Some of the longest-running series in the history of film are those in the horror genre. The horror genre is rife with fantastic high-grossing horror franchises, whether it be due to killers who rise from the dead in each movie, prequels, side tales, subsequent franchise reboots, or switching to a TV format. The movies for a few of these franchises are from the 1970s. One of the longest-running and most popular movie franchises in cinema history is the Halloween series. Even more recent franchises, like The Conjuring and Paranormal Activity, which each contain approximately 10 films, have achieved high rankings for shorter periods of time. Then there are series like It that have only released two pictures but nevertheless generated significant box office revenue.
Revised on January 28, 2023: You’ll be glad to know that we’ve updated this post with new information and even greater quality if you enjoy horror and are curious about which of the many film series has been the most popular.
There are numerous successful horror franchises, featuring cannibals, space invaders, paranormal beings, and villains in masks who simply won’t go away. While not everyone enjoys being frightened, there are many fans who do. They are to blame for the creepiest, scariest franchises ever having endured the test of time and still doing so decades later. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the most successful horror film series ever.
When he directed, starred in, and co-wrote the smash hit A Quiet Place, comedian John Krasinski displayed his incredible dramatic acting skills. He co-starred with his wife Emily Blunt in the movie, which follows a family’s struggle to survive in a devastated post-apocalyptic world terrorised by blind creatures that locate their victims via their intense hearing abilities. The heart-pounding film was not only a hit with audiences, but it also received high praise from reviewers for its genre mingling, frightening atmosphere, and excellent performances; as a result, it received nominations for both an Oscar and a Golden Globe.
A Quiet Place Part II was released in 2020 to equally raving reviews as a result of the first film’s enormous popularity, breaking the previous record for the highest opening weekend for a movie during the epidemic. A Quiet Place: Day One, a spin-off, and a third direct sequel are both now in development with projected 2024 and 2025 release dates. These projects are expected to significantly boost the film’s overall earnings.
Alien — $1.72B
The sci-fi horror film series Extraterrestrial transports us to space and introduces us to a cunning alien culture. A crew on a commercial spacecraft investigates a distress call in the first movie. They accidentally invite an extraterrestrial species aboard their ship when they come into contact with it. All but one of the crew members were killed as the alien broke out of one of the crew members’ chests, setting the stage for later films. The conflict between aliens and humans is a recurring theme in the series. Four movies made from 1979 and 1997 made up the original series, which starred Sigourney Weaver’s fiercely independent Ellen Ripley.
The two-story prequel was provided to the series by the original director, Ridley Scott, in 2012 but received mainly negative reviews. The Xenomorph-based stories didn’t end there, though, as a new miniseries prequel is scheduled to debut on FX at some point in 2019.
Final Destination — $665M
Chaos and devastation appear to be just as popular at the movie office as dread and real frights. The youths in the Final Destination series fight to escape death’s grasp after one of them has a potentially life-saving premonition. In these movies, nobody truly escapes with their lives, but it’s entertaining to watch the numerous cruel ways that fate exacts its revenge. The majority of the kills in the franchise are gruesome, involving copious amounts of blood and body parts that would make Michael Myers wince.
The last instalment of the series was released more than ten years ago, and it has been on hold for some time, but nothing is truly over in the horror genre. Many memorable and less noteworthy kills have been produced in this series. Fans are always cautious when following a truck hauling timber because of movies like these.
Halloween — $885 Million
Halloween is one of the longest-running horror franchises on this list. Its 13 films, which have been released between 1978 and the present, have branched out into different storylines. The third episode of the currently revamped series is scheduled to debut in cinemas and on Peacock streaming in the autumn. This series features a villain who keeps coming back to life after having some really close calls.
After first meeting Laurie Strode and her family in the 1978 cult classic original film, which continues to this day, Michael Myers fights them in the majority of the sequels. The franchise got one step closer to joining the billion-dollar club with the release of this 13th (and ostensibly final) movie at the end of the previous year, since playing on both streaming and in cinemas didn’t seem to hamper its box office performance.
Hannibal — $924 Million
A fictional figure named Hannibal Lecter, a cannibalistic serial murderer and genius who occasionally helps the FBI find other serial killers, is the focus of one of the thriller-suspense series on the list. The series also explores his crimes and rise to notoriety as an infamous serial killer. The Hannibal series, which comprises of five films that were released between 1986 and 2007, includes Silence of the Lambs, which features the character, based on the character developed by Thomas Harris.
The fact that Hannibal wasn’t even the major antagonist in his first two movies is what made him such an alluring figure. Lecter appears on screen for less than 20 minutes of the movie’s almost two-hour running duration, but somehow his dominance permeates the entire picture. Although he may not always be the main character, these are definitely his flicks.
It — $1.17 Billion
The tale of Pennywise the Dancing Clown originates with novelist Stephen King. The 80s miniseries IT had a two-film adaptation in 2017 and 2019, titled IT and IT: Chapter Two, respectively. The two movies were so well-liked that they were able to make their debut on a list of franchises with several instalments. Every 27 years, according to the series, Pennywise comes back to terrorise Derry, Maine. In IT, he battles a ragtag band of adolescents who band together to drive him back into hiding for an additional 27 years.
In IT: Chapter Two, the group travels back to Derry in order to reestablish their relationships and finish off Pennywise. Despite his fame, it appears that Pennywise’s tale is now complete. However, a prequel series from HBO Max is already under production, so we’ll see the evil dancing clown again sometime.
