Horror movies are a breed apart from every other film genre.
Outside of die-hard fans, it's rare for casual moviegoers to buy tickets just to see a scare-fest. That's why horror theaters in the U.S. are even scarcer than art-house cinemas.
From a mainstream perspective, horror films have the smallest audience. But zoom out to the big picture, and they're the most universal genre out there! In the VHS and DVD rental markets, horror has always been a top seller.
Even timid little girls, too shy to admit it, sometimes feel that itch of curiosity and defiance. They'll lock themselves in at home, turn off the lights, pull the curtains, curl up with a pillow, and pop in a horror flick on the couch.
That's the magic of horror!
Even a juggernaut like Titanic doesn't get that kind of "formal" viewing treatment very often.
So horror films occupy a weird niche. Most are low-budget, low-effort affairs—slapped together with cheap thrills, gore galore, and in-your-face visuals. Even in dedicated horror theaters, they're usually one-and-done, yanked after a week.
But when a rare classic comes along? That's a different story.
If word of mouth catches fire, it can set the whole country ablaze!
An action buff might not sit through a romance like Gone with the Wind, but horror? It's a universal itch everyone's got buried somewhere. Take last year's Final Destination and The Blair Witch Project—both raked in solid box office hauls.
Fear is that emotion we all dread yet secretly crave to confront.
That's why Saw's lackluster preview-day ticket sales didn't faze anyone. Its glowing audience buzz was the real golden ticket to its future!
If hardcore horror fans could build its rep and spark a small-scale frenzy—enough to catch the eye of theater chains and push Saw into a full North American rollout—success would fall into place naturally.
October 30th: Saw's preview kicked off with $13,759 in ticket sales and an 85% approval rating!
October 31st: Day two of previews brought in just $789, but the approval rating bucked the trend, climbing to 87%!
November 1st: Halloween hit, and U.S. horror theaters officially rolled out Saw. The theater count jumped from 20 to 78 overnight!
…
Zack Snyder was a nervous wreck. Saw was his first film, after all.
Think about it—his classmate Michael Bay was already a Hollywood heavyweight, cranking out commercial hits and even snagging a global box office crown! Bay's partner? None other than Jerry Bruckheimer, the industry's golden producer.
Their latest Disney collab, Pearl Harbor, was all the media could talk about. It gnawed at Zack, leaving him restless and a little bitter.
Sure, they were classmates, but Zack and Michael Bay didn't get along. Back in 1994, Bay was already making waves with Bad Boys—a smash hit that launched Will Smith into action stardom. Zack, chasing his own movie dreams, reached out to his old buddy for a leg up.
Bay brushed him off.
With Bay's clout as a top-tier director, hooking Zack up with a small-budget horror gig wouldn't have been hard. But the guy didn't lift a finger.
So Zack kept grinding in the VFX world, tinkering with visuals, until he met his big break—Dunn Walker.
Saw might just be a low-budget B-movie, but it was the real start of his filmmaking journey! There was no room for failure—not just for his own dreams, but for the faith Dunn had put in him.
On Halloween, Zack roped in his new buddy—and fellow Dunn Films signee—Christopher Nolan to hit the theater with him and soak in the moment.
Nolan could see Zack's nerves a mile away and kept reassuring him on the way. "Zack, the movie's getting great buzz. You don't need to stress so much!"
Zack sighed. "The buzz is good, sure, but will it turn into ticket sales?"
Nolan shook his head. "As long as you're proud of it and the audience digs it, that's what counts. Box office? That's a bonus—let it happen."
Zack huffed. "Easy for you to say, Chris! Your Memento cost $5 million and pulled nearly $20 million in North America. You're set. If this flops, my career's toast!"
By all accounts, Memento was on track to net Dunn Films at least $20 million in profit—a 400% return. Not too shabby.
Nolan frowned. "It's not that bad, is it? Dunn's got your back—he loves your work. Plus, he wrote this thing. You've got to trust him, right?"
Zack let out a long breath. "Who knows? I hope so. Speaking of—any word on your next project?"
Nolan hesitated, like he wasn't sure how much to spill.
Zack raised an eyebrow. "Top secret?"
"Depends on what Dunn decides," Nolan said with a chuckle.
Truth was, Dunn had dropped some hints about a new gig—something big, maybe even a Marvel superhero flick. A massive commercial blockbuster! But Nolan wasn't sold on it yet—it felt too far-fetched.
He'd never tackled a big-budget movie. His last two indie flicks didn't tank, but they didn't exactly light the world on fire either. Memento's North American haul topped out around $25 million—solid, but not blockbuster material.
That kind of track record didn't scream "ready for a tentpole." Even Nolan doubted himself.
Zack gave him a long look. "You know, Mr. Walker said something to me too—after Saw, I'd do a couple more films to cut my teeth, then move up to a big one. A Marvel superhero movie."
"What?" Nolan blinked, stunned.
Zack waved it off. "Anyway, that's down the road. Let's get through this first! Come on, we're pitching in for Saw's box office!"
Nolan cracked up.
Neither of them were famous yet—no public spotlight—so they could stroll in like regular guys. But when they got to the theater, the sight of two long lines stopped them cold.
"Hey, man, what's going on here?" Zack asked a young guy in line.
"Buying tickets!" the kid groaned, looking defeated. "Looks like we're stuck waiting for the next show."
"You're all here for Saw?"
"Yeah! Wait—you're not? Dude, trust me, as a guy, you've got to see this movie. Saw is insane! I heard two people got scared to death watching it yesterday!"
"Scared to death?" Zack bit back a laugh. That had to be the $1 million marketing hype at work.
Sure enough, a group of rowdy teens swaggered over. "Yo, let's catch Saw! I saw it last night—wild stuff…"
"A horror flick?"
"Yup, horror! Way better than It or Scream. Uh, unless you're chicken—it's freaky as hell!"
"No way I'm scared! Fine, let's do it. What's it called?"
"Saw!"
"Seriously? This many people lining up?"
"Ha! Doesn't that just prove it's awesome?"
…
Zack stood off to the side, dazed, listening to the teens' loud chatter. His heart felt like it was dipped in honey—sweet and warm.
Nolan grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. "Looks like we don't need to boost the box office after all!"
"Yeah, they can't keep up with demand…" Zack muttered, tears of joy welling up.
Saw—his first film—was it really about to take off?
Nolan glanced at the growing lines. "We should tell the company to prep more prints."
Zack blinked, then laughed. "Chris, Mr. Walker's way ahead of us. Before previews even started, he had 2,500 copies ready!"
"What?" Nolan gaped, sucking in a breath before nodding in awe. "Yeah, Dunn… he's got the guts for this!"
Zack sighed. "Maybe that's why he's achieved so much so young."
Nolan burst out laughing. "Zack, you jealous?"
"Jealous?" Zack chuckled, shaking his head. "No way. If I'm jealous of anyone, it's you, Chris. Mr. Walker's on a level we can't even touch."
Nolan's face turned serious, and he nodded solemnly.
Yeah, Dunn's heights? They didn't even have the right to be jealous.
"Ha, whatever—Saw's about to blow up! Come on, my place. I've got a 30-year-old whiskey stashed away. Let's celebrate!" Nolan grabbed Zack's arm, buzzing with excitement.
Zack glanced back at the lines—the thrilled fans clutching their tickets—and felt the same rush.
What a thrill!