The 2026 Horror Power Rankings: Which Movies Will Slay the Box Office?
After Sinners and Weapons helped horror crash the mainstream in 2025, 2026 is primed to go bigger—stacked with franchise sequels, gutsy reboots, major IP adaptations, and the return of heavyweights like Robert Eggers.
Horror had a moment in 2025 with titles like 'Sinners' and 'Weapons' crossing over big, and 2026 is lining up to keep the party going. We’ve got sequels, legacy IPs, a few risky swings, and the return of directors like Robert Eggers and Zach Cregger. There’s even an OG 'Scary Movie' cast reunion, which is both nostalgic and a little chaotic in the best way. Below is my read on which 2026 horror releases will make the most money worldwide, why, and what could trip them up. Projections are ballparks, not gospel.
- Clayface - $80 - $120 million
DC Studios is giving Batman villain Clayface an R-rated solo run, which is a fascinatingly odd play: body-horror vibes, a B-tier character, and new antagonists that won’t be familiar to casuals. The two big commercial lifelines here are James Gunn’s DC machine being behind it and the possibility of a Batman tie-in. THR pegs the budget around $40 million, so DC isn’t betting the farm. It’s dated for September 11, 2026, which feels like a modest-target counterprogramming slot.
- Evil Dead Burn - $120 - $150 million
'Evil Dead Rise' punched above its weight to a franchise-best ~$147 million worldwide (per BoxOfficeMojo), so the brand is healthy. 'Evil Dead Burn' brings in director Sébastien Vanicek ('Infested'), which should keep the scare factor mean. The snag: it opens July 24, 2026, on the same day as 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' (yes, the next Spider-Man movie). That caps the ceiling a bit, but horror diehards will still turn out.
- Scream 7 - $140 - $170 million
Every time you think this series has run out of masks, it finds a way. 'Scream VI' did $169 million worldwide (via The Numbers), and the February runway for 'Scream 7' is relatively clear. The no-Jenna-Ortega factor will sting, but the brand is durable and the month is friendly to horror.
- Ready or Not 2 - $140 - $180 million
The first film earned about $57–58 million in theaters but was a sleeper hit on streaming, which is doing a lot of heavy lifting for this sequel’s upside. Searchlight’s first-day trailer views hit 68 million, the studio’s No. 1 launch (per Deadline), which tells you the awareness is real. Expect it to play stronger domestically than overseas, with the sequel bump doing the rest. The talk around town is that this one aims for a healthy 2.5x multiplier on whatever its budget is.
- Scary Movie 6 - $150 - $200 million
The parody franchise travels well and always has. For context, the third film with Anna Faris cleared $150 million worldwide (via The Numbers). With the original cast reuniting, this one has a very real shot at matching those numbers or nudging past them, especially if the marketing taps into the 'we’re back' energy.
- 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple - $150 - $200 million
Fans are already bullish on this follow-up, and the previous entry, '28 Years Later', crossed at least $150 million worldwide (BoxOfficeMojo), with industry chatter putting it closer to $165M+. That film’s ending practically begged for a sequel, and a January frame with little direct horror competition is a nice lane. There is a change behind the camera this time, which adds a little risk, but the momentum is there.
- The Bride! - $150 - $220 million
Another spin on Frankenstein, this time with Maggie Gyllenhaal and the always-bankable Christian Bale. After Guillermo del Toro’s 'Frankenstein' hit big with prestige horror fans, there’s real appetite for the elevated Gothic lane. The budget is reportedly north of $130 million, so it’s a high-risk, high-reward play that could outpace 'Nosferatu' if the awards/prestige wave catches. Star power helps; execution decides.
- Werwulf - $180 - $250 million
Robert Eggers is on a run. 'Nosferatu' cleared roughly $182 million worldwide (BoxOfficeMojo), and 'Werwulf' looks like the bigger, bolder swing timed for Christmas 2026 — a slot that can give legs if word of mouth is good. Early behind-the-scenes shots (via LaineyGossip) of Lily-Rose Depp and Aaron Taylor-Johnson looking fully transformed have already kicked the hype machine into gear. Prestige horror with a crowd-pleaser angle is a potent combo, even if it’s volatile.
- Resident Evil - $200 - $280 million
Zach Cregger’s momentum is very real — 'Weapons' hauled in over $260 million (BoxOfficeMojo) — and pairing him with a globally recognized brand like 'Resident Evil' is a commercial layup on paper. The last big numbers from the series, 'Retribution', did $240 million back in 2012 (via The Numbers). International appeal is the secret sauce here; this one doesn’t need to overperform domestically to print money worldwide.
- Insidious 6 - $220 - $300 million
'Insidious: The Red Door' was a legit force: Collider even noted it sat as 2023’s top-grosser at one point during its run, and its final worldwide landed around $189 million (BoxOfficeMojo) — though you’ll also see the benchmark cited in the low-$180Ms depending on the tally. The series has a track record of holding its own next to behemoths like 'Mission: Impossible' and 'Indiana Jones'. 'Insidious 6' drops August 21, 2026, and the competition around that date looks light, which is ideal for a legs-y horror franchise.
Between risky originals, prestige monsters, and crowd-pleasing sequels, 2026’s horror slate is built for surprises. And yes, a couple of these picks are going to overdeliver in ways none of us see coming — that’s half the fun.