Five Nights at Freddy’s 2″ has made a strong debut at the box office, further demonstrating the popularity of the franchise. Released in 3,412 theaters across the U.S. and Canada, the film earned an impressive $63 million in its opening weekend, outperforming initial expectations.
Despite receiving overwhelmingly negative reviews, the movie achieved the largest opening ever for a post-Thanksgiving weekend and set records as the biggest opening for a PG-13 horror film this year, second only to “The Conjuring: Last Rites.” The film, like its predecessor, revolves around the sinister events at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, where animatronic characters take a dark turn at night.
Jim Orr, who oversees domestic distribution for Universal, commented on the film’s success in the context of a challenging industry, noting its contribution to the largest Thanksgiving weekend box office in history. The first installment, released two years prior, surprised audiences with an $80 million opening, even with its availability on Peacock. In contrast, Universal opted for a theatrical-exclusive release for the sequel, which is produced on a budget of $36 million, signaling a potential for substantial profitability.
The sequel retains key cast members, including Josh Hutcherson, Matthew Lillard, and Elizabeth Lail, while being helmed again by director Emma Tammi. The critical response was notably harsh, with The Associated Press describing it as an “incoherent mess.” Despite this, the film’s audience ratings tell a contrasting story; a PostTrak survey indicated that 70% of viewers would recommend it to friends, highlighting horror fans’ tendency to flock to theaters regardless of reviews.
Paul Dergarabedian, an expert on marketplace trends, observed that the teen video gamer demographic is often underestimated but demonstrated their enthusiasm for films that resonate with them as a community experience.
Following “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” “Zootopia 2” secured second place during its second weekend, adding $43 million domestically. The animated film has grossed $219 million across 52 international markets, bringing its global total to approximately $915.8 million, further solidifying Disney’s dominance, as the studio has surpassed the $5 billion mark worldwide this year.
In third place, “Wicked: For Good” fetched $16.8 million, inching closer to a domestic total of $297 million. Meanwhile, the anime “Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution” debuted in fourth with $10.2 million, and “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” rounded out the top five with $3.5 million, totaling $210 million globally.
“Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair,” a reimagined version by Quentin Tarantino, took in $3.3 million, with audience acclaim reflected in its rare A CinemaScore rating. Demand for the film’s special prints has led to discussions about extending its theatrical run. Notably, Lucy Liu garnered attention at the AMC Lincoln Square in New York for her role in the independent film “Rosemead,” which earned over $50,000 from a single screen.
Sony Pictures Classics introduced a filmed version of the Tony-winning revival “Merrily We Roll Along,” featuring stars like Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe, which grossed $1.2 million from 1,084 screens, just outside the top ten.
The overall domestic box office surpassed $8 billion this weekend, achieving this milestone just once since the pandemic in 2023 with “Barbie.” According to analysts, reaching the $9 billion mark this year will require every upcoming film to significantly outperform its expectations.
As final tallies are awaited, estimated ticket sales from Friday to Sunday across U.S. and Canadian theaters are as follows:
1. “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” – $63 million
2. “Zootopia 2” – $43 million
3. “Wicked: For Good” – $16.7 million
4. “Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution” – $10.2 million
5. “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” – $3.5 million
6. “Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair” – $3.3 million
7. “Eternity” – $2.7 million
8. “Hamnet” – $2.3 million
9. “Dhurandhar” – $1.9 million
10. “Predator: Badlands” – $1.9 million