With us, your Friday movie night is all set, since we are bringing you the list of 11 most successful horror movie franchises of all time. Just, don’t watch these movies on Friday the 13th, it could bring bad luck.
Not all people like the horror movies, but it looks like everyone watches them. It certainly has something with our desire to test our fear limits. Horror movies are around for more than 100 years, and it’s believed that the first movie of this genre is the film titled Le Manoir du Diable from late 1890’s. Although originally makers of the movie didn’t want to cause fear but amusement, they had to satisfy themselves with fear. Since then, horror movies have become a thing. They are mostly inspired by the twisted imagination of the writer, but they can also be inspired by the true stories. If you like those kinds of movies, that depict something that could happen to everyone, check out our list of Fright Night: 10 horror movies based on true stories.
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Although the horror movies are a genre for themselves, there are a lot of subgenres that play with different cards of fear. The most famous would be slasher horror movies that usually feature a serial killer who systematically murders his victims and a group of people trying to stop him. Think Scream or The Texas Chain Massacre. Then there are psychological horrors that base their “scary moments” on sound effects, tension, supernatural and creating an overall atmosphere of fear and unease. Most known examples are The Ring and The Shining. In the past couple of years, the found footage movies were a big hit. These kinds of movies are often subtly advertised as the real deal and something that was discovered and edited for the cinema. Some examples of successful found footage franchises are Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project. We shouldn’t forget sci-fi horror movies as well as a zombie, gore and action horrors.
Let’s quit with the blabbering and focus on the thing we are here for, determining the 11 most successful horror movie franchises of all time. Since everything in Hollywood revolves around money, the most successful movie franchises are the ones that grossed the most at the box office. But, box office earnings shouldn’t be the only thing that determines success. The tradition and longevity of a franchise should be accounted in as well. That’s why we checked the highest grossing horror movie franchises on Box Office Mojo, but we also considered how many movies the franchise has when making our list of most successful horror movie franchises of all time. Grab your popcorns and let’s start.
11. Predator
Total Gross: $264.5 million
Number of Movies: 5
We are starting off our list of most successful horror movie franchises of all time with the Predator movie franchise that started in 1987 with movie Predator and featured Arnold Schwarzenegger fighting an extraterrestrial threat to humankind. The movie was a box office success and even accepted well with critics. The initial success was enough for three more movies in the series that gained a moderate success and two additional crossovers called Alien vs. Predator. The first Alien vs. Predator movie from 2004 was proved to be the biggest success of the franchise, earning $80.3 million at the box office. The 6th movie is in the development and should hit the cinemas in 2018.
10. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Total Gross: $199.1 million
Number of Movies: 7
One of the cult slasher horror movies, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre that ranks 10th in our list of most successful horror movie franchises of all time, was a huge success upon the release of the first movie in 1974. Six more movies followed, with two of them being sequels to the original movie. There was also a remake and a sequel to the remake with the addition of a prequel. It may sound confusing, but you should watch them all to get a better idea. Each movie follows the main antagonist Leatherface who terrorizes people that cross his territory. The 2003 remake was the biggest earner, grossing $80.6 million.
9. The Exorcist
Total Gross: $291.9 million
Number of Movies: 5
The original movie was released in 1971, and it was based on the novel of the same name written by William Blatty about fighting with the occult. The movie itself is rumored to be cursed since there were unexplained occurrences on the set, so the priest had to be called to bless it. After the original movie that proved to be the most successful at the box office with $193 million earnings, two more sequels were released followed by a prequel. Another prequel was also shot at the same time, but received the limited release. In September 2016 a TV Series titled The Exorcist started airing on Fox.
8. Scream
Total Gross: $331.7 million
Number of Movies: 4
We are continuing our list of most successful horror movie franchises of all time with this movie franchise that started in 1996, with the movie Scream that earned $103 million at the box office, holding the title as the highest grossing slasher movie in history. The original and three sequels that followed revolved around the masked killer called Ghostface that terrorizes the city and murders people. In each movie, a different person takes the mask of Ghostface. The 5th movie was rumored but the idea was abandoned after director Wes Craven, who also created The Nightmare On The Elm Street, died in 2015. Instead, a TV Series was developed and currently airs on MTV.
