Horror movies are a lucrative business in Hollywood – many are made on shoestring budgets but go on to earn millions (and sometimes even billions) at the box office.
With subgenres ranging from paranormal and slasher to zombies and even horror-comedies, there’s something in the genre to suit every taste. But which freaky flicks have been the most successful?
Read on as we count down the 20 highest-grossing horror movies of all time, based on their original global box office grosses, which we've adjusted for inflation. Did your favourite make the cut?
All dollar amounts in US dollars.
The sci-fi horror A Quiet Place (2018) stars real-life married couple John Krasinski and Emily Blunt as a husband and wife fighting to survive with their children in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by aliens that hunt using sound.
The movie, also written and directed by Krasinski, grossed $340.9 million worldwide against a modest $17 million production budget. That’s approximately $438 million (£321m) with a budget of $22 million (£16m) in 2025 money.
A sequel was released in 2020, but it failed to match the original’s success, banking an inflation-adjusted sum of $372 million (£272m).
The Village (2004), directed by M. Night Shyamalan, follows the residents of a secluded, 19th-century-style community who live in fear of mysterious creatures lurking in the woods.
The film grossed $256 million worldwide against an estimated $60 million production budget, or approximately $439 million (£322m) against a $103 million (£75m) budget in today’s money.
Famed for his twisty psychological thrillers, M. Night Shyamalan is one of the biggest names in modern horror – and The Village isn’t his only film to make our round-up. Stay tuned...
The Conjuring series is one of the most successful horror franchises ever, consisting of four main films and six spin-offs, all set within the same shared universe.
Directed by James Wan, the first entry in the spooky saga, The Conjuring (2013), follows real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) as they help a family terrorised by a paranormal presence in their farmhouse.
The movie grossed $319 million worldwide against a $20 million production budget. Adjusted for inflation, that’s $443 million (£324m) with a $28 million (£20m) budget.
Based on the popular video game series, the Resident Evil sci-fi horror franchise is a major money-spinner.
The series consists of six films, starring Milla Jovovich as Alice, a survivor in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a deadly zombie virus. Four of the six films were directed by Jovovich’s real-life husband Paul W. S. Anderson, including the fifth and highest-grossing entry Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010).
The high-adrenaline flick earned $300 million globally against a production budget of $60 million. In today’s money, that’s around $444 million (£325m) on a budget of $89 million (£65m).
Directed by Gore Verbinski, The Ring (2002) is a Hollywood remake of the Japanese horror hit Ringu (1998).
The chilling paranormal flick stars Naomi Watts as a journalist investigating a mysterious videotape that causes the death of anyone who watches it.
It grossed $249 million worldwide against a budget of $48 million. When adjusted for inflation, that’s $447 million (£328m) against a budget of $86 million (£63m).
Tim Burton’s long-awaited sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) hit screens 36 years after the original cult classic.
Michael Keaton returned as the titular mischievous poltergeist, with Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara also reprising their roles as Lydia and Delia Deetz, who once again find themselves tormented by Beetlejuice. They were joined by Jenna Ortega as Astrid, Lydia’s teenage daughter.
The horror comedy flick grossed $452 million globally against a production budget of $100 million. When adjusted for inflation, that’s $465 million (£342m) on a budget of $103 million (£76m). As for the original Beetlejuice (1988), it earned an inflation-adjusted sum of $202 million (£148m).
Supernatural horror The Nun (2018) is part of the aforementioned Conjuring Universe.
Directed by Corin Hardy, the film follows a young nun (portrayed by Taissa Farmiga), sent to investigate a mysterious death at a remote Romanian abbey.
Another hit for the franchise, the movie grossed $366 million worldwide, or approximately $470 million (£346m) when adjusted for inflation. That figure is even more impressive considering the film had a modest $22 million budget (around $28m/£20m today).
Widely credited with popularising the found footage genre of horror The Blair Witch Project (1999) became a cultural phenomenon upon its release.
The movie follows three student filmmakers who venture into the Maryland woods to investigate the local legend of the Blair Witch. Crafted on a shoestring budget of just $60,000 (around $116k/£85k today), the film was supported by a groundbreaking marketing campaign that led many viewers to believe the footage was real and the events had actually occurred.
The paranormal horror grossed $248 million globally, or around $482 million (£354m) when adjusted for inflation.
Directed by Stephen Sommers, Van Helsing (2004) stars Hugh Jackman as the titular legendary monster hunter, battling iconic horror figures like Dracula and Frankenstein’s monster.
It stands as the most expensive horror movie ever made when accounting for inflation, with a budget of $160 million, or $274 million (£202m) today.
However, the fantasy-horror film was considered a major flop due to negative reviews and a worldwide gross of $300 million, or approximately $513 million (£379m) today.
The Scary Movie comedy-horror franchise is one of the highest-grossing in the genre. Created by the Wayans brothers, it consists of five films, with a sixth currently in the works.
