Top 20 Best Modern Horror Movie Franchises

With seven films and counting and over a billion dollars in box office returns, this is one of the most successful film series based on a video game in history. The first installment, starring Milla Jovovich as protagonist Alice, debuted in 2002 and was an instant hit. That’s probably because it’s the ultimate guilty pleasure – violent, action-packed, scary, and satisfying. It was quickly followed by its first sequel, “Resident Evil: Apocalypse,” in 2004. In 2021, the franchise got a reboot with “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City.” Although it wasn’t a major blockbuster, it breathed new life into the series and set it up for additional sequels. Audiences seem to never get tired of watching people fight off hordes of zombies.

There’s nothing like a classic cannibal slasher flick. The first six films in this franchise revolve around the Hillickers, a seemingly unkillable family of inbred murderers who prey on anyone unlucky enough to stumble into their neck of the woods. The seventh movie rebooted the series and took it in a completely new direction, removing the inbred cannibal element and instead making the antagonists part of a terrifying backwoods cult. These low budget films are packed with everything that hardcore fans demand, featuring plenty of jump scares, gore, and body horror.

The first movie in this series admittedly relies on a lot of familiar tropes – like a family who moves into a house with a dark history and finds themselves plagued by an evil entity. But it’s the unique production design, brilliant directing, and stellar performances from its stars, including horror veteran Ethan Hawke, that set “Sinister” apart. Those Super 8 videos in particular are absolutely terrifying. “Sinister 2” expands on the lore and shows us the perspective of the children recruited by the pagan god Bughuul. It wasn’t quite as beloved as the original, but it still featured plenty of those creepy home movies.

Some of the best American horror movies are based on Japanese originals, including the first film in this franchise. It’s a straight remake of 2002’s “Ju-On: The Grudge,” and while the subsequent films feature original stories, they retain many of the Japanese elements. That includes the main antagonist, Kayako. After being murdered by her jealous husband, she rises as a vengeful ghost and terrorizes anyone who crosses her path. The 2020 film is part reboot, part sequel, and takes the franchise in a new direction, but still includes a cameo from the evil Kayako, who passes her curse on to new victims.

These movies are not for people with weak stomachs, but for fans of the splatter genre, they’re absolute must-sees. The main villain, Art the Clown, originally showed up in a series of three horror shorts, which were combined to make the 2013 anthology “All Hallows' Eve.” Writer-director Damien Leone followed up this mini trilogy with 2016’s “Terrifier,” which he created on a budget of just $35,000, to show off his gruesomely brilliant practical effects. “Terrifier 2,” made on a slightly bigger budget of $250,000, was a runaway success, with reports of audience members fainting and throwing up in the theater. Art keeps finding more creative and disgusting ways to kill people, and fans can’t get enough.

Revolving around a centuries-long war between vampires and werewolves, a.k.a. lycans, this series has a gorgeous goth aesthetic and plenty of action. And did we mention that everyone in it is ridiculously good-looking? It’s also one of the few franchises featuring werewolves that actually manages to make them scary rather than goofy. The third entry, which takes us back to medieval times, even turns them into sympathetic characters who were enslaved by the vampires and had to fight for their own freedom. Though we love a classic slasher flick or ghost story as much as the next fan, the “Underworld” franchise has more nuance and depth behind it than most standard horror movies.

Arguably the film that started the American obsession with Japanese horror, 2002’s “The Ring” is a remake of 1998’s “Ringu,” which itself is based on a novel of the same name. The series relies less on gore and more on atmosphere and disturbing visuals, including, of course, the famous cursed videotape. Who would have guessed that a simple series of black and white images could be so terrifying? The two sequels gradually fill in Samara’s backstory, revealing how she became so evil. And the third film finally answers the question, what if the video got onto the internet?

“Hatchet” chops its way into our list with all the gore you’d expect from such a title. What’s more, it features some of your favorite horror tropes: deformed and bullied child-turned-psycho killer, plus tragic deaths and a group of fun-loving teens all add up to your standard horror franchise mayhem – with a modern twist, of course. With genre icon Kane Hodder starring as the ax-wielding psychopath Victor Crowley, butchery ensues in the Louisiana swamps, near his haunted family shack. Alright, it may not be the most original plotline, but the victim disposal methods do get more inventive as the series progresses.

“V/H/S” technology may be out-of-date, but don’t think that makes the scares in this series obsolete. With a POV approach, this anthology horror franchise takes the viewer through a series of what looks like found footage home movies, which – as you can expect – eventually lead to a variety of nasty demises. With several shorter tales in each film, there’s sure to be something to freak you out, while jump scares and general creepiness will keep you on the edge of your seat. Although the handheld camerawork can be a little hard on the senses, the filmmakers did find a new and interesting way to string together a group of small vignettes into a franchise of entertaining films.

This relatively new horror I.P. has already left quite an impact on the genre. The first installment follows a group of young people shooting an adult film on an elderly couple’s property. Mia Goth gives a standout performance, brilliantly portraying both the young star and the old woman. “X” is not just a beautifully shot slasher film that pays homage to classics like “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.” It’s also an insightful exploration of themes such as youth, aging, and the value we place on women's bodies. The sequel, “Pearl,” was similarly praised by critics for its strong acting and great cinematography. Writer-director-producer Ti West is clearly a talented storyteller, and we can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.

