But while throughout Hollywood history there have been a myriad of other horror films that became instant success stories – from The Exorcist to IT – not every classic in the canon found its audience right away.
Read on for our 13 horror movies the box office hated that became cult classics.
1. Peeping Tom (1960)
Its commercial failure was due largely to a sense of moral panic around the film, with contemporary critics giving it an extremely harsh reception for its handling of themes concerning violence and voyeurism. That reaction no doubt contributed to its lack of box office success – it made just under $150,000 – but has not hampered its reputation in the long run.
In his autobiography, Powell wrote: "I make a film that nobody wants to see and then, thirty years later, everybody has either seen it or wants to see it!"
2. The Wicker Man (1973)
In fact, to begin with the film was merely released as a B-movie – part of a double feature with yet another British horror classic, Don't Look Now – and the version of the film that played in cinemas cut 15 minutes from director Robin Hardy's preferred version, adversely affecting the continuity.
For a while after that release, the film slipped into obscurity, but it began its journey to cult classic status in the 1980s and several restored versions featuring previously missing footage have emerged since. It has now been thoroughly reclaimed as a masterpiece of folk horror.
3. The Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
On the whole, the film was a major box office bomb – albeit with one major exception. In Winnipeg, Canada, it was a bonafide hit, playing in one cinema for eighteen weeks while the soundtrack album also sold very well.
Although this was not enough for the film to become profitable overall – it reportedly grossed just $250,000 in its initial run, less than a fifth of its budget – that success did pave the way for the film to become the cult classic that it is now.
4. Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Adapted from Richard O'Brien's stage show, the film was successful right away in a very small handful of locations – namely London's Rialto Cinema and UA Westwood in LA – but failed to replicate that success elsewhere, with audiences so small that it was withdrawn from several cities.
The turning point came when it became a sensation on the midnight movie circuit, soon attracting a fiercely devoted following that has seen it become the longest-running theatrical release in film history, with weekly interactive screenings continuing to this day.
5. Possession (1981)
View Green Video on the source websiteThe initial critical response was fairly muted, and it didn't fare any better with audiences – barely scraping to a total of $1.2 million, half of its reported production budget.
That cult following has only continued to grow in recent years, becoming hugely popular among younger cinephiles as evidenced by its popularity on apps such as TikTok and Letterboxd. In fact, such is this newfound popularity, a remake of the film – starring Margaret Qualley and Callum Turner – is currently being made by Smile director Parker Finn.
6. The Thing (1982)
The success of that film – with audiences embracing its far more optimistic take on the sci-fi genre – has long been considered one of the chief reasons for the failure of this cosmic horror as far as box office success was considered.
The reappraisal came after the film found a strong fanbase following its release on home video and television, and it is now held up as one of the landmark works in the history of sci-fi and horror cinema.
7. Near Dark (1987)
The film made just $3.4 million – a fair bit less than its $5 million budget – with Bigelow having suggested that its lack of success at the box office could have been influenced by the release of the similarly themed The Lost Boys just a couple of months earlier.
Still, the film helped further single out Bigelow as a director to watch and she's gone on to enjoy a hugely successful career, with Near Dark having grown a significant cult following and still often singled out as one of her finest works.
8. The Blob (1988)
View Green Video on the source websiteThe reviews at the time were positive but not overwhelmingly so, and its box office takings of $8.2 million – compared to a budget of $10 million – were labelled "disastrous" in a report by Screen International.
Still, the film has come to be more fondly regarded over time, with many more recent reviews arguing that it improves upon the original film. It is now regarded as a cult favourite among many horror buffs.
9. Army of Darkness (1992)
You might be surprised to learn, then, that the final film in the original trilogy was considered something of a box office disappointment on its original release – although it would perhaps be an exaggeration to call it an outright bomb.
But like so many other cult horror favourites, it found a second life on home video and is now considered a hugely important entry in the Evil Dead franchise, and one which – owing to the medieval setting – remains unique when compared to the other films.
10. Braindead (1992)
Perhaps the best example is this gross-out comedy horror, which received positive reviews but was unable to translate that critical success into anything like strong box office performance internationally – barely making back a fraction of its $3 million budget (it made just $242,000 in the US).
That lack of success didn't stop the film being very influential – not least for Jackson's own career – and it is now revered as one of the finest (and goriest) examples in the "splatter" horror genre. A bona fide cult sensation.
11. Event Horizon (1997)
You wouldn't have thought that on its original release though, given the film received predominantly negative reviews and struggled at the box office – failing to make back its budget, which was estimated to be in the $50–70 million range.
Like so many other films on this list, it was on home video that the film eventually found an audience, developing a major cult following and greatly improving its reputation in the subsequent three decades.
12. Jennifer's Body (2009)
View Green Video on the source websiteAlthough it did comfortably make back its production budget, it was nonetheless considered by analysts to have severely underperformed relative to expectations.
It has also built a cult fan following, and there's even been some suggestions that a sequel could materialise in the future.
13. Suspiria (2018)
Unfortunately, the film grossed just $8 million internationally, less than half of its $20 million budget, with Guadagnino himself admitting that "it made absolutely nothing. It was a disaster at the box office."
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