This summer has been a dead zone for horror movies.
>> “Fright Night,” DreamWorks' remake of a 1985 comedy/horror cult hit, has done a shabby $14 million since it was released August 19.
>> “Final Destination 5” (left), New Line’s most recent installment to its decade-old franchise, has not come close to matching the huge performance of 2009's fourth movie, grossing just $66.4 million worldwide after three weekends of release.
>> “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark,” FilmDistrict’s remake of a 1973 TV movie, written by Guillermo del Toro, opened to just $8.52 million over the weekend. (The hurricane weather on the east coast certainly didn't help.)
Also read: Guillermo del Toro on Tyrannical Producers, Hammer-and-Chisel Scenes
What’s behind the rotten box office? Analysts say a lack of originality, bad timing and poor budgeting are the source of horror-ific numbers.
“It was a rough summer,” Jeffrey Reddick, who wrote the original “Final Destination,” told TheWrap. “People are wanting something new and original, and I think if you look at the films that have come out -- strong as they were -- they were remakes and sequels.”
“Final Destination 5” was the latest in a seemingly endless series of stories about young people stalked by death. “Fright Night” and “Don’t Be Afraid” were reboots of films first made 26 and 38 years ago, respectively.
Also read: Horror Films: Blood, Gore and a Tasty Profit
"For the younger horror audience, there's been a lot of studio comic book movies and action movies," said Bob Berney, FilmDistrict's president of theatrical distribution. "It could be just be ... that these films didn't grab people."
Berney said that his own film probably took a $1 million hit at the box office because of the esat coast storms.
Meanwhile, well-known stars -- like Colin Farrell in “Fright Night” -- might actually have hurt the cause rather than helped.
Beau Flynn, who produced the Anthony Hopkins exorcism-themed film, “The Rite,” said movie stars can be distractions in horror movies.
"If a movie star is going to take the audience out of the movie, let's not spend the money," he said.
Also read: 'Final Destination 5': You Can Cheat Death, But You Can't Escape the Writing or Acting
“What could be scarier than what’s happening to your house, and to people you know, and to your neighbors?” Flynn asked.
Summer is not traditionally the time when Hollywood unlocks its horror chest, with Halloween making October a better release time for the genre.
But the genre's forays into August in recent years -- which included not only the $186.2 million global performance of "The Final Destination" in 2009, but also the breakout $67.7
