Spoiler Alert! Half of us won’t watch horror movies without looking up plot spoilers this Halloween

• Research from Three UK reveals 68% of Gen Z admit to ‘Second Screaming’- using their phones to look up the plot of a horror film at the same time as watching it
• Leading psychologist Dr Charlotte Armitage explains the science behind why Brits are obsessed with looking up horror spoilers
• Three customers can get up to 24 months of Paramount+ access included in their phone plan, to stream their favourite scary movies & TV shows

As Halloween fast approaches, the nation will be pressing play on their favourite horror classics. However, research released by Three UK reveals many will already know the ending of a chosen horror film before sitting down to watch it.

This October, the UK’s Fastest 5G Network*, reveals we’re a nation increasingly obsessed with spooky spoilers, with half (49%) of horror fans admitting they frequently look up the endings on their phones before they watch them. The younger generation is setting this new trend with three-quarters (75%) of Gen Z indulging in this new behaviour, vs just a quarter (24%) of Gen X and only 13% of Boomers.

Gen Z are clearly taking their spoiler obsession to the next level, with two-thirds (68%) admitting to ‘Second Screaming’- using their phones to look up the plot of a horror film at the same time as watching it, compared to just a quarter (23%) of Gen X, and 10% of Boomers.

Whether it’s the classics or something new to stream on Paramount+, this new generation of horror fans are turning to their phones for comfort, with 43% of Gen Z saying they’d be terrified if they didn’t know what happened in a scary film before watching it.

For a Halloween that sends shivers down your spine, research reveals there is a ‘spooky science’ to the films most likely to keep us up at night, with jump scares (56%), unexpected twists (40%) and suspense (27%) topping the list of scariest horror film moments.

Psychologist Dr Charlotte Armitage explains this latest trend: “In an age where information is at our fingertips, it’s no wonder that our viewing habits as a nation are evolving. For younger generations, to focus and pay attention for long periods of time, such as waiting until the end of a film, could feel like too long a time to wait. However, what we’ve seen in this research is that whilst 35% cite impatience as a reason for looking up spooky spoilers, the notion of using your phone during a horror film is also providing people with a comfort blanking by taking away the suspense.”

Beyond looking up spoilers, Brits admit to further coping strategies such as:

• Grabbing a snack (20%)
• Watching horror in the daytime (19%)
• Reaching for our phones to distract ourselves (18%)
• Hiding behind a pillow (18%)

Despite our best efforts, many of us still find ourselves terrified after watching a scary film. Brits report having to check the house for intruders (23%), being scared to go to the bathroom (23%) or even having nightmares (18%) because of watching too much horror.

Psychological thrillers are crowned by Brits as the most terrifying horror theme (26%), followed by real-life (19%), supernatural (17%) and slasher (13%).

With Three, customers on a Value or Complete airtime plan can get up to 24 months of Paramount+ access included on Three Your Way plans. Whether its blockbusters, new originals, exclusive series or hit shows, there’s something for everyone to enjoy – all on super-fast 5G.

Research conducted with 2,500 nationally representative horror film fans, via 3Gem.

* Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data.