Horror Report

Category: Box office

  • Black Phone 2 rings off the hook at box

    Black Phone 2 rings off the hook at box

    The Black Phone 2 took the top spot at the weekend box office, marking a much-needed success for Blumhouse Productions. After a series of stumbles, this sequel proves that horror — when done with grit and style — still packs a punch with audiences.

    The movie is connecting with several demographics, from teens to longtime fans of the first film. It’s eerie, tense, and grounded — the kind of horror Blumhouse built its reputation on.

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, Scott Derrickson’s The Black Phone 2 delivered horror maestro Jason Blum a major win, opening to a better-than-expected $26.5 million domestically from 3,411 theaters and $15.5 million from 72 international markets, for a global debut of $42 million.

    Not bad for a film made on a relatively modest $30 million budget.

    The movie’s debut follows a string of misses for the Universal-based banner — including the pricey flop M3GAN 2.0 earlier this year — making this victory especially sweet for Blumhouse.

    If the studio can keep the momentum going, the next big win could come from Five Nights at Freddy’s Part Two, which already has massive fan anticipation building online.

    For now, though, The Black Phone 2 is ringing loud and clear — and audiences are answering.

  • The $200 million Weapons

    The $200 million Weapons

    KpopDemon Hunters may have clinched the top spot at the box office this weekend with an $18 million debut, but it doesn’t take away from what has been an absolutely amazing summer of horror. The movie Weapons is about to cross a milestone — the $200 million mark worldwide.

    As of now, ticket sales for the R-rated horror film stand at $199.4 million globally. Over the weekend alone, Weapons pulled in $13.2 million from 74 overseas markets, bringing its international tally to $83 million after just three weekends of release.

    In the U.S., the film has grossed $115.9 million so far. Overseas, its strongest markets have been the United Kingdom ($11 million), Mexico ($7.5 million), and France ($5.6 million). These are seriously impressive numbers for an original horror film — especially one with a modest $38 million budget from Warner Bros…

  • WEAPONS can now brag up beating SNOW WHITE

    WEAPONS can now brag up beating SNOW WHITE

    Warner Bros. has now revealed new box office data for Weapons, including beating out a major Disney title SNOW WHITE..

    MORE..

    The movie brought in an additional $25 million at the domestic box office this past weekend. This puts Weapons’ domestic total at $88.5 million, just above Disney’s Snow White, which grossed $87.2 million domestically.

    Weapons has not yet passed Snow White at the worldwide box office. However, Snow White made a total of $205.6 million worldwide during its entire theatrical run, whereas Weapons has brought in $148.2 million in just two weeks. They are on the way!!

    2025 has been an exceptionally good year for horror..

    And … well we all know about SNOW WHITE…

  • Weapons have stayed locked and loaded for a second weekend

    Weapons have stayed locked and loaded for a second weekend

    Thank God for horror movies in August!

    Right now, we’re getting into the slower time for the box office season. The big blockbusters have all been released during the hottest months, and now it’s time for the overall system to cool down back to springtime levels and eventually winter slump..

    But before we get there, we have a horror movie called Weapons that continues to dominate, adding $25 million at this week’s box office. That comes with a 40% drop from last week. Now, while a 40% drop sounds significant, remember—many movies have much steeper declines. The bigger they are, the mightier they fall.

    For a film in the horror genre to drop less than 50% is a massive achievement. And don’t forget—it cost well below the amount of money it’s making to actually create the film. That means nothing but profit for Zach Cregger, and nothing but goodwill from the horror community, which is still giving it massive kudos and big numbers on Rotten Tomatoes.

  • WEAPONS wins the weekend

    WEAPONS wins the weekend

    FREAKIER FRIDAY couldn’t beat the true Weapon of the weekend box office..

    New Line’s movie earned an $18.2 million opening day from 3,202 locations — including $5.7 million from previews — and putting it on course for a $40 million opening weekend.

    “Weapons” is only the 14th horror movie since 1981 to earn an A- or higher on CinemaScore, and becomes the second Warner horror film this year alongside Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” which earned the third horror A in CinemaScore history, to reach that mark.

    You can read the HORROR REPORT’s review of WEAPONS here..

  • Are comedy movies going to be funny again?

    Are comedy movies going to be funny again?

    Is there hope in the vast wilderness of dull comedies.. will slapstick bring us all back to a theater to laugh again–like really laugh?

    The newest NAKED GUN movie is released this week.. thanks to Liam Neeson, the straight laced face who will provide indecent frivolity..

    Here is what a sampling of critics have said:

    One of the funniest movies in recent history… It is just what I have been missing with comedies.
    — Rachel Leishman, The Mary Sue

    One of the most audacious comedies in years; one that evoked the biggest laughs of any press screening I’ve ever attended.
    — David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel

    It’s the funniest godd–n thing in years.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Inverse

    It’s very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very funny.
    — William Bibbiani, TheWrap

    The flick achieves what few comedies these days even attempt.
    — Joey Magidson, Awards Radar

    There’s enough inspired nonsense here to keep comedy-starved theatrical audiences engaged.
    — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter

    Other 2025 films have jokes; this one is jokes, and most of those jokes are really, really, really f—ing funny.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire

    Akiva Schaffer’s The Naked Gun really is The Naked Gun, not some halfhearted rehash or itemized nostalgia checklist.
    — William Bibbiani, TheWrap

    It’s arguably just as funny as the first three.
    — Aidan Kelley, Collider

    [It has] the kind of retrograde, politically incorrect humor that makes the movie feel almost like the old Naked Gun.
    — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter

    The original Naked Gun was hilarious. It was a film that practically had audiences wetting their pants. The new Naked Gun, by contrast, is amusing.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety

    Not everything lands, but on the whole, the film’s batting average is higher than 1994’s The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult.
    — Nick Schager, The Daily Beast

    Early Rotten Tomato score is 91%!