Jaws’ success was immediate after its 1975 debut since, according to Guinness World Records, it was the first movie to earn $100 million at the box office. Despite having only four movies, the franchise was not long-lived. The plot of these films is around a great white shark that terrorises and commits murder in a beach resort town. Even though the shark is killed at the conclusion, the family of Sheriff Brodey, who killed the shark in the 1974 original, seems to be haunted by the shark’s ancestors. The ratings for the sequels fell short of the original movie’s, but to be fair, it wasn’t an easy movie to surpass.
The concept of a shark attack on defenceless families at the beach is one that is mostly based in truth; even though it rarely occurs, people are nonetheless terrified of it (parly thanks to this film). Few filmmakers can successfully execute a daylight horror movie, but Spielberg did so with style and grace. With Jaws, the then-unknown director became a major player in the film industry, one that continues to dominate theatres today.
Paranormal Activity — $890 Million
With its first four movies sailing to the top of the box office, the Paranormal Activity franchise got off to a fantastic start. The eighth episode of the series, which premiered in 2007, is anticipated to be released in 2023. A couple experiences rising levels of unease following their move into a new house due to a demonic presence. The connection between the presence and Katie is particular. Each new movie touches on the things that happen both before and after settling into this mansion.
Despite receiving poor reviews for the majority of its features, the found-footage, demonic-based franchise has made almost 30 times its initial budget, earning it a place on this list.
The upcoming film will undoubtedly be well received by fans of the series, but Entertainment Weekly reports that Jason Blum has recently voiced a wish to end the franchise.
Resident Evil — $1.27B
Another popular series that has been around for a while is Resident Evil, however it is based on a Japanese video game series. In the first film, the plot centres on a specialised military force that battles a potent supercomputer and hundreds of mutant scientists who have evolved into flesh-eating monsters as a result of a laboratory accident. The remaining films in the series centre on Alice, a genetically modified woman who journeys through the devastated remnants of Earth in an effort to defeat Umbrella and its bio-weaponized monsters.
This series diverges significantly from the games and primarily relies on its assets to create its own tale. Regardless, they were extremely successful in foreign box offices. The first film of the seven-picture series debuted in 2002, and the most current revival, which was sadly poorly received by both fans and reviewers, was released in 2021. The brand-new Netflix series also didn’t do that well. Could the popular games’ time on the big screen have come to an end?
Saw — $1.02 Billion
An engineer turned serial killer traps apparently deserving victims in grisly traps in this nine-film cruel saga, forcing them to endure the suffering in order to be reincarnated. Jigsaw, the antagonist, selects victims who have gotten away with atrocities they have committed and makes them fight for their lives in an effort to atone for their transgressions. Jigsaw and his apprentices have been brought back in every instalment of the Saw franchise, which debuted in 2004 and has since introduced and brutally slain new characters.
Over the years, the series has lost part of its appeal, but not enough to put an end to it. In the small hit Spiral from 2021, Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson agreed to produce and star in a remake of the series with new characters. In the fall of 2023, a fresh edition of the series will be released. This proves that the games are never truly over, especially when they have such a large audience.
Scream — $744 Million
The sixth episode of the Scream franchise, which has been operating since 1996, is slated to arrive this year. The antagonist Ghostface almost exclusively targets Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her friends in this humorous horror series. Each time a new film is released, a new character dons the recognisable mask, each with their own wicked and twisted goals usually connected to current horror trends.
Except for the few adult characters from Scream (Sidney Prescott, Gale Weathers, and Dewey Riley), who have appeared in all the movies, new cast members are primarily introduced. However, being a regular doesn’t guarantee their safety, as viewers saw in the most recent movie. The most recent Scream film, which was released in January and received excellent reviews, helped the Scream franchise surpass the $700 million mark.
The Conjuring — $2.13B
In the movie The Conjuring, Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson play Lorraine and Ed Warren, respectively.
It’s not surprising that The Conjuring series has been the most successful horror franchise to date. The first of these movies, which was released in 2013, quickly generated eight films in the same amount of time. The movies are based on the real-life cases of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren who try to help people who have been possessed by evil spirits. The genesis stories of some of these beings that the Warrens have encountered are followed in the film’s spin-offs. The demonic doll first shown in the first Conjuring film, Annabelle, has become the most prominent.
Over time, a sizable fan base has grown for this adored series. If the Warrens themselves will appear in any additional movies is currently unknown. The Nun 2, which is anticipated to arrive in theatres this fall, suggests that the franchise is continuing in spite of this.
The Ring — $654M
Fans of the notoriously cursed videotape and the really horrific Samara/Sadako may not be aware that the The Ring series has a whopping 12 films, including 8 Japanese instalments, 3 English language remakes, and a Korean remake. The popular phenomena, which is based on Koji Suzuki’s best-selling Ring books, revolves around those who are courageous enough to watch the haunted footage and their struggle to live after seven days if they do not transmit the malicious movie to a new victim.
With Hideo Nakata at the helm, the series made its debut in the movies in 1998. The film received global praise and served as the model for numerous Ring sequels, spin-offs, and remakes that wowed audiences all over the world. The terrifying classic sparked a wave of J-Horror Western adaptations and gave rise to the equally popular 2002 American remake starring Naomi Watts. The exhilarating franchise’s most recent instalment, Sadako DX, was released in 2022, increasing its overall total revenue to $654 million.
