Highlights
- The horror movies of the 2000s were creatively driven and financially successful, proving the genre's popularity among fans.
- Films like Saw and Paranormal Activity brought fresh perspectives to the horror genre, blending mystery and supernatural elements in unexpected ways.
- The top-grossing horror movies of the 2000s include Signs , Hannibal , and What Lies Beneath , each offering unique and gripping narratives.
The 2000s was an exciting era for horror movies, filled with creativity and spirit. The turn of the century was characterized by a combination of ingenious story concepts and traditional horror projects that drew in audiences all over the world.
From demon-possessed hauntings to jump scares and everything else in between, the 2000s witnessed earth-shattering box office profits – which ultimately proved the horror genre’s popularity among fans.
In addition to their box office success, these movies were complimented for their fresh takes and gripping narratives. Movies like Saw and Paranormal Activity infused unique perspectives with the horror genre, blending the ingredients of mystery and supernatural in ways that were not expected.
With a time period of unparalleled achievements and worldwide success, these movies have cemented the 2000s standing in the horror genre. Some of the films leading the pack include Signs, Hannibal, and What Lies Beneath.
Keep reading to discover the top-grossing horror movies of the 2000s.
1 Signs
$408 Million
Signs, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, made a remarkable entrance at the box office, earning an impressive $60 million in its opening week. This film held the highly-coveted number one spot for three separate weeks.
Being Shyamalan's first venture into the genre since the iconic release of The Sixth Sense, Signs went on to gross over $408 million internationally. The story follows Preacher Graham Hess (Mel Gibson), who, after tragically losing his wife in a devastating car crash, finds himself questioning his faith in God.
Residing in a farmhouse with his children and brother, their lives take a turn when they discover bizarre crop circles in their fields. As they soon discover, these crop circles are not exclusive to their farm – they are also appearing all over the globe.
The family faces the realization that alien activity may be at play. They rally together to confront the unknown, where belief and strength become their dominant forces.
2 Hannibal
$351 Million
Hannibalwas the tenth highest-grossing horror film in 2001, bringing in $351 million worldwide.
Starring Anthony Hopkins, a large amount of the film's success was attributed to being the sequel to the award-winning film Silence of the Lambs. In the movie, FBI agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) continues the attempt to apprehend the evasive Hannibal Lecter before one of his surviving victims gets a hold of him.
3 What Lies Beneath
$291 Million
Even though the movie opened to a discouraging $29 million in the summer of 2000, its $100 million budget was well worth it in the end.
What Lies Beneath spent 15 non-consecutive weeks in the top ten, and brought in more than $291 million internationally. The movie centers on Claire, who is certain that she’s either going insane or her home is haunted by a ghost.
Further into the film, it’s discovered that a horrible secret could potentially destroy Claire's marriage to Dr. Norman Spencer (Harrison Ford).
4 The Ring
$249 Million
Spending five consecutive weeks in both the top ten and the top five, The Ring took in over $249 million worldwide. The movie centers on the notion of a baffling and unsettling video tape that gives someone just seven days to live once they watch it – unless it's given to someone else, spreading its curse like a virus.
In The Ring, a journalist named Rachel (Naomi Watts) delves into this bizarre video after four teenagers are killed, including her niece. However, after Rachel and her son watch the video, she is forced to race to discover why it causes the deaths of anyone who watches it and how the force can be stopped.
5 Paranormal Activity
$193 Million
Paranormal Activity is a low-budget horror film that became a hit smash at the box office; the movie’s monumental success led to earnings of $193 million worldwide. With a clever concept, Paranormal Activity will easily send chills across those who watch it.
In the movie, a young couple recently moved into a home, and soon after, became concerned that there was a demonic presence lurking in it. To uncover the truth, the couple set up a video camera to capture occurrences that were happening in the night as they slept, from noises to flickering lights.
6 The Grudge
$187 Million
In 2004, The Grudge opened with an impressive $39 million in earnings in one weekend, and eventually, the amount grew to $187 million worldwide.
Set in Tokyo, the film centers around a woman named Karen – who comes in contact with a vengeful spirit that possesses its victims before they take their own lives. With an overwhelming amount of deaths occurring, Karen is forced to figure out how to break the curse before she’s the next to fall victim to it.
7 Saw 3
$164 Million
Saw 3 was one of the highest-ranking installments of the Saw franchise, earning $33 million in its opening weekend. Spending four weeks in the top ten, Saw 3 ripped its way to a take of $164 million worldwide.
In this installment, Jigsaw has another plan in store when he kidnaps Dr. Lynn Denlon to keep him from dying as he remains bedridden – while putting Jeff (a grieving father) through a series of tests. Jeff must either save the people who are connected to his son’s death or let them perish.
8 The Ring 2
$163 Million
As the sequel to the immensely popular movie The Ring, part two of the series drew horror movie fans in droves. While The Ring 2 did not receive positive criticism from Rotten Tomatoes, it earned more than $163 million at the box office worldwide.
The follow-up takes place six months after the after the events of The Ring, and it centers on a high school student (Jake) who attempts to persuade his girlfriend (Emily) to view the ill-fated video. Jake eventually comes to the realization that Emily didn’t actually watch it because she had her eyes covered.
After Jake meets his fate, Rachel Keller discovers his body in the back of an ambulance, initiating the events of the second installment.
9 Scream 3
$161 Million
A considerable amount of Scream 3’s success can be credited to the popularity of the first two installments. Performing remarkably well in theaters, the movie raked in $161 million globally.
Directed by Wes Craven, Scream 3 centers on Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), who is residing in a secure location, and is falsely convinced the killer known as "Ghostface" is no longer a danger. She notices people dying around Stab 3’s film set and when the horror intensifies, she is brought out of seclusion.
Sidney and a group of other survivors are forced to face the Greensboro killer all over again.
10 Freddy Vs. Jason
$116 Million
Freddy Vs. Jason was an exemplary addition to both franchises (Halloween and ANightmare On Elm Street) and the horror movie genre as a whole, and it harnessed the audience’s love of horror movie super villains.
In this installment, ten years have passed since Freddy Krueger last infiltrated the Elm Street residents' dreams, tormenting them. Unfortunately, Freddy wants to terrorize this neighborhood again and this time, he revives Jason Voorhees to help with the mayhem.
Each time a body drops, Freddy’s strength increases – but this advantage comes with a catch. Jason Voorhees is reluctant to step aside too easily, which leads to the two villains battling it out with one another.
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