Top 20 Highest-Grossing Horror Movies of All Time

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Ignacio Weil

Entertainment - June 10th 2025, 19:00 GMT+2

A quiet place day one msn — 20. A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)

An installment set earlier in the Quiet Place timeline, this horror film follows different characters on the very first day of the alien invasion. Directed by Michael Sarnoski, it stars Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, and Djimon Hounsou. Like its predecessors, the film builds tension using silence – this time showing how society first reacted when the creatures appeared. Even with a hybrid theatrical/streaming release, it earned about $261 million worldwide. The fresh cast and new perspective on the deadly invasion helped Day One become one of the top-grossing entries in this silent thriller series. | © Paramount Pictures

Cropped the nun 2 — 19. The Nun II (2023)

Returning to the dark world of The Nun, this sequel brings back the demonic nun Valak for more scares. Director Michael Chaves leads a cast including Taissa Farmiga reprising her role as Sister Irene, along with Bonnie Aarons and Jonas Bloquet. The film takes audiences to a new haunted setting while delivering the expected jump scares and gothic horror. It pulled in about $269 million globally. Thanks to its connection to The Conjuring universe and a strong cast, The Nun II joined the ranks of horror sequels with impressive box office returns. | © New Line Cinema

Cropped the silence of the lambs — 18. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

A classic psychological thriller with strong horror elements, this film follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) as she seeks help from incarcerated cannibal Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to catch a serial killer. Directed by Jonathan Demme, it remains one of the few films to win all “Big Five” Academy Awards. The Silence of the Lambs pulled in audiences with its terrifying suspense and memorable characters. It earned about $275 million worldwide. Its remarkable cast and intense, sophisticated horror story helped cement its status and box office success in the genre. | © Orion Pictures

Cropped Split — 17. Split (2017)

A psychological horror thriller by M. Night Shyamalan, Split stars James McAvoy as Kevin, a man with 23 different personalities who kidnaps three girls. This gripping horror-thriller explores the terror of Kevin’s darkest personality, “The Beast.” Anya Taylor-Joy co-stars as one of the captive girls. Critics praised McAvoy’s tour-de-force performance. The movie surprised audiences with its intensity and went on to gross about $278 million worldwide. Its chilling premise, strong cast, and twist ending helped make Split one of the highest grossing horror-thrillers of the 2010s. | © Blumhouse Productions

Cropped Resident Evil Afterlife — 16. Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)

The fourth Resident Evil movie (the first in 3D), this action-packed horror film follows Alice (Milla Jovovich) as she continues to fight zombies and monsters in a destroyed world. Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, the cast also includes Ali Larter and Shawn Roberts. Afterlife offered over-the-top thrills like the fight against a giant alligator named Ooze. It earned around $295 million worldwide. Its mix of horror elements and action sequences, along with the established cast, made it a top-grossing entry in the zombie horror genre. | © Constantin Film

Cropped a quiet place part 2 — 15. A Quiet Place: Part II (2021)

This sequel expands the world of the first film, continuing the story of the family surviving in silence. Once again directed by John Krasinski, it stars Emily Blunt with new additions including Cillian Murphy. The film explores how people cope in a world of deadly sound-sensitive creatures, offering tense horror set-pieces. Audiences responded well, earning about $296 million globally. The return of the beloved cast and its nail-biting tension helped Part II achieve one of the biggest box office totals for a horror sequel. | © Paramount Pictures

Cropped Five Nights at Freddys — 14. Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023)

Based on the popular video game series, this horror film taps into animatronic nightmare territory. Directed by Emma Tammi, it stars Josh Hutcherson and Elizabeth Lail as a night guard and teenager dealing with haunted animatronic characters in a pizzeria. The movie delivers a mix of jump scares and dark mystery. It opened to great interest from fans, grossing around $297 million worldwide. The strong box office haul, along with its cast, made Five Nights at Freddy’s one of the highest grossing video game adaptation horror films. | © Blumhouse Productions

Cropped Annabelle Creation — 13. Annabelle: Creation (2017)

