Horror is one of the most popular, financially dependable genres, yet it seldom receives large budgets or opens the summer movie season. Typically, when a new summer blockbuster is announced, it’s more likely to be a superhero film or an adventure like <em>Transformers</em> that has a family-friendly image and clear merchandise opportunities. However, on rare occasions, a horror movie becomes a mainstream hit with blockbuster levels of success and studio support.
In these instances, horror films have shattered box office records, won prestigious Oscars, and transformed how studios schedule their releases. In celebration of these groundbreaking horror films, we will revisit the greatest horror blockbusters to ever dominate the big screen. Although each horror movie listed achieved immense success, the films will be ranked based on their significance to mainstream filmmaking and the enduring legacy they have with fans who frequently revisit the stories.
10
‘I Am Legend’ (2007)
Will Smith brought his massive star power to the apocalyptic sci-fi horror drama I Am Legend. Smith stars as virologist Robert Neville, a man left to wander the Earth alone after a lab-created virus leaves humanity virtually extinct. While tirelessly working on a cure, Robert searches for traces of other survivors and avoids the mutant creatures who are emerging as the dominant species.
A string of high-profile hits had cemented Smith as one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, so his involvement in a big-budget sci-fi horror movie was an intriguing proposition. The adaptation of Richard Matheson’s novel of the same name had a darker tone than Smith’s typically comedically slanted features, but the PG-13 rating meant the widest possible audience could watch without sneaking in. While a more tonally appropriate ending was cut in favor of playing it safe, I Am Legend was still a financial success, making $585 million on an estimated budget of $150 million.
9
‘World War Z’ (2013)
A large-scale zombie story raised the stakes to the highest level possible in World War Z. A viral outbreak is rapidly transforming humans into ravenous zombies, ignoring borders as the plague sweeps across multiple countries with a vengeance. Racing against time is Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt), an ex-United Nations official who seeks a cure to save his family and the remaining human race from becoming extinct.
World War Z’s production was a lengthy one due to extensive reshoots, ballooning the budget to a final number of $190 million. The astronomical budget would give World War Z the title of most expensive horror movie ever made, but thankfully for all involved, the risk paid off. Pitt’s high profile and the film’s globe-trotting plot made World War Z a worldwide hit that earned more than $500 million and continues to top the streaming charts in multiple countries.
8
‘Signs’ (2002)
A former priest protects his family from an alien invasion in M. Night Shyamalan’s science fiction horror movie Signs. A pre-controversy Mel Gibson plays Graham Hess, a father of two who has turned away from his calling as an Episcopal Priest after the death of his wife. When menacing beings from space land on Earth, he will find there are forces at work beyond his understanding.
Signs is a unique horror blockbuster in that it takes a familiar big-budget plot — an alien invasion story — and ignores the lure of massive disaster setpieces to tell a small, personal story. The aliens are barely on-screen, but the dread surrounding their arrival is felt from a human level as each member of the Hess family processes their anxiety. Signs would be another massive hit for Shyamalan, earning more than $400 million to become one of the top films of 2002.
7
‘It’ (2017)
The town of Derry, Maine, has long chosen to ignore its violent and bloody history, but a group of pre-adolescents won’t get that option in It. The big-screen adaptation of Stephen King’s renowned horror epic tells the story of a group of children who bond while an unseen force abducts the children of their town. However, a determined group, known as the Losers Club, knows the cause of the abductions is Pennywise, the Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgård), and they also know it’s up to them to kill the evil that feeds on fear.
The first adaptation of the massive novel was in the form of a made-for-TV movie starring Tim Curry as Pennywise, so fans of the story were excited to see a large studio like Warner Bros. provide their considerable resources for a theatrical version. Long considered to be too lengthy to adapt into one film, the wise decision was made to split the story into two parts, making it more manageable. It would go on to make over $700 million on an estimated budget of $40 million, becoming one of the most successful R-rated films and the highest-grossing horror movie of all time.
6
‘Sinners’ (2025)
Sinners has only been out a short time, but it’s already shaping up to be one of the biggest horror blockbusters made. The film follows twins Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan in dual roles), as they return home to open a night spot in 1930s-era Mississippi, but an ancient vampire ruins the fun when he wants an invitation. Trapped inside their new club with a growing horde of vampires surrounding them, the frightened survivors must fight the creatures or risk their community being turned into bloodthirsty monsters.
