It – $700.4 million
Director Andy Muschietti’s two-part adaptation of Stephen King’s epic 1986 novel It was one of the most eagerly anticipated horror movie events of the era. When the first instalment arrived in 2017, showing the children of Derry in their first battle against the terrifying Pennywise, audiences flocked to see it in unprecedented numbers for a horror movie, resulting in record-breaking box office takings of $700,381,759.
The Sixth Sense – $672.8 million
Writer-director M Night Shyamalan blew away audiences everywhere and helped usher in a new era of understated, slow-burn horror movies with his 1999 blockbuster The Sixth Sense, which earned $672,806,292 worldwide. The Bruce Willis-fronted film was also nominated for six Oscars, but failed to win any; many feel that Haley Joel Osment was robbed of the Best Supporting Actor award.
I Am Legend – $585.3 million
Director Francis Lawrence’s 2007 apocalyptic horror is the third major film adaptation of Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel of the same name (after Vincent Price movie The Last Man on Earth, and Charlton Heston movie The Omega Man). Thanks to a compelling lead turn for Will Smith, I Am Legend proved a huge hit, earning $585,349,010. A sequel with Michael B Jordan is in the pipeline.
World War Z – $540 million
Based loosely on Max Brooks’ 2006 novel, World War Z is the largest-scale zombie movie yet produced, with a budget somewhere between $190-$270 million and a superstar leading man in Brad Pitt. Though it had a troubled production and was met with lukewarm reviews, the film from director Marc Forster still drew a big audience to the tune of $540,007,876 in box office takings.
It Chapter Two – $473 million
Arriving two years after the first instalment, 2019’s It Chapter Two was widely considered something of a disappointment in comparison with the original. Bringing the story to a somewhat underwhelming conclusion, the film attracted a far smaller audience, earning $473,093,228; meagre takings compared to its predecessor, but still enough to make it one of the five highest earning horror movies ever to date.
Jaws - $472.4 million
Steven Spielberg made a splash in more ways than one with his 1975 classic shark shocker Jaws. Often called the first blockbuster, the adaptation of Peter Benchley's novel is nonetheless a truly terrifying movie. On top of making audiences scared to go in the water, Jaws earned $472,412,960 worldwide, making it the single biggest hit in box office history for a time.
The Mummy Returns - $443.2 million
The 2001 follow-up to 1999's reboot of Universal's vintage franchise The Mummy may be arguably more adventure than horror, but it's still a firm favorite of monster movie fans everywhere. The lure of Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz once again battling Arnold Vosloo's omnipotent antgaonist, with Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson along for the ride in his first movie, resulted in ticket sales of $443,280,904.
The Exorcist – $441.3 million
Director William Friedkin’s 1973 adaptation of William Peter Blatty’s novel The Exorcist is one of the most significant horror movies ever made. As acclaimed as it was controversial, it was the highest-earning horror movie ever at the time, amassing $441,306,145 worldwide. It’s worth noting that adjusted for inflation this equates to $1.011 billion, meaning The Exorcist can still be considered the biggest horror hit ever.
The Mummy (1999) - $416.4 million
1999 monster movie reboot The Mummy seemed an unlikely formula, blending old school horror with Indiana Jones-eque action in the age of CGI. However, it proved to be a classic, beloved by horror devotees and general audiences alike. It earned over $416,385,488 worldwide, making it the sixth biggest box office hit of the year.
The Mummy (2017) - $409.2 million
Considering that its box office haul of $409,231,607 makes it one of the top ten highest-earning horror movies ever, Universal's 2017 reboot of The Mummy might not seem that much of a flop. However, as the Tom Cruise vehicle cost somewhere between $125-195 million to make and was meant to kickstart a franchise, it's considered one of the greatest missteps in recent film history.
Signs – $408.2 million
Hot on the heels of The Sixth Sense and subsequent hit Unbreakable, M Night Shyamalan gave his own unique spin on an alien invasion movie with 2001’s Signs, starring Mel Gibson as a priest-turned-farmer who finds massive crop circles in his corn field. The film (co-starring Joaquin Phoenix and a young Abigail Breslin) remains Shyamalan’s second-biggest hit, earning $408,247,917 at the box office.
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - $403.4 million
Seven years after The Mummy Returns, Brendan Fraser and John Hannah reprised their roles in China-based third film The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, with Maria Bello replacing Rachel Weisz. Its box office earnings of $403,449,830 are close to those of the first two films, but by 2008 this wasn't huge blockbuster money. Worse yet, the fans and critics were mostly unimpressed.
Prometheus – $403.3 million
Fans were thrilled when, 33 years after the original Alien, director Ridley Scott finally returned to the sci-fi horror franchise he created with 2012 prequel Prometheus. While not everyone was won over by the film’s more introspective and philosophical take on the Alien universe, it still drew a big audience, earning $403,354,469 worldwide and spawning a sequel in 2017’s Alien: Covenant, also directed by Scott.
