Horror has always been one of the most profitable genres at the box office. Usually produced with low budgets and starring a cast of lesser-known actors, they are designed to result in profitable gains for studios. Good horror is also easy to advertise, whether it's imaginative marketing campaigns such as Smile's recent creepy effort or just good word of mouth from audiences who tell their friends about how they "just saw the scariest movie."
The genre has produced some of the most recognizable franchises in movie history, from Halloween to Friday the 13th, and there was a time when horror icons like these had action figures and appeared on lunch boxes. While Marvel currently rules the box office, these franchises show that good horror will always draw an audience.
'Paranormal Activity' — $890 Million
Reviving the found footage genre that The Blair Witch Project popularized a decade before, Paranormal Activity turned a massive profit for such a low-budget premise. The original follows a couple who come to believe their house is haunted, so they set cameras up to watch them while they sleep. Suitably spooky shenanigans ensue.
Not much happens in Paranormal Activity, and it could be argued that it is a movie anyone could make in their own home. The massive success of the indie film has led to six sequels being produced, each following a new family as they record themselves being haunted by supernatural forces.
'Dracula' — $891 Million
Potentially the most recognizable horror character of all time, Dracula began life in Bram Stoker's original 1897 novel. Like any famous book, it was adapted to the big screen, and 15 feature films revolving around the legendary vampire have been produced, totaling an impressive $891 million. The best Dracula movies are faithful adaptations of the source material, while the highest-grossing film featuring the bloodsucker is Van Helsing, where he battles Hugh Jackman's monster hunter.
Even when he is not the star of the film, Dracula still makes appearances in other movies, becoming one of the most used characters in media. This all builds up the insurmountable recognizability of the character, placing him high atop the horror icon pile above Freddy and Jason.
Dracula is available to stream on Peacock and Tubi.
'Scary Movie' — $896 Million
Somehow a series designed to parody established horror franchises have made more at the box office than the movies it mocks. Created by the Wayans brothers, the first Scary Movie was a direct spoof of Scream, and I Know What You Did Last Summer, making fun of the popular slashers without being too mean-spirited.
Harkening back to the days of Airplane! and The Naked Gun, the formula proved to be a hit with audiences. Four sequels were produced, with films targeted including The Exorcist, The Ring, Saw, and Paranormal Activity. The first film remains the best, while Scary Movie 3 is also a comedy classic.
'Hannibal' — $921 Million
Based on the book by Thomas Harris, The Silence of the Lambs stars Jodie Foster as rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling, who is hunting a sadistic serial killer coined Buffalo Bill. She enlists the aid of imprisoned cannibal Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), and she gains a helpful insight into the dark, twisted mind of a murderer.
After the movie was a massive commercial and critithcal success (winning five Oscars), adaptations of Harris' other Hannibal novels were produced. Three more films followed, each giving Lecter a larger role. The character has remained so popular that he also received a television show starring Mads Mikkelsen, while a recent series focused on Clarice was also produced.
The Silence of the Lambs is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, AMC+, and Tubi.
'Saw' — $1 Billion
Proving that budget doesn't have to be a crutch for creativity, the original Saw was produced for $1.2 million yet spawned a billion-dollar franchise. Beginning in a bathroom, the Saw franchise revolves around the victims of the Jigsaw killer, a notorious villain who places people in deadly traps.
After the first film, the series began to flesh out the backstory of its antagonist, explaining why he commits the crimes that he does. As the franchise went on, its signature traps became more and more ludicrous, but the series has remained consistently watchable as a new group of victims is killed in a variety of horrible ways.
Saw is available to stream on Peacock.
'IT' — $1.1 Billion
The latest adaptation of Stephen King's classic story, IT, follows a group of young friends in the '80s who are terrorized by Pennywise, a child-eating clown. It was followed by a sequel, IT: Chapter Two, which follows the kids into adulthood as they strive to end Pennywise once and for all.
What makes IT's box office haul so impressive is that the series only consists of two films. The first movie alone became the third highest-grossing R-rated film at release. Tapping into the '80s nostalgia popularized by Stranger Things while offering its own spin on the tale makes IT one of the greatest King adaptations ever.
IT is available to stream on Netflix and HBO Max.
'Resident Evil' — $1.2 Billion
One of the highest-grossing video game adaptations of all time, Resident Evil abandons the plot line of the games in favor of exploring its own characters. Milla Jovovich plays Alice, an agent of the villainous Umbrella corporation who turns on her employer once their inhumane experiments result in the zombie apocalypse.
While most of the Resident Evil games are known for their emphasis on horror and creating tension, the movies veer more into action territory. Literally becoming superhuman, Alice flips and kicks her way through six films. A reboot that strives to be more like the games was released in 2021, titled Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City.
Resident Evil is available to stream on Netflix.
'Alien' — $1.6 Billion
In space, they might not be able to hear you scream, but at the box office, they certainly can. Beginning in 1979 with Ridley Scott's Alien, the franchise has become one of the most recognizable names in sci-fi. Sigourney Weaver's Ripley is one of the most iconic characters in cinema, while the xenomorphs have haunted people's nightmares for decades.
The original film operates like a slasher movie in space, as the crew of a small freighter ship is cut down by a predatory, parasitic alien. James Cameron took the series in a more action-orientated direction with Aliens, creating one of the greatest sequels of all time. Further entries have tried to recapture the brilliance of the first two films but have failed to do so.
Alien is available to stream on Starz.
'The Mummy' — $1.8 Billion
The holy grail to '90s kids, The Mummy endeared a generation to the comeback king Brendan Fraser. Starring Fraser as Rick O'Connell, the franchise sees the American explorer tussle with mummies and those who wish to resurrect them. The Mummy is a perfect gateway movie for young horror fans, as it leans into the genre without being overly scary or violent, operating almost like a supernatural take on Indiana Jones.
Fraser starred in a trilogy of films, battling Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) twice before fighting Jet Li's Dragon Emperor in the third film. The Rock made his first movie appearance in the second film (the highest-grossing entry) and received his own spin-off in the form of The Scorpion King. A reboot starring Tom Cruise was released in 2017 but failed to achieve the same impact as the Fraser series: across the five films, the franchise has made $1.8 billion at the box office.
'The Conjuring Universe' — $2.1 Billion
Another blockbusting franchise from James Wan, The Conjuring, began as a fictionalized account of the real-life paranormal cases of Ed and Lorraine Warren. After a family experience disturbing hauntings at their home, they summon the Warrens to put an end to the occurrences.
Sequels followed, and as each new entry introduced new nefarious ghosts and cases, some were spun off into their own films. Movies such as Annabelle, The Nun, and The Curse of La Llorona are all based in the world of The Conjuring, all combining to make it the highest-grossing franchise in horror history.
The Conjuring is available to stream on HBO Max.