10 Best Horror Movie Franchises

By James Metcalfe / May 29, 2020

As a genre, horror has been around for countless generations. From supernatural stories of ghosts and ghouls dating all the way back to the 1700s, the voodo-inspired fantasies of the early 1900s, to the far more grotesque tales of Frankenstein and his monster, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and even the tragic Elephant Man, the modern world of horror on the big screen has its roots in a lot of different influences.

And so often horror is the most original and creative genre of entertainment in the industry. Often representing cultural or social messages relevant for its time and playing on every little thing that can unsettle or disturb audiences, horror films aren't restrained by age ratings or the need to please everyone, which has led to some truly iconic franchises being created and refined over the years.

From terrifying real-world stories brought to life on the big screen, psudo-comedies transforming an entire genre of filmmaking to this day, to the tried and tested classic kills of Freddy, Jason, Michael and co, here's our take on the top best horror movie franchises of all time.

10. Candyman

One of the more under-appreciated franchises in the horror world, Candyman is deep, emotional, dreamy and grossly bloody all at the same time. The original film was based on The Forbidden, a title in the Books of Blood series written by author Clive Barker, but was released at a time where interest in the horror genre was at an all time low. Sandwiched inbetween a decade of increasingly low budget and sleazy slasher sequels and the emergence of meta-heavy Scream-inspired films, Candyman usually slips under the radar when people think about the world's best franchises.

Tony Todd puts in one of the most standout performances ever seen in horror with his portrayal of Candyman, the ghost of Daniel Robitaille. Robitaille was, in life, an African-American man who, after the discovery of his relationship with a white woman, was beaten, mutilated and fed to bees. Throughout the franchise, he pops up sporting a bloody hook for a hand, a long trench coat and a carcass filled with bees.

Candyman is summoned by people who mention his name five times, though is usually far from grateful for the experience. Not many characters can blend together the terrifying and whimsical, but that's what helps make Candyman one of the most special franchises in horror history.