Good news for indie filmmakers and movie theaters, bad news for big-budget Hollywood: cheap horror films made by YouTubers are making huge profits while expensive studio movies lose money.

• Two young YouTubers turned tiny budgets into massive hits — one horror film cost $750,000 and made $150 million, a 200x return.
• Meanwhile a $300 million studio blockbuster (Mandalorian) has lost $60 million so far.
• The win comes from good writing, real actors, and built-in YouTube fanbases — no costly CGI or marketing needed.
• Movie theaters are bouncing back, with AMC reporting its best May attendance since 2019.
• Even a spoof horror film made $105 million on a $30 million budget, showing the whole genre is hot again.

Outlook: Expect more creators to jump from YouTube to film, more low-budget horror, and continued recovery for theaters.