Hollywood, Give Us More Horror Movies About One of the Most Common Fears!
There are surprisingly few horror movies that feature spiders as antagonists. Why isn't arachnophobia more common on-screen these days?
Phobias, the fear of something, is a fascinating subject. Rational or irrational, it would be safe to say that there are few people who can honestly say they don't have a fear of anything. It brings to mind a bit from Jerry Seinfeld about how the fear of public speaking is higher than the fear of death, meaning at a funeral you would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy. One of the most common phobias has to do with creatures that are creepy, crawly, and almost unnatural. No, not The Addams Family. We're talking about spiders, the fear of which is commonly referred to as arachnophobia a phobia that consistently ranks high on the top ten lists of most common phobias. Yet you can count on two hands the number of horror films that have utilized the awful arachnids, and one if you're talking about good films. Sharks? Tons of films. Snakes? More than there should be for yours truly. But spiders? Surprisingly little, with 2024's dual release of Sting and Infested a rarity. Why has Hollywood been so reluctant to bank on the fear of spiders?
