Summary
Horror films have existed since the medium began. Audiences have always sought thrills on the silver screen. Filmmakers have been more than happy to give audiences these frights. However, as the industry began to grow, studios found it easier to rely on some existing properties to make audiences scream with delight.
This is the beginning of horror franchises, where audiences can expect certain characters or themes to recur throughout each iteration. Franchises have beentent poles for the horror genre, resulting in some of the most recognizable icons in cinema history.
10The Universal Pictures Monster Movie Franchise
Arguably the first horror franchise to exist, the franchise spanned over twenty years and features some of horror’s biggest icons. With Dracula, the Wolf Man, Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the series saw immense success and impact on the horror genre.
This franchise paved the way for all horror films to come due to its cultural impact and exploration of several subgenres of horror. Universal has also beenrebooting several of the characterswithin the past few years, like with 2023’sRenfieldand 2019’sThe Invisible Man.
9Scream Franchise
When the firstScreamhit theaters in 1996, the slasher genre was thought to have been dead in the water. However, horror director icon Wes Craven’s franchise brought new life to the subgenre while also incorporating a whodunit atmosphere that has been preserved through each entry.
The franchise leaned heavily into slasher tropes rather than reinventing, making each film a fascinating piece of meta-horror apt for what was popular in the genre at the time. With an MTV series, six movies, and a seventh in production (at the time of writing), the series is still going strong.
8The Ring Franchise
In the late 90s and early 00s, the world saw a rapid growth of technology, and people were endlessly fascinated by human’s growing reliance on screens. Enter 1998’sRingu, where a cursed videotape has the ability to kill viewers a week after they watch its content.
The series and its famous well-dwelling star Sadako quickly took the world by storm and is largelycredited with the J-horrorboom during the 2000s. Including eight films, manga adaptations, video games, and series for Japanese television, the films also had English and Korean remakes.
7Halloween Franchise
John Carpenter’s original 1978Halloweenwas a film of humble beginnings; with a tiny budget, an unknown Jamie Lee Curtis, and a script written in 10 days. The original film sent shockwaves across the nation.
Michael Myers became the face of slasher films and a series of films revolving around him was born. Across thirteen movies, the series has remained a mainstay for horror lovers. With theHalloween III: The Season of the Witch, the Rob Zombie entries, and the reboot trilogy, theHalloweenseries has never been shy for reinvention either, making it still feel fresh as Michael’s first visit to Haddonfield, Illinois.
6The ConjuringUniverse
James Wan, creator of theSawfranchise and director of 2021’sMalignant, is no stranger to horror. However, with the release ofThe Conjuringin 2013, he solidified himself and the series as horror staples. It is thehighest-grossing horror franchise of all time, grossing over two billion dollars across itsmain series and spinoffs,which includeThe NunandAnnabelle.
Directly inspired by the real stories and plights of demonologists Lorraine and Ed Warren, the series' footing in real events and true stories adds an extra layer of terror. With nine films and one in development, the future of franchise is limitless.
5Friday The 13th Series
Few film symbols are as recognizable as Jason Voorhees' hockey mask. Acting as the main antagonist for the majority of the franchise, Jason terrorized teens across twelve movies, video games, and television series,Friday the 13thset the tone for teen slashers, including several tropes and themes.
The franchise is also notorious for its constant outrageousness, with one entry leaving Crystal Lake behind for Manhattan, a crossover withA Nightmare on Elm Street,and even an entry in space with a sci-fi tone.
4AlienFranchise
Science fiction and horrorcan often bring out the best of each genre. TheAlienfranchise continues to marry sci-fi’s innovative edge and world-building with horror’s innate suspense and thrills.
From Ripley’s first encounter with the extra-terrestrials, the titular aliens have become synonymous with sci-fi films, but that does not ignore the major impact they have had on the horror genre. Across eight movies and several video games, the series is an integral cross between two vital film genres.
3Godzilla And Friends
Any discussion about the monster movie genre would be incomplete without mentioning the behemoth Godzilla multimedia franchise. Heralding from Japan with the original release in 1954, the series has introduced a multitude of other gigantic monsters like Mothra or Hedorah.
Spanning video games, books, television series, and animpressive 38 movies from both Japanand America, the franchise is considered the longest-running franchise ever by Guinness World Records.
Long beforeThe Last of UsorThe Walking Deadcame to television,The Evil Deadoffered audiences a truly unique look at the undead. The original trilogy spanned over ten years and became cult classics for its unique production, campiness, and over-the-top nature of the world.
The Evil Deadhas also taken over television withAsh Vs. Evil Dead,and also saw several video games throughout the 2000s. With Bruce Campbell being the face of the series as Ash Williams aside from thetwo reboot films from 2013 and 2023, the series is a definitive franchise of zombie horror.
1The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Similarly toHalloween, 1974’sThe Texas Chainsaw Massacrebegan as a low-budget slasher film. However, the film’s extreme realism and gore are notably different from its contemporary peers. The series began to delve into the Sawyer family’s backstory and their murderous rampages across Texas.
The series has also gone through several reboots and revivals throughout the years, including a 2022 entry. From his appearance inDead by Daylightto his origin story films, Leatherface is a horror icon worthy of his deadly status.
