Want to know the best Horror Movies? How about the worst Horror Movies? Curious about Horror Movies box office grosses or which Horror Movies movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Horror Movies movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences? Well you have come to the right place….because we have all of that information…and a lot more.
This page looks at the Top 100 Horror Movies….statistically speaking. What does that mean? We looked at box office grosses, reviews from critics & audiences and award recognition and put them in our witches cauldron. We mixed all the stats together and came up with our Top 100 Horror Movies. Our top ranked Horror Movie….was a box office hit, was loved by critics and audiences and even managed to win the Best Picture Oscar®. The following table shows all the stats involved that helped us reach our rankings. Obviously they are way more Horror Movies out there. Is your favorite Horror Movie missing?….just commented at the bottom and we will research and see if your suggestion can crack our Top 100 Horror Movies. To see all 600+ Horror Movies we researched…check out this link. UMR Horror Movies
Drivel Part: Years ago we got a request from Steve Lensman to do a Horror Movie UMR page. The last four or five Octobers we have thought we should do that Horror Movie page and every year before we knew it…Halloween would be over! Well today, WoC (Wife of Cogerson) was working on the database and pulling in information on 1000s of movies. When I saw that she was pulling in information on Thrillers….I casually mentioned…..”You should do that with Horror Movies…Steve has been asking for that page for years”. Well….three hours later….WoC had an UMR page with almost 400 Horror movies. So for the first time ever…..UMR has a page that was not completed by Cogerson….nope this baby belongs to WoC. So let me be the first to say it….GREAT JOB WoC!
Horror Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table
The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.
- Sort Horror Movies by the stars of the movies
- Sort Horror Movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses based on actual ticket sells (in millions)
- Sort Horror Movies by yearly domestic box office rank
- Sort Horror Movies by how they were received by critics and audiences. 60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each Horror Movie received.
- Sort Horror Movies movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
*** During our update we lost our easy to find search box. Well WoC did some work and found a new way to search through this massive table. In the second row….first column…you will see “Movie (Year)”. You can type in a search word here and it will search the table.
| R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Actual B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | B.O. Rank by Year | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | S |
| 1 | The Silence of the Lambs (1991) AA Best Picture Win |
Anthony Hopkins & Jodie Foster |
