#1 of 4 #1 horror movie of 1973
1973 · Drama, Thriller
$430.9M worldwide · 100% of the chart's total
$233M US & Canada · 54% $197.9M elsewhere · 46%
Horror box office · 1973
Horror Box Office 1973: Highest-Grossing Horror Movies
The Exorcist (1973) is the highest-grossing horror movie released in 1973, with $430.9M worldwide, ahead of Sisters (1973) at $318.3K and Don't Look Now (1973) at $116.1K. 4 horror films released in 1973 report a worldwide gross, $431.3M in all, 54% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion.
- 1973 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $431.3M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- earned in the US & Canada
- 54%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Horror Hits of 1973?
The Exorcist (1973) leads with $430.9M, 100% of the total. The top 4 together took $431.3M, almost all of what the 4 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
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Horror Release of 1973, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1973.
- 1 Dec 26, 1973 US and Canada: $233M Rest of the world: $197.9M Worldwide: $430.9M
- 2 Mar 26, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $318.3K
- 3 Dec 9, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $116.1K
- 4 Apr 20, 1973 US and Canada: $21.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.2K
By release month
Which Month of 1973 Earned the Most?
December releases took the most, $431M from 2 films, led by The Exorcist (1973). April was the quietest month ($21.2K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- February Feb No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- March Mar Sisters (1973) $318.3K Sisters (1973)
- April Apr Ganja & Hess (1973) $21.2K Ganja & Hess (1973)
- May May No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- June Jun No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- July Jul No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- August Aug No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- September Sep No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- October Oct No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- November Nov No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- December Dec The Exorcist (1973) $431M The Exorcist (1973)
Last 10 years
How Does 1973 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1973 earned the most: $431.3M from 4 films, led by The Exorcist (1973).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 3 films | 3 | $1.2K | – | Onibaba (1964) $689 |
| 1965 2 films · +2879% | 2 | $34.7K | +2879% | Repulsion (1965) $33.4K |
| 1966 2 films · −84% | 2 | $5.6K | −84% | Eye of the Devil (1966) $5K |
| 1967 1 film · +4177% | 1 | $240.1K | +4177% | Night of the Big Heat (1967) $240.1K |
| 1968 4 films · +1% | 4 | $242.2K | +1% | Night of the Living Dead (1968) $238K |
| 1969 1 film · −100% | 1 | $171 | −100% | Night of the Bloody Apes (1969) $171 |
| 1970 2 films · +23648% | 2 | $40.6K | +23648% | Multiple Maniacs (1970) $39K |
| 1971 7 films · +6614% | 7 | $2.7M | +6614% | THX 1138 (1971) $2.4M |
| 1972 2 films · −100% | 2 | $1.6K | −100% | Images (1972) $1.4K |
| 1973 4 films · +27702431% | 4 | $431.3M | +27702431% | The Exorcist (1973) $430.9M |
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
FAQ
Horror Box Office 1973: Questions & Answers
The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing horror movie in 1973?
The Exorcist (1973) leads with $430.9M worldwide, $233M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Sisters (1973) at $318.3K and Don't Look Now (1973) at $116.1K.
How much did horror movies released in 1973 earn?
4 horror films released in 1973 report a worldwide gross, $431.3M in all, or $107.8M per film on average.
How many horror movies released in 1973 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by The Exorcist (1973) with $430.9M.
How is the 1973 horror box office chart ranked and where do the numbers come from?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date in 1973. The figures are the reported box office grosses in our database. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films or a blockbuster total on an obscure title, is left out rather than shown as a fact.
How often is the 1973 horror box office chart updated?
Grosses change while films are in theaters and whenever a new figure is reported; this chart reads the latest numbers in our database, so an older film can still move after a re-release.