Horror movies are looked down upon by many - like the Academy - but they have proved to be box office behemoths if filmmakers can catch lightning in a bottle.
Any list of highest-grossing horror movies is likely to lead to some debate as the question has to be asked of them all - what constitutes a horror movie?
Prometheus, for example, is certainly more of a science-fiction epic than a straight horror film, but due to the horror elements, it probably has to be included. It also acts as a prequel to one of the greatest horrors ever in Alien.
Officially, the highest-grossing horror movie of all time is IT, which earned $700,381,759 at the box office. The remake told the story of Pennywise the Clown, who terrorises the residents of Derry, in particular The Losers' Club.
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IT Chapter Two also makes the list, albeit with a less impressive box office of $473,093,228. Interestingly, there are only two movies from the same franchise that enter our top 10 and they are from the IT series.
In second place is The Sixth Sense, which grossed an astonishing $672,806,292 way back in 1999. M. Night Shyamalan has two movies in the top 10, with Signs in at number eight.
Classics like Jaws and The Exorcist naturally make the top 10 despite being released so long ago, which brings up the matter of inflation.
In terms of single tickets sold, Jaws and The Exorcist are by far the most successful horror movies ever.
Highest-grossing horror movies
| Movie | Worldwide Box Office | Year of Release |
|---|---|---|
| IT | $700,381,759 | 2017 |
| The Sixth Sense | $672,806,292 | 1999 |
| I Am Legend | $585,349,010 | 2007 |
| World War Z | $540,007,876 | 2013 |
| IT Chapter Two | $473,093,228 | 2019 |
| Jaws | $470,653,000 | 1975 |
| The Exorcist | $441,306,145 | 1973 |
| Signs | $408,247,917 | 2002 |
| Prometheus | $403,354,469 | 2012 |
| The Nun | $365,550,119 | 2018 |
Related Movies
It Chapter Two
Horror / Thriller
2019 • 169 minutes
Exorcist, The
Horror
1973 • 122 minutes
Sixth Sense, The
Thriller
1999 • 108 minutes
I Am Legend
Drama / Scifi
2007 • 101 minutes
World War Z
Action / Horror
2013 • 116 minutes
Signs
Scifi / Horror
2002 • 106 minutes
Prometheus
Scifi / Adventure
2012 • 124 minutes
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