Universal and Blumhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy’s exceeded all pre-release expectations, raking in an impressive $78 million within its first three days, and taking the #1 spot at the box office.
This stellar performance propelled the pre-Halloween weekend to a total box office haul of $123.2 million for all films. By way of comparison, the same weekend the previous year only generated $69.9 million, largely driven by the second weekend of Black Adam, which grossed $27.4 million. Five Nights at Freddy’s achieved the best opening for a horror movie since Stephen King’s It Chapter 2, which brought in $91.1 million during its opening weekend in 2019.
The movie’s success can be attributed to a storyline that resonates across a wide spectrum of viewers. Nearly everyone has either been to, or at least heard of Chuck E. Cheese, the budget-friendly children’s birthday destination renowned for its greasy pizza, arcade games, a children’s play area, and unsettling animatronic characters.
This narrative is further enriched by a popular video game of the same name, set in a fictional family pizzeria. Since its 2014 release, the original video game has blossomed into a multimedia phenomenon, spawning numerous sequels and even a spin-off book series.
Universal skillfully moderated the horror elements of FNaF, securing a PG-13 rating, thus broadening its appeal and allowing the teens who have been watching FNaF YouTube videos for the better part of a decade to view without dragging in mom or dad. The film was strategically unveiled on the weekend preceding Halloween, capitalizing on the holiday spirit and banking on the teenagers who might feel they are too old for trick-or-treating.
It all began in April 2015 when Warner Bros. secured the film rights to the Five Nights at Freddy’s video game. However, in March 2017, Blumhouse took the reins from Warner Bros. after the latter decided to step away from the project. The COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench into the production process, stretching it into a six-year endeavor. But when filming finally kicked off on March 1st this year, it shifted into high gear, with the goal of releasing the movie just seven months later, perfectly timed for Halloween. Astonishingly, filming was completed in a mere five weeks, and this accelerated production schedule helped maintain costs at a modest $20 million.
The Universal-Blumhouse partnership has once again struck cinematic gold, following the success of M3GAN and The Black Phone. Despite critical reservations, evident in its 28% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has deeply resonated with audiences, boasting an impressive 88% audience score. In the world of cinema, horror movies often dance to their own tune, largely impervious to the influence of critics. The film weaves the tale of a security guard’s desperate bid to survive five nights while overseeing Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza parlor and family entertainment center. Despite the film’s simultaneous debut streaming on Peacock, theaters are probably not going to lament any dent in their box office earnings. In fact, this situation presents a unique scenario where all stakeholders stand to gain from the heightened interest in the movie.
After being in theaters for three weeks, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour secured the #2 spot at the box office, amassing $14.7 million in earnings. This marked a 56% decline from the previous weekend, a notable improvement compared to the 64% drop it experienced from its opening to its second weekend. So far, over a span of seventeen days, the concert movie has garnered an impressive $149.3 million and is poised to reach an estimated $180 million domestically and a substantial $280 million globally by the end of its theatrical run. In a noteworthy turn of events, Forbes has officially crowned Taylor Swift as the world’s latest billionaire.
In its second weekend at the box office, Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon landed in the #3 spot. adding another $9.0 million to its tally. Unfortunately, this marked a discouraging 61% decline from its opening weekend, which itself fell short of expectations. With ten days under its belt, Flower Moon has accrued $40.7 million domestically and $71.5 million worldwide.
Renowned for his ability to craft intricately woven cinematic tales, Scorsese’s creative genius doesn’t always find a direct correlation with box office success. His 2006 film, The Departed, remains an iconic high point, amassing a domestic box office collection of $132 million and a staggering global haul of $291 million. In stark contrast, Flower Moon is projected to conclude its journey with approximately $75 million on home turf and $167 million worldwide. The production costs for this endeavor have been estimated at a hefty $200 million, necessitating a break-even point at a substantial $500 million in global earnings. A glimmer of hope arises from Apple’s backing of the project, with the added bonus of online views on Apple TV+.
Angel Studios made a notable entry as their film After Death opened in the #4 spot at the box office, earning a respectable $5.1 million. In a striking contrast to industry giants like Apple, Angel relies on crowd funding and a grassroots marketing approach to generate interest in their films. Their earlier summer release, Sound of Freedom, stands as Angel’s most triumphant venture to date, amassing an impressive $239.4 million worldwide, all while being crafted on a modest $14.5 million budget. After Death, on the other hand, is an even more modest undertaking, brought to life with a mere $1.2 million. The documentary delves into captivating interviews with best-selling authors, doctors, scientists, and individuals who have undergone near-death experiences. It’s a sure bet for profitability and keeps Angel Studios actively engaged in the market while they await the debut of their next major release, The Shift, scheduled for December 1st.