130.70 | 334.8 | 698.40 | 4 | 91 | 07 / 05 | 99.9 | |
| 2 | Jaws (1975) AA Best Picture Nom |
Robert Shaw & Roy Scheider & |
262.50 | 1,380.4 | 2,488.10 | 1 | 93 | 04 / 03 | 99.7 | |
| 3 | The Exorcist (1973) AA Best Picture Nom |
Ellen Burstyn & Linda Blair |
195.80 | 1,192.5 | 2,459.30 | 1 | 86 | 10 / 02 | 99.6 | |
| 4 | Aliens (1986) | Sigourney Weaver & Michael Biehn |
141.00 | 409.6 | 409.60 | 3 | 94 | 07 / 02 | 99.6 | |
| 5 | Psycho (1960) | Janet Leigh & Anthony Perkins |
29.40 | 459.3 | 740.50 | 3 | 94 | 04 / 00 | 99.3 | |
| 6 | The Sixth Sense (1999) AA Best Picture Nom |
Bruce Willis & Haley Joel Osment |
291.50 | 621.0 | 1,429.10 | 2 | 86 | 06 / 00 | 99.3 | |
| 7 | Alien (1979) | Sigourney Weaver & John Hurt |
106.10 | 455.5 | 455.50 | 2 | 92 | 02 / 01 | 99.2 | |
| 8 | Get Out (2017) AA Best Picture Nom |
Daniel Kaluuya & Alison Williams |
176.20 | 211.8 | 304.20 | 15 | 84 | 04 / 01 | 99.1 | |
| 9 | Rosemary's Baby (1968) | Ruth Gordon & Mia Farrow |
42.90 | 352.7 | 352.70 | 8 | 89 | 02 / 01 | 99.0 | |
| 10 | King Kong (1933) | Fay Wray & Bruce Cabot |
9.10 | 428.5 | 666.60 | 1 | 89 | 00 / 00 | 98.8 | |
| 11 | The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) | Elsa Lanchester & Boris Karloff |
5.70 | 256.7 | 256.70 | 2 | 85 | 01 / 00 | 98.4 | |
| 12 | King Kong (2005) | Naomi Watts & Jack Black |
218.10 | 367.3 | 927.30 | 5 | 78 | 04 / 03 | 98.3 | |
| 13 | Dracula (1931) | Bela Lugosi & Helen Chandler |
4.20 | 214.9 | 214.90 | 8 | 83 | 00 / 00 | 98.0 | |
| 14 | The Birds (1963) | Rod Taylor & Jessica Tandy |
14.50 | 182.3 | 182.30 | 16 | 88 | 01 / 00 | 98.0 | |
| 15 | A Quiet Place (2018) | Emily Blunt & John Krasinski |
188.00 | 222.5 | 393.60 | 16 | 82 | 01 / 00 | 97.9 | |
| 16 | House of Wax (1953) | Charles Bronson & Vincent Price |
30.30 | 544.4 | 544.40 | 3 | 82 | 00 / 00 | 97.7 | |
| 17 | Frankenstein (1931) | Boris Karloff & Colin Clive |
5.30 | 273.4 | 273.40 | 3 | 81 | 00 / 00 | 97.6 | |
| 19 | It (2017) | Bill Skarsgård & Jaeden Lieberher |
327.50 | 393.6 | 836.90 | 7 | 80 | 00 / 00 | 97.5 | |
| 18 | Poltergeist (1982) | Craig T. Nelson & Beatrice Straight |
76.60 | 280.9 | 453.20 | 8 | 80 | 00 / 00 | 97.5 | |
| 20 | The Blair Witch Project (1999) | Heather Donahue | 140.50 | 299.4 | 529.70 | 10 | 80 | 00 / 00 | 97.5 | |
| 21 | Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) | Anthony Hopkins & Keanu Reeves |
82.50 | 214.4 | 560.70 | 15 | 73 | 04 / 03 | 97.4 | |
| 22 | Carrie (1976) | Sissy Spacek & John Travolta |
33.80 | 171.1 | 171.10 | 17 | 87 | 02 / 00 | 97.3 | |
| 23 | Halloween (1978) | Jamie Lee Curtis & Donald Pleasence |
41.10 | 189.4 | 189.40 | 14 | 83 | 00 / 00 | 97.3 | |
| 24 | Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) | Fredric March | 3.60 | 182.2 | 182.20 | 15 | 81 | 03 / 01 | 97.3 | |
| 25 | The Omen (1976) | Gregory Peck & Lee Remick |
86.50 | 437.8 | 437.80 | 5 | 76 | 02 / 01 | 97.2 | |
| 26 | Gremlins (1984) | Zach Galligan & Judge Reinhold |
152.70 | 489.8 | 489.80 | 4 | 79 | 00 / 00 | 97.2 | |
| 27 | The Bad Seed (1956) | Nancy Kelly & Patty McCormack |
