I think due to the tragic passing of Wes Craven, 2015 is year to celebrate not only the memorable franchises given to us by Craven, but, also some of the most successful, loved, and notable franchises to ever grace our screens.

In this list, I've taken into consideration quality, box office numbers, and iconic status for each pick. So, unfortunately, in doing so, I have given the axe to some of my own favorite franchises (Hannibal Lecter, Evil Dead, and Rob Zombie's films featuring the Firefly family). These may not be the best, or your favorite, but it'd be a lie to say they aren't notable or deserving of a spot on this list. Even...

5 . Saw 2004 JUMP SCARY GORE

Saw. This 2004 film started a subgenre that you either love or hate. Commonly referred to as "torture-porn", this film took a $1.2 million budget and ended up grossing around $103.9 million. Not a bad effort from James Wan and his writing partner Leigh Whannell, who've gone on to revolutionize modern horror, a la The Conjuring, and the Insidious series. With a great plot twist and a stellar first entry in the series, this franchise barely squeaks by into this list, purely, by numbers, due to the mostly critically-panned sequels. This franchise earned a collective $873 million. Some say the fun lasted into the second and third film, others think this series began running-on-empty from the start of the first film, but either way, the numbers are there.

4 . Scream 1996 JUMP SCARY GORE

Wes Craven's 1996 masterpiece is hard to deny. The Ghostface killer(s) is arguably one of the most recognized horror villains, the script is sharp, witty, and meta, and the taking a stab (get it?) at the genre it belongs to was as ballsy as it gets. Needless to say, this project inspired by the Gainesville Ripper, and writer Kevin Williamson's passion for horror films, payed off very well. The sequels also kept fans happy, but not to the degree of the first film. They even featured some up-and-comers, such as Timothy Olyphant and Emma Roberts. The arguably declining quality in the sequels didn't stop movie-goers; these four films have grossed $604.2 million altogether, and Ghostface costumes are still all the rage come Halloween night.

Probably the silliest franchise in this list is the Child's Play franchise. It follows the serial killer Charles Lee Ray, also known as the "Lakeshore Strangler", whose soul happens to be trapped inside of a popular children's toy known as a Good Guy Doll. While a little outlandish, and an admittedly silly plot, with Brad Dourif's splendid voice acting and dedication to the role, the first three films of this series are classic horror. Even the sequels, Bride and Seed, while shooting for more of a horror-comedy hybrid, achieve what they aimed to do; We laughed, we screamed, and we kept coming back. The 2013 Curse of Chucky had Chucky return to his roots, and went for a little more of a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. Although not the most financially successful franchise on this list, Chucky has earned his place on this list for his iconic status and devoted fanbase.

Who here can honestly say that they don't briefly think of Jason Voorhees whenever they see a hockey mask? Okay, I guess it's just me. Friday the 13th is one of the most well know horror franchises of all time. With novellas, young adult novels, and even crossover comics with Ash from the Evil Dead trilogy and Freddy Krueger from the A Nightmare on Elm Street films, it's hard to deny the staying power of these films. Jason is one of the first things anyone thinks of when they think of 1980s pop culture, and rightfully so.

Just stay away from Jason X. Trust Me.

The obvious choice for number one is franchise is A Nightmare on Elm Street. Probably the most iconic slasher of all time, Freddy Krueger is a playable character in Mortal Kombat, he saved New Line Cinema from obscurity, and he took Robert Englund from nice-guy alien Willie in the miniseries V, and turned him into a horror superstar. The films all have their merits, especially New Nightmare, which, I believe, started the whole meta-horror phenomenon. For better or worse, I do believe that A Nightmare on Elm Street paved the way for horror franchises to take off.

Well, there you have it, my Top 5 Horror Franchise list. Disagree with me? Missed one of your favorites? Sound off in the comments below, and join our forums for more discussions about horror!