As the year enters its swan song, it’s time to look back at some of the biggest successes of the entertainment industry. The highest-grossing horror movies of 2024 pulled in some whopping numbers and set the global box office buzzing.
With commercially successful titles like Alien: Romulus to A Quiet Place: Day One, 2024 saw a barrage of horror hits that kept the spooky season alive throughout the year. They raked in over USD 100 million and made milestones at the worldwide box office. The new Tim Burton title Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, a sequel to the acclaimed 1988 horror comedy also finds itself on the list after collecting over USD 450 million.
Films from Asia also made global headlines with outstanding business. From India, the Shraddha Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao starrer Stree 2 made unprecedented records at the box office, crossing INR 870 crores (around USD 103 million). South Korean film Exhuma also set the box office ablaze, with worldwide collections crossing USD 97 million.
While these highest-grossing horror movies have dominated the box office, several other 2024 titles have also seen a mighty run. Shaitaan, featuring Ajay Devgn and R Madhavan, is one of the highest-grossing Indian films of the year. According to the BBC, it has earned around USD 25 million worldwide.
Then there is the A24 movie MaXXXine helmed by Ti West. It stars Mia Goth as an adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx, who gets her big break in the industry. But it is shortlived as a mysterious killer leaves a blood trail linking to her past. Box Office Mojo states it has amassed over USD 22 million globally.
Similarly, Immaculate (released in March 2024) by Michael Mohan also lies in the same league with a gross of over USD 28.4 million, reports Box Office Mojo. Sydney Sweeney steps in as Cecilia, a woman of devout faith, finds a job in the picture-perfect Italian countryside at an illustrious convent. However, she soon realises that her new home contains dark and horrifying secrets.
Needless to say, 2024 has been quite packed in terms of the best horror movies. We look back at some of the biggest spooky hits that came out this year.
Check out some of the top highest-grossing horror films of 2024
1 /11
Global box office: Over USD 450 million
IMDb rating: 6.8
Directed by: Tim Burton
Cast: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Jenna Ortega
Synopsis: After a family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Lydia (Ryder) is still haunted by the eccentric Beetlejuice (Keaton). Her life turns upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter Astrid (Ortega) accidentally opens a portal to the afterlife. Now, it is only a matter of time before someone utters Beetlejuice’s name thrice and the mischievous demon conjures up.
About the film: Taking place after the events of the 1988 film, it carries Burton’s brand of horror comedy and is one of the highest-grossing movies of 2024.
Collider states it has toppled Dune: Part Two to become the highest-grossing movie under the Warner Bros. banner. With a global earning of over USD 450 million, it is also Burton’s top-earning film of all time.
2 /11
Global box office: Over USD 350 million
IMDb rating: 7.2
Directed by: Fede Alvarez
Cast: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux
Synopsis: In 2142 at the Jackson colony, Rain Carradine (Spaeny) and her synthetic brother Andy (Jonsson) live together. When Rain’s boyfriend Tyler’s (Renaux) contract with the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, which administrates the colony, extends, he convinces Rain and a group of young space colonists to rebuild a derelict space station and flee to planet Yvaga. However, when their mission goes horribly wrong, the group is faced with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
About the film: This sci-fi horror movie is the seventh film in the Alien franchise. It’s the second-highest-grossing title in the series.
It was predicted to earn USD 40 million on its opening weekend but went on to gross USD 41.5 million at the North American box office, according to Koimoi.
3 /11
Global box office: Over USD 261 million
IMDb rating: 6.3
Directed by: Michael Sarnoski
Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff
Synopsis: A young woman living in a hospice named Sam (Nyong’o) is on a trip to New York City. Despite a usual start, things get derailed when the world goes silent due to an alien invasion. As these creatures are ultra-sensitive to sound, Sam and her new friend Eric (Quinn) must reach somewhere safe, without making any noise.
About the film: Figures quoted by both Box Office Mojo and The Numbers show the brilliant business this Hollywood horror flick brought in. The sci-fi horror movie earned over USD 138 million in the domestic box office alone which catapulted its overall figures.
4 /11
Global box office: Over USD 126 million
IMDb rating: 6.7
Directed by: Osgood Perkins
Cast: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Blair Underwood
Synopsis: As Lee Harker (Monroe), a gifted FBI Agent, investigates the dark mystery of a serial killer, she discovers occult clues that hold the reason behind the horrifying murders. The case gets complex with unexpected twists and turns as Lee races against the clock to solve the clues before the killer takes another life.
About the film: On 16 August 2024, The Hollywood Reporter stated that Longlegs had surpassed the USD 100 million mark after releasing on 12 July. It has dethroned Bong Joo-ho’s Parasite and marked a phenomenal success for the indie production house Neon. It has also become the top-grossing R-rated horror film of 2024 and the highest-grossing indie horror film of the last decade.
5 /11
Global box office: Over USD 124 million
IMDb rating: 7.2
Directed by: Parker Finn
Cast: Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage
Synopsis: Rising global pop sensation Skye Riley (Scott) is about to embark on a world tour when she begins to experience increasingly terrifying events. Overwhelmed by the horrors and hallucinations, she is forced to face her past to take control of her life.
