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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsRotten Tomatoes’ October 7, 2026 ranking puts 28 Days Later first, followed by Evil Dead and Universal’s 1931–1948 Frankenstein films. It is a review-score ranking of eligible franchises, not a definitive judgment of horror history or a box-office chart. The scores below are the figures reported in Rotten Tomatoes’ article on that date.
How Rotten Tomatoes ranked the franchises
Rotten Tomatoes’ October 7, 2026 ranking, by Mark Hofmeyer, considered 47 franchises. To qualify, a franchise needed at least four films, with at least five reviews for each film; eligible releases could be theatrical or on a major streaming or subscription site. Sequels, remakes, reboots, and prequels counted. Some classic series were left out because they did not meet the review threshold.
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The ranking combines seven category placements: franchise Freshness percentage, average Tomatometer score, average Popcornmeter score, sequel-only averages for both meters, and the best and worst film in the franchise according to the average of that film’s Tomatometer and Popcornmeter scores. Rotten Tomatoes summed each franchise’s placements; a lower total ranked higher. This rewards both strong overall reception and well-reviewed follow-ups. It is a particular scoring method, not a universal measure of cultural influence or a count of viewers.
What are the top 10 horror franchises ranked?
The table reproduces Rotten Tomatoes’ order and its reported franchise averages. The best and lowest entries use the article’s combined film-score measure, rather than either meter alone.
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| Rank | Franchise | Films | Average Tomatometer | Average Popcornmeter | Best film (combined score) | Lowest film (combined score) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 Days Later | 4 | 84.75% | 75.5% | 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026), 89.5% | 28 Weeks Later (2007), 69.5% |
| 2 | Evil Dead | 6 | 76.3% | 79% | Evil Dead 2 (1987), 88.5% | Evil Dead (2013), 63.5% |
| 3 | Universal Frankenstein (1931–1948) | 8 | 73.2% | 62.75% | Bride of Frankenstein (1935), 92.5% | Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1945), 40% |
| 4 | Hannibal Lecter | 5 | 62.6% | 72.6% | The Silence of the Lambs (1991), 95.5% | Hannibal Rising (2007), 35.5% |
| 5 | Universal Dracula (1931–1948) | 7 | 74% | 56.2% | Dracula (1931), 89% | House of Dracula (1945), 42.5% |
| 6 | Scream | 7 | 64.28% | 68.4% | Scream VI (2023), 83.5% | Scream 3 (2000), 41.5% |
| 7 | George Romero’s Dead | 8 | 68.75% | 63.6% | Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Dawn of the Dead (1978), tied at 91% | Survival of the Dead (2009), 24% |
| 8 | Hammer Frankenstein | 7 | 70.7% | 55.8% | The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), 81% | The Evil of Frankenstein (1964), 47% |
| 9 | Fear Street | 4 | 72.25% | 60.75% | Fear Street Part Two: 1978 (2021), 84.5% | Fear Street: Prom Queen (2025), 26% |
| 10 | Alien | 9 | 59.4% | 61.1% | Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), tied at 93.5% | Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007), 21% |
All scores and placements in this table are Rotten Tomatoes’ figures reported on October 7, 2026, and can change as ratings or the eligible-film set changes. They should be read as a dated snapshot, not permanent ratings.
1. 28 Days Later
The four-film franchise takes the top spot with the highest Tomatometer average in this top 10. Rotten Tomatoes names 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple its strongest film by the combined measure and 28 Weeks Later its lowest-scoring entry in that measure.
2. Evil Dead
Across six films, Evil Dead has the highest Popcornmeter average in the ranking. Rotten Tomatoes reports that all six films have Fresh Tomatometer and Hot Popcornmeter scores. Evil Dead 2 leads the franchise by the combined measure.
3. Universal Frankenstein (1931–1948)
This eight-film run places third. Its best entry by the combined measure is James Whale’s Bride of Frankenstein; Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man is the lowest-rated film in the group by that measure.
4. Hannibal Lecter
The five-film franchise ranks fourth, with a Popcornmeter average higher than its Tomatometer average. The Silence of the Lambs is its best entry by the combined measure, while Hannibal Rising is its lowest.
5. Universal Dracula (1931–1948)
Universal’s seven-film Dracula series lands fifth. Its 74% Tomatometer average is higher than its 56.2% Popcornmeter average. The 1931 Dracula leads the group by the combined measure; House of Dracula is the lowest entry.
Rank #3
6. Scream
Scream ranks sixth among seven films. Scream VI is the franchise’s best film by the combined measure in this ranking, while Scream 3 is its lowest.
7. George Romero’s Dead
The eight-film series has a tie at the top: Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead each score 91% by the combined measure. Survival of the Dead is the franchise’s lowest entry on that measure.
8. Hammer Frankenstein
Hammer’s seven-film series ranks eighth. Its best entry by the combined measure is The Curse of Frankenstein; The Evil of Frankenstein is its lowest.
Rank #4
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9. Fear Street
The four-film Fear Street series is ninth. Fear Street Part Two: 1978 is its highest-rated entry by the combined measure, while Fear Street: Prom Queen is its lowest in Rotten Tomatoes’ October 2026 figures.
10. Alien
Alien rounds out the top 10, with nine films counted. The original Alien and Aliens tie as the franchise’s best films by the combined measure. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem is its lowest entry. A tenth-place review ranking does not measure the series’ broader cultural importance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why a box-office ranking would look different
Review averages and commercial totals answer different questions. Guinness World Records’ record dated February 27, 2024 names The Conjuring Universe the highest-grossing horror film series, with $2,250,924,388 across eight installments at that time. Guinness attributes the total to The Numbers; it is a date-bounded record and predates later installments. It does not compare critics’ or audience review scores.
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A later opening-weekend snapshot illustrates the distinction. The Associated Press reported on September 7, 2025 that The Conjuring: Last Rites opened to $83 million domestically and $104 million outside North America. AP described it as the franchise’s biggest opening weekend and, at the time, the largest international horror opening. Those are opening figures, not the film’s final worldwide gross. Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian told AP, “It just shows how arguably more than any other genre, horror has stood the test of time.”
Sources: Guinness World Records, highest-grossing horror film series; Associated Press, September 7, 2025.
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