From Obsession to Companion: Hollywood is entering its 'incel horror' era

Key points

• Pssst: Read ahead if you can make peace with some spoilers.
• For decades, horror films have warned audiences about monsters lurking in the dark.
• But a growing wave of modern horror is suggesting something even scarier: men who refuse to accept "no" as an answer.
• The latest example is Obsession, the surprise horror hit of 2026 that has sparked intense online discussion, particularly around its disturbing Hansel and Gretel monologue.
• On the surface, the scene is a grotesque shock horror.