While horror movies aren't as profitable as other genres, Americans definitely flocked to theatres in the 2010s in search of big-screen terror. During the decade, production companies like A24 and Blumhouse provided a platform for more thought-provoking horror features like Ari Asher's Get Out.
Despite doing well at the box office, this new wave of horror lost out to more standard fright flicks. Based on the numbers, mainstream American audiences still prefer jump scares and familiar faces when it comes to horror, meaning they are drawn in by franchises and big-name movie stars.
2010: Paranormal Activity 2 - $84 Million
Oren Peli revolutionized the found-footage subgenre with 2007's Paranormal Activity – which he filmed with only $15,000. The first movie tells the story of a couple, Micah and Katie, who are plagued by mysterious events in their new home.
The second movie is a prequel of sorts, focusing on similar occurrences at the home of Katie's sister, Kristi, in the months leading up to the first film's finale. Paranormal Activity 2 beat James Wan's Insidious in US theatres, earning $30 million more than the other popular horror franchise.
2011: Paranormal Activity 3 - $104 Million
The third installment in the Paranormal Activity franchise did even better than the second, You're Next.
Set in 1988, Paranormal Activity 3 focuses on a younger Katie and Kristi, relying on footage shot by their mom's VHS-obsessed boyfriend. The girls encounter a demon named Tobi, exposing them to the supernatural world that comes back to haunt them as adults.
2012: Dark Shadows - $79 Million
Directed by Tim Burton and distributed by Warner Bros., Johnny Depp stars as Barnabas Collins, vampire set free after being imprisoned for hundreds of years. Collins returns to his family's estate to find it occupied by his dysfunctional descendants.
The star-studded, yet critically derailed, horror-comedy features Eva Green, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jonny Lee Miller, Helena Bonham Carter, and Chloë Grace Moretz. The Alien prequel Prometheus exceeded Dark Shadows in US theatres, but Ridley Scott's film is much more of a science fiction adventure than its monster movie predecessor.
2013: World War Z - $202 Million
Brad Pitt and zombies: what more could moviegoers want? 2013 was a big year for mainstream horror, seeing the release of multiple films that would go on to become popular franchises, like The Purge. However, neither film came close to the adaptation of Max Brooks's zombie apocalypse flick in US theatres.
In World War Z, Pitt plays hero Gerry Lane. Lane, a former UN investigator, travels the world in search of a cure for the zombie pandemic destroying the planet. While it has an uneven plot, the film is packed with plenty of thrills.
2014: Annabelle - $84 Million
The second film in The Conjuring universe, Annabelle tells the story of the possessed doll mentioned by Ed and Lorraine Warren in the first film. Directed by John R. Leonetti, the film capitalizes on the international success of its predecessor. While hailed a mess by critics, Annabelle was later followed by two sequels.
2014 turned out to be a slow year for big-budget horror, but it did see the release of independent horror features like Taiki Waititi's What We Do in the Shadows – co-directed with Jemaine Clement.
2015: Goosebumps - $80 Million
This family-friendly attempt to synthesize R.L. Stine's popular YA horror novels into one movie turned out to be both a Goosebumps pays homage to its source material while keeping modern audiences entertained.
Jack Black plays a fictionalized version of R.L. Stine, whose teenage daughter and her friends are tasked with fending off various monsters from the author's oeuvre after they mysteriously come to life.
2016: Split - $138 Million
M. Night Shyamalan's psychological thriller starring James McAvoy eclipsed The Conjuring 2 by over $30 million in US theatres. McAvoy plays a man with 23 distinct personalities who kidnaps three teenage girls and keeps them in an underground cell.
As the girls fight for their lives, a 24th personality emerges from within McAvoy's character Kevin. a comeback for Shyamalan, one sustained by McAvoy's dynamic performance. That being said, the film has received criticism for how it handles mental illness.
2017: It - $327 Million
It's no surprise the much-anticipated remake of Stephen King's classic novel It generated over $300 million in US theatres alone. The ensemble feature about a group of tweens who decide to take on an ancient, shapeshifting monster remains one of the most popular American horror stories.
Andy Muschietti's It went on to earn over $700 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing horror film of all time. In addition to its talented cast of child actors, Bill Skarsgård plays one convincing and horrific Pennywise.
2018: A Quiet Place - $188 Million
John Krasinki put his days as Jim from The Office far behind him when he released A Quiet Place – an effective, familial horror film he directed, co-wrote, and stars in alongside his wife Emily Blunt.
Set in 2020, A Quiet Place follows the Abbott family as they traverse a post-apocalyptic world overrun by vicious creatures with extrasensory hearing. In order to survive, the family must remain as silent as possible. Krasinki and Blunt deliver top-notch acting, making this original concept for a horror film an overwhelming success.
2019: It Chapter Two - $211 Million
The follow-up to Andy Muschietti's groundbreaking mainstream horror film sees a gang of well-known actors playing the adult versions of Derry, Maine's Loser's Club. The cast includes Bill Hader, Jessica Chastain, and James McAvoy. Of course, Bill Skarsgård returns as Pennywise.
Set 27 years after the first film, the Loser's Club returns to Derry in order to defeat Pennywise once and for all. While the film keeps the narrative afloat, it doesn't quite match the fear and youthful wonder that made its predecessor so engrossing. Still, It Chapter 2 did just fine in theatres.
