Behind the screams lies a staggeringly lucrative business, where films like "It" conjure over $700 million worldwide and a $15,000 project like "Paranormal Activity" can haunt the box office with nearly $200 million.
Key Takeaways
- It (2017) is the highest-grossing horror film worldwide with $701.8 million
- The Conjuring (2013) grossed $319.5 million worldwide on a $20 million budget
- Get Out (2017) earned $255.4 million worldwide
- Bird Box (2018) Netflix film viewed by 45 million accounts in first week
- The Haunting of Hill House topped Netflix charts with 31 million viewers in first 28 days
- Stranger Things season 1 had 14.07 million US viewers in first 35 days
- The Rotten Tomatoes score for Get Out (2017) is 98%
- Hereditary (2018) holds a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score
- The Babadook (2014) has 98% on Rotten Tomatoes
- The Exorcist won 2 Academy Awards
- Get Out (2017) won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay
- The Silence of the Lambs (1991) won 5 Oscars including Best Picture
- Halloween budget was only $325,000
- Paranormal Activity was made for $15,000 using a home camera
- The Blair Witch Project (1999) budget $60,000 grossed $248 million
The blog post details horror film earnings and accolades, proving the genre's massive popularity and critical acclaim.
Awards and Accolades
- The Exorcist won 2 Academy Awards
- Get Out (2017) won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay
- The Silence of the Lambs (1991) won 5 Oscars including Best Picture
- Jaws (1975) received 3 Oscar nominations
- Black Swan (2010) won Best Actress Oscar for Natalie Portman
- The Shape of Water (2017) won 4 Oscars including Best Picture
- Pan's Labyrinth (2006) won 3 Oscars
- Get Out won Outstanding Motion Picture at NAACP Image Awards
- Hereditary won Best Horror Film at Golden Trailer Awards
- A Quiet Place won Saturn Award for Best Horror Film
- The Conjuring won People's Choice Award for Horror
- It (2017) won MTV Movie Award for Best Movie
- Us (2019) nominated for Oscar for Best Picture indirectly via acclaim
- Jordan Peele won Best Director at National Board of Review for Us
- The Invisible Man (2020) won Saturn Award for Best Horror Film
- Nope (2022) Saturn Award nominations for Best Horror
- Smile (2022) won Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Wide Release
- Barbarian (2022) Best Horror at Golden Trailer Awards
- Talk to Me (2023) AACTA Award for Best Film
- M3GAN won MTV Movie Award for Best Villain
- Halloween (1978) received Saturn Award for Best Horror Film
- Scream (1996) won Saturn Award for Best Horror Film
- The Sixth Sense won Saturn Award for Best Horror Film
- Drag Me to Hell won Saturn Award for Best Horror Film
- The Cabin in the Woods won Saturn Award nominations
- It Follows won Best Film at Sitges Festival
- The Babadook won AACTA for Best Original Screenplay
- Train to Busan won several Blue Dragon Awards
- Let the Right One In won Saturn Award for Best International Film
- Rosemary's Baby won Oscar for Best Supporting Actress
- The Shining received Razzie nominations but cult acclaim
- Paranormal Activity won People's Choice Award
- Saw series won multiple Scream Awards
Awards and Accolades Interpretation
The horror genre's journey from shocking Oscar-watchers with 'The Exorcist' to now dominating every awards show from the Saturn Awards to the MTV Movie & TV Awards proves that while the Academy might still be a bit squeamish, true cinematic fear has finally earned its prestigious—and often more fun—place in the spotlight.
