Universal and Blumhouse’s Black Phone 2 kicked off its box office journey with an impressive $2.6 million from preview screenings on Thursday, taking place across 2,900 theaters starting at 2 p.m. This figure is just shy of the $3 million that the original 2021 film garnered before its official release, which ultimately led to a remarkable opening weekend of $23.6 million.
The preview earnings of Black Phone 2 align closely with those of Paramount’s Smile 2, which debuted with $2.5 million in previews during the same weekend last year, ultimately achieving a three-day total of $23 million. Given the current state of the horror genre at the box office, there is a strong hope that Blumhouse can break its recent streak of underwhelming performances and produce a robust opening for this highly anticipated sequel.
Directed by Scott Derrickson, Black Phone 2 is projected to open within the range of $20 million to $30 million. The film has received solid reviews, boasting a 74% 'Certified Fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes. For comparison, the first installment of Black Phone had an 81% rating from critics and a B+ CinemaScore, highlighting the franchise's strong appeal among audiences.
The sequel picks up with Ethan Hawke’s character, The Grabber, now roaming free in the real world rather than being confined to a suburban house in the 1970s. The production cost for Black Phone 2 is reported to be around $30 million, positioning it competitively within the current box office landscape.
In light of the recent underperformance of Disney’s Tron: Ares, along with a decline in sophisticated adult films, the autumn box office is facing a challenging period. Notably, 'One Battle After Another' has emerged as an exception, performing well with nearly $58 million in earnings, unlike its counterparts such as Roofman and A Big Bold Beautiful Journey.
According to ComScore, the box office season from Labor Day to last Sunday has remained flat compared to the previous year, totaling $770.7 million. Industry insiders are eager to witness a film finally meet its tracking forecast.
Meanwhile, Lionsgate is set to release the comedy Good Fortune, directed by and starring Aziz Ansari, along with notable actors Keanu Reeves and Seth Rogen. This film is expected to earn under $10 million from 2,985 locations, with a production cost of $30 million. Despite the challenges posed by the recent writers and actors strikes, Good Fortune has garnered a 79% fresh rating after its world premiere at TIFF. The previews for this film brought in $725,000 from 2,990 sites.
It's worth noting that Roofman, which skewed towards an adult audience (predominantly male viewers, ironically considering it stars Channing Tatum), earned $1 million in previews before achieving an $8 million opening weekend.
Disney’s Tron: Ares wraps up the week with a disappointing $43.4 million, a figure that many had hoped would be closer to the $180 million production budget. This performance trails that of another Jared Leto sci-fi film, Blade Runner 2049, which opened with $45.4 million in its first week in 2017. Blade Runner 2049 received an A- CinemaScore and experienced a 53% drop in its second weekend, earning $15.4 million. In contrast, Tron: Ares is expected to suffer a steeper decline of around 60% based on its B+ CinemaScore.
This weekend, Tron: Ares will retain its IMAX screenings and a majority of premium large formats (PLFs), ensuring that it maintains optimal showtimes despite its rocky start.