A spinoff from The Conjuring universe, this prequel explores the origin of the evil doll Annabelle. Directed by David F. Sandberg, it stars Stephanie Sigman and Talitha Bateman among others, and is produced by horror veteran James Wan. The movie heightens the creepy doll lore with new characters encountering the haunted Annabelle doll. Fans of terrifying supernatural tales came in large numbers: Annabelle: Creation grossed about $305 million worldwide. The strong box office showed that the ensemble cast and connection to The Conjuring series resonated with horror audiences. | © New Line Cinema

Cropped The Conjuring 2 The Enfield Poltergeist — 12. The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Poltergeist (2016)

The follow-up to The Conjuring, this sequel again features Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as Lorraine and Ed Warren. James Wan returns to direct, this time setting the story in 1970s England amid the infamous Enfield poltergeist case. The film delivers plenty of ghostly horror moments as the Warrens face a powerful new evil. The Conjuring 2 raked in around $310 million at the worldwide box office. Its experienced cast and continued supernatural scares helped it become one of the biggest horror hits of 2016. | © New Line Cinema

Cropped Resident Evil The Final Chapter — 11. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016)

The sixth and final installment of the Resident Evil film series, this sci-fi action horror movie brings video-game zombies to the big screen. Milla Jovovich returns as Alice, battling the evil Umbrella Corporation in a post-apocalyptic world. Paul W.S. Anderson directs, and the cast also includes Iain Glen and Ali Larter. The Final Chapter offered high-stakes monster action and concluded a long-running franchise. It grossed about $314 million worldwide. The franchise’s built-in fanbase and strong cast made it one of the top-grossing horror/action films of the era. | © Constantin Film

Cropped the conjuring 1 — 10. The Conjuring (2013)

Launching a major horror franchise, The Conjuring is a haunted-house horror film inspired by real paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. Directed by James Wan, it stars Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as the Warrens, who help a family terrorized by evil forces in Rhode Island. The movie’s combination of effective jump scares and dark folklore made it a hit with horror fans. It earned around $316 million globally. The Conjuring’s compelling cast and chilling storyline established it as one of the highest grossing supernatural horror films in recent years. | © New Line Cinema

Cropped a quiet place 1 — 9. A Quiet Place (2018)

This unique post-apocalyptic horror film captured audiences with its thrilling premise: a family must stay completely silent to avoid blind, sound-sensitive monsters. Written and directed by John Krasinski, the movie stars Krasinski himself alongside Emily Blunt as the parents, with Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe as their children. Its innovative use of silence and suspense made it a hit. A Quiet Place earned about $334 million worldwide. The strong cast, along with the film’s intense creature-feature story, helped make it a box office smash and a modern horror classic. | © Paramount Pictures

Cropped hannibal 2001 — 8. Hannibal (2001)

The sequel to The Silence of the Lambs, this psychological horror-thriller brought back Anthony Hopkins as the infamous Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Directed by Ridley Scott, Hannibal stars Julianne Moore as Clarice Starling (replacing Jodie Foster) and Gary Oldman as the murderous Mason Verger. The film ups the suspense and gore, following Clarice’s hunt for Lecter across Europe. Fans of horror and suspense thronged theaters, and Hannibal grossed around $350 million worldwide. Its high profile cast and the legacy of the Lecter character helped make Hannibal one of the top-grossing horror films of the early 2000s. | © Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures

Cropped Alien Romulus — 7. Alien: Romulus (2024)

Set in the same universe as the classic Alien series, Alien: Romulus is a sci-fi horror film that took horror fans back into space. Directed by Fede Álvarez, it stars Cailee Spaeny as an orphaned space colonist named Rain, along with David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, and Isabela Merced as her companions. The story follows these explorers encountering lethal alien creatures aboard a derelict space station. Featuring impressive practical effects and a tense atmosphere, Alien: Romulus appealed to both horror and sci-fi audiences. It pulled in about $350 million worldwide. The movie’s connection to the beloved Alien franchise and its talented cast helped it achieve one of the highest box office totals for a space horror movie. | © 20th Century Studios

Cropped sinners — 6. Sinners (2025)

An upcoming genre-bending horror film directed by Ryan Coogler, Sinners made a splash with its multi-million dollar box office draw even before release. Starring Michael B. Jordan in a dual role, alongside Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, and Delroy Lindo, Sinners blends Southern Gothic, supernatural horror, and musical elements. The cast also includes Peter Dreimanis, Lola Kirke, and Saul Williams in key roles. This film’s rich, intense storyline and star power generated enormous interest, and it earned around $355 million globally. With such a strong ensemble cast and Coogler’s track record, Sinners became one of the top-grossing horror movies on record. | © Proximity Media

