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KD
Since: May, 2009
1st Nov, 2023 05:39:05 PM
I think this is generally Cat Scare. I skimmed the example list and didn't find too many boyfriend prank scares, but the trope does specify that the fright can be anything harmless. Cats are the go-to though.
Often horror movies will try to open with a scare to keep the audience invested and sometimes those scares end up just being pranks done by a character to prank another character (and also the audience). I've noticed this happens pretty often with jerk boyfriend characters who try to scare their girlfriend with a scary mask or something similar. Bonus points if one of the two ends up getting killed by the movies real threat. Is there a name for this trope?