11.70 | 229.6 | 229.60 | 22 | 75 | 04 / 00 | 97.0 | |
| 28 | The Shining (1980) | Jack Nicholson & Shelley Duvall |
44.00 | 182.5 | 182.50 | 18 | 83 | 00 / 00 | 96.9 | |
| 29 | Sleepy Hollow (1999) | Johnny Depp & Christopher Walken |
101.10 | 215.3 | 439.00 | 21 | 73 | 03 / 01 | 96.7 | |
| 30 | Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920) | John Barrymore | 5.00 | 269.6 | 269.60 | 3 | 76 | 00 / 00 | 96.7 | |
| 31 | The Others (2001) | Nicole Kidman & Christopher Eccleston |
96.50 | 184.2 | 400.60 | 21 | 81 | 00 / 00 | 96.6 | |
| 32 | The Conjuring (2013) | Patrick Wilson & Vera Farmiga |
137.40 | 182.2 | 421.70 | 19 | 81 | 00 / 00 | 96.4 | |
| 33 | Us (2019) | Directed by Jordan Peele | 175.00 | 206.0 | 299.70 | 12 | 75 | 00 / 00 | 96.4 | |
| 34 | The Thing from Another World (1951) | James Arness | 7.60 | 163.2 | 209.40 | 19 | 86 | 00 / 00 | 96.2 | |
| 35 | What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) | Bette Davis & Joan Crawford |
10.20 | 147.3 | 212.20 | 20 | 84 | 05 / 01 | 95.9 | |
| 36 | A Quiet Place Part II (2021) | Emily Blunt & Directed by John Krasinski |
160.20 | 169.8 | 314.50 | 9 | 82 | 00 / 00 | 95.8 | |
| 37 | Misery (1990) | Kathy Bates & James Caan |
61.30 | 156.2 | 156.20 | 19 | 84 | 01 / 01 | 95.6 | |
| 38 | Scream (1996) | Drew Barrymore & Courteney Cox |
103.00 | 251.3 | 422.00 | 13 | 73 | 00 / 00 | 95.5 | |
| 39 | I Am Legend (2007) | Will Smith & Alice Braga |
256.40 | 401.7 | 917.20 | 6 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 95.4 | |
| 40 | The Ghost Breakers (1940) | Bob Hope & Paulette Goddard |
4.60 | 176.0 | 176.00 | 21 | 78 | 00 / 00 | 95.2 | |
| 41 | World War Z (2013) | Brad Pitt & Mireille Enos |
202.40 | 268.3 | 716.00 | 13 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 95.2 | |
| 42 | It Chapter Two (2019) | James McAvoy & Bill Hader |
211.60 | 249.0 | 555.60 | 11 | 69 | 00 / 00 | 95.0 | |
| 43 | Scared Stiff (1953) | Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis |
10.60 | 190.6 | 190.60 | 15 | 72 | 00 / 00 | 95.0 | |
| 44 | Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) | Brad Pitt & Tom Cruise |
105.30 | 278.1 | 591.00 | 11 | 67 | 02 / 00 | 94.9 | |
| 45 | Halloween (2018) | Jamie Lee Curtis | 159.30 | 188.6 | 300.20 | 21 | 72 | 00 / 00 | 94.7 | |
| 46 | Paranormal Activity (2007) | Katie Featherston | 107.90 | 169.1 | 169.10 | 26 | 78 | 00 / 00 | 94.7 | |
| 47 | The Ring (2002) | Naomi Watts & Brian Cox |
129.10 | 240.0 | 463.40 | 18 | 68 | 00 / 00 | 94.6 | |
| 48 | Scream 2 (1997) | Courteney Cox & David Arquette |
101.40 | 238.1 | 404.80 | 13 | 66 | 00 / 00 | 94.1 | |
| 49 | The Phantom of the Opera (1925) | Lon Chaney | 4.20 | 167.0 | 167.00 | 8 | 77 | 00 / 00 | 94.1 | |
| 50 | Prometheus (2012) | Charlize Theron & Michael Fassbender |
126.50 | 171.3 | 546.30 | 24 | 74 | 01 / 00 | 93.9 | |
| 51 | Phantom of the Opera (1943) | Claude Rains & Nelson Eddy |
4.60 | 164.3 | 164.30 | 68 | 70 | 04 / 02 | 93.6 | |
| 52 | The Witches of Eastwick (1987) | Jack Nicholson & Cher |
