In a weekend where no major new releases posed a challenge, “The Exorcist: Believer” managed to dominate the box office, although its earnings fell short of astronomical heights. The recent entry from Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions’ in the horror franchise gained $27.2 million in its North American opening weekend. This estimation was offered by the studio, which released it on Sunday.
Four of the top 10 films fall within the horror genre, with the potential for sustained audience interest as Halloween approaches. According to Paul Dergarabedian, who is a senior media analyst at Comscore and US News Website, the audience seems pretty happy with the horror releases these days. He further added that viewers’ appetite for horror seems insatiable, and the communal theater experience is ideally suited for this genre.
The latest “Exorcist” installment premiered just before the 50th anniversary of the original classic, shortly after director William Friedkin’s passing. Last week’s top film, “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie,” came in second, while “Saw X,” another horror sequel from Lionsgate Films, secured third place.
All about the movie ratings:
Under the direction of David Gordon Green, known for his expertise in legacy sequels through the “Halloween” trilogy, “The Exorcist: Believer” features Leslie Odom Jr who is shown his daughter of 13 years. However, critical reception was unfavorable, with the film earning a mere 23% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. Jake Coyle of The Associated Press, while acknowledging strong lead performances and adept direction, awarded it two out of four stars and noted that it failed to capture the profound terror of the original.
The film received unfavorable reviews, achieving a critics’ score of only 23% on Rotten Tomatoes. Jake Coyle from The Associated Press, while more forgiving than some, rated it two out of four stars for its strong lead performances and skilled direction but noted that it failed to capture the profound terror of the original.
To avoid competition, even the release date of the movie was avoided a week later. This made it possible to avoid the Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour which is a popular concert film. According to Paul Dergarabedian, this was one of the finest decisions ever made. The upcoming concert film is bound to dominate the spotlight, leaving little room for other releases.”
The impending wave of Swifties flocking to cinemas has the potential to generate a remarkable $100 million weekend and establish groundbreaking records for concert films. Paul Dergarabedian remarked, “This surpasses anything we’ve witnessed before in terms of scale.”
“The Exorcist: Believer” securing a top position at the box office is quite commendable, considering the recent influx of horror films in this market,” remarked Dergarabedian. “It underscores the seemingly insatiable audience hunger for this genre, despite the frequent release of horror films in recent months.” Additionally, the weekend marked the first instance where “Barbie” exited the top 10 at the box office since its July 21 premiere.
Conclusion
An opening of this caliber is quite impressive for a horror sequel, arriving nearly two decades after the last ‘Exorcist’ installment and half a century after the iconic 1973 original,” stated David A. Gross. Many US News Website anticipated that “The Exorcist: Believer” will attract a substantial Hispanic audience, as horror films, especially those with religious themes, hold strong appeal among Hispanic film enthusiasts. A Fangoria editor explained that the allure for Hispanic and Latino moviegoers lies in the provocative nature of religious horror