I would say the news is in the idea that she may win a huge award for a gross role, and it being undeniably a horror movie makes it more newsworthy.
Horror has been the red-headed step-child of film for quite some time. In spite of it being one of the biggest money making genres.
So, huge successful actor who has never done horror before, bringing more attention to the genre on a different level.
This is more newsworthy than X is now banging Y.
I don’t see the manic-panic-cram it technique listed here.