Box Office Performance
- It (2017) is the highest-grossing horror film worldwide with $701.8 million
- The Conjuring (2013) grossed $319.5 million worldwide on a $20 million budget
- Get Out (2017) earned $255.4 million worldwide
- Jaws (1975), often classified as horror, grossed $476.5 million worldwide
- The Exorcist (1973) grossed $441.3 million worldwide adjusted for inflation
- Halloween (1978) grossed $70 million on a $325,000 budget
- Paranormal Activity (2007) earned $193.4 million on a $15,000 budget
- The Sixth Sense (1999) grossed $672.8 million worldwide
- I Am Legend (2007) made $585.4 million
- World War Z (2013) grossed $540.5 million worldwide
- The Nun (2018) earned $365.6 million worldwide
- Insidious (2010) grossed $99.9 million on $1.5 million budget
- Sinister (2012) made $82.9 million worldwide
- The Purge (2013) grossed $89.3 million on $3 million budget
- A Quiet Place (2018) earned $340.9 million worldwide
- Hereditary (2018) grossed $82.2 million worldwide
- Us (2019) made $256.1 million worldwide
- The Invisible Man (2020) grossed $144.5 million worldwide
- Smile (2022) earned $217.4 million worldwide
- Scream (1996) grossed $173.1 million worldwide
- Final Destination (2000) made $112.9 million worldwide
- Saw (2004) grossed $103.9 million on $1.2 million budget
- The Ring (2002) earned $249.3 million worldwide
- 13 Ghosts (2001) grossed $68.5 million worldwide
- Jeepers Creepers (2001) made $59 million worldwide
- The Grudge (2004) earned $187.3 million worldwide
- Hostel (2005) grossed $80.3 million worldwide
- The Descent (2005) made $57.1 million worldwide
- 1408 (2007) grossed $132.4 million worldwide
- Drag Me to Hell (2009) earned $90.9 million worldwide
- The highest-grossing horror franchise is The Conjuring Universe with over $2 billion
- It Chapter Two (2019) grossed $473.1 million worldwide
- Annabelle: Creation (2017) earned $306.5 million worldwide
Box Office Performance Interpretation
It seems we're collectively terrified of clowns, demons, and making a good return on investment, as these numbers prove that nothing is more profitable than making audiences too scared to turn out the lights.
Critical Reception and Ratings
- The Rotten Tomatoes score for Get Out (2017) is 98%
- Hereditary (2018) holds a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score
- The Babadook (2014) has 98% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Midsommar (2019) scored 83% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Us (2019) earned 93% Rotten Tomatoes approval
- A Quiet Place (2018) has 96% Rotten Tomatoes score
- The Invisible Man (2020) 92% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Nope (2022) holds 83% Rotten Tomatoes rating
- The Witch (2015) 90% Rotten Tomatoes score
- It Follows (2014) 95% on Rotten Tomatoes
- The Cabin in the Woods (2011) 92% Rotten Tomatoes
- Train to Busan (2016) 95% Rotten Tomatoes score
- The Descent (2005) 87% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Let the Right One In (2008) 98% Rotten Tomatoes
- Rosemary's Baby (1968) 97% Rotten Tomatoes score
- The Exorcist (1973) 88% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Alien (1979) 93% Rotten Tomatoes rating
- The Shining (1980) 83% Rotten Tomatoes score
- Halloween (1978) 97% on Rotten Tomatoes director's cut
- Scream (1996) 81% Rotten Tomatoes
- The Conjuring (2013) 86% Rotten Tomatoes score
- Sinister (2012) 64% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Insidious (2010) 67% Rotten Tomatoes rating
- Paranormal Activity (2007) 83% Rotten Tomatoes score
- The Ring (2002) 71% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Saw (2004) 50% Rotten Tomatoes rating
- Drag Me to Hell (2009) 92% Rotten Tomatoes score
- 1408 (2007) 80% on Rotten Tomatoes
- The Purge (2013) 39% Rotten Tomatoes rating
- Smile (2022) 79% Rotten Tomatoes score
- Barbarian (2022) 92% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Talk to Me (2022) 94% Rotten Tomatoes rating
- Evil Dead Rise (2023) 84% Rotten Tomatoes score
- M3GAN (2022) 93% on Rotten Tomatoes
Critical Reception and Ratings Interpretation
While these scores suggest critics have increasingly refined taste for horror that burrows into societal anxieties over cheap scares, it also proves a film can be both profoundly unsettling and universally acclaimed, as if the genre finally said, "You can't dismiss us—we're the ones holding the mirror."
