‘Alien: Romulus’ Is 2024’s Top-Grossing Horror Movie (So Far)
2023 was a remarkable year for horror. Five Nights at Freddy’s, Scream VI, M3GAN, and The Nun II, among others, were sensational hits with audiences. For the past few years, horror has been the de facto box office champion in a floundering theatrical ecosystem. In uncertain times, horror remained as sure a bet as any. Well, 2024 hasn’t been quite so great. The outlook is liable to turn around with the forthcoming releases of Smile 2 and Terrifier 3, for instance, though for most of the year, it was Blumhouse’s Night Swim that held the top spot at the box office for 2024 horror releases. Over the summer, A Quiet Place: Day One came to conquer with a $260 million worldwide haul, though that (incredible) movie has just been dethroned by some face-loving aliens. Fede Álvarez’s Alien: Romulus, with a global cume of $289 million, is officially the year’s highest-grossing horror movie.
Per Rotten Tomatoes: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
Expectedly, the top two horror movies of the year are franchise entries, representing the seventh and third feature in their respective franchises. Still, the global haul is a solid sign for the Alien franchise, already surpassing the total haul for Ridley Scott’s Alien: Covenant. With an FX series, Alien: Earth on the way, there’s a solid chance the franchise will remain popular with audiences for the foreseeable future.
In our 3-star review for Alien: Romulus, we wrote, “Alien: Romulus isn’t perfect, but it is ultimately a gorgeous and slimy experience that’ll have audiences squirming in their seats. While the film’s over-encumbered script often feels like a struggle between Alvarez’s brand of gnarly horror and the studio’s desire for fan service, Alvarez’s eye for crafting tension keeps the film exciting and, most importantly, scary.” Audiences were more positive, awarding the movie a B+ CinemaScore, compared to Covenant’s B score.
By the end of the year, we’ll have a clearer idea whether audience sensibilities, especially when it comes to horror, are shifting. The year’s most-anticipated releases are either sequels or remakes. Other than Night Swim, 2024 hasn’t seen any breakout horror hits, especially in terms of box office receipts. Maybe 2025 will tell a different story, though looking at the year’s top two, franchise aliens seem to be the way to go.
What do you think? Were you a fan of Alien: Romulus? What was the best time you had at the theater this year? Let me know over on Twitter @Chadiscollins.
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