- The Exorcist: Believer became the top earner at the global box office, scaring up $45 million in its opening weekend as a direct sequel to the classic horror film.
- PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie fell behind The Exorcist, adding $11.7 million to its total of $38 million in its second weekend.
- Despite mixed reviews, The Exorcist franchise plans to release two more titles, with hopes of higher box office numbers.
With the spooky season kicking into high gear, audiences were compelled to get to theaters and catch David Gordon Green’s The Exorcist: Believer over the weekend, making it the number one earner at the global box office. While there weren’t any other new major titles making their way into cinemas, the weekend still saw an uptick in numbers for last week’s top contenders, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie, Saw X, and The Creator.
Scaring up a total of $45 million, the first movie from The Exorcist franchise in almost 20 years was a sight for sore eyes on the hunt for their horror fix. Serving as a direct sequel to William Friedkin’s classic piece of cinema, 1973’s The Exorcist, Believer marks a new chapter in what will eventually set itself up as a trilogy. In the film, Leslie Odom Jr. plays a father desperate for help after his daughter and her friend become possessed by a demon. Turning to the only woman with first-hand experience, the film welcomes back Ellen Burstyn’s Chris MacNeil. The movie also stars Ann Dowd, Jennifer Nettles, Norbert Leo Butz, Olivia Marcum, and Lidya Jewett.
Following an opening weekend that saw it take a bite out of the box office, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie has been sent out to the dog house during its second weekend in theaters. Raking in another $11.7 million to bring its total to $38 million, the follow-up installment in the animated and family-friendly TV show-turned-film-franchise was knocked just behind The Exorcist: Believer as the new pack leader. Saw X wasn’t playing any games this weekend, as the horror flick held its own against other contenders for the third spot, bringing its global haul to $43.8 million, with Gareth Edwards’ The Creator coming in fourth place with around $62 million.
The Future of The Exorcist Franchise
Despite moving the film’s opening day from its original arrival on this Friday, October 13, to help it compete against Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, Believer still didn’t nab the big dollar signs that Universal Studios and Blumhouse were hoping to see. Of course, there’s plenty of time left in the month of October for audiences to indulge in the season and check out the film, although reviews haven’t been overly kind to Green’s first foray into the demonic universe. With two more titles on the way from the studios, both are undoubtedly hoping to pull bigger numbers when all is said and done. While Green’s involvement as a director on the next two productions is up in the air, the filmmaker will likely play a part in how the franchise continues to mold itself from here on out.
With the arrival of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour just around the corner, next weekend will likely see a monumental number at the box office, giving even Barbie and Oppenheimer a run for their opening weekend sales.
Read More : October Box Office: ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ Possesses the Top Spot in Underwhelming Weekend