Cropped The Nun 1 — 5. The Nun (2018)

A spin-off of The Conjuring series, this frightening horror film centers on a demonic nun that terrorizes a Romanian abbey. Directed by Corin Hardy, The Nun features Taissa Farmiga (sister of Vera Farmiga) and Demián Bichir as members of a priestly order investigating paranormal events. The spooky atmosphere and religious horror themes drew audiences in, and the movie’s chilling cast helped bring the lore of the series to life. The Nun became a big box office hit, raking in about $362 million worldwide. This strong box office showing, along with the film’s connection to a popular horror franchise, solidified The Nun as one of the highest grossing modern horror films. | © New Line Cinema

Cropped the exorcist — 4. The Exorcist (1973)

Often hailed as one of the scariest films ever made, The Exorcist set the bar for supernatural horror movies in cinema. Directed by William Friedkin and based on William Peter Blatty’s novel, it follows a priest (Max von Sydow) performing an exorcism on a girl (Linda Blair) possessed by a demonic entity. The movie also stars Ellen Burstyn and Jason Miller in gripping performances. Audiences were both terrified and fascinated by its groundbreaking special effects and intense story. The Exorcist was a huge box office success, earning about $428 million worldwide (an enormous amount for its time). Its critical acclaim, devoted cast, and word-of-mouth hype helped make it one of the highest grossing horror films ever. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

Cropped It Chapter Two — 3. It: Chapter Two (2019)

The sequel to It (2017) continues the Stephen King horror saga with the Losers’ Club returning as adults. Directed again by Andy Muschietti, It: Chapter Two stars Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, and Isaiah Mustafa as the grown-up versions of the kids from the first film. Bill Skarsgård reprises his chilling role as Pennywise, the evil clown haunting Derry. As a horror movie sequel, it expanded on the terror and delivered big scares, while also bringing in the franchise’s box office power. It: Chapter Two went on to gross about $467 million worldwide. Its strong cast of Hollywood actors and its status as part of a popular horror franchise helped drive its impressive box office performance. | © New Line Cinema

Cropped jaws 1975 — 2. Jaws (1975)

Steven Spielberg’s shark thriller is often cited as the first true summer blockbuster and a classic horror-thriller movie. Jaws tells the story of a small beach community terrorized by a great white shark, and it features a memorable cast including Roy Scheider as Chief Brody, Richard Dreyfuss as oceanographer Matt Hooper, and Robert Shaw as shark hunter Quint. This iconic horror film captivated audiences with its suspenseful storytelling and thrilling chase scenes, making “We’re going to need a bigger boat” a famous movie line. Jaws became an unprecedented box office phenomenon, earning roughly $484 million worldwide – an extraordinary sum for the 1970s. Its enormous box office success and legendary cast helped Jaws become one of the highest-grossing horror/action films of all time. | © Zanuck/Brown Company

Cropped It 1 — 1. It (2017)

This supernatural horror film, based on Stephen King’s classic novel, proved to be a massive hit at the box office. Directed by Andy Muschietti, the movie follows a group of kids in the town of Derry as they confront a shapeshifting demon clown named Pennywise. The film features an ensemble cast of young actors including Jaeden Martell, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, and Wyatt Oleff, with Bill Skarsgård stealing the show as Pennywise. Audiences flocked to theaters to see this frightening horror movie, and the buzz made it one of the highest grossing horror films ever. In fact, It (2017) earned about $701 million worldwide. Its blend of scary horror themes, coming-of-age drama, and a cast of familiar young stars helped cement It as the #1 highest grossing horror film of all time. | © New Line Cinema

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Horror movies have a unique way of captivating audiences — blending fear, suspense, and thrill into unforgettable cinematic experiences. Over the years, some horror films have not only terrified viewers but also shattered box office records. In this article, we’re counting down the top 20 highest-grossing horror movies of all time, based on worldwide box office earnings. From supernatural thrillers to slasher classics and modern psychological horrors, these films prove that fear can be wildly profitable. Whether you're a die-hard horror fan or just curious about what scares the world the most (and pays the most), this list has something chilling for everyone.