LOS ANGELES, Oct 17 — Universal scarefest Halloween Ends scored a strong start this weekend, topping the North American box office with an estimated take of US$41.3 million (RM194.2 million), industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.
The movie, ostensibly the last in a long string of profitable Halloween films, again stars Jamie Lee Curtis in a tale replete with throat-slashing, choking, fatal falls and a mysterious masked sewer-dweller.
Analysts had predicted a somewhat higher number: US$50 million or so. But given the film’s simultaneous release on the Peacock streaming service and its production cost of just US$30 million, its take was “excellent,” said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research.
The weeks before Halloween always smile on horror films — and this weekend another gruesome film, Paramount’s “Smile,” placed second at US$12.4 million. Sosie Bacon stars as a therapist whose grasp on reality is shaken by a horrifying event.
In third place for the Friday-through-Sunday period, down one spot from its release last weekend, was Sony’s live action/computer-animated musical comedy Lyle, Lyle Crocodile, at US$7.4 million. Javier Bardem, Shawn Mendes and Constance Wu star.
Another Sony film, history-inspired The Woman King, held tight at fourth place, with US$3.7 million in ticket sales. Viola Davis stars as the leader of an all-female army of African warriors.
And in fifth, dropping two spots, was 20th Century’s comedy thriller Amsterdam, at US$2.9 million. It stars Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington.
Rounding out the top 10 were:
Don’t Worry Darling (US$2.2 million)
Barbarian (US$1.4 million)
Bros (US$920,000)
Terrifier 2 (US$850,000)
Top Gun: Maverick (US$685,000) — AFP
