10 Greatest Horror Movies That Started A Franchise

Over the years, many fantastic horror films have unexpectedly become the foundation for hugely successful movie franchises. Often, especially in the early days of filmmaking, movies weren’t initially planned as part of a larger series. For example, when Alfred Hitchcock released Psycho in 1960, he wasn’t thinking about building a franchise.

As a huge movie fan, I’ve noticed something lately: so many horror films feel like they’re made to be franchises, rather than just good movies. It’s like the story itself comes second. But the truly great franchises? They started with a genuinely terrifying and well-told story, and then the sequels naturally followed. It’s a simple idea, but it makes all the difference.

10. Friday The 13th (1980)

Looking back at 1980s horror films, it often felt like every movie was designed to launch a series. But when Sean Cunningham created Friday the 13th, he had a different goal. He wasn’t trying to start a franchise; he wanted to make a single, effective horror movie, and he succeeded.

Before Friday the 13th, horror movies like Black Christmas and Halloween centered around holidays, but none of them had spawned sequels or full-fledged franchises. However, similar to Halloween, Friday the 13th proved popular enough to build a franchise, though it significantly altered the original story.

The original Friday the 13th movie featured a woman seeking revenge on teenagers at a campground, after her son tragically died there years earlier. The filmmakers later decided to turn it into a series by revealing the son, Jason Voorhees, was actually still alive. Despite the sequels, many fans consider the first film, with the mother as the killer, to be the strongest entry in the franchise.

9. The Conjuring (2013)

I remember when James Wan released The Conjuring back in 2013, and honestly, it felt obvious he was hoping to build a whole universe around it. He’d already proven he knew how to launch a successful franchise with Saw – seven movies had come out before he even started working on The Conjuring! But even with that experience, I don’t think anyone could have predicted just how huge this would become.

The movie The Conjuring is inspired by the work of real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren and the cases they reportedly handled. The first film focuses on a haunted farmhouse in Rhode Island, and its success came from a combination of the setting, skilled directing, and a genuinely frightening story.

As a huge horror fan, I was blown away by The Conjuring! It wasn’t just that it got sequels, but it launched this whole interconnected universe with films like Annabelle and The Nun – they all feel connected, which is so cool! It’s incredible to think the franchise has made $2.7 billion worldwide, and honestly, the first movie is a true horror classic – a masterpiece, in my opinion.

8. Scream (1996)

In the 1990s, Wes Craven aimed to create a horror film that played with the idea of horror itself, and he initially tried this with his A Nightmare on Elm Street series. While the franchise had mixed success over time, his film Wes Craven’s New Nightmare confused many viewers. Fortunately, Craven persevered despite the initial reaction.

Wes Craven’s film Scream was innovative because it featured teenagers who were fans of horror movies. These characters actually discussed horror movie clichés and rules while being targeted by a killer, creating a clever and self-aware slasher film that launched a successful franchise.

While the Scream franchise has had its ups and downs, the original movie was a truly exceptional horror film. It practically invented a new style of horror that dominated Hollywood throughout the 1990s.

7. Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

When Tobe Hooper made the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre, he didn’t intend it to become a series of films. It was simply a gritty, rule-breaking horror movie from the 1970s that pushed boundaries, and even faced censorship concerns, due to its intense violence.

The original film followed a group of young people traveling through rural Texas who unfortunately encountered a family of cannibals. This family shocked and horrified the locals by serving human meat. It was during this film that the character Leatherface was introduced, and despite initial controversy, it launched a successful film series.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre now has nine films, but the original is still considered the best and a standout horror movie from the 1970s.

6. Evil Dead (1981)

Sam Raimi’s 1981 film quickly became a classic of independent horror, despite its small budget. Made with help from his college friends, the movie follows a group of young people battling terrifying demons. It was a huge success and launched the career of Bruce Campbell.

The original film sparked a lot of controversy and was even included on the notorious “video nasties” lists of the 1980s. It only gained widespread attention because of strong endorsements from figures like Stephen King. While the sequel, Evil Dead II, is often considered the better film, many feel the original has a rawer energy and more genuine passion, despite its lower budget.