The Nun – $365.5 million
The arrival of director James Wan’s 2013 supernatural chiller The Conjuring marked the dawn of one of the biggest and most profitable horror franchises ever. The highest earning film from this cinematic universe to date is 2018’s The Nun, director Corin Hardy’s film centred on the Demon Nun introduced in The Conjuring 2. The film made $365,550,119 and spawned 2023 follow-up The Nun II.
Hannibal – $351.7 million
Landing in cinemas a decade after acclaimed smash hit The Silence of the Lambs, 2001’s Hannibal sees the cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter on the loose. Though Anthony Hopkins was the only key player to return (Jodie Foster declined, letting Julianne Moore take over as Clarice Starling, while Ridley Scott replaced Jonathan Demme as director), the shocker still took $351,692,268 at the box office.
A Quiet Place - $340.9 million
Actor John Krasinski made his directorial debut with 2018 horror movie A Quiet Place, and proved just as effective behind the camera as he is in front. Co-starring Krasinski's real-life wife Emily Blunt, the mostly dialogue-free chiller is set in a world overrun by vicious monsters with extremely acute hearing, meaning the only way to survive is to be silent. It made $340,952,971 worldwide.
The Conjuring 2 - $320.3 million
Director James Wan's second film in The Conjuring series made a big splash at the box office, earning $320,392,818 by the end of its theatrical run in 2016. Following on from the 2013 original, the film continues exploring the allegedly true exploits of real-life paranomal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.
The Conjuring - $319.4 million
The first film in The Conjuring series was only a marginally smaller hit than its subsequent sequel. James Wan's first big screen take on the paranormal investigations of the Warrens earned $319,494,638 at the global box office, lighting the fuse for what has proved to be the single highest-earning horror franchise in film history (including both sequels and spin-offs).
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter - $312.2 million
The sixth and final instalment in director Paul W.S. Anderson's series based on the video game franchise, 2017's Resident Evil: The Final Chapter drew a sizeable audience. The lure of Milla Jovovich and company kicking post-apocalyptic zombie butt one last time resulted in takings of $312,242,626 at the global box office.
Annabelle: Creation - $306.5 million
Another film from the Conjuring cinematic universe, 2017's Annabelle: Creation - a prequel exploring the creepy character's origins - is the second solo film centered on the sinister possessed doll. The film from director David F. Sandberg (Shazam) earned an impressive $306,515,884 at the box office.
Van Helsing - $300.2 million
After making the first two films in The Mummy series, writer-director Stephen Sommers teamed up with Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale for a similarly action-oriented take on Dracula's arch-nemesis, the monster hunter Van Helsing. However, the 2004 film didn't have quite the same impact, attracting less enthusiastic reviews and box office takings of $300,257,475.
Resident Evil: Afterlife - $300.2 million
2010's Resident Evil: Afterlife was the fourth entry in the sci-fi horror series, the second to be directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, and the first to be shot in digital 3D. The popularity of 3D at the time (plus the fact that the format bumped up ticket prices) helped the film to a final box office haul of $300,228,084.
A Quiet Place Part II - $297.3 million
Originally scheduled to open in March 2020, the sequel to A Quiet Place was among the first major films to be hit by the pandemic, forcing the postponement of its theatrical release. Happily, once it finally hit screens in 2021, the film (which brought back Emily Blunt, alongside her future Oppenheimer co-star Cillian Murphy) still managed to earn $297,372,261 at the box office.
Split - $278.4 million
After several years in Hollywood's bad books, writer-director M. Night Shyamalan enjoyed a resurgence with 2017's Split, starring James McAvoy and Anya Taylor-Joy. Some were offended by the film's portrayal of dissociative identity disorder, but this didn't stop the film from taking an impressive $278,454,358 worldwide; a significant haul given it cost only $9 million to make.
Scary Movie - $278 million
For better or worse, 2000's Scary Movie was a major turning point for parody films. The Wayan Brothers' send-up of the Scream series and other late 90s slashers may have been widely detested by critics, but it still drew a huge audience. The film's box office total of $278,019,771 is more than $117 million higher than Scream 3, which came out earlier the same year.
The Silence of the Lambs - $272.7 million
Director Jonathan Demme's adaptation of Thomas Harris' novel changed the horror genre forever. As well as earning $272,742,922 worldwide and garnering rave reviews, it cleaned up at the 1992 Oscars, becoming one of only three films in history to win all the major Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Screenplay.
Halloween (2018) - $260 million
After nine sequels to the 1978 original (two of which had already rebooted the series), director David Gordon Green ignored everything that went before with 2018's Halloween, a direct sequel to the original. Fans were enthused to see Jamie Lee Curtis' original final girl Laurie Strode face off against Michael Myers once again, resulting in box office takings of $259,939,835.
