BATTLE AT THE BOX OFFICE: HORROR FRANCHISE CHAMPS OF ALL TIME (JAN 2024 EDITION)

My goodness, what a difference a little more than half a year makes. 

It was way back in May 2023 when I first shared my (North America, International, and combined Worldwide grosses) lists of the all-time box office champs for horror franchises.  And while at that time the list included SCREAM VI (released March 10 in North America), it most certainly did not include EVIL DEAD RISE (April 21), INSIDIOUS: RED DOOR (July 7), THE NUN II (Sept 8), SAW X (Sept 29), or THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER (Oct 6).  

Did any of those releases slay it enough at the box office to make a noticeable impact on the existing lists?  And have any current champs been dethroned as a result?  Scroll down for a reveal of the updated HORROR FRANCHISE CHAMPS OF ALL TIME (JAN 2024 EDITION).

BTW, for the purposes of my champ-crowning quest, I first compiled a list of 22 qualifying horror franchises to compete, each among the TOP 15 of all time at the domestic, international, and/or worldwide box office.  And by “all time” I mean “at this time”, and specifically January 1, 2024, because if 2023 is any indication, some of these franchises are far from dead!

Below you’ll find that list of 22 contenders, including the release date of the original, as well as the number of movies I believe each franchise consists of.  And a gentle reminder that horror comes in MANY shapes and sizes (ie. sub-genres), which is very much reflected in the list. 

Immediately following the list of contenders, the TOP 15 HORROR FRANCHISES OF ALL TIME at the domestic, international, and worldwide box office are revealed. I’ve also indicated in parenthesis where each franchise was originally ranked in May 2023.

THE CONTENDERS (LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

• *Number of qualifying films:  8
• *Includes Freddy vs. Jason
• *Excludes A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) remake
• Release date of first film:  November 9, 1984

A QUIET PLACE

• Number of qualifying films:  2
• Release date of first film:  April 6, 2018

ALIEN

• *Number of qualifying films:  9
• *Includes Director’s Cut, Alien vs. Predator, and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
• Release date of first film:  May 25, 1979

ANNABELLE

• Number of qualifying films:  3 
• Release date of first film:  October 3, 2014

BLADE

• Number of qualifying films:  3 
• Release date of first film:  August 21, 1998

EVIL DEAD

• Number of qualifying films:  4
• *Excludes Evil Dead (2013) remake
• Release date of first film:  January 1, 1983

FINAL DESTINATION

• Number of qualifying films:  5
• Release date of first film:  March 17, 2000

FRIDAY THE 13^TH

• *Number of qualifying films:  11
• *Includes Freddy vs. Jason
• *Excludes Friday the 13^th (2009) remake
• Release date of first film:  May 9, 1980

HALLOWEEN

• *Number of qualifying films:  11
• *Includes Halloween III:  Season of the Witch
• *Excludes Rob Zombie’s Halloween remakes (2)
• Release date of first film:  October 25, 1978

INSIDIOUS

• Number of qualifying films:  5
• Release date of first film:  April 1, 2011

IT

• Number of qualifying films:  2 
• Release date of first film:  September 8, 2017

JAWS

• Number of qualifying films:  4
• Release date of first film:  June 20, 1975

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

• Number of qualifying films:  6
• Release date of first film:  September 25, 2009

PREDATOR

• *Number of qualifying films:  6
• *Includes Alien vs. Predator, and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
• Release date of first film:  June 12, 1987

RESIDENT EVIL

• Number of qualifying films:  6
• Release date of first film:  March 15, 2002

SAW

• Number of qualifying films:  10
• Release date of first film:  October 29, 2004

SCREAM

• Number of qualifying films:  6
• Release date of first film:  December 20, 1996

THE CONJURING

• Number of qualifying films:  3
• Release date of first film:  July 19, 2013

THE EXORCIST

• *Number of qualifying films:  8
• *Includes Director’s Cut, and Extended Director’s Cut
• Release date of first film:  December 26, 1973

THE NUN

• Number of qualifying films:  2
• Release date of first film:  September 5, 2018

THE PURGE

• Number of qualifying films:  5
• Release date of first film:  June 7, 2013

THE RING

• Number of qualifying films:  3
• Release date of first film:  October 18, 2002

THE FRANCHISE CHAMPS (AS OF JANUARY 1, 2024)

NORTH AMERICAN BOX OFFICE (U.S. DOLLARS)

1. ALIEN – $593,148,322 (RANKED #1 IN MAY 2023)
2. IT – $540,422,102 (#2)
3. HALLOWEEN – $532,281,673 (#3)
4. SAW – $531,606,096 (#5)
5. SCREAM – $521,536,861 (#4)
6. JAWS – $413, 905,140 (#6)
7. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY – $401,348,020 (#7)
8. THE EXORCIST – $397,464,486 (#9)
9. A QUIET PLACE – $348,096,622 (#8)
10. INSIDIOUS – $339,716,447 (NEW)
11. THE PURGE – $329,677,280 (#10)
12. FRIDAY THE 13^TH – $317,744,054 (#11)
13. PREDATOR – $315,509,654 (#12)
14. A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET – $307,540,010 (#13)
15. THE CONJURING – $305,501,199 (#14)

INTERNATIONAL BOX OFFICE (U.S. DOLLARS)

1. RESIDENT EVIL – $961,401,423 (RANKED #1 IN MAY 2023)
2. IT – $634,467,570 (#2)
3. ALIEN – $632,759,364 (#3)
4. SAW – $596,656,431 (#5)
5. THE CONJURING – $540,817,317 (#4)
6. ANNABELLE – $534,297,531 (#6)
7. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY – $489,160,399 (#7)
8. THE NUN – $430,401,575 (NEW)
9. FINAL DESTINATION – $403,310,722 (#8)
10. INSIDIOUS – $391,716,257 (#12)
11. PREDATOR – $370,388,524 (#9)
12. SCREAM – $319,572,017 (#10)
13. A QUIET PLACE – $290,215,000 (#11)
14. THE RING – $263,273,372 (#13)
15. BLADE – $213,229,554 (#14)

WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE (U.S. DOLLARS)

1. RESIDENT EVIL – $1,232,675,429 (RANKED#1 IN MAY 2023)
2. ALIEN – $1,225,907,686 (#2)
3. IT – $1,174,889,672 (#3)
4. SAW – $1,128,263,415 (#4)
5. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY – $890,508,419 (#5)
6. THE CONJURING – $846,318,506 (#6)
7. SCREAM – $841,108,878 (#7)
8. ANNABELLE – $794,816,136 (#8)
9. INSIDIOUS – $731,432,704 (#13)
10. HALLOWEEN – $715,610,743 (#9)
11. PREDATOR – $685,898,178 (#10)
12. FINAL DESTINATION – $666,766,477 (#11)
13. A QUIET PLACE – $638,311,622 (#12)
14. THE NUN – $634,149,870 (NEW)
15. THE EXORCIST – $576,767,093 (NEW)

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