The latest installment in the iconic horror franchise, Warner Bros. and New Line’s “Final Destination Bloodlines”, is poised to achieve a franchise-best opening weekend. The film has already garnered an impressive $21 million from Friday and preview screenings across 3,523 locations. This latest entry marks the sixth film in the series, demonstrating the enduring popularity of the franchise.
"Final Destination Bloodlines" has outperformed the previous best opening day record set by the fourth installment, “The Final Destination”, which debuted in 2009 with a stellar $27.4 million during the height of the 3D cinema craze. On track to surpass that figure, the R-rated “Bloodlines” is benefiting from luxury ticket prices, playing in IMAX and premium large-format auditoriums. This resurgence is particularly notable, given that the franchise has been dormant since the fifth installment released in 2011.
Launched in 2000, the “Final Destination” series follows a unique premise where characters meet their demise through intricate, unforeseen chain reactions. Directed by Adam Stein and Zach Lipovsky, the new entry has received franchise-best reviews from critics, signaling a renewed appreciation for the horror genre. Audience feedback has also been positive, with Cinema Score reporting a grade of “B+” among ticket buyers. With a production cost of $50 million, “Final Destination Bloodlines” is well-positioned to achieve significant box office success.
Internationally, “Bloodlines” has already grossed $26.4 million, adding to its overall financial success. In contrast, Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye’s psychological thriller “Hurry Up Tomorrow” is struggling at the box office, having earned only $2.33 million from its opening day and fan event previews in 2,020 locations. Unlike Final Destination, which is thriving, “Hurry Up Tomorrow” is projected to have a low opening weekend, potentially falling short of $3.6 million.
Directed by Trey Edward Shults and featuring stars like Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan, this surreal film is a visual companion to The Weeknd's studio album of the same name. Despite the artist's strong live performance reputation, the film's reception has been poor, reflected in a disappointing Cinema Score grade of
In addition to the successes of “Final Destination Bloodlines,” Warner Bros. is also enjoying strong performance from “Sinners”, which continues to attract audiences in its fifth weekend. Directed by Ryan Coogler, the vampire feature has earned another $4.35 million on Friday, surpassing Marvel’s “Thunderbolts” in the box office race. “Sinners” is expected to exceed $240 million by the end of the weekend, positioning it among the highest-grossing R-rated domestic films of all time.
Meanwhile, Disney’s “Thunderbolts” is trailing closely, earning $4.2 million on Friday and projecting a total of around $154 million through its third weekend. The film has shown better staying power compared to its MCU predecessor, “Captain America: Brave New World”, but will still face stiff competition from upcoming releases like “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” and “Lilo & Stitch”.
In the midst of this competitive landscape, “A Minecraft Movie” continues to perform well, adding another $1.3 million in its seventh weekend and preparing to surpass “Jurassic Park” in the domestic box office rankings. Rounding out the top five, “The Accountant 2”, starring Ben Affleck, is expected to reach a total of over $58 million.
As the box office landscape evolves, the performances of these films highlight the diverse tastes of audiences and the ongoing appeal of both horror franchises and original cinematic experiences. Stay tuned for more updates as the weekend unfolds.
