The most successful horror film franchises

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As of November 2024, the most successful horror film franchises, based on global box office revenue, are:

  1. The Conjuring Universe: This franchise, initiated with “The Conjuring” in 2013, has expanded to include films like “Annabelle,” “The Nun,” and their sequels. Collectively, these movies have grossed over $2.36 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing horror franchise to date.
  2. Alien: Starting with Ridley Scott’s “Alien” in 1979, this sci-fi horror series has produced multiple sequels and prequels, including “Aliens,” “Prometheus,” and “Alien: Covenant.” The franchise has amassed approximately $1.65 billion globally.
  3. Resident Evil: Based on the popular video game series, the “Resident Evil” films began in 2002 and have released several sequels, with the latest being “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City” in 2021. The series has generated over $1.2 billion worldwide.
  4. It: Adapted from Stephen King’s novel, the “It” franchise includes “It” (2017) and “It Chapter Two” (2019). Combined, these films have grossed over $1.1 billion globally.
  5. Jaws: Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classic “Jaws” spawned three sequels. Collectively, the franchise has earned approximately $819 million worldwide.
  6. Halloween: Beginning with John Carpenter’s “Halloween” in 1978, this slasher series has seen numerous sequels and reboots, including the recent trilogy concluding with “Halloween Ends” in 2022. The franchise has accumulated over $877 million globally.
  7. Saw: Known for its intricate traps and moral dilemmas, the “Saw” series started in 2004 and has released multiple sequels, with “Saw X” premiering in 2023. The franchise has grossed over $1 billion worldwide.
  8. Paranormal Activity: This found-footage horror series began in 2007 and has produced several sequels, with the latest installment, “Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin,” released in 2021. The franchise has earned over $890 million globally.

These franchises have not only achieved significant box office success but have also left a lasting impact on the horror genre, influencing numerous films and spawning dedicated fan bases.

A Closer Look At The Planet Neptune

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Neptune is the eighth and farthest planet from the sun but it is not the coldest. Our solar system’s blue gas giant is far larger than Earth, at more than 17 times Earth’s mass and nearly 58 times Earth’s volume, according to NASA. Neptune’s rocky core is surrounded by a slushy fluid mix of water, ammonia and methane ice. Astronomer Galileo Galilei was one of the first people to identify Neptune as a space object, however, he assumed it was a star based on its slow movement.

At the same time Le Verrier was calculating the existence of Neptune, so was English astronomer John Couch Adams. The two scholars independently came up with nearly identical mathematical predictions about Neptune’s existence. Le Verrier then informed his colleague, German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle, about his calculations, and Galle and his assistant Heinrich d’Arrest confirmed Le Verrier’s predictions by viewing and identifying Neptune through the telescope at his observatory in Berlin. In accordance with all the other planets seen in the sky, and as suggested by Le Verrier, this new world was given a name from Greek and Roman mythology — Neptune, the Roman god of the sea.

The planet’s cloud cover has an especially vivid blue tint that is partly due to an as-yet-unidentified compound and the result of the absorption of red light by methane in the planet’s mostly hydrogen-helium atmosphere. By studying the cloud formations on the gas giant, scientists were able to calculate that a day on Neptune lasts just under 16 hours long.