainment can be a niche industry and as a result, finding promising opportunities can be difficult,and while there are no guarantees, avenues such as production companies or successful individuals with a proven track record, crowdfunding platforms, and in particular, individual adventure or horror films, are some of the stronger pathways to achieving financial success within the space.

One of the latest opportunities for potentially high fiscal returns revolves around public domain material, the latest craze in which we find some of the most financially successful feature films, a great vehicle for potential investors looking for unique material that stands out above the rest. 

Enter “Oswald: Down the Rabbit Hole,” a fun and unique twist on the latest craze to take warm and fuzzy childhood characters wrapped in nostalgia and seer them into the annals of horror history. Lilton Stewart III’s vision of this beloved character will find Oswald’s Rabbit hungry for the souls who are unlucky enough to cross his path, a live-action/animation blend, a technique used in successful feature films such as “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” but with a far more sinister tone. This story is made by filmmakers whose love of film and passion for creating content that captivates and entices viewers into their minds and creative subconscious, will result in them leaving the cinematic experience debating microcosms of story. An outcome most Indie filmmakers strive for.

The film will bring to life a modern vision that will enthral fans of horror and provide a heightened experience for the audience through a dual medium blending the two seamlessly and making audiences question where the line between reality stops and the world of the soul-hungryrabbit begins.

With more and more intellectual property enteringthe public domainand AI being a point of contention for some and the way of the future for others, 2024 will be a mix of the old rehashed and mashed with the new, with a slew of old classics forging their way into the zeitgeist of the younger generations. Nothing will be safeand boundaries will be tested, but this leaves room for investors to be the pioneers of the next generation of film.

AI is to filmmaking, what Cinema was to theatre, and just as back then, there will be doomsayers who will tout that filmmaking as an art form will disappear because of AI, however, the independent space is on the verge of a renaissance period despite this, and as with theatre, independent filmmaking will continue to thrive into the future and AI will become just another genre, to be declared and judged in its own space rather than in comparison with traditional filmmaking. What I feel this means is that it’s time for Indie filmmakers to rise above the noise of their studio counterparts and create engaging content that will inspire investors to indulge in the high-risk endeavor of film financing at the independent level.

I feel there has never been a better time to invest in film, nor a better time to be creating in the genre space. The gems of Independent film are not always easy to find, we tend to stumble upon themsometimes years after they have been made and released to the world, but for those with the tenacity and passion to seek out opportunities, the potential to find an Indie filmmaking gold mine is possibly just one pitch deck away and with the demand for content at an all-time high, horror and adventure are two genres that will always be popular, and in that respect, both make for very strong markets for brave, savvy investors.