Universal and Blumhouse’s horror sequel, “Black Phone 2”, kicked off the spooky season with an impressive box office performance, raking in $26.5 million from 3,411 North American theaters. This strong opening was enough to lead an otherwise lackluster weekend at the domestic box office, setting the stage for a thrilling October.
“Black Phone 2” opened in line with expectations and slightly surpassed its predecessor. The original “Black Phone” debuted with $23 million in 2021, a time when cinemas were just beginning to recover from the impacts of COVID-19. To illustrate the shifting box office landscape, the first film opened in fourth place, trailing behind major titles such as “Elvis,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” and “Jurassic World: Dominion”. In contrast, the follow-up enjoyed a relatively quiet October weekend with fewer competing releases.
This weekend’s other newcomer, Lionsgate’s R-rated comedy “Good Fortune,” debuted at No. 3, bringing in just $6.2 million from 2,990 venues. The second spot went to Disney’s sci-fi sequel, “Tron: Ares,” which earned $11.1 million from 4,000 screens, experiencing a steep 66% decline from its initial release. Current data from Comscore indicates that the October box office is down 11% compared to the same period in 2024.
In addition to its domestic success, “Black Phone 2” garnered $15.5 million at the international box office, accumulating a global total of $42 million. Although these figures are promising, it’s important to note that Universal and Blumhouse invested more in this sequel, with a production cost of $30 million compared to the original’s $18 million.
While “Black Phone 2” received decent reviews, it didn’t resonate as strongly with audiences as the original did. The sequel earned a “B” grade on CinemaScore exit polls, whereas the first film achieved a “B+” grade. Jim Orr, Universal’s president of domestic distribution, commented on the film’s growth in word-of-mouth over the weekend, attributing its success to the terrifying narrative crafted by Blumhouse and director Scott Derrickson.
As ticket sales are typically split 50-50 between studios and theaters, “Black Phone 2” needs to maintain its momentum to be considered a significant comeback for Blumhouse. The low-budget horror powerhouse, known for franchises like “Paranormal Activity,” “The Purge,” “Get Out,” and “Halloween,” has faced challenges over the past year, with several underperforming titles including “Wolf Man” and “M3GAN 2.0.” Looking ahead, Blumhouse has another sequel, “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” scheduled for release in December.
“Good Fortune” has received respectable reviews, holding a 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a “B+” grade on CinemaScore. However, the film, directed by Aziz Ansari in his feature debut and featuring stars like Keanu Reeves and Seth Rogen, struggled to attract audiences, earning just $30 million against its production budget. David A. Gross, a film consultant, described the opening as fair for an original character-driven comedy but noted the film’s challenges in recouping its costs.
Another film facing difficulties is “Tron: Ares,” which has so far earned $54.6 million domestically and $103 million globally after two weekends of release. Despite nearing the $100 million mark, Disney’s substantial investment of $180 million in production and additional marketing means that the sequel requires considerable staying power to justify these costs.
Channing Tatum’s dramedy “Roofman” and Leonardo DiCaprio’s action-comedy “One Battle After Another” also made headlines at the box office. “Roofman” earned $3.7 million in its second weekend, bringing its total to $15.5 million against a modest budget of $18 million. Meanwhile, “One Battle After Another” collected $3.75 million in its fourth outing, making its domestic total $61 million and its global tally $162.5 million. However, with production costs surpassing $130 million, the film is projected to lose $100 million during its theatrical run.
Despite the financial challenges, “One Battle After Another” is anticipated to be a significant contender during awards season, which adds value beyond the box office numbers. Meanwhile, director Luca Guadagnino’s MeToo-inspired thriller “After the Hunt” struggled to gain traction, earning just $1.56 million from 1,238 theaters after expanding nationwide.
In limited release, Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s Palme d’Or winner, “It Was Just an Accident,” performed well, grossing $68,000 from three venues. Meanwhile, Richard Linklater’s dramedy “Blue Moon” didn’t fare as well, earning $67,060 from five locations.