63.80 | 175.8 | 175.80 | 11 | 71 | 02 / 00 | 93.6 | |
| 53 | An American Werewolf in London (1981) | David Naughton & Jenny Agutter |
35.30 | 136.8 | 136.80 | 18 | 81 | 00 / 00 | 92.8 | |
| 54 | The Invisible Man (1933) | Claude Rains | 2.80 | 130.7 | 130.70 | 19 | 82 | 00 / 00 | 92.3 | |
| 55 | The Fly (1958) | Vincent Price & David Hedison |
8.60 | 154.0 | 154.00 | 24 | 74 | 00 / 00 | 92.2 | |
| 56 | Dressed to Kill (1980) | Michael Caine & Angie Dickinson |
34.80 | 144.4 | 144.40 | 23 | 77 | 00 / 00 | 92.1 | |
| 57 | The Mummy (1932) | Boris Karloff | 3.00 | 147.0 | 147.00 | 13 | 75 | 00 / 00 | 91.8 | |
| 58 | Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) | Leonard Nimoy & Donald Sutherland |
24.70 | 114.0 | 114.00 | 26 | 85 | 00 / 00 | 91.6 | |
| 59 | The Fly (1986) | Jeff Goldblum & Geena Davis |
40.50 | 117.6 | 176.20 | 25 | 81 | 01 / 01 | 91.5 | |
| 60 | Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) | Spencer Tracy & Ingrid Bergman |
4.10 | 158.8 | 292.00 | 43 | 68 | 03 / 00 | 91.5 | |
| 61 | Cat People (1942) | Simone Simon & Tom Conway |
3.40 | 127.4 | 127.40 | 80 | 80 | 00 / 00 | 91.4 | |
| 62 | Don't Breathe (2016) | Stephen Lang | 89.20 | 111.2 | 195.80 | 35 | 83 | 00 / 00 | 91.1 | |
| 63 | Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) | Walter Wanger & Kevin McCarthy |
6.00 | 117.6 | 117.60 | 47 | 82 | 00 / 00 | 91.0 | |
| 64 | Jaws 2 (1978) | Roy Scheider & Lorraine Gary |
77.70 | 358.1 | 358.10 | 7 | 56 | 00 / 00 | 91.0 | |
| 65 | What Lies Beneath (2000) | Harrison Ford & Michelle Pfeiffer |
155.50 | 310.9 | 582.80 | 10 | 56 | 00 / 00 | 91.0 | |
| 66 | Zombieland (2009) | Emma Stone & Woody Harrelson |
75.60 | 108.6 | 147.20 | 40 | 83 | 00 / 00 | 90.7 | |
| 67 | The Grudge (2004) | Sarah Michelle Gellar | 110.40 | 191.6 | 325.10 | 21 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 90.6 | |
| 68 | Coma (1978) | Michael Douglas & Rip Torn |
32.40 | 149.5 | 149.50 | 18 | 70 | 00 / 00 | 90.5 | |
| 69 | The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) | Werner Krauss & Conrad Veidt |
1.60 | 87.6 | 87.60 | 14 | 90 | 00 / 00 | 90.4 | |
| 70 | King Kong (1976) | Jeff Bridges & Charles Grodin |
108.60 | 549.8 | 549.80 | 3 | 52 | 02 / 00 | 90.1 | |
| 71 | The Conjuring 2 (2016) | Vera Farmiga & Patrick Wilson |
102.50 | 127.7 | 399.10 | 29 | 76 | 00 / 00 | 90.1 | |
| 72 | A Quiet Place: Day One (2024) | Lupita Nyong'o | 138.90 | 138.9 | 260.90 | 12 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 89.6 | |
| 73 | Wolf (1994) | Jack Nicholson & Michelle Pfeiffer |
65.00 | 171.7 | 346.10 | 19 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 89.5 | |
| 74 | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) | Johnny Depp & Helena Bonham Carter |
52.90 | 82.9 | 240.20 | 49 | 84 | 03 / 01 | 89.2 | |
| 75 | Scream VI (2023) | Courteney Cox & Jenna Ortega |
108.20 | 108.2 | 168.90 | 23 | 78 | 00 / 00 | 88.8 | |
| 76 | Paranormal Activity 3 (2011) | Chloe Csengery | 104.00 | 141.4 | 281.40 | 26 | 66 | 00 / 00 | 88.3 | |
