Scary 'Freddy's' film scores big N.America opening

Nottingham Guardian - Scary 'Freddy's' film scores big N.America opening

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Scary 'Freddy's' film scores big N.America opening / Photo: Jason Merritt - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File

Scary 'Freddy's' film scores big N.America opening

CULTURE 29.10.2023

New horror film "Five Nights at Freddy's" shot to the top of the North American box office this pre-Halloween weekend, taking in an estimated $78 million -- a frighteningly good opening for a film also available via streaming.

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"This opening is fantastic," analyst David A. Gross said, adding that the film looks likely to rank just behind two Stephen King "It" movies among domestic horror-film openings.

"Freddy's" take, reported by industry watcher Exhibitor Relations, made it an instant winner for Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions, which spent just $20 million to make the video game-based film -- which is also streaming on Universal's Peacock service.

Josh Hutcherson stars as a down-at-the-heels security guard working nights at an abandoned family entertainment center, where creepy animatronic characters spring murderously to life after dark.

Down a notch after leading the box office for two weeks was "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour," at $14.7 million.

The film, chronicling three of the superstar's concerts, has taken in $149.3 million in North America and $53 million abroad, making it the first concert film ever to pass the $200 million mark globally.

In third place, also down one spot from its debut last weekend, was Martin Scorsese's history-based epic "Killers of the Flower Moon," at $9 million. Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone star in the dark story about the 1920s murders of Native Americans by evildoers coveting their oil wealth.

The faith-based documentary "After Death," which looks at people's near-death experiences, took in $5.1 million for Angel Studios. The film comes only months after the small Utah-based studio released its first big hit, "Sound of Freedom," which has grossed more than $230 million.

In fifth, down two spots, was Universal's horror film "Exorcist: The Believer," at $3.1 million. Leslie Odom Jr. and Ann Dowd star in this sequel to the 1973 original.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

"Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie" ($2.2 million)

"Freelance" ($2.1 million)

"The Nightmare Before Christmas" ($2 million)

"Saw X" ($1.7 million)

"The Creator" ($1 million)

O.Ratchford--NG