Highest-Grossing Horror Films of All Time

About This Dataset

Horror films ranked by total worldwide box office gross, measured in millions of USD. It (2017) became the highest-grossing horror film in history at the time of its release, grossing $701 million worldwide from a $35 million budget — a return of 20x that demonstrated the genre's extraordinary commercial efficiency and the power of nostalgia-driven IP based on Stephen King's most beloved novel, which had already been a cultural touchstone through its 1990 TV miniseries.

✨ AI Insight

The substantial gap between the top two films, 'It' (2017) and 'The Sixth Sense' (1999), indicates a strong resurgence of interest in horror films, particularly those rooted in nostalgic storytelling. 'It' not only became the highest-grossing horror film but did so with a remarkable return on investment, grossing 20 times its $35 million budget. Meanwhile, 'It Chapter Two' (2019) earned $473 million, showing a significant drop from its predecessor, suggesting that sequels may struggle to capture the same magic. Other notable entries like 'War of the Worlds' (2005) and 'I Am Legend' (2007) illustrate the genre's blend with science fiction, further diversifying audience appeal. Overall, the trend suggests that horror films, especially those with strong narratives or established IPs, continue to thrive at the box office.

Source: Wikipedia

Key Findings

Auto-computed highlights from this dataset

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It (2017) leads with 701 in 2019.

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Average value in 2019: 473 · median: 473.

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2017 recorded the highest combined total across all categories.

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Gap in 2019: It (2017) is 2.7× larger than Get Out (2017).

Highest-Grossing Horror Films of All Time

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Data Insights Below

Data Insights

Numbers, trends & sources behind this chart

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Data Points

8 categories · 7 years

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Top Value

701

It (2017)

Worldwide Box Office (Million USD) · 2017

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Metrics

Worldwide Box Office (Million USD)

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Period

1999 – 2019

7 years of data

Rankings & Full Data

8 records · Worldwide Box Office (Million USD) · ranked by 2019

✓ 8 sourced

#	Category	1999	2002	2005	2007	2017	2018	2019	Change
🥇	It (2017)	—	—	—	—	701	—	—	—
🥈	The Sixth Sense (1999)	672	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
🥉	War of the Worlds (2005)	—	—	591	—	—	—	—	—
4	I Am Legend (2007)	—	—	—	585	—	—	—	—
5	It Chapter Two (2019)	—	—	—	—	—	—	473	—
6	Signs (2002)	—	408	—	—	—	—	—	—
7	A Quiet Place (2018)	—	—	—	—	—	340	—	—
8	Get Out (2017)	—	—	—	—	255	—	—	—