The first entry, Scary Movie (2000), parodies popular horror films such as Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer and features plenty of thrills as well as laughs.
It also remains the highest-grossing instalment, having banked $278 million worldwide against a $19 million budget. When inflation-adjusted, that's $521 million (£385m) against a $36 million (£27m) budget.
Directed by Ridley Scott, Prometheus (2012) is a prequel to the sci-fi horror classic Alien (1979).
The film follows a team of scientists who journey to a distant planet in search of humanity’s origins, only to encounter terrifying creatures.
The highest-grossing entry in the Alien franchise, it earned $403 million worldwide against a $130 million budget. Adjusted for inflation, that’s approximately $567 million (£419m) on a budget of $183 million (£134m).
Based on the spine-chilling novel by Stephen King, horror sequel It: Chapter Two (2019) is a modern-day horror classic.
Directed by Andrés Muschietti, Bill Skarsgård reprises his role as Pennywise the Dancing Clown. The film follows the now-adult members of the Losers’ Club as they return to their hometown of Derry to confront the entity that terrorised them as children.
The movie banked $473 million globally against its $79 million production budget, or approximately $597 million (£441m) against a $100 million (£74m) budget in today's money, making it one of the most successful Stephen King adaptations ever.
Directed by Ridley Scott, Hannibal (2001) is the third entry in the Hannibal Lecter film series, based on the grisly horror novels by Thomas Harris.
Anthony Hopkins reprises his iconic role as the sadistic cannibal Dr Hannibal Lecter, with Julianne Moore replacing Jodie Foster as FBI agent Clarice Starling.
The most successful entry in the saga, Hannibal pulled in $351 million worldwide, or $641 million (£474m) when adjusted for inflation. Its production budget was a hefty $87 million (about $159m/£117m today).
The second (but not the last) M. Night Shyamalan entry in our round-up is the sci-fi horror Signs (2002).
The eerie thriller stars Mel Gibson as a widowed farmer whose life is turned upside down when mysterious crop circles begin appearing in his fields.
A blockbuster hit, it grossed $408 million worldwide against a $72 million budget. Adjusted for inflation, that’s a phenomenal $733 million (£543m) on a $130 million (£96m) budget.
The zombie subgenre of horror is one of the most lucrative, as demonstrated by the blockbuster hit World War Z (2013), based on the novel by Max Brooks.
Directed by Marc Forster and starring Brad Pitt as a former UN investigator racing against time to stop a deadly virus from destroying humanity, the action-packed flick had a massive $190 million budget (around $264m/£195m today), making it one of the most expensive horror films ever made.
Fortunately, the gamble paid off: it grossed $540 million worldwide, or around $748 million (£555m) in 2025 money.
Directed by Francis Lawrence, I Am Legend (2007) stars Will Smith as the sole survivor in a post-apocalyptic New York City, searching for a cure to a virus that turns humans into monsters.
A screaming success, the film banked $585 million worldwide against a production budget of $150 million. Adjusted for inflation, that’s a gross of $912 million (£675m) against a $234 million (£173m) budget.
A highly anticipated sequel is currently in the works, with Will Smith set to return.
We’ve already covered It Chapter Two (2019), but the first entry It (2017) outshone its sequel at the box office. The film follows a group of kids in the town of Derry as they battle a sinister entity. Like the sequel, it was directed by Andrés Muschietti and stars Bill Skarsgård as the terrifying Pennywise.
With a modest budget of $35 million (around $46m/£34m today), the film banked $702 million worldwide, or $926 million (£686m) in today's money.
The sensational gross makes it the most successful Stephen King adaptation ever.
Helmed by horror aficionado M. Night Shyamalan, The Sixth Sense (1999) stars Bruce Willis as a child psychologist trying to help a young boy plagued by chilling visions of the undead.
The twisty psychological thriller became a surprise blockbuster, grossing $672 million against its modest $40 million budget (about $78m/£58m today). Adjusted for inflation, it banked a whopping $1.3 billion (£960m) globally.
This makes it the most successful M. Night Shyamalan movie ever.
Directed by William Friedkin, The Exorcist (1973) is one of the most iconic horror movies of all time. It stars Linda Blair in a spine-chilling performance as a young girl possessed by a demon.
With a budget of $11 million (around $80m/£59m today), the frightening flick grossed $193 million worldwide, or a staggering $1.4 billion (£1bn) in 2025 money.
Several sequels have followed over the years, but none have come close to matching the money-making feats of the original.
Swimming in open water was never the same after Steven Spielberg released his chilling creature feature Jaws (1975).
The film follows a small-town police chief, a marine biologist, and a shark hunter as they team up to stop a massive great white shark from terrorising the beachgoers of Amity Island.
The movie made a massive splash at the box office. With a modest budget of just $7 million (around $42m/£31m today), it grossed $261 million upon its original release. That’s a staggering $1.6 billion (£1.2bn) today – making it not only one of the scariest horror films ever made, but also the most commercially successful.
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