Blumhouse Productions' highly anticipated horror sequel, “Black Phone 2,” has made a significant impact at the box office, raking in $10.7 million across Friday and preview screenings. This strong opening positions the film for a potential No. 1 debut as it continues its run. As the October box office limps towards the end of the month, Aziz Ansari's comedy “Good Fortune” is struggling to find its footing, debuting in third place.
Universal Pictures has launched “Black Phone 2” in 3,411 North American locations for its opening weekend, projecting a three-day total of approximately $24.4 million. This forecast aligns closely with pre-weekend tracking estimates and slightly exceeds the original “Black Phone,” which premiered to $23.6 million in 2022. The sequel features Ethan Hawke reprising his role as the infamous serial killer known as the Grabber, and it benefits from securing premium large format auditoriums—known for their higher ticket prices—from the competing film “Tron: Ares.”
Blumhouse is eager for a strong box office performance to close out the year, particularly after a lackluster 2025 slate that included titles like “Wolf Man,” “The Woman in the Yard,” “Drop,” and “M3GAN 2.0.” Despite their modest production budgets, these films struggled to gain traction in theaters. With a production budget of $30 million, “Black Phone 2” is set to achieve Blumhouse's largest opening of the year, but it will need to sustain its momentum to be deemed a theatrical success.
Initial reviews from both critics and audiences have been generally positive, though slightly more subdued compared to the first film. The audience survey firm Cinema Score reported a “B” grade among ticket buyers, a slight decrease from the “B+” grade awarded to the 2022 original. The first “Black Phone” was a sleeper hit, achieving nearly a 4x multiplier on its debut, ultimately grossing $90 million domestically. “Black Phone 2” aspires for a similarly long-lasting performance, aiming to dominate the horror market throughout the Halloween season.
Blumhouse still has another sequel, “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” set to release in December under Universal. In contrast, Lionsgate's “Good Fortune,” directed and written by Aziz Ansari, is projected to open around $5.9 million from 2,985 locations. With only $2.4 million earned across Friday and preview screenings, this lackluster start for the $30 million film is surprising, considering its star-studded cast, which includes the likes of Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, Sandra Oh, and Keke Palmer. Despite receiving solid reviews and positive audience buzz with a Cinema Score grade of “B+,” the film faces challenges in the current market for original R-rated comedies.
In second place, Disney’s “Tron: Ares” generated $3 million on Friday and is expected to see a 65% drop in its second weekend, projecting a total of $11 million. After ten days in theaters, its North American total may reach $54 million. Unfortunately, the sci-fi sequel is struggling to recover its substantial $180 million production budget after a disappointing domestic debut and weak overseas turnout.
In a closely contested fourth place, Warner Bros.' “One Battle After Another” continues to show solid week-to-week holds, earning $1.1 million more on Friday. However, despite its critical acclaim, the film has only amassed $59 million in North America after 22 days, with a production budget exceeding $130 million, leading to an estimated loss of around $100 million theatrically.
Paramount’s “Roofman” is expected to fall to fifth place, generating $1.1 million on its second Friday, with projections of a $3.6 million sophomore outing—marking a 55% drop from its opening weekend. The film's domestic gross is anticipated to hit $15.4 million through Sunday, a modest run considering its $19 million production budget.
This weekend also sees Angel Studios releasing the World War II thriller “Truth & Treason” in 2,106 venues. The PG-13 rated drama earned $1.1 million on Friday and is projected for a $2.8 million opening weekend, landing in sixth place on domestic charts. With a glowing Cinema Score of
Meanwhile, Amazon MGM is expanding its R-rated campus drama “After the Hunt” to 1,238 locations after its initial release in New York and Los Angeles last weekend. The film, directed by Luca Guadagnino and featuring a high-profile cast including Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri, managed to earn about $650,000 on Friday, positioning it for seventh place. However, negative reviews following its premiere at the Venice Film Festival in August have significantly hampered its performance, leading to a Cinema Score of “C-.”
