LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� Oscar weekend belonged to in theaters, as the horror sequel notched a franchise-best $44.5 million in domestic ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.
The Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group co-production sailed past expectations, easily surpassing the previous series high of $32 million that 鈥淪cream 2鈥� opened with in 1997. The film's robust debut, coming as Hollywood prepared was yet another reminder of how horror has come to be one of the industry's few sure things at the box office.
After lying dormant for more than a decade, the 鈥淪cream鈥� franchise, previously directed by Wes Craven and released by Dimension Films, has found a ripe revival with a young cast led by 鈥淲ednesday鈥� star Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera.
Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have brought back the 27-year-old series' meta slasher storylines and serial killer Ghostface, and it's paying off. Last year's 鈥淪cream V鈥� grossed $137 million worldwide on a production budget of $24 million. In the latest chapter, Courtney Cox returns as reporter Gale Weathers, as does Hayden Panettiere, a veteran of 鈥淪cream IV.鈥� But it's the first 鈥淪cream鈥� movie without Neve Campbell.
鈥淪cream VI,鈥� quickly greenlit after the success of 鈥淰,鈥� has also fared fairly well with both critics and audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 75% fresh rating. Moviegoers gave it a 鈥淏+鈥� CinemaScore, a decent grade for a horror film. The sixth 鈥淪cream,鈥� which cost $33 million to make, added $22.6 million overseas.
slid to second after its above-expectations launch. Michael B. Jordan's MGM 鈥淩ocky鈥� spinoff, starring him and Jonathan Majors, earned $27.1 million in its second weekend. It has rapidly passed $100 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters.
Columbia Pictures鈥� a science-fiction thriller starring Adam Driver as a space explorer stranded on prehistoric Earth, opened in third place with an estimated $12.3 million from 3,405 locations, and an additional $7.2 million internationally. That might be better than expected, too, for a film that got terrible reviews from critics. (It scored just 35% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.) But 鈥�65鈥� reportedly carried a hefty production budget of about $90 million, though tax rebates roughly halved that cost to financiers including Sony, Bron Studios and TSG.
Bobby Farrelly's starring Woody Harrelson as a disgraced coach trying to lead a basketball team to the Special Olympics, opened with $5.2 million in 3,030 locations. Audiences (an 鈥淎鈥� CinemaScore) have liked it more than reviewers (53% on Rotten Tomatoes).
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. 鈥淪cream VI,鈥� $44.5 million.
2. 鈥淐reed III,鈥� $27.1 million.
3. 鈥�65,鈥� $12.3 million.
4. 鈥淎nt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,鈥� $7 million.
5. 鈥淐ocaine Bear,鈥� $6.2 million.
6. 鈥淛esus Revolution,鈥� $5.2 million.
7. 鈥淐hampions,鈥� $5.2 million.
8. 鈥淎vatar: The Way of Water,鈥� $2.7 million.
9. 鈥淒emon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: To the Swords,鈥� $1.9 million.
10. 鈥淧uss in Boots: The Last Wish,鈥� $1.7 million.
Jake Coyle, The Associated Press
