While «Halloween Kills,» may be available for viewing at home, the new installment of the Michael Myers saga has been a huge success at the North American box-office in its first weekend at theaters. According to studio estimates, $50.4 million was earned by the horror directed by David Gordon Green from 3,705 locations.
Universal’s Halloween Kills far exceeded expectations. The film was originally expected to be a conservative debut, with a budget of $30 million. It easily beat its main competition, which was James Bond’s «No Time to Die» in its second weekend and Ridley Scott’s medieval epic «The Last Duel,» both of which are exclusively playing in theaters.
Green’s 2018 Halloween film «Halloween Kills» was canceled. The film continues on the same night with Jamie Lee Curtis reprising her role as Laurie Strode. Although some were shocked that the studio decided to release «Halloween Kills” simultaneously in theaters and online for premium subscribers on NBC Universal, the film’s box office success seems to have been unaffected by the day-and date strategy.
Jim Orr, Universal’s head for domestic distribution, stated that David Gordon Green created an incredibly frightening continuation of the franchise that our core audience was eager to see. «Audiences want out, they want in theaters and they want it to be shared with others.»
The biggest day-and date opening of the year, aside from «Halloween Kills», which had a $20 million production budget was Warner Bros.’s «Godzilla vs. Kong». It grossed $32.2million in its first weekend and was also available on HBO Max. It is a record for a horror opening during a pandemic, beating only «A Quiet Place Part II.»
The 2018 Halloween movie was a huge success. It opened at $76.2 million, and grossed north of $256 millions against a $10 million budget. There are also plans to release a third installment in the Michael Myers trilogy.
According to exit polls, the opening weekend crowd at «Halloween Kills” was slightly more male (52%), but it was diverse (36% Caucasian and 34% Hispanic, and 18% Black).
Paul Dergarabedian is Comscore’s senior media analyst. He stated that horror movies were a majorstay at the box office during the pandemic. «Horror movies are a favorite of horror moviegoers. … This isn’t a horror movie. ‘Halloween’ is a big brand and has been around for 43 years.
With $24.3 million, the James Bond movie «No Time To Die», slipped into second place in North America’s second weekend. This is only 56% less than last weekend and brings its total to $99.5million. «No Time to Die», which has made $447,521 millions worldwide, is now in second place.
«The Last Duel,» Scott’s 14th-century drama starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, Jodie Komer, and Adam Driver is further down the charts. Despite positive reviews and a limited theatrical run, it has only earned an estimated $4.8 Million from 3,065 locations. The Walt Disney Co. distributed «The Last Duel», a title it inherited from 20th Century Fox.
Next week Warner Bros.’ large-budget adaptation of «Dune,» as well as Disney’s «Ron’s Gone Wrong», and Wes Anderson’s» The French Dispatch» will be available in North American theaters.
Dergarabedian stated, «Every week we are learning a lesson about the dynamics of the marketplace as it relates to the different release models.» «Halloween Kills» is an important lesson in the dynamics of this marketplace. People could have sat at home and paid a modest buy-in. This is a testament to the power and appeal of the movie theatre for moviegoers.
According to Comscore, Friday through Sunday ticket sales were estimated at U.S. theaters and Canadian theatres. Monday will see the release of final domestic figures.
1. «Halloween Kills,» $50.4 Million
2. $24.3 million, «No Time to Die.»
3. «Venom: Let There be Carnage», $16.5 million
4. «The Addams Family 2,» $7.2 Million
5. «The Last Duel» $4.8 Million
6. «Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,» $3.5 Million
7. «Free Guy,» $680,000
8. «Lamb,» $543,000.
9. «Candyman,» $460,000.
10. «Dear Evan Hansen,» $410,000.