Meanwhile, The Exorcist: Believer secured the #5 spot at the box office, garnering a weekend gross of $3.1 million. This marks a 46% decline from the previous weekend. After 23 days in theaters, the high-profile sequel has achieved a cumulative gross of $59.4 million domestically and a noteworthy $120 million globally. Many had anticipated it to be the reigning champion of the Halloween season, but it found itself eclipsed by the astonishing success of Five Nights at Freddy’s this weekend.
After 5 weeks at the box office and taking the #6 spot, Paramount has unveiled the release dates for PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie. This announcement comes just one month after the movie’s successful theatrical debut, where it garnered an impressive worldwide gross of over $160 million.
Fans eager to catch the heroic pups in action won’t have to wait long, as PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie will hit digital platforms for purchase on October 31. For those who prefer a physical copy, the Blu-ray and DVD release is scheduled for December 12, making it a perfect addition to the holiday season’s family movie collection.
Freelance, the new release from Relativity Media, an action comedy featuring John Cena and Alison Brie, secured the #7 spot at the box office with a $2 million debut, despite a 0% Rotten Tomatoes score from 22 critics.
The Nightmare Before Christmas is celebrating its 30th anniversary in a special way by returning to theaters and taking the #8 spot at the box office, bringing in $2 million as many rush to theaters to relive the magic on the big screen.
Lionsgate’s Saw X, which slipped from last week’s #4 spot to #9 at the box office, continues to impress by earning an estimated $1.685 million this weekend. This brings its total domestic earnings to $50.296 million and its worldwide haul to $92 million.
The Creator, starring John David Washington, Gemma Chan, and Madeleine Yuna Voyles, has steadily advanced in the global box office rankings. As it wrapped up its fifth weekend in theaters, The Creator claimed the #10 position. It has raked in an estimated $97.3 million worldwide, edging ever closer to the eagerly awaited $100 million mark that industry analysts had initially predicted. These earnings break down as $38.8 million from the domestic market and a commendable $58.5 million from international audiences.
REELated:
The Top 10
1. Five Weeks at Freddy’s NEW – Cinemascore: A-; Metacritic: 33; Est. budget: $20 million; also streaming on Peacock
$78,000,000 in 3,675 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $21,224; Cumulative: $78,000,000
2. Taylor Swift The Eras Tour (Variance for AMC) Week 3; Last week #1
$14,700,000 (-56%) in 3,773 (-82) theaters; PTA: $3,896; Cumulative: $149,300,000
3. Killers of the Flower Moon (Paramount) Week 2; Last weekend #2
$9,000,000 (-61%) in 3,628 (-82) theaters; PTA: $2,478; Cumulative: $9,000,000
4. After Death (Angel) NEW – Cinemascore: A-; Metacritic: 22
$5,061,000 in 2,605 theaters; PTA: $1,913; Cumulative: $5,061,000
5. The Exorcist: Believer (Universal) Week 4 – Last week #3; also on PVOD
$3,100,000 (-46%) in 2,717 (-606) theaters; PTA: $1,141; Cumulative: $59,366,000
6. PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie (Par) Week 5; Last weekend #4
$2,150,000 (-51%) in 2,746 (-618) theaters; PTA: $783; Cumulative: $59,212,000
7. Freelance (Relativity) NEW – Cinemascore: B-; Metacritic: 23; Est. budget: $40 million
$2,060,000 in 2,057 theaters; PTA: $1,001; Cumulative: $2,060,000
8. The Nightmare Before Christmas (Disney) (reissue); also streaming and on VOD
$2,000,000 in 2,185 (+535) theaters; PTA: $915; Cumulative: $(est.) 168,000,000 (adjusted)
9. Saw X (Lionsgate) Week 5; Last weekend #4; also on PVOD
$1,685,000 (-53%) in 2,141 (-615) theaters; PTA: $787; Cumulative: $50,297,000
10. The Creator (Disney) Week 5; Last weekend #7
$1,000,000 (-593%) in 1,685 (-805) theaters; PTA: $593; Cumulative: $38,845,000
As we reach the 42-week mark of 2023, year-to-date earnings have shown significant growth, standing at 125% of what was earned at this same point in 2022. Moreover, these earnings also represent an impressive 83% of the total amount earned in the entire year of 2019.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram
