The surprise success of The Sixth Sense and a batch of horror movies has shown that fear may eat the soul but it does wonders at the box office.

The Sixth Sense, starring Bruce Willis, has already grossed $139m (£87m) in less than a month since its release.

It has been joined at the top of the box office charts by The Blair Witch Project, which has already grossed $128m in two months. Their success has helped break records at a time of nervousness in Hollywood.

It is now estimated that at least a dozen films will make more than $100m this summer, an increase of 20% on 1998. The news is particularly welcome in Hollywood which last month saw demonstrations by studio technicians worried about their futures.

Many films are now made in Canada which has lower shooting costs and the decision in July by Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks not to open a new studio at Playa Vista in Los Angeles caused widespread anxiety.

But these fears have been temporarily forgotten with news of the record returns. Leading the way is Star Wars: Episode One - The Phantom Menace, which will have grossed $425m by the end of summer. The Sixth Sense will take $205m and Austin Powers, the Spy Who Shagged Me, $205m. Notting Hill will have grossed $115m.