About the film: The film was released on 18 October and on 12 November, Koimoi reported it has earned 341 per cent more than its budget.
Variety mentions it amassed USD 23 million on its opening weekend, contributing immensely to its box office success.
6 /11
Global box office: Over INR 874 crore (over USD 103 million)
IMDb rating: 7.1
Directed by: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee, Aparshakti Khurana
Synopsis: After the events of Stree, Chanderi is haunted once again. This time, by a headless entity called Sarkatta. As he targets women and abducts them to his lair, the villagers request Vicky (Rao) for help. He, along with his friends Rudra (Tripathi), Bittu (Khurana) and Janna (Banerjee) enter the eerie house where Stree once lived and Sarkatta is buried. Helping them on their mission is the unnamed mysterious woman (Kapoor), who reappears with more powers.
About the film: Stree 2 was declared an all-time blockbuster hit with an outstanding box office collection and raked in over INR 874 crore (approximately USD 103 million) worldwide according to Bollywood Hungama. It is also the first Hindi film to cross the INR 600 crore mark.
7 /11
Global box office: Over USD 97 million
IMDb rating: 6.9
Directed by: Jang Jae-hyun
Cast: Kim Go-eun, Choi Min-sik, Lee Do-hyun, Yoo Hae-jin
Synopsis: A wealthy Korean-American family seek the help of renowned Korean shaman Lee Hwa-rim (Kim) and her protégé Bong-gil (Lee Do-hyun) to cure their newborn boy’s mysterious illness. As they suspect it to be the Grave’s Call, a curse from a vengeful ancestor, the family decides to relocate the ancestor’s grave. Hwa-rim, along with her colleagues, Feng shui master Kim Sang-deok (Choi) and a mortician Yeong-geun (Yoo) undertake this dangerous task, but unearth horrifying secrets and dark truths buried in the past.
About the film: This Korean horror film made headlines as the highest-grossing Korean film of 2024 and the sixth-highest-grossing Korean movie of all time. It collected nearly USD 98 million, states Box Office Mojo. Exhuma premiered at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival on 16 February, before being publicly released on 22 February.
Read more: Onibaba & 10 other best Japanese horror movies that will give you sleepless nights
8 /11
Global box office: Over USD 81 million (still running)
IMDb rating: 6.5
Directed by: Damien Leone
Cast: Lauren LaVera, David Howard Thornton, Antonella Rose
Synopsis: After surviving Art the Clown’s (Thornton) Halloween massacre, Sienna (LaVera) and her brother struggle to get their lives back together. As the holiday season approaches, they try to embrace the Christmas spirit and keep their past behind. Just when they think they’re safe, Art returns with a more diabolic plan.
About the film: As of 13 November 2024, the third instalment in the Terrifier movie franchise is just USD 5 million short of surpassing Joker: Folie à Deux‘s domestic gross of USD 58 million.
While Box Office Mojo mentions its worldwide gross currently stands at a little over USD 81 million, Collider states that when it crossed the USD 70 million mark, it entered the lists of top 30 highest-grossing films of the year and top 10 highest-grossing non-rated movies ever. With a budget of USD 2 million, it is also the most expensive of the three films in the franchise.
9 /11
Global box office: Over USD 76.6 million
IMDb rating: 6.9
Directed by: James Watkins
Cast: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy
Synopsis: An American family is invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic country estate of a charming British family they befriended on vacation. They begin their dreamy holiday but soon realise there is something sinister about their host. The holiday warps into a snarled psychological nightmare as the American family discovers a strange dark side to their British hosts.
About the film: According to Collider, Speak No Evil was produced on a reported budget of USD 15 million and passed the USD 60 million mark worldwide in late September despite its impending digital debut. It is the US remake of a 2022 Danish thriller.
10 /11
Global box office: Over USD 54 million
IMDb rating: 4.7
Directed by: Bryce McGuire
Cast: Wyatt Russell, Kerry Condon, Amélie Hoeferle
Synopsis: After an early retirement due to a degenerative ailment, former major league baseball player Ray Waller (Russell) moves into a beautiful home with his wife and children. The property comes replete with a backyard and outdoor pool that the children love. As they begin afresh, a powerful underworld figure unleashes a malevolent force in the backyard pool and drags the blissful family into the depth of horror.
About the film: Despite Wonka dominating the beginning of 2024, this Blumhouse horror movie grossed a staggering USD 12 million in its opening weekend and recorded a USD 17 million global debut. It toppled films like Thanksgiving and Talk to Me, but bowed down to the 2022 horror hit M3GAN.
11 /11
Global box office: Over USD 53 million
IMDb rating: 6.5
Directed by: Arkasha Stevenson
Cast: Nell Tiger Free, Ralph Ineson, Sonia Braga
Synopsis: A young American woman is sent to Rome to work at a church. Her days turn hellish when she encounters sinister secrets related to the birth of the devil.
About the film: The First Omen has collected over USD 53 million, according to Box Office Mojo. The prequel to the classic Omen film franchise had seen a slump in the overall theatrical run, but after four weeks, it sailed past the USD 50 million mark.
