Highest-Grossing Horror Movies of All Time (1968–2020)

Horror has always held a special place in cinema, thrilling audiences with fear, suspense, and adrenaline. Over the decades, horror films have evolved from cult classics to blockbuster franchises, generating massive box office revenue worldwide. This article dives into the highest-grossing horror movies of all time (1968–2020), their impact, and fascinating trivia about the genre’s most lucrative films.

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Top Grossing Horror Films by Era

1968–1979: The Birth of Modern Horror

• The Exorcist (1973) – Often credited as the first modern horror blockbuster. Grossed $441M worldwide (adjusted for inflation).

• Jaws (1975) – Technically a thriller-horror hybrid. Revolutionized the summer blockbuster and earned $470M worldwide.

• Halloween (1978) – Launched John Carpenter’s iconic franchise with Michael Myers. Grossed over $70M on a small budget of $325K.

Fun Fact: Jaws was the first film to be widely released in hundreds of theaters simultaneously, setting a new industry standard.

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1980–1989: The Slasher Era

• A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – Introduced Freddy Krueger, grossing $114M worldwide.

• Friday the 13th (1980) – Spawned a multi-film franchise, grossing $59M.

• The Shining (1980) – Although modest in earnings initially, it became a cultural icon with long-term revenue from home video and re-releases.

Trivia: Slasher films were inexpensive to produce yet highly profitable, often grossing 10–100x their budgets.

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1990–1999: Horror Goes Mainstream

• Scream (1996) – Revitalized the teen horror genre, earning $173M worldwide.

• The Sixth Sense (1999) – Blended horror and psychological thriller, grossing $672M worldwide, one of the highest of the decade.

• Interview with the Vampire (1994) – Star-studded gothic horror, grossing $223M.

Fun Fact: The Sixth Sense was a game-changer for horror, proving that atmospheric, psychological scares could dominate the box office.

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2000–2010: Horror Franchises Dominate

• The Ring (2002) – Kickstarted the J-horror remake craze in Hollywood. Grossed $249M worldwide.

• Saw (2004) – Introduced the modern “torture porn” genre, earning $103M on a $1.2M budget.

• Paranormal Activity (2007) – The low-budget phenomenon grossed $193M worldwide, becoming a franchise sensation.

Trivia: Paranormal Activity’s marketing strategy—limited release and word-of-mouth—helped it earn over 160x its $15,000 budget.

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2011–2020: Global Horror Blockbusters

• It (2017) – The Stephen King adaptation became the highest-grossing horror film of all time at $700M+ worldwide.

• World War Z (2013) – A zombie epic grossing $540M worldwide.

• A Quiet Place (2018) – Unique concept of silence as survival, grossing $340M.

Fun Fact: Horror in the 2010s began blending with fantasy, action, and family-friendly elements to reach broader audiences.

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Top 10 Highest-Grossing Horror Movies (1968–2020)

Rank	Movie	Year	Worldwide Gross
1	It	2017	$700M+
2	Jaws	1975	$470M
3	The Sixth Sense	1999	$672M
4	World War Z	2013	$540M
5	The Exorcist	1973	$441M
6	A Quiet Place	2018	$340M
7	The Ring	2002	$249M
8	Interview with the Vampire	1994	$223M
9	Paranormal Activity	2007	$193M
10	Scream	1996	$173M

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Fun Facts & Trivia

• Halloween (1978) made over 200x its budget, proving low-budget horror can be a goldmine.

• It (2017) revitalized the concept of nostalgic horror, combining teen drama with monster scares.

• Horror franchises often have long-lasting cultural impact, more so than some high-grossing blockbusters.

• Many horror films leverage viral marketing, teaser trailers, and midnight releases to maximize revenue.

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Why Horror Films Are So Profitable

• Low Production Costs: Many iconic horror films cost under $5 million.

• Franchise Potential: Series like Halloween, Saw, and Scream generate recurring revenue.

• Global Appeal: Scary stories translate across cultures and languages.

• Streaming & Home Video: Horror often sees long-term revenue through streaming and DVD/Blu-ray sales.

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Source: Stats Over Time