Horror does n’t generally make Marvel money , but there have still been some very profitable fright flicks , with the most successful being surprising . Most are probably cognisant by now that 2017’sIT , an adaptation of Stephen King ’s classic novel of the same name , is thehighest - grossing horror movie ever , at least when not adjusted for pompousness . The film drag in over $ 700 million at the worldwide box government agency , screaming by previous disk holderThe Sixth Senselike Pennywise in Bill Denborough ’s basement .

There ’s also all - time horror classics that most moving picture buffs are aware made tons of money , particularly when adjusted for inflation , but even without doing so . These includeThe exorciser , Jaws , Halloween , Alien , andThe Silence of the Lambs , just to name a few . Then there ’s surprise success stories likeWorld War Z , which stands as the highest - grossing zombie movie ever , despite being far from the league of darling hits likeShaun of the Dead , Dawn of the Dead , andZombieland .

relate : IT : Every Box Office Record Broken by the Stephen King Movie

Scarlet Witch looking disappointed in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

However , as could probably be pretend from the title of this slice , none of the films previously mentioned are really the most profitable horror movie of all time . When considering that , one has to weigh in not just size of gross , but the budget it be to get there . For those about to bring upThe Blair Witch Project , no that ’s not it either , although that ’s a closelipped guess .

The Most Profitable Horror Movie Isn’t What You Think

Despite gross $ 248.6 million worldwide on a reported budget of only $ 60,000,The Blair Witch Project , no longer concord the title of most profitable horror movie . It was usurped for that tip in 2009 by fellow found footage hitParanormal Activity . Oren Peli ’s demonic panic - fest was shoot for a mere $ 15,000 , and went on to gross $ 193.4 million worldwide . It also spawned a franchise that ’s earned virtually $ 900 million total , which stands in barren line toBlair Witch ’s sequel , which both flopped .

Even after the cost ofre - shootingParanormal Activity ’s conclusion , and the overweight viral marketing costs for both films , Paranormal Activitystill comes out on top in pure net profit . Paranormal Activityis exactly what any studio hopes for when they hustle a cheaply made cinema festival darling out of obscurity , and release it broad . While movies likeITandThe Exorcisthave made huge cant , they also costs millions to raise , whileParanormal Activitywas literally profitable after its first day in theaters . One wonders if another cheap indie repulsion will eventually come in along to knock it off its perch .

More : Every Paranormal Activity Movie Ranked , Worst To Best

Brandon Sklenar as Spencer Dutton sits next to Julia Schlaepfer as Alexandra Dutton in 1923.

Two grandmas cooking in Nonnas

The Most Profitable Horror Movie Isn’t What You Think

Paranormal Activity

Paranormal Activity