Horror Hits Big: Black Phone 2 Scares Up $26. 5M Opening Weekend

Horror fans showed up in force for "Black Phone 2, " helping it rake in $26. 5 million in its first weekend in North America. This sequel, directed by Scott Derrickson, outperformed expectations and gave Blumhouse Productions a much-needed win after a string of box office misses. The film's strong opening comes on the heels of the expensive flop "M3GAN 2. 0" earlier this year. "Black Phone 2" took the top spot in North America, beating out Disney's "Tron: Ares, " which saw a steep drop in its second weekend. The horror sequel earned praise from critics and audiences alike, with a solid B CinemaScore—a great grade for any horror movie. Latinos made up the largest portion of the audience, accounting for about 39 percent of ticket sales. Internationally, Mexico led the way with $4. 3 million, a huge number for a horror film. The movie brings back Ethan Hawke as the terrifying killer Grabber and Mason Thames as Finn. This time, Grabber seeks revenge on Finn's younger sister, Gwen, played by Madeleine McGraw. Universal had initially predicted a $18 million opening, but prerelease tracking suggested the film would do even better than its predecessor, which opened with $23. 6 million in 2021 and went on to become a sleeper hit, grossing over $161 million worldwide. Meanwhile, "Tron: Ares" took a big tumble in its second weekend, earning just $11. 1 million domestically. Overseas, it brought in another $14. 1 million, including a disappointing $2. 8 million in China. The film's global total now stands at $103 million, but with a production budget of $180 million, it's still far from breaking even. Other notable releases this weekend include Lionsgate's comedy "Good Fortune, " which despite good reviews and a star-studded cast, only managed to pull in $6. 2 million domestically. Warner Bros. ' "One Battle After Another" crossed the $100 million mark internationally and brought in $4 million domestically. Miramax's "Roofman" rounded out the top five in its second weekend with $3. 7 million domestically. Angel Studios' "Truth & Treason, " a drama based on a true story, opened in sixth place with $2. 7 million. It was the only new nationwide release to earn an A CinemaScore. At the awards box office, "After the Hunt" expanded to more theaters but received a C- CinemaScore despite its ensemble cast.