#1 of 11 #1 horror movie of 1996
1996 · Mystery, Thriller
$173M worldwide · 48% of the chart's total
$103M US & Canada · 60% $70M elsewhere · 40%
Horror box office · 1996
Horror Box Office 1996: Highest-Grossing Horror Movies
Scream (1996) is the highest-grossing horror movie released in 1996, with $173M worldwide, ahead of The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996) at $49.6M and The Frighteners (1996) at $29.4M. 11 horror films released in 1996 report a worldwide gross, $357.9M in all, 69% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 26% on 1995, whose releases took $283.3M. By language, English leads with $342.6M across 9 horror releases.
- 1996 releases with a gross
- 11
- combined worldwide
- $357.9M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs 1995
- +26%
#1 of 11 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Horror Hits of 1996?
Scream (1996) leads with $173M, 48% of the total. The top 5 together took $302.7M, 85% of what all 11 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 1996, 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 1996.
- 1 Dec 20, 1996 US and Canada: $103M Rest of the world: $70M Worldwide: $173M
- 2 Aug 23, 1996 US and Canada: $27.7M Rest of the world: $22M Worldwide: $49.6M
- 3 Jul 19, 1996 US and Canada: $16.8M Rest of the world: $12.6M Worldwide: $29.4M
- 4 Jan 19, 1996 US and Canada: $25.8M Rest of the world: $2.9K Worldwide: $25.8M
- 5 May 3, 1996 US and Canada: $24.8M Rest of the world: $5.9K Worldwide: $24.8M
- 6
Mar 22, 1996 US and Canada: $17.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.1M - 7
Oct 25, 1996 US and Canada: $15.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.3M - 8
Feb 23, 1996 US and Canada: $5.7M Rest of the world: $6.7M Worldwide: $12.4M - 9
Mar 8, 1996 US and Canada: $9.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.3M - 10
Nov 1, 1996 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: $4.7K Worldwide: $1.1M - 11
Apr 11, 1996 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $18.5K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1996?
Of the top 10, Diabolique (1996) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Mary Reilly (1996) made 54% of its gross abroad. Across all 11 films, $246.6M (69%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Scream (1996) $173M $103M US & Canada · 60% $70M elsewhere · 40%
- 2 The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996) $49.6M $27.7M US & Canada · 56% $22M elsewhere · 44%
- 3 The Frighteners (1996) $29.4M $16.8M US & Canada · 57% $12.6M elsewhere · 43%
- 4 From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) $25.8M $25.8M US & Canada · 100% $2.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 5 The Craft (1996) $24.8M $24.8M US & Canada · 100% $5.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 6 Diabolique (1996) $17.1M $17.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Thinner (1996) $15.3M $15.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Mary Reilly (1996) $12.4M $5.7M US & Canada · 46% $6.7M elsewhere · 54%
- 9 Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996) $9.3M $9.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Bad Moon (1996) $1.1M $1.1M US & Canada · 100% $4.7K elsewhere · <1%
Gross bands
How Many 1996 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 11 films crossed $100M and took $173M between them, 48% of the total. 3 films, 27% of the list, earned under $10M.
48% 49%
- $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, 9% of the list $173M · 48% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 7 films, 64% of the list $174.4M · 49% of the gross
- Under $10M 3 films, 27% of the list $10.4M · 3% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1996 Earned the Most?
December releases took the most, $173M from 1 film, led by Scream (1996). April was the quietest month ($18.5K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) $25.8M From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
- February Feb Mary Reilly (1996) $12.4M Mary Reilly (1996)
- March Mar Diabolique (1996) $26.4M Diabolique (1996)
- April Apr Thesis (1996) $18.5K Thesis (1996)
- May May The Craft (1996) $24.8M The Craft (1996)
- June Jun No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- July Jul The Frighteners (1996) $29.4M The Frighteners (1996)
- August Aug The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996) $49.6M The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996)
- September Sep No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- October Oct Thinner (1996) $15.3M Thinner (1996)
- November Nov Bad Moon (1996) $1.1M Bad Moon (1996)
- December Dec Scream (1996) $173M Scream (1996)
Last 10 years
How Does 1996 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1992 earned the most: $571M from 16 films, led by Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992). 1996 took $357.9M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 27 films | 27 | $325.5M | – | 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 |
| 1992 16 films · +100% | 16 | $571M | +100% | Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) $215.9M |
| 1993 20 films · −71% | 20 | $165M | −71% | The Good Son (1993) $60.6M |
| 1994 7 films · +123% | 7 | $368.5M | +123% | Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) $223.7M |
| 1995 20 films · −23% | 20 | $283.3M | −23% | Species (1995) $113.4M |
| 1996 11 films · +26% | 11 | $357.9M | +26% | Scream (1996) $173M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Horror Movies Speak in 1996?
English-language horror films took $342.6M across 9 films, 96% of the total, ahead of Spanish-language horror films ($18.5K).
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 1996: 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 11 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing horror movie in 1996?
Scream (1996) leads with $173M worldwide, $103M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996) at $49.6M and The Frighteners (1996) at $29.4M.
How much did horror movies released in 1996 earn?
11 horror films released in 1996 report a worldwide gross, $357.9M in all, or $32.5M per film on average. 1995 releases took $283.3M.
How many horror movies released in 1996 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Scream (1996) with $173M.
How is the 1996 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 1996. 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 1996 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.