Why horror kills at the box office

Hollywood has always made money from vampires and brain-eating zombies. But this year's a record-breaker thanks to sequels, hilariously unlikely creators, and pure thrills. This episode was produced by Denise Guerra and Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Adriene Lilly and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill.  A detail from The Conjuring Museum Of The Occult based on "The Conjuring" films. Photo by David Benito/Getty Images.  If you have a question, give us a call on 1-800-618-8545 or send us a note here. Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices