Five Nights at Freddy’s 2″ has emerged as a significant box office success, opening in 3,412 theaters across the U.S. and Canada. This weekend, the sequel exceeded expectations with ticket sales reaching $63 million, according to studio estimates.
Despite receiving largely negative reviews, the film established itself by recording the largest opening ever for the weekend following Thanksgiving, a time typically characterized by subdued box office performance. It ranks as the biggest PG-13 rated movie debut of the year and is the second largest opening for a horror film, following “The Conjuring: Last Rites.” The storyline revolves around Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a family restaurant where murderous, anthropomorphic robots roam at night.
Jim Orr, head of domestic distribution for Universal Pictures, noted the positive impact of this film on the post-Thanksgiving box office performance. He pointed out that, while the industry has faced challenges, the sequel has helped drive the largest first weekend for this specific period.
The original film, released two years ago, also from Blumhouse, was a surprise hit, achieving an opening weekend of $80 million despite being available for streaming on Peacock. Choosing to release the sequel exclusively in theaters has proven beneficial, with a production budget of $36 million positioning it well for continued success. This highlights the potential advantages of theatrical releases as the industry navigates changes brought about by shifting consumer habits.
Scott Cawthon, the creator of the game, returned to write the sequel, which features cast members such as Josh Hutcherson, Matthew Lillard, and Elizabeth Lail, along with director Emma Tammi. Review ratings have been particularly low, with some critics describing it as “an incoherent mess.” Nevertheless, horror fans frequently support the genre during opening weekends, with PostTrak data showing that 70% of ticket buyers are likely to recommend the film to others.
Paul Dergarabedian from Comscore commented on the often-overlooked teen video gamer demographic, suggesting that when a film resonates, audiences will turn out to theaters for a shared experience.
The family-oriented “Zootopia 2” followed closely behind, securing second place in its second weekend with $43 million in North America. This film has also enjoyed success worldwide, with a global total nearing $915.8 million, contributing to Disney’s substantial earnings this year.
“Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair,” painstakingly crafted by Quentin Tarantino into a four-hour, 35-minute epic, earned $3.3 million from 1,198 theaters, attracting a strong male audience. Its release has been met with a positive reception, leading the studio to consider extending its run due to high demand.
As the domestic box office for the year surpassed $8 billion this weekend, prognosticators suggest that surpassing the $9 billion mark remains possible, albeit dependent on films exceeding performance expectations in a competitive landscape.
The final domestic figures for the weekend, compiled by Comscore, indicate that the rankings 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