Ranking: 20 Highest Grossing Horror Movies Of All Time

9. The Conjuring

The Conjuring Vera Farmiga
Warner Bros.

Box Office: $318 million (#8)

Though in 2013 director James Wan was better known for his work on the Saw franchise, Wan proved himself a filmmaker capable of more classical Hollywood scares with The Conjuring.

Aided by an excellent ensemble cast, Wan gorgeously homages horror classics such as The Exorcist and Poltergeist, and while there's not much here in the way of truly inventive thrills, it reminds that slow-building suspense is so much scarier than buckets of blood.

The world-building and overall atmosphere are just leagues ahead of most contemporary studio horror films, ensuring that familiar material is given a heady, stylish retooling for audiences new and old.

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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.