Five Nights at Freddy’s 2″ has made a remarkable impact at the box office, debuting with impressive ticket sales over the weekend. This sequel opened across 3,412 theaters in the U.S. and Canada, generating $63 million, significantly exceeding initial expectations, according to studio estimates released on Sunday.
Despite receiving largely negative reviews, “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” achieved the largest opening for the weekend following Thanksgiving, a period traditionally characterized by lower box office performance. It also marks the biggest debut of the year for a PG-13 film and is the second-largest opening for a horror feature, trailing only “The Conjuring: Last Rites.” The franchise revolves around the sinister animatronics at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a children’s restaurant.
Universal’s head of domestic distribution, Jim Orr, noted that this film’s success contributed to the industry’s best post-Thanksgiving weekend, countering recent concerns about overall market performance. The original film, released two years prior, opened to $80 million, impressively competing with its availability on streaming platforms like Peacock. In contrast, the sequel was released exclusively in theaters, and with a modest production budget of $36 million, its potential for profitability is high.
Written by the game’s creator Scott Cawthon, the sequel brings back familiar faces including Josh Hutcherson, Matthew Lillard, and Elizabeth Lail, under the direction of Emma Tammi. Critics’ reviews have been unfavorable, with some labeling it an “incoherent mess.” Nonetheless, horror aficionados tend to support these films regardless of critique. Polling data from PostTrak indicated that 70% of attendees would recommend “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” to friends.
Market analyst Paul Dergarabedian emphasized the often underestimated appeal of teen video gamers, noting that the favorable turnout for the film demonstrates their commitment to communal moviegoing with fellow fans.
In terms of box office standings, “Zootopia 2” secured the second spot in its second week, adding $43 million, while still capitalizing on a record-breaking Thanksgiving weekend. The film has amassed $219 million across 52 international markets, including China, bringing its global total to an impressive $915.8 million. This success has pushed Walt Disney Studio releases past the $5 billion mark globally, the only studio to achieve this feat in 2023.
Universal’s “Wicked: For Good” settled into third place, earning $16.8 million from 3,985 theaters and nearing a domestic total of $297 million. “Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution,” an anime film from Gkids, opened in fourth place with an estimated $10.2 million, while Lionsgate’s “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” rounded out the top five with $3.5 million, raising its global total to $210 million.
Additionally, Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair” earned $3.3 million from 1,198 theaters. This re-edited version of the original films received a rare A CinemaScore, indicating strong audience approval, particularly among male viewers. Due to high demand for the screening, the studio is considering extending its run.
Sony Pictures Classics released a filmed adaptation of the Tony-winning revival of “Merrily We Roll Along,” which debuted just outside of the top 10 with $1.2 million from 1,084 screens.
The overall domestic box office for the year crossed the $8 billion mark, eclipsing $9 billion only once following the pandemic in 2023, when “Barbie” topped the year. Experts suggest that achieving $9 billion again will require substantial overperformance from future releases.
Final domestic figures, to be confirmed on Monday, included estimated ticket sales from Friday through Sunday in U.S. and Canadian theaters. The top-grossing films were:
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