Blumhouse and Universal’s highly anticipated release, Black Phone 2, has made an impressive debut in preview screenings, earning $2.6 million across nearly 2,900 theaters. The preview showings began as early as 2 p.m. on a Thursday, setting the stage for a promising opening weekend.
Comparison with Previous Releases
This preview figure is just shy of the $3 million the original Black Phone earned in its own preview screenings back in 2021. The original film eventually opened to a remarkable $23.6 million. Similarly, last year, Paramount’s Smile 2 had a preview earnings of $2.5 million and concluded its opening weekend with a total of $23 million.
Expectations and Financial Insights
With a production budget of $30 million, industry experts predict that Black Phone 2 could reach an opening weekend gross between $20 million to $30 million. Given the current state of the box office, Blumhouse is hopeful for a successful launch after several underperforming horror titles this year.
Critical Reception
Early reviews for Black Phone 2 have been favorable, boasting a 74% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This compares to the original film’s higher 81% rating and a B+ CinemaScore. The sequel features Ethan Hawke reprising his role as the menacing Grabber, now suggesting a contemporary setting away from its 1970s suburban origin.
Current Box Office Landscape
The box office performance this autumn has been somewhat stagnant, with total earnings since Labor Day at $770.7 million, mirroring last year’s figures. Amidst this, Tron: Ares has also faced challenges, accumulating $43.4 million in its opening, lower than initial projections of $180 million. It experienced a disappointing drop in viewership recently as part of the ongoing box office struggles.
In addition to horror films, other genres are also facing stiff competition. Lionsgate’s upcoming comedy, Good Fortune, featuring Aziz Ansari and expected to earn less than $10 million, faced delays due to writer and actor strikes.
Conclusion
Overall, Black Phone 2 appears to be positioned well for success as it enters the mainstream box office arena. With strong preliminary numbers and positive reviews, audiences are eager to experience this sequel in theaters.
