Top 10 Horror Movie Franchises That Are Still Scary
#10: “The Conjuring” Universe (2013-)
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It’s hard to discuss 2010s horror without bringing up “The Conjuring.” The supernatural exploits of real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren proved to be ripe for the cinematic treatment. The mainline “Conjuring” films continue to be some of the biggest in the genre, whereas the spinoffs have also found success. “Annabelle,” anyone? Granted, some side projects like “The Curse of La Llorona” and “The Nun” have underwhelmed, but that hasn’t hurt box office performance whatsoever, with each release still netting hundreds of millions of dollars. When it comes to cinematic universes, both inside and outside the horror genre, few do it as well as “The Conjuring.”
#9: “Friday the 13th” franchise (1980-)
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We know what you’re thinking: “Friday the 13th” definitely has more bad installments than good. By a fair margin, in fact. But we’d argue that quality was never entirely the conceit of this summertime slasher series. While Jason has gone to some pretty ludicrous places - New York, Hell, space - his outings have nevertheless combined to create one of the most endlessly rewatchable film series. Whether he’s going up against a teenage psychic or Freddy Krueger, we’ll always tune in to revel in the campy goodness and high body counts. It’s just a shame that the movie rights have gone through such an extended legal battle, as we’ve been waiting over a decade to return to Crystal Lake.
#8: “It” franchise (1990-)
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Sure, technically one of the three movie adaptations based on Stephen King’s seminal novel aired on TV in miniseries format, but we’re still counting it. Maybe it’s the downright engaging King story at its core that makes these films so rewatchable. Or maybe it’s the pair of tremendous actors playing Pennywise the terrifying, dancing clown. Or maybe it’s both. Indeed, Tim Curry and Bill Skarsgård turn in iconic yet distinct performances as the titular villain. Sure, the first theatrical film from 2017 is leaps and bounds ahead of the other two, but the average output is strong enough that we have full faith in the upcoming TV series, “Welcome to Derry.”
#7: “The Invisible Man” franchise (1933-)
Top 10 Horror Movie Franchises
It’s easy to forget now, but the Universal Monsters series absolutely dominated the horror scene in the 1930’s and ‘40s. So much so, that they inevitably had to be resurrected in the ‘50s after a swath of lackluster sequels. “The Invisible Man” franchise, however, has a surprisingly solid track record among them, with the first four sequels to the original holding up rather well. And that’s to say nothing of his outing with “Abbott and Costello.” Sure, it might be easier on the production when your main antagonist doesn’t appear on camera, but we have to give the series credit for evolving over time. The 2020 reimagining managed to bring the character into the modern day with smart writing and profound themes.
#6: “Final Destination” franchise (2000-)
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No, these aren’t horror classics by any stretch of the imagination. We don’t go into a “Final Destination” movie looking for engaging stories, meaningful characterizations, or even the standard jumpscare. No, we go into a “Final Destination” movie to marvel at the dourly creative, Rube Goldbergian kill sequences. And at that, the series is very good. If there’s a black sheep, however, 2009’s “The Final Destination” is admittedly pretty bad. But then the franchise rebounded two years later with “Final Destination 5,” earning the franchise’s strongest reviews and our renewed respect. It’s honestly been far too long since we’ve gotten another one of these, but you can be we’ll be signing up again once Death comes knocking.
#5: “Child’s Play” franchise (1988-)
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Speaking of franchises that have evolved, “Child’s Play” has continued to solidify its voice in the horror-comedy sector over several decades. While Chucky the killer doll was always a wise-cracking slasher, it wasn’t until later sequels that the films tried to match his sense of humor throughout. Granted, it got a little unhinged for its own good there, but the series ultimately made a comeback in the 2010s thanks to the passionate effort from original creator Don Mancini. There was of course a detour with the 2019 remake, which saw Chucky go the AI route, but even that was better than we feared it would be. Nowadays, Chucky can be found on TV, with his self-titled series paying homage to his storied legacy.
#4: “Candyman” franchise (1992-)
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“Candyman” was one of the first mainstream horror franchises to tap into an underrepresented and thematically rich demographic. Indeed, the series at its best has done a tremendous job of ruminating on the Black experience and the nature of mythology as a whole. If we’re being honest, the franchise was kept from being as big as it should’ve been in the wake of a couple lackluster sequels to the original. But the third entry, “Day of the Dead,” did admittedly go direct to video, so we can forgive its quality on those grounds. What really solidified the franchise, though, was the 2021 re-quel directed by Nia DaCosta. Much like “The Invisible Man,” that one wonderfully managed to update Candyman’s mythos for the modern day.
#3: “Night of the Living Dead” franchise (1968-)
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George Romero was easily one of the finest horror directors of all time. After all, he essentially pioneered the modern concept of the zombie with the groundbreaking “Night of the Living Dead” in 1968. And while most people recognize the near-perfect quality of the next one, “Dawn of the Dead,” the rest of the franchise doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Twenty years after 1985’s “Day of the Dead,” Romero returned to the series with “Land of the Dead,” another solid outing. Heck, 2007’s “Diary of the Dead” is even a fun found footage movie, proving the franchise’s versatility. While “Survival of the Dead” wasn’t up to snuff, Romero penned a treatment for “Twilight of the Dead,” which is currently being developed in his memory.
#2: “Scream” franchise (1996-)
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Making a “Scream” movie has to be daunting for any screenwriter, as the series is known for remaining fresh whilst commenting on the current horror landscape. No easy task. And yet, it’s astonishing to note just how many entries keep exceeding expectations. Admittedly, “Scream 3” is often deemed the weakest of the bunch, but when that’s your bottom, you gotta know the franchise is in fine shape. Even though the respectable “Scream 4” failed to make enough of a splash at the box office to keep the ball rolling, the re-quel eleven years later managed to pass the baton off to the next generation whilst still paying homage to Wes Craven’s legacy. Nowadays, the future for “Scream” is brighter than ever.
#1: “Evil Dead” franchise (1981-)
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Even the best horror franchises have difficulty batting 1.000. And yet, five entries in as of this video, “Evil Dead” still hasn’t missed. The first “Evil Dead” is obviously historic. And the second one, despite being strangely a remake and a sequel, is even better, often called the best horror comedy of all time. “Army of Darkness,” while the most out-there of the bunch, has a healthy cult following. Flash-forward to 2013, and the reimagining of the original actually managed to work without Sam Raimi’s signature sense of humor, proving the franchise could thrive as straight, high-octane horror. Finally, 2023’s “Rise” stacks up right there with the best of them, hardly missing a beat. In short, these movies are downright groovy.