“Do you like scary movies?” The question that haunts so many *Scream* characters is happily answered by countless people across the globe. Horror cinema is a beloved genre, and it has only gotten more popular in recent years. Scary moviemaking delivers unique thrills you can’t get anywhere else, while ensuring moviegoers can grapple with the most chilling parts of reality in a controlled setting.

As long as people have anxieties and woes that keep them up at night, horror will always tell us relevant stories. There is no question that horror is extremely popular at movie theaters, but what horror titles have landed the heaviest at the worldwide box office?

Here are the 12 highest-grossing horror films in the global theatrical cinema scene (ranked below from lowest grossing to highest). These films are a wildly varying crop, reflecting how the horrors that bind us can look like anything and everything. They also demonstrate how far certain horror experiences can reach, touching lives across the world with experiences just common enough to resonate.

It’s a gift that can make amazing horror out of shoestring budgets, with the potential for the highest rewards. Read on to learn more about the 12 highest-grossing movies ever at the worldwide box office.

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### 12. *Sinners*

Hollywood’s heavy insistence on pre-packaged franchises makes original box office surprises rarer than ever, but there are still modern instances of movies defying conventions. Take Ryan Coogler’s perfect *Sinners*. A horror film that also functions as a gangster film and musical has a lot of ways to limit its own appeal. It carries an R-rating, features a potentially dry historical setting, and Warner Bros. barely did any promotion.

There was no reason to expect *Sinners* would become a box office phenomenon. That is exactly what happened, though. After opening to a remarkable $48 million, *Sinners* dipped only 5% in its second weekend domestically—a feat reflecting the ever-escalating word of mouth working in its favor.

The film eventually amassed a staggering $278.54 million domestically. That put it ahead of all three of the year’s Marvel Cinematic Universe movies in North America and made it one of the biggest original U.S. titles since Christopher Nolan’s *Inception*. Throw in another $88 million overseas, and *Sinners* ended its theatrical worldwide run with $366.63 million, more than four times its $90 million budget.

Who knew an R-rated vampire horror film full of blues music (and buckets of blood so gross it made star Hailee Steinfeld miserable) could soar so high? *Sinners* became the most delightful kind of box office surprise: all-original, and a joy to watch even as the horror mounts.

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### 11. *Prometheus*

Director Ridley Scott came home to the franchise that made him with *Prometheus*. Thirty-three years after helming 1979’s *Alien* and forever changing the horror genre, Scott aimed to deliver a prequel meant to fill in some blanks in the *Alien* mythology.

Largely marketed as a standalone film with potential *Alien* connections, *Prometheus* instead firmly carried over its predecessor’s scary atmosphere, ending with a proto-xenomorph that erased any question of its franchise relation, while ramping up the graphic horror. It was tailor-made to excite *Alien* die-hards, but the jury was out on whether bringing Scott back would make *Prometheus* a summer 2012 box office smash.

Eventually, the movie did perfectly fine worldwide, though it wasn’t quite a breakout hit. Budgeted at $125 million, *Prometheus* grossed $126.47 million domestically and $275.97 million internationally, totaling $402.44 million worldwide.

For an R-rated horror film released in a pre-*Deadpool* world—when titles carrying that rating had a hard upper limit to financial success—that wasn’t shabby. *Prometheus* also remains the highest-grossing *Alien* installment in North America in raw, uninflated dollars.

Taking the *Alien* saga back to its horror roots was a welcome streamlined change of pace after *Alien: Resurrection* perhaps overly complicated the franchise lore. With a sturdy box office performance, we chalk up another win for Ridley Scott in his personal world of xenomorphs.

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### 10. *Signs*

*Signs* was a kind of last hurrah for M. Night Shyamalan. He would have other hits after his 2002 Mel Gibson star vehicle, but *Signs* marked the end of his hot streak of beloved box office juggernauts.

Subsequently, more divisive and financially complicated releases like *Lady in the Water* and *After Earth* clashed against later small-scale hits like *Split* and *The Visit*. Before all that, though, *Signs* flourished as a sci-fi horror film still riding the positive wave of Shyamalan’s *The Sixth Sense*.

In its domestic release, *Signs* grossed a massive $228 million, not far off from what *The Sixth Sense* amassed three years earlier. Internationally, the feature beamed up $180.28 million for a $408.25 million worldwide haul.

On a $70.7 million budget, *Signs* was immensely profitable just from its North American gross alone. Among all movies in 2002, *Signs* was the sixth-biggest feature domestically, outpacing projects like *Men in Black II*, *Scooby-Doo*, and *Die Another Day*.

That was a triumph for an original horror film that relied heavily on long, quiet stretches and domestic turmoil to make its jump scares and ominous tone leave an impact. None of Shyamalan’s post-*Signs* releases would come close to that $200 million domestic mark. Still, it’s hard to argue with Shyamalan’s career results up to that point.

