Horror is having its moment right now. Not only are many of the films hits at the box office, but they are also some of the most critically acclaimed.
One of the movies that helped kick off the recent horror boom was 2018’s “Hereditary.” The A24 film directed by Ari Aster was met with massive amounts of acclaim and made $90.2 million at the box office. Even nearly a decade after its release, “Hereditary” is still an influential piece of horror filmmaking.
Though most horror lovers have already seen the film, it’ll now be easier to stream for people who haven’t had the chance.
‘Hereditary’ Comes to HBO Max on July 1
GettyHBO Max is getting some big-name horror movies in July, and one of them will be “Hereditary,” which will be available starting July 1, 2026. HBO Max has been the home to many A24 films, but didn’t host “Hereditary” for a bit.
For those who haven’t seen the film, it is about a family grieving after a series of tragic events. It stars Toni Collette in the lead role of Annie, who is desperately trying to make sense of everything that has happened. “Hereditary” is noted for being a compelling family drama that also features some of the scariest scenes of the last decade.
Now it’ll be available among some other big-name A24 horror films like “The Witch,” Midsommar” and “Bring Her Back.”
‘Hereditary’ Was Big Influence on ‘Obsession’
Though there have been great horror films throughout the history of cinema, “Hereditary” helped remind people that horror films can be about more than just scaring people. A recent film that was obviously influenced by “Hereditary” was Curry Barker’s “Obsession.”
While the films deal with very different subject matter, they share a lot of the same visual language. Barker himself said in an interview with AFI that “Hereditary” was a massive influence on his film.
Lead actress Inde Navarrette also cited Collette’s performance as inspiration for her performance as Nikki.
“I have to give flowers to someone who didn’t get enough,” Navarrette said of Collette in an interview with Dread Central. “What an absolute performance, and she inspired me a lot for Nikki.”
“Obsession” has gone on to be one of the most successful original films of the decade, which has turned Barker into a household name. He even got the chance to befriend Aster.
“I’ve been reaching out to my heroes, and they’ve been reaching back,” Barker told The Hollywood Reporter. “I’ve befriended [Weapons director] Zach Cregger. [Hereditary director] Ari Aster. I had a dinner with Zach and [Alien: Romulus director] Fede Álvarez the other night and picked their brains and asked them for advice. They’re all so welcoming and I feel like I’m part of this community now. Apparently there are these dinners where a bunch of directors get together and talk about stuff.”
In the same way Aster’s film has influenced a lot of young filmmakers, Barker’s may have a similar effect in the years to come.
