Universal and Blumhouse’s thrilling horror film “Five Nights at Freddy’s” exceeded box office expectations, raking in an impressive $78 million during its domestic debut over Halloween weekend.
What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that the film was simultaneously released on Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service. It now holds the second-best opening weekend for a day-and-date streaming release, following Disney’s “Black Widow” ($80 million in theaters and $60 million on Disney+). Additionally, it is the best hybrid release ever for Universal and Peacock, surpassing the box office performances of “Halloween Kills” and “Halloween Ends.”
Prior to its release, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” was projected to earn at least $50 million, which would have been impressive for the horror genre. However, it surpassed expectations and emerged as the biggest horror debut of the year, surpassing other well-known franchises like “Scream VI” and “The Nun II.” Furthermore, it secured the second-biggest opening weekend for a video game adaptation, second only to “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.”
Jim Orr, Universal’s president of domestic distribution, credits the film’s success to its incredibly popular intellectual property (IP) and the excellent job done by Blumhouse and director Emma Tammi in bringing that IP to the big screen. According to Orr, the horror genre has an inherent appeal that draws people together for a shared experience.
Based on the popular video game, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” tells the story of a nighttime security guard, played by Josh Hutcherson, who discovers that the animatronic mascots at an abandoned Chuck E. Cheese-like establishment are prone to murder. Despite negative reviews, the film has resonated with audiences, receiving an A- CinemaScore rating and generating positive word of mouth, which may help it avoid the typical second-weekend decline experienced by many horror movies. Even if ticket sales were to decline significantly, the film, with its $20 million budget, is already a financial success.
Senior Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian believes that “Five Nights at Freddy’s” successfully captures the essence of the video game’s characters and gameplay on the big screen. With its Halloween release date, it comes as no surprise that the film has performed exceptionally well.
“Five Nights at Freddy’s” also performed strongly internationally, earning an additional $52 million at the global box office. Its global total now stands at an impressive $130 million, making it the highest-grossing horror film globally this year, surpassing “The Nun II.” It is also the biggest debut ever for Blumhouse, surpassing the success of “Halloween.”
Jason Blum, the founder of Blumhouse, expressed his gratitude to the fans for their patience and support. On a social media platform known as X, he announced that “Five Nights at Freddy’s” has become the highest-grossing film in the history of Blumhouse.
The success of “Five Nights at Freddy’s” not only benefits Universal and Blumhouse but also gives a significant boost to movie theaters, which have been negatively impacted by the SAG strike. Scary movies have proven to be successful at the box office, as they do not rely on red carpet events or cast appearances, making them less affected by the strike. The film’s marketing campaign and social media presence have played a vital role in its success.
On the other hand, star-driven films like Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” have faced challenges at the box office. The film experienced a steep 61% drop in its second weekend of release, earning $9 million. With a budget of $200 million, “Killers of the Flower Moon” needs to maintain steady performance to justify its investment. However, because it is backed by nontraditional supporters, such as Apple, success is measured differently, with less emphasis on box office performance and more on raising the film’s profile before its streaming release.
Taylor Swift’s concert film “The Eras Tour” continues to perform well, grossing an additional $14.7 million in its third weekend. The film has earned $149.3 million in North America and $203 million worldwide to date.
Among specialty releases, A24’s “Priscilla” had a strong start, earning $132,139 from four screens in New York and Los Angeles. The movie, directed by Sofia Coppola, follows the life of Priscilla Presley and her relationship with Elvis Presley. It has received positive reviews and will expand nationwide on November 3.
Focus Features’ “The Holdovers” had the top limited opening of the weekend, earning $200,000 from six theaters. The film, directed by Alexander Payne and starring Paul Giamatti, tells the story of a curmudgeonly prep school teacher. It will gradually expand its release to approximately 60 theaters in the top 20 markets next weekend.
Focus’ President of Distribution, Lisa Bunnell, expressed confidence in the film’s performance based on the positive audience reaction and Alexander Payne’s ability to tell compelling human stories. The film’s expansion is planned ahead of the holiday season.