Annabelle - $257 million
The second instalment in The Conjuring movie universe, prequel Annabelle hit screens in 2014, just 14 months after the original Conjuring opened. The reviews were mostly negative, but audiences still flocked to see more of the creepy little doll, to the tune of $257,047,661 in box office receipts.
The Village - $256.7 million
2004's The Village - a chiller about an isolated woodland community living in fear of the outside world - was about when the tide began to turn for M. Night Shyamalan, with many viewers and critics feeling that the filmmaker's clever-clever approach and overreliance on twists was getting stale. Nonetheless, Shyamalan's name remained enough of a box office draw for the film to earn $256,697,520.
Us - $256 million
Following on from his earth-shattering debut movie Get Out, writer-director Jordan Peele earned slightly more muted praise but even higher box office earnings on his second film, Us. The bizarre shocker featuring a chilling dual performance from Lupita N'yongo (which proved controversial after the actress admitted modelling her vocal mannerisms on sufferers of rare disability spasmodic dysphonia) earned $256,067,149 worldwide on release in 2019.
Get Out - $255.7 million
Few anticipated the impact comedian Jordan Peele would have when he made his debut as writer-director with 2017's Get Out. On top of earning $255,745,157 at the box office (a massive return on its $4.5 million budget), the film earned rave reviews hailing it as an innovative, socially conscious horror. It even earned four Academy Award nominations, with Peele winning Best Original Screenplay.
The Blair Witch Project - $248.6 million
No-budget found footage horror movies have been extremely commonplace in the past 20 years, but back in 1999, no one had seen anything quite like The Blair Witch Project. One of the first movies to go viral online, the camcorder-shot shocker shot for around $20,000 (although significantly more was spent on post-production) wound up earning $248,639,099, making it one of the most profitable films ever.
The Ring - $248.2 million
In the early 2000s, one of the most popular trends in Hollywood horror was remaking recent Asian shockers. This began with 2002's The Ring, director Gore Verbinski's English language take on Hideo Nakata's 1998 film (which spawned a franchise of its own in its native Japan). The Ring earned $248,218,486 and spawned sequels in 2005's The Ring Two and 2017's Rings.
Dark Shadows - $245.5 million
Director Tim Burton's 2012 adaptation of the long-running supernatural soap opera, starring Johnny Depp as the vampire Barnabas Collins, was met with a largely muted response, and isn't generally held up as one of Burton's best today. The film, whose cast also includes Helena Bonham-Carter, Eva Green, Chloe Grace-Mortez and Michelle Pfeiffer, earned $245,527,149 - not a great return on a $150 million budget.
Alien: Covenant - $240.9 million
After 2012's Prometheus attracted a mixed response, director Ridley Scott opted to go for something closer in spirit to 1979's original Alien with 2017's second prequel, Alien: Covenant. While the overall critical response was positive, the film didn't win over the larger audience. Its box office takings of $240,891,763 were a disappointment for studio 20th Century Fox, who spent over $100 million making it.
Resident Evil: Retribution - $240 million
2012's Resident Evil: Retribution was the fifth entry in the sci-fi action horror series based (increasingly loosely) on the video games. Franchise figurehead Milla Jovovich was joined by Michelle Rodriguez, making her first appearance in the series since the 2002 original. The film made $240,004,424 at the box office.
Constantine - $230.8 million
Produced just as the superhero movie boom took off, 2005's Constantine cast Keanu Reeves as the occult crimefighter created by comic book legend Alan Moore. Some fans of the books complained that Reeves was miscast, but the broader audience didn't care; director Francis Lawrence's well-received film took $230,884,728 worldwide. A long-delayed sequel is said to be in the works with Reeves returning.
Annabelle Comes Home - $228.5 million
The Annabelle series enjoyed its third entry - the first to serve as a sequel, rather than a prequel to 2013's original The Conjuring - with Annabelle Comes Home. The 2019 film casts Mckenna Grace as the daughter of the Warrens, and Madison Iseman as her babysitter - and we all know how well they usually fare in horror movies. It earned $228,552,591 worldwide.
Interview with the Vampire - $223.5 million
With a $60 million budget and two red-hot leading men in Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt (plus an early turn from Kirsten Dunst), director Neil Jordan's 1994 adaptation of Anne Rice's novel Interview with the Vampire was one of the most lavish horror films of its era. It proved a hit too, earning $223,564,608 at the box office and going down well with critics.
Scary Movie 3 - $220.7 million
Even though the Wayans brothers walked away after Scary Movie 2, the horror parody franchise sadly refused to die. David Zucker (director of the considerably better parody films Airplane! and The Naked Gun) called the shots on 2003's Scary Movie 3, and the resulting film (mostly a spoof of M. Night Shyamalan and J-horror) went over marginally better with critics. It earned $220,673,217.