This film launched a hugely successful franchise that continues to this day, and it paved the way for other independent horror filmmakers to pursue their visions. Few horror movies of the 1980s were as influential as Evil Dead.

5. A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)

The idea for A Nightmare on Elm Street came to Wes Craven after reading about people mysteriously dying in their sleep. This reminded him of a childhood experience: looking out his window and seeing a man in a green and red shirt who made eye contact and frightened him.

So, Wes Craven took this concept of a menacing figure and flipped it – instead of stalking people in reality, he hunted them in their dreams. Honestly, he wasn’t even trying to build a franchise, he just had a genuinely creepy idea that really got under his skin, and it turned out to scare the heck out of a whole generation. Ironically, that one scary idea did launch a whole series of movies!

While the Nightmare on Elm Street series had its ups and downs – with some sequels being fantastic and others falling flat – the original film was a game-changer for the slasher genre. The quality wasn’t consistent throughout the series, but the first movie’s impact is undeniable.

4. Night Of The Living Dead (1968)

As a huge horror fan, I think Night of the Living Dead is easily one of the most important films ever made, especially considering how little money it took to create! It really launched George A. Romero’s career. But more than that, it created the zombie movie as we know it. Before this film, zombies were different – rooted in Haitian folklore. Romero totally flipped the script and gave us the modern, flesh-eating, walking dead that we all love (and fear!).

Romero’s black and white film launched a worldwide monster craze, eventually inspiring the hugely popular horror TV series, The Walking Dead. While he initially created the film, he later lost the rights before continuing the story with Dawn of the Dead.

Although Dawn of the Dead was a stronger film overall, Night of the Living Dead’s impact on horror movies is undeniable. It revolutionized the genre, and John Carpenter remarkably achieved this with a tiny budget and by relying entirely on practical effects.

3. Halloween (1978)

John Carpenter’s 1978 film, Halloween, is widely considered the movie that launched the slasher horror craze of the 1980s. Though Black Christmas technically came first, Halloween was so impactful that most fans recognize it as the original and truly set the standard for the genre. It was a remarkably effective film.

Surprisingly, John Carpenter didn’t initially intend for Halloween to launch a series of films about Michael Myers. However, after the first movie became a huge hit, the studio persuaded him to continue the story with a sequel. Carpenter agreed, with the understanding that it would be the only continuation.

John Carpenter initially intended the third film to be a standalone horror movie, hoping to create a new one each year. But the studio decided to bring back Michael Myers, and that first truly great slasher film ultimately launched a very profitable series.

2. The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)

In 1991, The Silence of the Lambs made history as the first horror film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. It also achieved a rare feat, winning all five of the major Oscar categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay – a distinction only three films have ever earned.

While not the first film to feature Hannibal Lecter – that was 1986’s Manhunter starring Brian Cox – The Silence of the Lambs was the one that truly launched a successful film series. It followed up its Academy Award wins by starting a whole new franchise.

As a fan, it was amazing to see the story of Hannibal Lecter keep going! Anthony Hopkins came back to play him in both a sequel and a prequel, and the world expanded with two TV shows too. One of them, Bryan Fuller’s Hannibal, was particularly fantastic – truly a standout series.

1. The Exorcist (1973)

As a movie fan, I always thought it was a huge deal that The Exorcist even got nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Back then, the Academy wasn’t really known for recognizing horror films, especially ones as genuinely shocking and unsettling as that one. It really showed what a powerful and well-made movie it was – it broke the mold and forced them to acknowledge its brilliance.

Directed by William Friedkin and based on William Peter Blatty’s novel (which Blatty also adapted for the screen), this movie set the standard for all exorcism films that followed. Linda Blair gave a startling performance as the possessed girl, and Ellen Burstyn and Max von Sydow both delivered exceptionally strong performances.

The original Exorcist was a truly exceptional horror film, and surprisingly, it launched a whole franchise. While it took four years for a sequel and then another thirteen for a third, the series has grown to include seven films and a TV show. However, many fans still consider the first Exorcist movie to be the strongest of the bunch.

2026-04-06 01:02