Fans adoring something is one thing. What society as a whole—including people who aren’t obsessive fans—think is something else all together. As previously mentioned, The Lost Boys was an immediate hit upon release, eventually grossing over $30 million against its $9 million budget. The Monster Squad, however, in small part because of competition from The Lost Boys, was an initial failure, reportedly grossing only $4 million against a $12 million budget. Yikes.
That’s just one reason why The Lost Boys easily takes this category. People saw it and loved it from day one. The other reason is largely that its cast and crew is just generally better known even today, since it’s filled with names like Joel Schumacher, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland, Edward Herrmann, Dianne Wiest, Alex Winter, Jason Patric, and Jami Gertz. Their combined star power keeps the film fresh in the minds of fans and non-fans alike.
Plus Hollywood just keeps trying to remake The Lost Boys. Monster Squad? Not so much.
Point: The Lost Boys