#1 of 3,651 Highest-grossing horror movie ever
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
2022 · Action, Adventure
$955.8M worldwide
$411.3M US & Canada · 43% $544.4M elsewhere · 57%
Horror box office
Horror Box Office: Highest-Grossing Horror Movies of All Time & 2026 So Far
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) is the highest-grossing horror movie in our database, with $955.8M worldwide, ahead of Venom (2018) ($856.1M) and It (2017) ($704.2M). 3,651 horror films report a worldwide gross, $59.7B in all, 48% of it from the US & Canada. 168 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. In 2026 so far, Backrooms (2026) leads with $400.6M; 71 releases took $2.5B, up 1% on the same days of 2025 ($2.5B).
- horror films with a gross
- 3,651
- combined worldwide, all time
- $59.7B
- from 2026 releases so far
- $2.5B
- vs the same days of 2025
- +1%
#1 of 3,651 All-time records
What Are the 10 Highest-Grossing Horror Movies Ever?
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) leads with $955.8M, $99.7M ahead of Venom (2018). The top 10 took $6B together, 10% of what all 3,651 films earned. 8 of them came out in 2016 or later.
- 1 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)May 6, 2022 US and Canada: $411.3M Rest of the world: $544.4M Worldwide: $955.8M
May 6, 2022 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $955.8M worldwide - 2
Oct 5, 2018 US and Canada: $213.5M Rest of the world: $642.6M Worldwide: $856.1M - 3
Sep 8, 2017 US and Canada: $328.9M Rest of the world: $375.4M Worldwide: $704.2M - 4
Jun 21, 2013 US and Canada: $202.8M Rest of the world: $337.6M Worldwide: $540.5M - 5
Aug 10, 2018 US and Canada: $145.5M Rest of the world: $383.8M Worldwide: $529.3M - 6
Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)Oct 1, 2021 US and Canada: $213.6M Rest of the world: $293.3M Worldwide: $506.8M Oct 1, 2021 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $506.8M worldwide - 7
The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025)Sep 5, 2025 US and Canada: $177.8M Rest of the world: $321.5M Worldwide: $499.3M Sep 5, 2025 · English · Horror, Mystery, Thriller $499.3M worldwide - 8
Jun 20, 1975 US and Canada: $267.3M Rest of the world: $210.7M Worldwide: $477.9M - 9
Sep 6, 2019 US and Canada: $211.6M Rest of the world: $261.5M Worldwide: $473.1M - 10
Sep 6, 2024 US and Canada: $294.1M Rest of the world: $157.9M Worldwide: $452M
2026 so far
What Are the Biggest Horror Hits of 2026 So Far?
Backrooms (2026) leads with $400.6M, 16% of the total. The top 5 together took $1.4B, 58% of what all 71 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
-
Number 1 -
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
By release month
Which Month of 2026 Was Best for Horror Movies?
May releases took the most, $467.3M from 8 films, led by Backrooms (2026). July was the quietest month ($73.5M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Send Help (2026) $295.1M Send Help (2026)
- February Feb Scream 7 (2026) $273.3M Scream 7 (2026)
- March Mar Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (2026) $111.9M Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (2026)
- April Apr Lee Cronin's The Mummy (2026) $137.1M Lee Cronin's The Mummy (2026)
- May May Backrooms (2026) $467.3M Backrooms (2026)
- June Jun Scary Movie (2026) $288.6M Scary Movie (2026)
- July Jul Evil Dead Burn (2026) $73.5M Evil Dead Burn (2026)
- August Aug Insidious: Out of the Further (2026) $284.6M Insidious: Out of the Further (2026)
- September Sep Resident Evil (2026) $458.5M Resident Evil (2026)
- October Oct Other Mommy (2026) $98.3M Other Mommy (2026)
- November Nov No reported grosses – so far No reported grosses
Biggest years
Which Years Had the Highest-Grossing Horror Movies?
2018 releases earned the most: $3.7B from 169 films, led by Venom (2018). The 10 biggest years, each linking to its chart.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 169 films | 169 | $3.7B | Venom (2018) $856.1M |
| 2017 166 films | 166 | $3.5B | It (2017) $704.2M |
| 2019 227 films | 227 | $3.1B | It: Chapter Two (2019) $473.1M |
| 2012 97 films | 97 | $2.7B | Prometheus (2012) $403.4M |
| 2025 139 films | 139 | $2.7B | The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025) $499.3M |
| 2023 181 films | 181 | $2.7B | Meg 2: The Trench (2023) $398.5M |
| 2024 208 films | 208 | $2.6B | Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) $452M |
| 2022 205 films | 205 | $2.6B | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) $955.8M |
| 2026 71 films | 71 | $2.5B so far | Backrooms (2026) $400.6M |
| 2013 109 films | 109 | $2.2B | World War Z (2013) $540.5M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Horror Movies Speak?
English-language horror films took $53.5B across 2,393 films, 90% of the total, ahead of Japanese-language horror films ($1.1B) and Korean-language horror films ($774.2M).
- English $53.5B2,393 films · #1 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
-
Japanese $1.1B145 films · #1 Godzilla Minus One (2023) -
Korean $774.2M96 films · #1 Exhuma (2024) -
Spanish $404.7M152 films · #1 The Orphanage (2007) -
French $206.7M71 films · #1 The Devil Inside (2012) -
Thai $177.6M109 films · #1 Ghost Ship (2002) -
Hindi $144.1M50 films · #1 Stree (2018) -
Chinese $123.1M39 films · #1 The House That Never Dies II (2017) - Malayalam $102.5M12 films · #1 Romancham (2023)
-
Russian $76.6M36 films · #1 Forbidden Empire (2014)
Archive
Horror Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1920 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2018 leads with $3.7B, led by Venom (2018).