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### 9. *The Exorcist* (1973)

*The Exorcist* arrived a few years into the collapse of the Hays Code, which re-opened the doors for what kind of adult material American cinema could explore. Horror films had existed since the dawn of cinema, but now they could take on new levels of extreme frights and sights.

As one of the first films to exploit these newfound freedoms, *The Exorcist* featured foul language, disturbing imagery, and gnarly chaos that would have been unthinkable just a decade earlier. Its unique intensity and impressive craftsmanship quickly cemented it as a pop culture phenomenon.

*The Exorcist* sold out screenings and took up residence in people’s nightmares. Its sway on audiences hasn’t lessened since.

Over multiple theatrical releases, *The Exorcist* has grossed $231 million in North America alone, making it the 14th biggest R-rated movie of any genre. Add another $197.86 million overseas, and the production amassed $428.88 million worldwide.

The movie was unspeakably profitable, blowing open the doors for how big horror films could become at the global box office. It’s no wonder many still consider *The Exorcist* the best horror movie of all time.

The rest of the ’70s would be marked by further post-Hays Code horror films like *The Texas Chain Saw Massacre* and *Halloween*, which owe their box office success to the enormous numbers *The Exorcist* pulled in.

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### 8. *Beetlejuice Beetlejuice*

Director Tim Burton and original *Beetlejuice* stars Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder returned to the land of the undead after 36 years with *Beetlejuice Beetlejuice*. The film languished in pre-production for years, including vaporous rumors around the unrealized and improbable-sounding *Beetlejuice Goes to Hawaii*.

The movie’s final form followed the typical legacy sequel mold, with a younger lead (Jenna Ortega) discovering a world familiar to moviegoers and dealing with the consequences of the previous generation’s actions. It was a ripe opportunity for audiences to return to the world of the deceased with Burton’s macabre sense of humor.

Several of Burton’s 2010s directorial efforts became box office flops. Meanwhile, *Beetlejuice Beetlejuice* rocked the box office like it was 1988.

After scoring a tremendous $111 million debut over its first weekend, *Beetlejuice Beetlejuice* scared up $294.1 million domestically—that’s nearly three times its $100 million budget. Worldwide, it secured $451.98 million.

Like many lucrative legacy sequels, *Beetlejuice Beetlejuice* played upon people’s nostalgia to big results. It didn’t hurt that this installment reached theaters during autumn, tying into the Halloween season.

All that waiting paid off for Burton and company, as *Beetlejuice Beetlejuice* absolutely soared at the box office.

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### 7. *It: Chapter Two* (2019)

After 2017’s *It* became a phenomenon, *It: Chapter Two* released in September 2019, ready to take audiences on another terrifying ride. This time, members of the Losers Club had grown up into adults, and Bill (James McAvoy), Beverly (Jessica Chastain), and Eddie (Bill Hader) all returned to their hometown to end Pennywise once and for all.

An adaptation of the second half of Stephen King’s *It*, *Chapter Two* was never going to replicate the unprecedented success of its predecessor—a lightning-in-a-bottle box office performance.

Even so, *It: Chapter Two* grossed a hefty $211.59 million domestically, already three times its $70 million budget. Worldwide, it grossed $473.09 million, making it one of the rare horror films to exceed the $450+ million mark.

It was also the second-biggest R-rated movie of 2019 domestically, behind only Warner Bros.’ *Joker*. The film was a major success for its cast, with *Chapter Two* remaining Jessica Chastain’s second-biggest live-action movie ever in North America.

The enduring appeal of the source material, boosted by residual goodwill from its predecessor, propelled this sequel to great box office figures, far exceeding typical expectations for R-rated horror.

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### 6. *The Conjuring: Last Rites* (2025)

Since July 2013, the *Conjuring* movies have been reliable global moneymakers. Even 2020’s *The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,* which had a simultaneous HBO Max release in the U.S., took home a stupendous $206.43 million worldwide on a $40 million budget.

Nothing could stop this franchise from chilling audiences. However, *The Conjuring: Last Rites* (2025), marketed as the “final chapter” in the saga, blew everyone away at the box office.

The film’s domestic opening weekend alone—a whopping $84 million—was more than double the North American debuts of all past *Conjuring* installments, excluding *The Nun*. After that, *Last Rites* took home $176.88 million domestically, the biggest total ever for a *Conjuring* movie in this territory.

Worldwide, it grossed $487.18 million, the first time any film in the franchise exceeded $400 million globally. That also meant *Last Rites* outperformed significantly costlier 2025 movies like *Captain America: Brave New World*, *Snow White*, and *Thunderbolts*.

The promise of a resolution to the *Conjuring* lore, along with years of audience investment in fictional versions of Ed and Lorraine Warren, paid off big. Despite following the franchise’s sterling box office track record, *Last Rites* obliterated all financial expectations.

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### 5. *Jaws* (1975)

There is “before *Jaws*” and “after *Jaws*” when it comes to how movies were released and marketed in North America. *Jaws* was unleashed on the public with a then-unique release and marketing strategy, ensuring it played in hundreds of theaters on opening day—a standard practice today but a risky gamble in 1975.

