The Most Iconic Summer Horror Blockbusters

It’s uncomfortably hot outside. Which can only mean it's the high season for summer horror blockbusters. Blockbusters are big budget films, not indie-art house movies. We’re talking about films that come with shiny, sparkly marketing campaigns. Maybe even their own branded popcorn buckets. As much of a lover of indie film as I am, there is something truly magical about seeing a shiny Hollywood film in the summer. I think about the smell of popcorn, the absolutely freezing AC, and the escape from the surrounding world for a few hours. 

Let’s talk about some of the most iconic summer horror blockbusters of all time. 

Arguably the most famous example of a summer horror blockbuster is Jaws (1975). Jaws is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It was first released on June 20th 1975, directed by blockbuster king Steven Spielberg. Jaws cost $12 million to make, a huge investment. Globally the film brought in over $484 million. 

This is a big year for Jaws, not only because of its anniversary, but because the sharks seem to be getting closer to the beach this year.

Four years later Alien was released in 1979, another incredibly iconic example of a summer horror blockbuster. Alien had a budget of $11 million dollars. Directed by Ridley Scott, Alien inspired a major franchise that’s still actively coming out with new films (as of 2025). While Alien was first released on June 22nd, The Amityville Horror was released about a month later on July 27th. 

It (2017) came out 7 days after Alan and I met. And going to see it in the theater was our third date. This example is on the cusp of being a summer blockbuster because it came out in September. But I’m still swimming in lakes in September, so we’re counting it. It (2017) had a whopping budget of $35 million, and it shows. And it brought in over $700 million worldwide. Not bad for a remake. 

I also think about I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) as a summer blockbuster. The film cost $17 million to make, and feels similar to Jeepers Creepers (2001). Creepers had a budget of $10 million. 

A lot of major Hollywood films can feel lacking in certain areas. Depending on the studio, director and creative team, you can often feel the influence of the business on the storytelling. But I think a lot of these examples break through that. Jaws acts as a character piece in a lot of ways. It brings us inside the head of police chief Martin Brody, who is solely responsible for the safety of his community. Similarly, Alien is really a story about survival for one woman in isolation. Maybe I can’t say the same for Freddy Vs. Jason (2003), but I can admit that it’s really fun to hide behind your popcorn bucket for a few hours. 

The Conjuring (2013) was released in July for a reason. The Purge and Hereditary were released in June. High school and college students are home for the summer. There is less competition, and it especially appeals to the “counter programming” strategy. Meaning, releasing a horror film in the summer when a lot of the other content is lighter, makes the movie feel special and unique. 

October is understandably the most popular month to release horror films in theaters, mostly the week leading up to Halloween. But June and July are the runner-ups, followed by January. 

Most people point to World War Z (2013) as the largest budget horror movie ever made, with a budget of somewhere between $190 and $210 million (you have to wonder how much of what went to Brad Pitt). And World War Z was released on June, 2nd 2013. 

Over the past two years I’ve become really focused on sorting horror and history by seasonality. Making lists around the best beach horror, the best camp and lake horror. And I thought that was because of my affinity to live in the present, and adapt to each season. To celebrate the shifting cycles of nature. But I think there is also a large nostalgia element to it. Beyond Halloween, summer is the most prolific time for major horror releases. Growing up, perhaps I started to associate horror and summer in a bigger way than I realized. And it makes sense that some of these movies set their story during their release month. Jaws, I Know What You Did Last Summer, anything Friday the 13th related (once the budgets grew). 

Maybe horror feels right in summer because, like the season itself, it’s fleeting, intense, and impossible to forget. Or maybe it’s the Hollywood overlords planting nostalgia in our heads.