11 Highest-Grossing Horror Movies Of Each Year, From 2013 to 2023 

It's not good to count other people's money, but that certainly doesn't apply to horror movie box office data.

We've collected the top-grossing horror films of the last decade so you know exactly what to watch next.

2013: World War Z – $540M

The release of the movie was accompanied by script changes and over-budget reshoots. However, this did not stop the film from grossing $540 million at the box office, making it the highest-grossing zombie film of all time.

A virus of unknown origin has become a pandemic and threatens to destroy the planet – people are turning into the living dead. UN worker Gerry Lane embarks on a worldwide search for an antidote while trying to figure out the causes of the infection.

2014: Annabelle – $257M

Despite the negative reviews from critics, the movie managed not only to recoup its production costs, but also to make money. This time the terrifying Annabelle doll falls into the hands of John and Mia, who are preparing to become parents.

Suddenly, their house is attacked by dark forces: it turns out that the doll is to blame. Attempts to get rid of the toy are unsuccessful – Annabelle keeps returning to the house. When a daughter is born, they realize that it is the little girl's soul that the devil is hunting.

2015: Goosebumps – $158M

The comedy horror film Goosebumps, directed by Rob Letterman, is a story about teenagers who accidentally release scary and dangerous monsters from magazines. The movie is based on a series of children's novels by Robert Stine.

Apparently, in 2015, audiences wanted to laugh and be scared at the same time, so Goosebumps even surpassed the third part of Insidious.

2016: The Conjuring 2 – $320M

The rare case of the sequel proving to be even scarier than the original had little effect on the resulting box office. The film's production budget was doubled (from $20 million to $40 million), but in the end, The Conjuring 2 earned about $500,000 more than its predecessor.

In 1977, Ed and Lorraine Warren travel to London to visit single mother Peggy Hodgson, who believes that evil forces are living in her house. Soon, Peggy's youngest daughter begins to show signs of possession.

2017: It – $701M

There are still heated debates on whether the It reboot was a success, but there are some things you can't argue with – the movie received positive reviews, and became the highest-grossing horror film in history.

The movie is based on the first part of the novel of the same name by Stephen King, which tells the story of seven teenagers who are terrorized by It, a creature that can take different forms and draws its power from fear, hatred and disappointment.

2018: The Nun – $365M

The Nun became the highest-grossing horror film of 2018, earning $365.5 million on a budget of $22 million.

In the story, Father Burke and Sister Irene travel from the Vatican to Romania to investigate the circumstances surrounding the suicide of a local nun. When they arrive, the main characters are confronted with a terrible otherworldly force, a demon that wants to take their souls.

2019: It: Chapter Two – $473M

The second part of It followed the example of the first chapter and collected a more than decent box office, becoming the most successful horror film of 2019.

27 years have passed since the five friends first encountered Pennywise. They grew up, left their hometown and practically forgot about those terrible events, but suddenly a phone call intrudes into their adult problems.

2020: A Quiet Place: Part II – $297M

The sequel to the first installment of John Krasinski 's wildly successful yet terrifying horror film, was one of the most anticipated movies of 2020. With a budget of $61 million, the film grossed $297 million worldwide.

In a post-apocalyptic world, you can't make any noise. Blind monsters with highly sensitive hearing roam the planet. The Abbott family continues to survive in total silence, but is forced to leave the house that has served as their shelter for years.

2021: The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It – $206M

The third installment of The Conjuring was one of the most memorable in the already sprawling horror universe, and deservedly recouped its $39 million budget.

In 1981, Ed and Lorraine Warren attend an exorcism during which Ed suffers a heart attack. Some time later, a young man who was also in the room during the ritual commits murder, claiming to be the victim of demonic possession. Ed and Lorraine decide to prove to themselves that the devil committed the murder instead of the man.

2022: Smile – $217M

Parker Finn's debut horror film became the top-grossing horror, earning $203 million on a budget of only $17 million.

Psychotherapist Rose sees a lot of people every day who come to her with suicidal thoughts. But her next patient, graduate student Laura, is different. A few days ago she witnessed the suicide of a professor, and now she is haunted by something that takes the form of people, including dead ones, but with an eerie smile on their faces.

2023: Five Nights at Freddy’s – $284M

Five Nights at Freddy's was an unexpected but extremely pleasant box office surprise for Blumhouse and Universal. The film had a great start, recouping in the first days after the premiere.

According to the plot, based on the game of the same name, a troubled guy gets a job as a night security guard at a pizzeria. He soon discovers that creepy animatronic robots are hunting him. Over the course of five nights, he will have to fight a mysterious evil and save his sister.