The Longest Running Horror Movie Franchises of All Time
The Longest Running Horror Movie Franchises of All Time
Horror movies are notorious for cliff-hanger endings that lead to never-ending sequels, prequels, spin-offs, and reboots. The killers rarely ever die, and so, neither do the franchises. But which silver screen fright-fest holds the record for most sequels?
17. 'Paranormal Activity'
This independent, found-footage spooktacular broke box office records when it was released in theaters back in 2009. The film went on to earn almost $200 million on a $15k budget, so it should come as no surprise that the studios pushed out four more sequels, as well as a spin-off. Not surprisingly, a seventh Paranormal Activity is currently in the works.
16. 'Wrong Turn'
The remote backwoods of the Appalachian Mountains can be a pretty terrifying place – especially if you end up taking a wrong turn. Following the first film in 2003, the backwoods mutant cannibal clan returned to hunt innocent travelers five more times. If six Wrong Turn movies weren't enough, a reboot is set for release in 2020.
17. 'The Conjuring Universe'
The flicks—inspired by the real-life case files of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren—have conjured up huge box office figures. Audiences have flocked to the theaters nearly every year since 2013 to catch the latest "Conjuring Universe" offering. Aside from the main Conjuring trilogy (the third film is due out September 2020), the demonic Annabelle doll featured in the first film has spun-off into her own successful trilogy; with The Nun and The Curse of La Llorona linking up to the billion-dollar franchise as well. That marks The Conjuring tally at a whopping seven films, and counting.
14. 'Alien'
The 1979 classic reminded viewers that "in space, no one can hear you scream." The sci-fi fright has spawned several different franchise revivals over the years, including the Alien vs. Predator movies and Prometheus – equalling out to eight extraterrestrial outings.
13. 'Child's Play' and 'Chucky'
Killer doll movies have a way of tapping into the audience's subconscious, connecting real fears with our childhood companions. That's probably why there have been eight Child's Play movies – including the rather comedic Bride of Chucky/Seed of Chucky, several direct-to-DVD sequels, and the most recent, a big-screen remake.
12. 'The Howling'
Werewolves have been a horror heavyweight since long before the days of cinema, but the most successful resurrection of the legendary beast has been with The Howling franchise, which kicked off in 1981. Not even a silver bullet could stop this series from releasing eight installments.
11. 'Leprechaun'
Not many people realize that Jennifer Aniston's first movie role was in the 1993 horror film, Leprechaun. While Aniston moved on to bigger and better things, the ferocious mythical killer starred in eight movies. The lesson here? Don't mess with a Leprechaun and his pot of gold.
10. 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'
The murderous, chainsaw-wielding maniac, Leatherface, along with his cannibalistic family, has bladed through the cineplex since 1974. Stars including Jessica Biel, Renée Zellweger, and Matthew McConaughey have all encountered the killer at some point across the eight-film franchise.
9. 'Saw'
"Do you want to play a game?" The notorious and torturous Jigsaw killer did... and it was mapped out across eight films. But the mind-puzzling game still isn't quite over. The ninth movie–a reboot starring Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson–is set for release in 2020.
8. 'A Nightmare on Elm Street'
Freddy Krueger has disturbed the dreams of the children of Elm Street for well over three decades. And because everyone sleeps, the blade-fingered demon has been able to return for nine flicks. Krueger's most recent appearance was in the 2010 remake.
7. 'Children of the Corn'
You can't have a horror list without mentioning Stephen King. Based on King's 1977 short story, the 1984 film sparked a successful franchise that, to date, has had nine films – including a made-for-television remake in 2009.
6. 'Hellraiser'
The underworld is a scary place, especially in Clive Barker's Hellraiser franchise – which offers up ten films of blood sacrifices, torture, screams, and mayhem.
5. 'Dead'
What started with Night of the Living Dead in 1968, led to Dawn of the Dead (1978), Day of the Dead (1985), Land of the Dead (2005), Diary of the Dead (2007), and Survival of the Dead (2009). Throw in the respective Night, Dawn, and Day remakes/side-sequels, and you have 11 films. Proving that the dead never stay, uh, dead.
4. 'Halloween'
Unhinged serial killer Michael Myers is indestructible. His drive towards carving teens like pumpkins on Hallow's Eve has kept him around for 11 installments, including a two-part remake. Not to mention, he sat the third film out entirely. But that's okay. Myers returns once again in next year's Halloween Kills – lifting the tally to 12.
3. 'Friday the 13th'
The iconic hockey-masked killer has lurked the grounds at Camp Crystal Lake since his cinematic debut in 1980. Since then, Jason Voorhees has been everywhere from Manhattan to Hell and even outer space. After 12 films, you'd think he would've had enough. But it's only a matter of time before Voorhees slashes his way to lucky number 13.
2. 'Puppet Master'
The number two spot houses probably the most surprising horror franchise. Certainly not the biggest box office draw, the cult-favorite franchise has a tiny, yet devoted audience. So loyal, in fact, that the killer puppet series, which started in 1989, has 13 films.
1. 'The Amityville Horror'
The real-life Long Island haunted house of horrors has starred in... wait for it... 23 films. What began with The Amityville Horror in 1979, spawned a pop culture phenomenon. Just how many families can be tormented by the home's supernatural forces before someone learns not to move in? By the later half of the franchise, things start to get a little ridiculous—possessed inanimate objects (lamps, clocks, and dollhouses) sold off in an Amityville garage sale spread the evil to every doomed buyer. A remake starring Ryan Reynolds hit the big screen in 2005, but a slew of direct-to-DVD spin-offs have since littered the shelves.
Oh, the horror... and the sequels!