2020s 7 years · $15.4B
- 2026 so far $2.5B #1 Backrooms (2026)
- 2025 $2.7B #1 The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025)
- 2024 $2.6B #1 Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
- 2023 $2.7B #1 Meg 2: The Trench (2023)
- 2022 $2.6B #1 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
- 2021 $1.6B #1 Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)
- 2020 $697.4M #1 The Invisible Man (2020)
2010s 10 years · $22.6B
- 2019 $3.1B #1 It: Chapter Two (2019)
- 2018 $3.7B #1 Venom (2018)
- 2017 $3.5B #1 It (2017)
- 2016 $1.9B #1 The Conjuring 2 (2016)
- 2015 $1.6B #1 Mojin: The Lost Legend (2015)
- 2014 $1.4B #1 Annabelle (2014)
- 2013 $2.2B #1 World War Z (2013)
- 2012 $2.7B #1 Prometheus (2012)
- 2011 $1.1B #1 Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)
- 2010 $1.3B #1 Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)
2000s 10 years · $12.1B
- 2009 $1.4B #1 The Final Destination (2009)
- 2008 $661.8M #1 Saw V (2008)
- 2007 $1.6B #1 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
- 2006 $1.2B #1 Saw III (2006)
- 2005 $1.7B #1 Constantine (2005)
- 2004 $1.3B #1 The Grudge (2004)
- 2003 $970.4M #1 Gothika (2003)
- 2002 $1.1B #1 Signs (2002)
- 2001 $712.3M #1 The Others (2001)
- 2000 $1.3B #1 What Lies Beneath (2000)
1990s 10 years · $5.4B
- 1999 $1.3B #1 The Blair Witch Project (1999)
- 1998 $929.6M #1 Godzilla (1998)
- 1997 $720.6M #1 Scream 2 (1997)
- 1996 $357.9M #1 Scream (1996)
- 1995 $283.3M #1 Species (1995)
- 1994 $368.5M #1 Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)
- 1993 $165M #1 The Good Son (1993)
- 1992 $571M #1 Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
- 1991 $285.2M #1 Cape Fear (1991)
- 1990 $450.5M #1 Flatliners (1990)
1980s 10 years · $2.5B
- 1989 $214.3M #1 Pet Sematary (1989)
- 1988 $284.7M #1 A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
- 1987 $325.5M #1 The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
- 1986 $262.9M #1 The Fly (1986)
- 1985 $185.9M #1 A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)
- 1984 $303.5M #1 Gremlins (1984)
- 1983 $243.8M #1 Jaws 3-D (1983)
- 1982 $289M #1 Poltergeist (1982)
- 1981 $209.9M #1 An American Werewolf in London (1981)
- 1980 $175M #1 The Shining (1980)
1970s 10 years · $1.7B
- 1979 $279.6M #1 Alien (1979)
- 1978 $286.6M #1 Jaws 2 (1978)
- 1977 $45.7M #1 Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
- 1976 $149.4M #1 The Omen (1976)
- 1975 $481.8M #1 Jaws (1975)
- 1974 $32.1M #1 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
- 1973 $431.3M #1 The Exorcist (1973)
- 1972 $1.6K #1 Images (1972)
- 1971 $2.7M #1 THX 1138 (1971)
- 1970 $40.6K #1 Multiple Maniacs (1970)
1960s 10 years · $33M
- 1969 $171 #1 Night of the Bloody Apes (1969)
- 1968 $242.2K #1 Night of the Living Dead (1968)
- 1967 $240.1K #1 Night of the Big Heat (1967)
- 1966 $5.6K #1 Eye of the Devil (1966)
- 1965 $34.7K #1 Repulsion (1965)
- 1964 $1.2K #1 Onibaba (1964)
- 1963 $55.4K #1 The Birds (1963)
- 1962 $4.5K #1 What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
- 1961 $30.2K #1 The Innocents (1961)
- 1960 $32.4M #1 Psycho (1960)
1950s 7 years · $24.4M
1940s 5 years · $42.7K
1930s 6 years · $168.1K
Other genres
Compare Horror With Another Genre
Horror has 3,651 films with a gross and $59.7B in all; each of these 20 genres has the same all-time and yearly charts to compare with.
FAQ
Horror Box Office: Questions & Answers
The Horror charts in short: the all-time #1, 2026's leader, the billion-dollar hits and the biggest year, answered from the same 3,651 films as the charts.
What is the highest-grossing horror movie of all time?
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) leads with $955.8M worldwide, $411.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Venom (2018) ($856.1M) and It (2017) ($704.2M).
All-time chart What is the highest-grossing horror movie of 2026 so far?
Backrooms (2026) leads 2026 with $400.6M worldwide, 16% of the $2.5B that its 71 releases report. Films of this year are still earning, so the order can change.
2026 chart How much have horror movies earned at the box office?
3,651 horror films report a worldwide gross, $59.7B in all, or $16.4M per film on average. $28.8B (48%) came from the US & Canada.
How many horror movies have made $1 billion?
None. 168 films crossed $100 million, led by Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) with $955.8M.
Which year was the biggest for horror movies?
2018 releases earned the most: $3.7B from 169 films, led by Venom (2018).
2018 chart How are horror box office numbers counted?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films, is left out rather than shown as a fact, and so are records that list seven or more genres.