Production and Trivia
- Halloween budget was only $325,000
- Paranormal Activity was made for $15,000 using a home camera
- The Blair Witch Project (1999) budget $60,000 grossed $248 million
- The Exorcist used real medical procedures for vomit scene
- Jaws mechanical shark failed often, leading to minimal screen time
- Alien chestburster scene shocked cast who were unaware
- The Shining hedge maze was built full-size at Elstree Studios
- Rosemary's Baby used a real baby for some scenes
- Psycho shower scene used 77 camera angles and 52 cuts
- Night of the Living Dead (1968) made for $114,000
- Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) budget $140,000 used real slaughterhouse
- The Texas Chain Saw Massacre cast endured 100+ degree Texas heat
- Suspiria (1977) used 10,000 liters of fake blood
- The Omen (1976) used real baboons in attack scene
- Carrie (1976) prom scene used real pig's blood
- It (2017) child actors underwent extensive safety training for scenes
- Hereditary used practical effects for decapitation scene
- Midsommar bear suit was real fur with person inside
- A Quiet Place sound design avoided using 'A' frequency
- Get Out cornfield scene shot in single take
- The Conjuring Warrens' real cases inspired the film
- Insidious used child actor in dangerous levitation wire scene carefully
- Sinister film within film was shot on 8mm to look authentic
- The Purge social experiment premise developed from short film
- Saw traps designed by production designer rigorously tested
- The Ring well scene used harness for actress safety
- Hostel practical gore effects by Greg Nicotero
- The Descent cave sets built in UK with real claustrophobia effects
- 1408 room designed with psychological terror in mind
- Drag Me to Hell goat was real and uncooperative
- Halloween (2018) no Michael Myers mask shown until end
- Scream franchise meta-commentary written by Kevin Williamson
- Final Destination death scenes planned by effects team meticulously
- The Grudge Japanese original Ju-On influenced remake
- Jeepers Creepers creature suit weighed 75 pounds
- 13 Ghosts glasses prop designed by Drew McWeeny
Production and Trivia Interpretation
Hollywood, ever proving that terror is not a product of budget but of ingenuity, often finds that a real baboon, a failed mechanical shark, or a single terrifying idea shot on a home camera can haunt generations far more effectively than any blank check.
Viewership and Streaming
- Bird Box (2018) Netflix film viewed by 45 million accounts in first week
- The Haunting of Hill House topped Netflix charts with 31 million viewers in first 28 days
- Stranger Things season 1 had 14.07 million US viewers in first 35 days
- Hill House series generated 930 million minutes viewed in premiere week
- Gerald's Game streamed by over 38 million Netflix accounts worldwide
- Hush (2016) Netflix horror film seen by millions, with strong streaming demand
- The Ritual (2017) achieved high streaming minutes on Netflix
- In the Tall Grass Netflix film with significant global viewership
- Apostle (2018) Netflix horror drew 2 million viewers in first weekend
- Velvet Buzzsaw topped Netflix charts post-release
- The Platform (2020) viewed by 17.9 million Netflix accounts in week one
- His House (2020) strong performance with high completion rates on Netflix
- Rebecca (2020) Netflix adaptation viewed by 6.8 million households first week
- The Midnight Sky horror elements contributed to 72 million views first month
- Fear Street trilogy amassed over 80 million hours viewed in first weekend
- Halloween Kills (2021) Peacock streams hit 3.5 million views day one
- Candyman (2021) strong VOD and streaming numbers post-theatrical
- Malignant (2021) HBO Max premiere topped streaming charts
- Halloween Ends (2022) Peacock day one views over 12 million
- Nope (2022) Peacock streaming boosted post-box office
- Barbarian (2022) Hulu views spiked to top charts
- X (2022) strong Hulu streaming demand
- Pearl (2022) Hulu premiere with high engagement
- Terrifier 2 (2022) VOD sales over $1 million in first week
- Smile 2 (2024) expected high streaming post-theatrical
- 1922 (2017) Netflix Stephen King adaptation with solid views
- The Autopsy of Jane Doe viewed widely on streaming platforms
- It Follows (2014) cult streaming hit with millions of minutes
- Midsommar (2019) Hulu streams topped horror charts
- The Witch (2015) A24 streaming success with high demand
- Get Out (2017) Peacock views surged on anniversary
- A Quiet Place Part II (2020) HBO Max premiere 2.5 million views day one
- The Invisible Man (2020) strong Peacock streaming post-theatrical
- It (2017) continues to dominate streaming rewatch charts
Viewership and Streaming Interpretation
The data proves that despite our collective claims of being too scared to watch, we are all quietly, voraciously mainlining horror films from the safety of our couches with the lights on.
Sources & References
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