The Spanish zombie horror franchise upon which the American “Quarantine” series is based, the original “[REC]” also uses the handheld camera method of telling the story. The series of four films begins by following a reporter and her cameraman as they enter a building with an emergency response team, and get a response they could’ve lived without – literally. The claustrophobic settings and religious undertones up the tension in these films, as we’re treated to a first person experience of a zombie-infested nightmare. Dark lighting, jerky camera movement and maniacs trying to feast on your throat make for four films of terrifying intensity.

Prophetic visions and fate are the topics of choice in this franchise. Throughout the five films so far in this series, precognitive teens try to cheat death and save themselves from their own untimely and predicted demises. The Grim Reaper, however, has other plans, and attempts to thwart their efforts with series after series of outlandish coincidences that, when successful, lead to over-the-top gore and messy ends. This series brings the horror to the viewer in a way that may be beyond bloody, but is also extremely entertaining (in a gross way). You’ll never listen to John Denver the same way again…

Imagine a country where any and all crime is legal for a 12-hour period, once a year. Now imagine that a murderous gang has targeted your house specifically. NOW imagine what your next 12 hours will be like. That’s the basic premise of the first film in “The Purge” franchise, which grossed $89.3 million on a $3 million budget. And believe it or not, the films only got more successful from there, with each new entry exploring the concept through an ever-widening lens. With tension you can taste, this dystopian action franchise forces you to ask yourself “what would YOU do?”

While the 1990 miniseries starring Tim Curry is still a classic, this updated take on Stephen King’s novel cranks up the terror to eleven. The horror genre is known for doing a lot on a small budget, but “It” proves that sometimes, shelling out the extra bucks for bigger set pieces and better special effects is worth it. The movies also spend more time letting us get to know and care about the main characters – something many horror flicks don’t bother with. For those who crave more of King’s killer clown, we have good news: a prequel TV series called “Welcome to Derry” is in the works.

This is the film series that made running from zombie-like creatures much tougher than it used to be, as the franchise pits humanity against some speedy infected beings in the race to survive. Some well-meaning animal activists accidentally release the Rage virus upon mankind, and when the first film’s protagonist awakes from a coma four weeks after the event, he finds the world deserted – with the minor exception of the crazed infected hordes. Well-developed characters and a fresh approach to the zombie genre help bring the viewer into these films, which don’t fail to deliver on the zombie gore and post-apocalyptic scares.

Original concepts are hard to find in any genre of cinema these days, which is part of what made 2018’s “A Quiet Place” so unique. The antagonists are seemingly invulnerable aliens with ultra-sensitive hearing. This forces the family at the heart of the story to be perfectly quiet at all times. However, they have an advantage: the oldest daughter is deaf, so they’re able to communicate using sign language. The film was nominated for an Oscar for sound editing, a feat not many horror movies can claim. With such an interesting premise to build on, it’s no surprise that the movie has morphed into a true cinematic universe, including a sequel, a prequel, and a second sequel on the horizon.

If a thing going bump in the night is your scare of choice, you’ll want to check out the films in this supernatural horror series. The “Paranormal Activity” franchise has seven films to its credit to date, and each one has its fair share of chills, thrills, and jump scares. Captured in a found footage style by home movie and security cameras, the seemingly normal surroundings in the film instantly become frightening, as decidedly nasty presences make themselves known. How the hapless victims become aware of the evil is a step-by-step lesson in terror. And how they deal with that evil will scare your pants off with tension.

Things start to get really nasty as the “Insidious” series does its very best to keep you scared. The barrier between our reality and the spirit world may be thinner than you think, and these films show us just how close they really are. Yes, there are plenty of jump scares to keep the popcorn flying, but it’s the quieter moments in between, when you’re waiting and thinking and dreading what’ll come next, that really get to you. With five films and counting, the “Insidious” series will get under your skin as effectively as any demon.

You don’t want to have to solve the puzzles in our next franchise. First hitting the theatres in 2004, “Saw” has gone on to spawn a veritable media empire, as well as countless sleepless nights for viewers. The series’ original antagonist Jigsaw and his successors take killing in a creative direction, as countless victims are put into situations that require gruesome solutions, in order to escape with their lives. If you can handle the gut-wrenching tension of watching someone sawing off his own foot, seeing someone split open like a butterfly or extracting a pound of flesh from him or herself, then this grisly modern horror series is one you will definitely want to check out.

You can’t beat the scares that come from movies that claim to be based on true events, feature characters based on actual paranormal investigators, and boast enough shocks to keep you awake for a good long time. James Wan, the same director who brought us “Insidious,” applies his terrifying talents to these films with great skill. And the ghosts, demonic possession, and nasty surprises around every corner are only a tip of the iceberg. If you’re looking for films that will chill you to the bone and scare you senseless, then look no further: “The Conjuring” franchise – and its spinoff series “Annabelle” – will deliver everything you ask for – and maybe a little more.