“The Exorcist: Believer,” a reboot of the old horror franchise, reached number one on the domestic box office charts despite falling short of expectations.
The R-rated film from Universal and Blumhouse grossed $27.2 million from 3,663 North American theaters over the weekend, below estimates that suggested a debut near $35 million. These ticket sales fall somewhere between recent horror releases like “Saw X” ($18.3 million) and “The Nun 2” ($32.6 million).
“These titles have performed better than the genre typically offers,” said Jim Orr, president of domestic distribution for Universal. “Hopefully we’ll see that too.”
“Believer” also opened at the international box office with $17.8 million, for a worldwide opening of $45.1 million. Since the Exorcist sequel cost $30 million, it’s well-positioned for a theatrical release.
But the reviews (23% on Rotten Tomatoes) and ratings (“C” CinemaScore) have been terrible, so the studio may have to rethink its strategy before the next installment debuts in 2025. Universal spent a staggering $400 million to buy the rights to this terrifying property, with plans to develop at least a trilogy around these supernatural battles with the devil. They need moviegoers to feel invested in the series beyond this installment to justify this massive deal.
David Gordon Green, who revived Universal and Blumhouse’s “Halloween” franchise with Jamie Lee Curtis, directed “The Exorcist: Believer,” which is set 50 years after the original 1973 classic and stars Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil, a mother, Forever changed by the paranormal event that plagued her daughter. The new trilogy begins with two girls escaping into the woods, setting off a horrific chain of events not unlike those that befell MacNeil’s child all those decades ago.
“This is a good start for a horror sequel that comes 19 years after the last ‘Exorcist’ and 50 years after the 1973 original,” said David A. Gross, who runs the film consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. However, he points out that “critic reviews are poor and audience ratings are mediocre. Creatively, the story currently has little momentum.”
“Believer” was originally scheduled to hit theaters next Friday the 13th, but the studio pushed back the release date to avoid Taylor Swift’s much-hyped concert film “Eras Tour.” It was the only new release nationwide this weekend, so The Exorcist had no trouble taking the top spot with several holdovers rounding out the top five.
Paramount’s “PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie” slipped to second place in its second theatrical release, earning $11.7 million from 4,027 theaters. To date, the animated children’s film has grossed $38.8 million in North America.
Another horror thriller, “Saw Ten days after its release, the tenth “Saw” film has grossed $32.5 million. The film only cost $13 million, so by the end of its theatrical run it will be very profitable for its backers.
“The Creator,” directed by Gareth Edwards and starring John David Washington as the leader of a war between humans and AI, fell to fourth place with $6.1 million in its second weekend in theaters. So far, the sci-fi thriller has grossed $24.9 million domestically and $61.8 million worldwide, which isn’t exactly spectacular since Disney and New Regency spent $80 million on the production before marketing of the film.
“The Blind,” a faith-based film about “Duck Dynasty” star Phil Robertson, rounded out the top five with $3.5 million from 1,312 theaters. Fathom Events released the film, which has grossed $10.9 million to date.
A24’s zany comedy Dicks: The Musical was a bright spot at the box office, delivering one of the best limited openings of the year. The “Parent Trap”-inspired film from “Borat” director Larry Charles and comedians Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson grossed $220,867 at seven theaters in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco – a whopping $31,552 -Dollars per location equals. Megan Thee Stallion, Nathan Lane, Megan Mullally and Bowen Yang star in the cheesy film “Dicks,” which will test its broader appeal when the film hits theaters next weekend before its October 20 release will be released in cinemas nationwide.