Another Conjuring in the making? Last Rites global debut shatters horror box office records

Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema’s The Conjuring: Last Rites delivered a massive $83 million opening in North America this weekend, blowing past projections and setting a new record for the long-running franchise. Internationally, the film collected $104 million from 66 markets, pushing its global launch to $187 million, the best-ever overseas debut for a horror movie.

This is better than the predictions by independent tracking services, which suggested that the film would debut to $50 million or $60 million. As of now, it is being promoted as the last chapter in the “Conjuring” franchise, but given this weekend’s box office success, another installment now seems very likely.

The ninth installment in the supernatural universe, starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, had been expected to open in the $50 million to $60 million range. Instead, it surpassed 2018’s The Nun ($53.8 million) to notch the best domestic start in the Conjuring series. Only two other horror films, It (2017) and It: Chapter Two (2019), have ever opened higher.

Analysts call it a “smash”

“This is a smash,” said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research as stated by the Variety website. “Horror fans can’t get enough of Lorraine and Ed Warren.”

Paul Dergarabedian, senior analyst at Comscore, said the timing worked in the film’s favor. “After a rather quiet month of August, the industry needed a boost, and The Conjuring: Last Rites has provided both a box office and a morale booster.”

A proven formula

The film, directed by Michael Chaves and produced by James Wan and Peter Safran, cost about $55 million to make, a midrange budget that positions it for a highly profitable run. Reviews have been mixed, but horror is famously critic-proof.

Across nine films, including spinoffs like Annabelle and The Nun, the Conjuring franchise has now grossed close to $2.5 billion worldwide, reinforcing its status as the top-grossing horror series in box office history.

The box office competition

Disney’s filmed version of Hamilton landed in second place with $10 million from 1,825 theaters, a strong result given that the recording of the Broadway sensation has been available to stream on Disney+ since 2020. The studio has billed the release as a limited engagement, though it is likely to extend as long as ticket demand remains strong.

The strong start for Last Rites marks Warner Bros.’ seventh consecutive release to open above $40 million this year. It also provides momentum heading into Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming $130 million epic One Battle After Another, which debuts later this month.

As Dergarabedian put it, “There is no better way to kick off a fall movie season than an overperforming film. This sets the stage for movies set to release in the coming weeks.”