As contradictory as it seems, kids are the focus of a number of horror movies and TV shows. They’re often depicted having run-ins with supernatural entities or even being possessed. Why are kids so often featured in both protagonist and antagonist roles within the horror genre? There are some very specific reasons, according to some of the brightest minds in the business.
Tananarive Due, moderator of Comic-Con@Home’s “Scary Good TV” panel posed the question to a handful of horror television showrunners: why are horror stories with children so appealing? The panel included Nick Antosca (Channel Zero), Meredith Averill (Locke & Key), Don Mancini (Chucky), Greg Nicotero (Creepshow), and Jami O’Brien (NOS4A2). Nearly every panelist included had worked with children in the horror genre in some capacity. They all cited the juxtaposition that children bring to horror as a reason to include kids in their stories.
That contradictory nature is due to the purity and wonderment associated with children. Kids are an easy tool to use to depict the ongoing battle of good vs. evil in horror movies and TV shows. Children are especially effective here because their interactions with evil highlight idea of lost innocence, which is something every audience member can relate to. Here’s a breakdown prominent examples of kids in horror content and why innocence lost is a scary thing to watch on screen.
The Importance of Kids in Horror Movies and TV Shows
Some of horror’s most prominent films feature a heavy focus on the juxtaposition between children and a powerful force of evil. Georgie and his brother’s friends fighting Pennywise in IT, Danny narrowly escaping his murderous father in The Shining, Aidan coming in contact with Samara in The Ring, and a whole host of kids giving in to Bughuul in Sinister; the list is nearly endless. Each of these films focuses a kid or group of kids going up against something evil—sadly, that sometimes involves them losing. Regardless of the outcome, it’s a jarring thing to see on screen. That’s because it triggers something deeply personal for audience members: the loss of innocence. This strikes a chord for audiences as they can obviously relate to seeing something through the wonderment of a child. As Mancini spoke to in the Comic-Con panel, the innocence of childhood set against something truly evil makes for a rich story.
This innocence and wide-eyed wonder comes with dark consequences. If someone is only exposed to good feelings, they’ll be more likely to act out when they experience something bad or negative. Kids especially aren’t equipped to handle the complicated emotions of things not going their way; this can make for uncontrollable and unpredictable antagonists. While kids are often depicted in horror films as a stand-in for good in the battle of good vs. evil, there’s a niche in horror films that features kids as villains, such as Damien in The Omen. Young antagonists are just as scary as their adult counterparts—if not more so—because of that unhinged nature.
No matter which way it’s portrayed, kids in horror movies are scary because of their innocent nature. Mancini noted that the innocence of childhood has generally been under attack in recent years. To see children lose their innocence in repeatedly dark and twisted ways is both frightening and compelling to audiences. Whether they come out of that experience on the side of good or evil, utilizing kids in horror movies is an effective storytelling device that is proven to keep audiences coming back for more.