Unlike many of the other big-budget horror movies that were adaptations of novels or various other source materials, Sinners was an original concept, making its success all the more impressive. It’s difficult to classify Sinners as strictly a horror movie when it’s more accurately an intricate blend of genres, but the vampires invading the coming-of-age family drama do their fair share of bloody damage. The unique combination of supernatural dread and period drama was a hit with critics and audiences alike, scoring in the high 90s across the board on Rotten Tomatoes.
5
‘The Sixth Sense’ (1999)
A young boy with a special ability receives help and friendship from a man with unfinished business in The Sixth Sense. Nine-year-old Cole (Haley Joel Osment) is burdened by the gift and curse of seeing the spirits of the dead, but a lifeline appears to him in the form of child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis). Together, the two will help Cole use his power to offer peace for the restless spirits and give Malcolm the clarity to move forward from his trauma.
The Sixth Sense was the surprise hit of 1999, seemingly coming from nowhere to receive rave reviews. The incessantly quoted line “I see dead people” earned the film permanent space within the pop culture lexicon, and the unexpected twist ending was weaponized against people who hadn’t seen it to fix their oversight. Further making the film a required watch was Osment’s nuanced and heartbreaking performance, which would earn the then 11-year-old actor an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
4
‘The Shining’ (1980)
Two Hollywood icons would pool their collective talents for the adaptation of a Stephen King page-turner in The Shining. Director Stanley Kubrick invited audiences to watch the ill-fated family of the Torrances as they move to the Overlook Hotel for patriarch Jack’s (Jack Nicholson) new job as caretaker. When the ghosts of the hotel prey on the inner demons of Jack, his wife and son will be at the mercy of his rage.
Kubrick had already earned a reputation as an iconic auteur with films like A Clockwork Orange and 2001: A Space Odyssey, so cinephiles were intrigued at how he would approach horror. Operating on a considerable budget by horror and ’70s standards, Kubrick made a strikingly beautiful and foreboding film that made the hotel a horror villain for the ages. Imitations of Nicholson’s deranged “Here’s Johnny” line delivery would become commonplace as audiences made return visits to the theater, netting the horror classic a worldwide total of just under $48 million. That might not seem much, but considering it’s almost $200 million in today’s money, The Shining sure wasn’t a disappointment.
3
‘Aliens’ (1986)
The sleek killing machine from Ridley Scott’s Alien returns with an army of new friends in the rousing follow-up, Aliens. James Cameron took the director’s seat for the sequel, which saw Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) recruited for a trip back to the planet where her crew first encountered the alien threat. Horrified to learn a colony was established near the nest of eggs, Ripley joins a military convoy to prevent more senseless deaths.
Aliens is on a short list of the greatest sequels ever made, building on the source material while creating a bigger threat for an emerging sci-fi icon to battle. Ripley was a survivor in Alien, but she transforms into a warrior in her second encounter with the xenomorphs, facing her nightmare in a fearless, Oscar-nominated performance from Weaver. Aliens would be influential in the sequels to follow, shaping the franchise with a shift toward high-stakes horror action that can still be felt in 2024’s Alien: Romulus.
2
‘The Exorcist’ (1973)
For many, the horror genre peaked when the critically praised horror masterpiece The Exorcist premiered in 1973. Based on the novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty, the film follows the struggle for a young girl’s soul when 12-year-old Regan (Linda Blair) becomes possessed by an evil spirit. Helpless to free her daughter from the demonic force, Regan’s mother, Chris (Ellen Burstyn), enlists the help of two priests to confront and expel the evil.
The graphic depiction of Regan’s descent into demonic possession evoked physical reactions from moviegoers who were horrified by the young girl’s bizarre spider crawl down the stairs or her self-harm with a cross. Anticipation was high before release, but traumatized word of mouth propelled The Exorcist to a prolonged reign in theaters, amassing a global box office of $430 million. The Exorcist proved horror could make a seismic impact in theaters and was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, winning two.
1
‘Jaws’ (1975)
When discussing the greatest horror blockbusters of all time, there’s no film with greater impact than the Steven Spielberg classic Jaws. The quaint tourist destination of Amity Island receives an unwelcome visitor in the form of a Great White Shark that’s stalking the oceanside community for fresh meals. Caught between his duty to protect and a Mayor concerned with optics over body counts, Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) must stop the shark from further lowering Amity’s population.
More than a great blockbuster, Jaws originated the concept of a big-event film that broke box-office records, featuring thrilling moments accessible to audiences of all ages. Spielberg was instant Hollywood royalty after the success of Jaws, and his approach to storytelling would influence how movies were made and marketed for decades to follow. Fifty years later, Jaws is remembered as a gold standard for blockbuster filmmaking, boasting a legion of fans who know every line of the movie by heart.
