#1 of 14 #1 horror movie of 1991
1991 · Thriller, Horror
$182.3M worldwide · 64% of the chart's total
$79.1M US & Canada · 43% $103.2M elsewhere · 57%
Horror box office · 1991
Horror Box Office 1991: Highest-Grossing Horror Movies
Cape Fear (1991) is the highest-grossing horror movie released in 1991, with $182.3M worldwide, ahead of Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) at $34.9M and The People Under the Stairs (1991) at $31.3M. 14 horror films released in 1991 report a worldwide gross, $285.2M in all, 59% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is down 37% on 1990, whose releases took $450.5M. By language, English leads with $284.8M across 13 horror releases.
- 1991 releases with a gross
- 14
- combined worldwide
- $285.2M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs 1990
- −37%
#1 of 14 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Horror Hits of 1991?
Cape Fear (1991) leads with $182.3M, 64% of the total. The top 5 together took $278.3M, 98% of what all 14 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
The chart
Every Horror Release of 1991, 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 1991.
- 1 Nov 13, 1991 US and Canada: $79.1M Rest of the world: $103.2M Worldwide: $182.3M
- 2 Sep 13, 1991 US and Canada: $34.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.9M
- 3 The People Under the Stairs (1991)Nov 1, 1991 US and Canada: $24.2M Rest of the world: $7.1M Worldwide: $31.3M
Nov 1, 1991 · English · Mystery, Thriller, Horror $31.3M worldwide - 4 Aug 30, 1991 US and Canada: $15M Rest of the world: $5.6M Worldwide: $20.6M
- 5 Aug 2, 1991 US and Canada: $9.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.2M
- 6
Feb 1, 1991 US and Canada: $4.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.2M - 7
Mar 29, 1991 US and Canada: $1.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.2M - 8
Apr 5, 1991 US and Canada: $787.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $787.3K - 9
Oct 25, 1991 US and Canada: $349.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $349.6K - 10
1991 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $322.8K - 11
Oct 10, 1991 US and Canada: $53.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $53.9K - 12
Nov 21, 1991 US and Canada: $26.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.1K - 13
Mar 22, 1991 US and Canada: $2.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.4K - 14
Feb 22, 1991 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.2K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1991?
Of the top 10, Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Cape Fear (1991) made 57% of its gross abroad. Across all 14 films, $168.9M (59%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 10 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Cape Fear (1991) $182.3M $79.1M US & Canada · 43% $103.2M elsewhere · 57%
- 2 Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) $34.9M $34.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 The People Under the Stairs (1991) $31.3M $24.2M US & Canada · 77% $7.1M elsewhere · 23%
- 4 Child’s Play 3 (1991) $20.6M $15M US & Canada · 73% $5.6M elsewhere · 27%
- 5 Body Parts (1991) $9.2M $9.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Popcorn (1991) $4.2M $4.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 The Unborn (1991) $1.2M $1.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Poison (1991) $787.3K $787.3K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Two Evil Eyes (1991) $349.6K $349.6K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Red and Black (1991) $322.8K No US & Canada figure reported
Gross bands
How Many 1991 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 14 films crossed $100M and took $182.3M between them, 64% of the total. 10 films, 71% of the list, earned under $10M.
64% 30%
- $1B or more 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $500M to $1B 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $100M to $500M 1 film, 7% of the list $182.3M · 64% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 3 films, 21% of the list $86.8M · 30% of the gross
- Under $10M 10 films, 71% of the list $16.1M · 6% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1991 Earned the Most?
November releases took the most, $213.7M from 3 films, led by Cape Fear (1991). January was the quietest month ($322.8K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Red and Black (1991) $322.8K Red and Black (1991)
- February Feb Popcorn (1991) $4.2M Popcorn (1991)
- March Mar The Unborn (1991) $1.2M The Unborn (1991)
- April Apr Poison (1991) $787.3K Poison (1991)
- 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 Child’s Play 3 (1991) $29.7M Child’s Play 3 (1991)
- September Sep Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) $34.9M Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)
- October Oct Two Evil Eyes (1991) $403.6K Two Evil Eyes (1991)
- November Nov Cape Fear (1991) $213.7M Cape Fear (1991)
- December Dec No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Last 10 years
How Does 1991 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1990 earned the most: $450.5M from 30 films, led by Flatliners (1990). 1991 took $285.2M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 22 films | 22 | $289M | – | Poltergeist (1982) $77.2M |
| 1983 15 films · −16% | 15 | $243.8M | −16% | Jaws 3-D (1983) $88M |
| 1984 13 films · +24% | 13 | $303.5M | +24% | Gremlins (1984) $165.4M |
| 1985 17 films · −39% | 17 | $185.9M | −39% | A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985) $30M |
| 1986 30 films · +41% | 30 | $262.9M | +41% | The Fly (1986) $60.6M |
| 1987 27 films · +24% | 27 | $325.5M | +24% | The Witches of Eastwick (1987) $63.8M |
| 1988 35 films · −13% | 35 | $284.7M | −13% | A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) $49.4M |
| 1989 24 films · −25% | 24 | $214.3M | −25% | Pet Sematary (1989) $57.5M |
| 1990 30 films · +110% | 30 | $450.5M | +110% | Flatliners (1990) $61.5M |
| 1991 14 films · −37% | 14 | $285.2M | −37% | Cape Fear (1991) $182.3M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Horror Movies Speak in 1991?
English-language horror films took $284.8M across 13 films, 100% of the total, ahead of Cantonese-language horror films ($322.8K).
1991 Horror Box Office by Language
- English $284.8M13 films · #1 Cape Fear (1991)
-
Cantonese $322.8K1 film · #1 Red and Black (1991)
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 1991: 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 14 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing horror movie in 1991?
Cape Fear (1991) leads with $182.3M worldwide, $79.1M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) at $34.9M and The People Under the Stairs (1991) at $31.3M.
How much did horror movies released in 1991 earn?
14 horror films released in 1991 report a worldwide gross, $285.2M in all, or $20.4M per film on average. 1990 releases took $450.5M.
How many horror movies released in 1991 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Cape Fear (1991) with $182.3M.
How is the 1991 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 1991. 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 1991 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.