“When you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you,” as Frank Sinatra once sang. And Paramount Pictures is grinning from ear to ear as the studio’s long-awaited horror sequel Smile 2 gnashed its teeth all the way to the No. 1 spot at the box office during its debut. Director Parker Finn’s follow-up to his 2022 film, Smile, made an estimated $23 million (per The Numbers) to lay claim to the gold medal this weekend.
Meanwhile, The Wild Robot and Terrifier 3 battled for the silver and bronze in a competitive race. And while it wasn’t close enough to be called a photo finish, director Chris Sanders’ animated adventure did enough business to hold off Damien Leone’s horror flick for the No. 2 spot with $10.1 million. Meanwhile, Terrifier 3 had nothing to be ashamed of because Art the Clown’s (David Howard Thornton) gory reign of terror still brought in $9.3 million during its second weekend of release.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice continued to “jump in the line,” as Tim Burton’s spooky sequel checked in at No. 4 with another $5 million. Scaring up that much moolah is an impressive feat given that the Beetlejuice (1988) follow-up has been playing in theaters since September 6, and the must-see is already available to watch from the comforts of home on digital.
We Live in Time Rounds Out Box Office Top 5
While Terrifier 3 slayed the competition at last weekend’s box office, Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh’s new rom-dram, We Live in Time, quietly began its theatrical run in limited release. Director John Crowley’s heart-wrenching love story averaged over $45,000 in ticket sales per cinema before expanding to more venues this weekend. And thanks to spreading out to almost 1,000 total locations, We Live in Time rounded out the weekend’s Top 5 with an estimated $4.2 million. So, where does that leave this fall’s most disappointing movie?
Unfortunately, Joker: Folie à Deux continued to struggle at the box office. Director Todd Phillips’ cinematic collaboration with Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga only managed enough business to land the No. 6 spot with $2.2 million. And, sadly, the long-awaited sequel to Joker (2019) is still a bit short of reaching the $200-million mark globally. Currently, the “Folly” à Deux of a flop, which carries a massive $200 million production budget, has only amassed $191.9 million worldwide. And with the cost of advertising and marketing, breaking even is just a pipe dream for Warner Bros.
But while the spookiest of all seasons has been anything but kind to Joker 2, a pair of classic Halloween favorites are taking advantage of those who love to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve on the big screen. Tim Burton’s beloved The Nightmare Before Christmas is thriving during its re-release for the creepiest of holidays, as the animated film checks in at No. 10 with $1.1 million.
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Then there are the Sanderson sisters, who are pulling off a little magic of their own as Hocus Pocus (1993) just missed out on making the Top 10 at No. 12 with $841,000. Meanwhile, this week’s highest per-theater average, and a gaudy one at that, goes to director Sean Baker’s new film, Anora, which made a jaw-dropping $90,000 at each locale in limited release (6 theaters). But the real noise resonates around Venom: The Last Dance’s box office forecast as Tom Hardy’s final go-round as the Spider-Man anti-hero in Sony’s symbiote trilogy readies to swing into theaters next on October 24.
About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.
- Release Date
- October 18, 2024
- Director
- Parker Finn
- Distributor(s)
- Paramount Pictures