It paid off, spawning a wave of big-budget tentpoles hoping to win a fraction of its box office success.

All these years later, there’s still only one *Jaws*. No subpar sequels or SyFy channel knockoffs can dilute director Steven Spielberg’s success.

At release, *Jaws* not only broke records as the first movie to exceed $100 million domestically but also became the biggest motion picture in history. Its initial run collected $260.69 million domestically, with subsequent theatrical reissues bringing its lifetime domestic gross to $280 million.

It’s not just Americans who love chomping down on the thrills of *Jaws*. Worldwide, the movie soaked up $490.73 million.

In raw dollars (without adjusting for inflation), other movies have outgrossed *Jaws*, but this film paved the road for subsequent moneymakers to exist. Turns out that shark was good for more than just eating tourists.

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### 4. *World War Z* (2013)

*World War Z* had one major advantage at the box office over many other films on this list: while clearly a horror film (a zombie apocalypse story), it was marketed as a big, action-oriented summer blockbuster.

There’s often a ceiling for how high an R-rated traditional horror movie can go at the global box office. PG-13 action titles with lots of spectacle, meanwhile, can soar above $1 billion.

*World War Z* didn’t get near that high but still managed a great worldwide haul. Domestically, it grossed $202.7 million. Worldwide, it raked in $531.86 million.

Opening against major blockbusters like *Man of Steel* and *Despicable Me 2*, *World War Z* did well as a non-sequel. Though its reported budget was a hefty $190 million, its global take meant it technically broke even.

This was a much bigger release than usual for a zombie movie at the box office. Presently, *World War Z* is the only live-action zombie film to clear $100 million domestically. Brad Pitt’s star power and mainstream-friendly action propelled it far beyond earlier zombie movies like George Romero’s *Land of the Dead* (2005).

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### 3. *I Am Legend* (2007)

How do you ensure a grim post-apocalypse horror movie like *I Am Legend* manages a $500+ million worldwide box office haul? You hire Will Smith at the peak of his 2000s fame.

At this point, Smith was an unstoppable movie star responsible for hits like the *Men in Black* series. People came out in droves to anything he headlined.

With another actor, this chilling vision of a solo survivor in a vampire world might have met a cold shoulder. Fans of Richard Matheson’s novel noted the many differences from the book, but that didn’t stop the film’s popularity.

With Smith in the lead, *I Am Legend* scored the biggest December domestic opening weekend ever (at the time) before amassing $256.39 million in North America alone. Worldwide, it grossed a gargantuan $585.53 million—unthinkable for a standard horror film.

Circa 2007, any production headlined by Will Smith was a significant event. This box office success solidified that Smith could flourish financially in any genre.

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### 2. *The Sixth Sense* (1999)

In James B. Stewart’s book *DisneyWar*, one anecdote involves former executive David Vogel being told higher-ups sold off the international distribution rights to *The Sixth Sense* to Spyglass Entertainment. The tale suggests Vogel’s bosses lacked passion for what would be M. Night Shyamalan’s debut film and were unnerved by Vogel’s $3 million script acquisition without oversight.

Vogel’s hunch was well-placed. *The Sixth Sense* became a moneymaker that launched Shyamalan into stardom but cost Vogel his job.

Debuting at the end of summer 1999, *The Sixth Sense* opened to $28.68 million domestically. Extraordinary word-of-mouth kept it profitable for weeks. This $40 million budget horror film grossed a gargantuan $672.8 million worldwide.

It was the biggest non-*Star Wars* movie of 1999 domestically, surpassing fellow Disney blockbusters like *Toy Story 2* and *Tarzan* at the box office.

Not too shabby for a film many Disney executives apparently doubted.

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### 1. *It* (2017)

Given the popularity of Stephen King’s *It*, a theatrical adaptation was inevitable. A TV miniseries had done well decades earlier, proving an audience existed.

However, 2017’s *It* went above and beyond even the rosiest pre-release expectations with a massive box office run.

*It* didn’t behave like other Stephen King movies such as *Carrie* or *1408*. It generated numbers on par with a 2010s Marvel superhero movie. Its opening weekend remains the largest domestic September bow in history.

*It* grossed $328.82 million domestically and another $375.3 million internationally—unheard of for an R-rated horror movie with no big stars, centered on a murderous clown preying on adolescents.

Excluding the three *Deadpool* movies, *It* remains the fourth-biggest R-rated movie at the worldwide box office.

On a mere $35 million budget, *It* was overwhelmingly profitable and reflected the enduring appeal of King’s vision and a solid marketing ground game.

Like *The Exorcist* and *Jaws* back in the ’70s, *It* broke new ground for how gigantic horror movies could become.

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Horror cinema continues to evolve, breaking new ground, drawing audiences in with its blend of fear and fascination. These massive box office hits prove that horror’s appeal is universal and enduring—no matter how terrifying the tale may be.
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