CNN host Audie Cornish has drawn a chilling comparison between recent immigration enforcement actions and horror movie plots, raising concerns that ICE could target families during Halloween trick-or-treating events. During an episode of ‘CNN This Morning,’ Cornish referenced filmmaker Tananarive Due’s podcast episode, where they discussed how modern horror films confront societal fears such as invasion, race, and gender — themes that resonate with today’s political climate.
Following the discussion, Cornish likened the situation to the opening scenes of ‘Get Out,’ where characters are abducted, expressing worries that ICE raids could disrupt family traditions during a holiday. She urged authorities to avoid making Halloween a scene of fear or violence, stating, ‘Please don’t make that the scene of a raid that is a horrific experience — if someone loses their parent on a Halloween trip.’ This prompted a broader conversation about how horror films now mirror real-world events, as opposed to offering an escape from them.
New York Times journalist Lulu Garcia-Navarro added that while horror movies once provided an escape from reality, today’s films reflect actual fears and struggles, making them more confronting than ever before. She noted that Cornish’s observation of ‘Get Out’ highlights how the film deals with racism, a topic that is both powerful and unconventional in the horror genre. Additionally, the discussion turned to Leonardo DiCaprio’s film ‘One Battle After Another,’ a politically charged movie that explores themes of authoritarianism and revolution, sparking controversy due to its timing amid rising left-wing political tensions.
Although some critics have voiced their concerns over the film’s themes of political violence and revolution, it has been a box office success, earning more than $100 million globally since its premiere in September. It sits as the highest rated film of 2025 on Metacritic.