| 77 | I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) | Ryan Phillippe | 72.60 | 170.5 | 294.90 | 19 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 88.3 | |
| 78 | Cloverfield (2008) | Mike Vogel & Jessica Lucas |
80.00 | 120.2 | 120.20 | 40 | 73 | 00 / 00 | 88.2 | |
| 79 | The Amityville Horror (1979) | Rod Steiger & James Brolin |
92.10 | 395.6 | 395.60 | 4 | 48 | 00 / 00 | 88.2 | |
| 80 | Magic (1978) | 29.50 | 135.8 | 135.80 | 21 | 68 | 00 / 00 | 88.1 | ||
| 81 | The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) | Ray Harryhausen & Lee Van Cleef |
6.80 | 122.5 | 122.50 | 39 | 72 | 00 / 00 | 88.0 | |
| 82 | Scary Movie 3 (2003) | Anna Faris & Charlie Sheen |
110.00 | 196.7 | 394.50 | 22 | 48 | 00 / 00 | 88.0 | |
| 83 | Flatliners (1990) | Julia Roberts & Kevin Bacon |
61.50 | 156.7 | 156.70 | 18 | 59 | 01 / 00 | 87.8 | |
| 84 | Blade II (2002) | Wesley Snipes & Kris Kristofferson |
82.30 | 153.1 | 288.10 | 31 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 87.8 | |
| 85 | Blade (1998) | Wesley Snipes & Stephen Dorff |
70.10 | 161.1 | 301.50 | 28 | 58 | 00 / 00 | 87.8 | |
| 86 | Annabelle: Creation (2017) | Miranda Otto | 102.10 | 122.7 | 366.70 | 32 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 87.7 | |
| 87 | Hellboy (2004) | Ron Perlman & Doug Jones |
59.60 | 103.5 | 172.40 | 49 | 77 | 00 / 00 | 87.7 | |
| 88 | The Black Phone (2022) | Ethan Hawke | 89.80 | 91.9 | 163.20 | 23 | 80 | 00 / 00 | 87.6 | |
| 89 | The Meg (2018) | Jason Statham | 143.00 | 169.2 | 624.60 | 22 | 55 | 00 / 00 | 87.4 | |
| 90 | Fright Night (1985) | Roddy McDowall & Chris Sarandon |
24.90 | 75.7 | 75.70 | 34 | 85 | 00 / 00 | 87.4 | |
| 91 | 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) | John Goodman | 72.10 | 89.8 | 137.40 | 45 | 80 | 00 / 00 | 87.3 | |
| 92 | Scream 3 (2000) | Carrie Fisher & David Arquette |
89.10 | 178.3 | 323.70 | 27 | 51 | 00 / 00 | 87.1 | |
| 93 | A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) | Johnny Depp & Heather Langenkamp |
25.50 | 81.8 | 81.80 | 41 | 82 | 00 / 00 | 87.0 | |
| 94 | Arachnophobia (1990) | John Goodman & Jeff Daniels |
53.20 | 135.6 | 135.60 | 22 | 65 | 00 / 00 | 87.0 | |
| 95 | Smile (2022) | Sosie Bacon | 105.90 | 108.5 | 221.20 | 16 | 73 | 00 / 00 | 87.0 | |
| 96 | Son of Frankenstein (1939) | Boris Karloff & Basil Rathbone |
3.10 | 119.4 | 119.40 | 72 | 70 | 00 / 00 | 87.0 | |
| 97 | The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) | Marilyn Burns | 12.10 | 69.9 | 69.90 | 41 | 85 | 00 / 00 | 86.9 | |
| 98 | M3GAN (2023) | Jena Davis | 94.50 | 94.5 | 172.20 | 26 | 76 | 00 / 00 | 86.5 | |
| 99 | 28 Days Later... (2002) | Cillian Murphy & Naomie Harris |
45.10 | 83.8 | 153.70 | 54 | 79 | 00 / 00 | 86.3 | |
| 100 | Death Becomes Her (1992) | Meryl Streep & Bruce Willis |
58.40 | 151.8 | 387.10 | 24 | 55 | 01 / 01 | 86.2 |
Breakdown by decades:
- 1920s……3 movies
- 1930s……9 movies
- 1940s……3 movies
- 1950s……8 movies
- 1960s……7 movies
- 1970s…..14 movies
- 1980s…..12 movies
- 1990s…..15 movies
- 2000s…..14 movies
- 2010s…..14 movies
(Visited 6,789 times)
Wow ! Very very good idea.
