Horror movies triumphed at the domestic box office this weekend, with “Smile 2” and “Terrifier 3” leading the charge, while Oscar contender “Anora” dazzled with a stellar per-theater average. “Smile 2,” the anticipated sequel to the supernatural thriller “Smile,” debuted with an impressive $23 million. Directed by Parker Finn, who also wrote the original, the sequel stars Naomi Scott and received a more substantial budget alongside a theatrical release strategy from the outset. Playing on 3,619 screens, “Smile 2” slightly outperformed its predecessor’s $22 million opening.
Meanwhile, “The Wild Robot,” from Universal and DreamWorks Animation, secured second place in its fourth weekend by adding $10.1 million, pushing its North American total past $100 million. The well-reviewed family film may have benefited from teenagers purchasing tickets for the PG-rated movie only to sneak into “Terrifier 3,” Damien Leone’s demon clown horror, which is unrated. Despite this, “Terrifier 3” amassed an additional $9.3 million, bringing its total to $36.2 million on a modest $2 million budget.
Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore, commented on the rumors of ticket swapping, noting, “There’s no better indication that that movie is red hot right now.” The success of “Smile 2” and “Terrifier 3” was partly facilitated by the underperformance of “Joker: Folie à Deux,” which continued to struggle, earning just $2.2 million in its third weekend.
Warner Bros. found more success with “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” which added $5 million in its seventh weekend, raising its domestic total to $284 million. Conversely, “Goodrich,” a dramedy starring Michael Keaton, who also stars in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” opened disappointingly with $600,000 across 1,055 locations.
“We Live In Time,” a romantic drama starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, took fifth place by earning $4.2 million as it expanded to 985 theaters. Predominantly attracting younger women, its audience comprised 85% under 35 and 70% female, according to exit polls. A24 plans further expansion next weekend.
Sean Baker’s “Anora” emerged as a highlight, with remarkable earnings of $630,000 from just six locations, achieving a $105,000 per-theater average. This result, the highest since last summer’s “Asteroid City,” indicates a strong prospect for the Cannes-hit and likely Oscar contender. “Anora,” features Mikey Madison as a sex worker entangled with a Russian oligarch’s son, igniting interest in sophisticated adult cinema after a streak of underwhelming releases.
Dergarabedian observed, “For moviegoers, there’s a lot on offer with something in every type of movie in every category,” predicting a robust finish to the year with a diverse mix of films.
In notable re-releases, Disney’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” earned $1.1 million, placing it in the top 10, while “Hocus Pocus” garnered $841,000.
Next weekend’s lineup includes the highly anticipated comic book movie “Venom: The Last Dance” and the papal thriller “Conclave,” both vying for the audience’s attention.
Estimated ticket sales from Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore, are as follows:
- “Smile 2,” $23 million.
- “The Wild Robot,” $10.1 million.
- “Terrifier 3,” $9.3 million.
- “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” $5 million.
- “We Live In Time,” $4.2 million.
- “Joker: Folie à Deux,” $2.2 million.
- “Piece by Piece,” $2.1 million.
- “Transformers One,” $2 million.
- “Saturday Night,” $1.8 million.
- “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” $1.1 million.