In 2017, the remake of Stephen King’sItbroke a nearly 20-year-long box office record, and now, it is unclear whether another movie will ever beat it. Originally published in 1986,Itis set in the fictional town of Derry, Maine, where every 27 years,a killer clown named Pennywisearrives to kidnap, murder, and terrorize children. The book’s protagonists,a group of kids called the Losers, embark on a mission to not only survive Pennywise, but take him downonce and for all. Although a mini series was originally made in 1990, Warner Bros. commissioned a remake.
Itquickly became a massive hit. On a budget of only $35 million, the movie grossed a whopping $704 million. This type of box office performance is not just impressive; it is almost unheard of for the horror genre. Ultimately,Itbecamethe highest-grossing horror movieof all time. On its own, this feat is exciting. However, it is made even better by the fact thatItdethroned another horror film that had held the title for an incredible run of 18 years.Itstill reigns supreme to this day, and no modern movie has gotten close to surpassing it.
It (2017) Broke The Sixth Sense’s Record To Become The Highest-Grossing Horror Movie Ever
What It Did To Break This Horror Movie Record
By earning so much money,Ittook the place of the former highest-grossing horror movie of all time,The Sixth Sense.Released in 1999, this iconic M. Night Shyamalan film follows a child psychiatrist whose young patient claims he can see and talk to dead people. ConsideringThe Sixth Sense’sincredible twistand strong cast, it’s no surprise that the film broke such a monumental record. It ended up earning approximately $672 million. Yet, the movie couldn’t hold its title forever, andIt’sachievement has only served to better the horror genre.
IT True Story: Real-Life Crimes That Inspired Pennywise
Stephen King’s 1986 horror novel IT features a nefarious clown that feeds off of children. Here are the real-life crimes that inspired Pennywise.
Some may be wondering: what didItdo to become so successful? In truth, a lot of the movie’s success was built in from the beginning. For example, as a Stephen King adaptation,Itwas pretty much guaranteed a strong fan base.Furthermore, the movie included an incredible cast of young actors, many of whom were recognizable for previous roles, such as Finn Wolfhard inStranger Things.Finally,Itsimply brought a sense of quality that audiences appreciated. The movie is terrifying, vivid, and consistently intense, making it ideal for any horror fan.
If It: Chapter 2 Couldn’t Beat It’s Box Office, Will Any Other Horror Movie Be Able To?
Which Horror Movies Have Come Close To It’s Box Office
After the success ofIt,many expected its sequel to do even better, breaking the record yet again. Unfortunately, that was not the case.It Chapter Twodid well at the box office and among critics, but it made significantly lessthan its predecessor.It Chapter Twogrossed $473 million - over $200 million less. On top of that,It Chapter Twolacked the rave reviews that the first movie got, settling for a slightly weaker 62% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes toIt’s85%. After this, it became clear that surpassingIt’sbox office numbers would be no easy feat.
$702,781,748
$672,806,292
$585,532,684
$540,007,876
$483,655,893
$473,093,228
$451,100,435
$430,872,776
$408,250,578
Prometheus (2012)
$403,354,469
Some may be surprised to learn thatonly three of the top 10 highest-grossing horror movies have come out in the last 10 years.Aside fromItandIt Chapter Two,the only really recent movie to earn a place on the list is 2024’sBeetlejuice Beetlejuice,which sits at number 7 with $451 million. All the other entries are horror movies that have been out for a while and are truly legendary:Jaws, The Exorcist, Signs.This proves that a horror film needs to be genuinely outstanding (or part of a beloved franchise) to reachIt’sstatus.
There Is One Movie Coming Soon That Could Beat It As The Highest-Grossing Horror Film
Horror Movies Deserve More Hype
Ithas managed to hold tight to its record so far, but one upcoming movie does have a chance of overtaking the 2017 movie. Though it has no release date yet, it has been confirmed thatI Am Legend 2is now in development, starring Michael B. Jordan and Will Smith.I Am Legendis a beloved sci-fi horror film, and notably,it holds the number 3 spot on the top 10 list of highest-grossing horror movies. If the sequel lives up to expectations, it could easily earn more than its predecessor, and maybe even more thanIt.
Horror movies may not be for everyone, but they are an art form that should get more spotlight.
Regardless of who holds the title,It’srecord break is a sign that horror movies deserve way more hype and appreciation.Itearned $700 million to reach the top of its list, but the highest-grossing movie of all time has earned over $2 billion at the box office. Horror movies may not be for everyone, but they are an art form that should get more spotlight. Movies likeItpull on themes that are incredibly important and moving, and aren’t just pointless violence or silly storytelling. Hopefully,Itwill be far from the last highest-grossing horror movie of all time.