Wow again ! I’ve seen 67 movies of the list ! I am a fan of horror movie apparantly. My favorites are easily Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, John Carpenter’s Thing, Jaws, first Alien and The Exorcist.
Wow 3 ! Where did you damn find Caligari’s number ? I try to find it for many many years. As well as The Golem and Nosferatu…..
Thank you WoC. Great job.
Hey Laurent.
1. Thanks for the kind words about the page and for WoC……she has been doing so much work on the database the last month……that I will never be able to repay her….but I will be trying….lol.
2. 67 is pretty darn good. I am at 81…..which actually shocks me….since I am not a horror fan at all……lately I have been catching up on my horror movies……I put a movie in….turn on the subtitles….and walk on my treadmill…..while “reading/watching” horror movies.
3. I like all of your favorites….though in my Top 5….Aliens would bump out Alien…..and The Sixth Sense….would bump our The Exorcist….which would make my Top 5…Carpenter’s The Thing, Jaws, Dawn of the Dead, Aliens and The Sixth Sense.
4. Sadly we have no information on Nosferatu….as for The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1921) …..not sure which book I got the information….possibly Danny Peary’s Cult Movies Volume 2 book….but that total represents the countless re-releases the movie has had over the last 100 years….so that total is like a Disney total….a combined total from many releases. I imagine it’s total in the 1920s would be only a small portion of our estimated $60 million.
5. I highly suspect….it will be getting a 100 year re-release in 2021……as I imagine somebody is working on a print of that classic as we type.
Thanks for the feedback.
Certainly the first Saw has to be in the Top 100?
Hey Eliska……good suggestion on Saw…….well…one of the 7 Saw movies made the Top 100…..but it is barely holding on….as it currently sits in 99th place. The rest of the Saw movies failed to hit our Top 100…..but here are the rankings.
Saw III 110th place
Saw 111th place
Saw IV 202nd place
Saw VII 216th place
Saw V 260th place
Saw VI 291st place
Thanks for the visit and the comment.
Worth the wait. Good job WoC.
Hey In the Shadows….thanks for the kind words for the page and for WoC.
Interesting list. Gotta few complaints. Not sure I would include Zombieland or Silence of the Lambs but no way would I include Hellboy. Hellboy is a comic book superhero. The only horror in Hellboy is how bad the movie is. Plus where is Nosferatu?
Hey Louis…..thanks for checking out our latest UMR page. As for your complaints….Zombieland has a few laughs but generally it is played pretty straight…..Silence of the Lambs is pretty much on every great horror movie list. I do agree with you on Hellboy….and you will notice it is no longer in the Top 100. We were unable to find box office on Nosferatu…but we are still searching….and if we do…..we are sure it will pop up on this list. Once again…thanks for the awesome feedback.
The Thing and The Lost Boys made the list!! Glad to see it. Nice page!
I think The Thing will last awhile….but not thinking The Lost Boys is going to hang on to that 100th spot too much longer. Debbie did an awesome job of putting this page together. Thanks for the visit and the comment.