    We just want to laugh again…

  • SUPERMAN summer continues; FANTASTIC FOUR does not score as high as expected

    SUPERMAN summer continues; FANTASTIC FOUR does not score as high as expected

    Deadline among those reporting .. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is coming in lighter at $118M after a -42% slide on Saturday against Friday/previews for what was $33.2M. 

    The film had hopes for a $130 mil opening.. it came in less than expected, and global estimates were also a bit inflated..

    The movie is scoring $218 mil–$2 mil shy of Superman’s release..

    According to box office experts, entire families went to see SUPERMAN .. that did not occur for FANTASTIC FOUR..

    Developing..

  • Christmas in July: Trailer Friday

    Christmas in July: Trailer Friday

    Two new trailers are out this week–one for a sequel and the other revealed at Comic Con in San Diego for a Stephen King short..

    First the King..

    Written by  are Strange Darling‘s JT Mollner, The Long Walk stars Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza), Charlie Plummer (Spontaneous), Judy Greer (Jurassic World), Mark Hamill (Star Wars, The Fall of the House of Usher)
    The Long Walk is one of numerous novels King published under the pseudonym, Richard Bachman — a list that also includes The Running Man, which has its own adaptation coming later this year from Edgar Wright. Originally published in 1979, King cites it as the first novel he ever wrote sometime in the late 1960s, years before Carrie ever hit shelves, and was initially collected in 1985’s The Bachman Books.

     


    Next we roll on to FNAF..

    Based on Scott Cawthon’s blockbuster horror game series, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is again directed by acclaimed returning filmmaker Emma Tammi (The Wind, Blood Moon). The first film followed Mike, a troubled young man who reluctantly takes a job as a night security guard at an abandoned theme restaurant, Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, hoping it will help him retain custody of his young sister. That fateful decision instead drags him into the black heart of a supernatural nightmare. Mike’s story continues in the upcoming sequel. One year has passed since the supernatural nightmare at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza…

    And this one what Blumhouse is basing some major hopes on..

  • The box office this weekend will see Supermen dethroned by a set of fantastic four

    The box office this weekend will see Supermen dethroned by a set of fantastic four

    Clark Kent, move out the way move out the way! It’s p Christmas in July for comic book fans.

    Fantastic Four, premiering today with amazingly high scores on Rotten Tomatoes, is finally here — and it’s been a long time coming. Marvel fans have been eagerly anticipating this film for years.

    Speaking of that Rotten Tomatoes score, critics are giving it an 89% rating, while fans are even more enthusiastic, pushing it up to 92%. These numbers are already running higher than those for the new Superman movie.

    According to reports from Deadline, Fantastic Four is off to a blazing start, with early projections suggesting a $56 million Friday night opening. That sets the stage for a potential $125 million weekend, with some conservative estimates placing the domestic total just shy of $130 million over three days.

    Interestingly, Deadline also reports that Superman drew 31% parents and only 9% kids under 12. In contrast, Fantastic Four is pulling in 7% kids under 12 and a whopping 93% general audience — with a particularly strong showing from the under-35 crowd. That younger audience turnout could be significant.

    Marvel, for all its past dominance, has been teetering on the edge of audience fatigue. There’s been talk that people are feeling “comic-booked out” when it comes to theaters. But Fantastic Four might just be the spark the Marvel brand needs to reignite excitement during this comic book–spectacular summer of 2025.

  • We know what you marketed this summer

    We know what you marketed this summer

    Sony Pictures has been freaking people out.

    Over the July 4th weekend, beachgoers and internet sleuths alike were buzzing as eerie images began circulating online—especially on TikTok—of a mysterious figure wandering around Santa Monica and other California beaches. The figure in question? A tall person in a long overcoat, floppy hat, and yes, a hook for a hand.


    If you’re getting I Know What You Did Last Summer vibes, you’re not alone. This lookalike of the iconic slasher from the original ’90s flick has stirred up enough social media panic to rival a real crime wave. But here’s the catch (pun intended): there’s been no actual crime reported. No attacks. No missing persons. No blood-soaked sand. Just a lot of hype—and a lot of speculation.

    @gd60702 Someone dressed up as the fisherman for I know what you did last summer and chased people around. #IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer #Movie #FilmingTVCompetition #Drama #ForYou ♬ Suspense, horror, piano and music box – takaya



    And that speculation leads us to what seems like the most likely answer: marketing.

    Sony’s remake of I Know What You Did Last Summer drops July 18th, and this beachside boogeyman feels like a viral stunt straight from the studio’s playbook. If so, well played. It worked. People are talking, videos are trending, and the hook is back in the spotlight.

    But marketing stunts like this walk a fine line. They’re fun… until they’re not. In this case, no one has been hurt (as far as we know), and the buzz has only amplified awareness for a franchise that’s already been rebooted, remade, and revisited several times over.

    So will this version finally hook a new generation? Or are we all just too jaded to care?

    In case you wanted to forget, here are the ‘I still know I know I want to know and I didn’t know” film names thus far. Maybe it just FELT like there were more than there really were?

    I Know What You Did Last SummerOctober 17, 1997
    I Still Know What You Did Last SummerNovember 13, 1998
    I’ll Always Know What You Did Last SummerAugust 15, 2006
    I Know What You Did Last SummerJuly 18, 2025THE NEW ONE!



    In the end, the question becomes how many times can we remember what we did last summer… before we just stop caring?