None of the major studios elected to debut a film in wide release this Halloween weekend, ending what was already a quiet October box office on a down note. No feature is expected to even sniff a gross in the eight-digits, which hasn’t happened since the debut of “Novocaine” back in March. Among the newcomers, Netflix has a second theatrical engagement of “KPop Demon Hunters” — this time with AMC Theatres, the world’s largest exhibitor chain, on board — while Focus Features is expanding its acclaimed conspiracy thriller “Bugonia” after a limited bow.
But first place looks to go to the third outing of Universal and Blumhouse’s horror film du jour “Black Phone 2,” which earned $2.3 million on Friday and is projecting a third weekend gross of $7.6 million, down just 41% for the seasonally appropriate holiday weekend. The North American total is forecast for $61 million through Sunday, pacing a touch behind the original 2022 “Black Phone” ($62.4 million through 17 days).
Paramount’s “Regretting You” is looking at second, earning another $1.2 million on Friday and headed to a second weekend gross of $6.6 million for a 51% drop from its opening. Total domestic gross looks to hit $26 million through Sunday for the Colleen Hoover adaptation.
Sony and Crunchyroll’s “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” technically got second on Friday, but is expected to drop more sharply as the weekend goes on. The R-rated actioner, which delivered a No. 1 opening last frame, earning $1.3 million on Friday and is expecting a $5.5 million three-day haul, which would be down 69% — a standard drop for anime, which is typically frontloaded by fans at the box office. Total domestic gross will surpass $30 million through Sunday.
Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” is back in 2,890 locations for a three-day engagement. The animated smash — the streamer’s most watched feature ever on its platform — had a two-day bow back in late August, where it technically ranked as the No. 1 release of the weekend with earnings estimated at $19 million. But the theatrical averse Netflix did not report grosses then and, barring a sudden change in policy, it won’t now either. This new release isn’t expected to pull in the same crowds as the prior one.
Meanwhile, “Bugonia,” a remake of the 2003 Korean film “Save the Green Planet!” from Universal’s specialty label Focus, is expanding into 2,043 locations after opening in 17 theaters last frame. The feature, which re-teams director Yorgos Lanthimos with his Oscar-winning “Poor Things” star Emma Stone, scored strong reviews and awards buzz out of its Venice Film Festival premiere in August. It earned $1.8 million on Friday and is projecting a $4.4 million three-day haul. The R-rated film earned a so-so “B” grade from moviegoer pollster Cinema Score, though it isn’t exactly intended as a crowdpleaser. Focus is aiming for the long haul.
Also out, Universal is re-releasing “Back to the Future” in 2,275 locations for the Robert Zemeckis classic’s 40th anniversary. The reissue comes with some Imax showtimes. The film earned $1.5 million across previews and Friday, with projections for a $3.9 million three-day.
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