Scaring up money: The 20 horror movies with the biggest opening weekends

Lionsgate is hoping "Saw V" will make a big splatter at theaters this weekend; most projections have the film pulling in $30 million or so and finishing second to the equally sadistic "High School Musical 3: Senior Year." How steady is the "Saw" franchise? Impressively, the series accounts for three of the Top 10 opening weekends among horror films released since 1982.

1. "The Grudge"  10/22/04

Opening weekend: $39,128,715 (All-time box office: $110,175,871)

2. "Freddy vs. Jason" 08/15/03

$36,428,066 ($82,217,464)

3. "Interview with the Vampire" 11/11/94

$36,389,705  ($105,264,608)

4. "The Ring Two" 03/18/05

$35,065,237 ($75,941,727)

5. "Scream 3" 02/04/00

$34,713,342 ($89,143,175)

6. "Saw III" 10/27/06

$33,610,319 ($80,238,724)

7. "The Haunting" 07/23/99

$33,435,140 ($91,240,529)

8. "Scream 2" 12/12/97

$32,926,342 ($101,363,301)

9. "Saw IV" 10/26/07

$31,756,764 ($63,300,095)

10. "Saw II" 10/28/05

$31,725,652 ($87,039,965)

Source: Nielsen EDI

Image of "Saw V" poster courtesy of Lionsgate