7. Jaws
Total Gross: $404 million
Number of Movies: 4
After original Jaws directed by Steven Spielberg and released in 1975 earned $260 million at the box office and won several Academy Awards, three sequels came out in the span of 12 years. Each movie was directed by another director and didn’t come even close to the success of the original, at least when it comes to critics. Original Jaws stays the franchise’s biggest earner with $260 million.
6. Paranormal Activity
Total Gross: $401.4 million
Number of Movies: 6
It’s time for the youngest franchise on our list of 11 most successful horror movie franchises of all time. Paranormal Activity debuted in 2007 and became an immediate success, earning $107.9 million at the box office compared to its $15,000 budget. The premise was simple; young couple moves into a new house that turns to be haunted by a supernatural being. The original and the five sequels all used similar settings and were shot in found footage style we talked about earlier in the intro. All movies combined brought the franchise earnings 30 times bigger than its budget.
5. Saw
Total Gross: $415.9 million
Number of Movies: 7
Although critics never did like Saw movies, the audience didn’t matter and made the Saw franchise that ranks 5th in our list of most successful horror movie franchises of all time, one of the most successful ones. The premise of the series revolves around John Kramer better known as Jigsaw, a character who doesn’t kill his victims directly. He puts them through a series of games and puzzles that involve some kind of torture. Victims usually need to hurt each other or themselves to beat the game and get out. Seven movies were released to date with Saw II having the most success, earning $87 million at the box office.
4. Nightmare on Elm Street
Total Gross: $370.5 million
Number of Movies: 9
Up next in our list of most successful horror movie franchises of all time is Nightmare on Elm Street gave us one of the most iconic antagonists in the movie history, Freddy Kruger. Freddy Kruger was burned alive when he was a child by his parents and now has the ability to enter other people’s dream. He uses that power to enter into the dreams of teenagers, trying to kill them. The original movie was released in 1984, followed by seven sequels and a reboot released in 2010. The sequel to the reboot is reportedly in works.
3. Halloween
Total Gross: $308.5 million
Number of Movies: 10
Halloween franchise started in 1978, and it features the antagonist Michael Myers. In the original movie, Michael Myers killed his sister when he was six years old, and escaped from prison after 15 years to continue his killing spree. The franchise has seven direct sequels, 6 of them featuring Michael Myers as the main antagonist. Reboot directed by Rob Zombie was released in 2007, being the highest earner in the franchise with $58.3 million, followed by a sequel in 2009.
2. Alien
Total Gross: $515.9 million
Number of Movies: 7
Directed by Ridley Scott, Sci-fi horror franchise Alien debuted in 1979, and it featured Sigourney Weaver as Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley battling, you’ve guessed it, aliens. The first installment in the series was a huge success, receiving multiple Academy Awards and is now being considered as one of the greatest films ever made. Three direct sequels followed while the fourth is rumored. In 2012, a prequel titled Prometheus was released, with a sequel to the prequel being set for release in 2017.
1. Friday the 13th
Total Gross: $380.6 million
Number of Movies: 12
Finally, we came to the end of our list of 11 most successful horror movie franchises of all time. Friday the 13th franchise started in 1980, inspired by a success of the Halloween franchise. Although it was originally panned by critics (who changed their mind later), it had a modest box office success, setting the ground for 11 more movies. Nine movies were direct sequels, plus the crossover with Nightmare on the Elm Street titled Freddy Vs. Jason, which turned out to be the biggest box office hit grossing $82.6 million. The reboot was released in 2009 but wasn’t received well by the critics or the audience. All the movies in the franchise revolve around Jason Voorhees, the main antagonist who appears to be drowned in a lake due to lack of supervision from camp staff. In the first movie, his death is a reason for the killing spree, while in the other movies he turns out to be alive and seeks his revenge. He wears a hockey mask over his face and is one of the most recognizable horror movie antagonists of all time.
