Horror Rules the Box Office, Comedies Struggle

Horror movies are still the kings of the box office. "Black Phone 2" scared up $10. 7 million on Friday and preview screenings. It's on track to take the top spot this weekend. The movie is playing in 3, 411 theaters across North America. Experts think it could make around $24. 4 million over the three-day weekend. That's a bit more than the first "Black Phone" movie made when it came out in 2022. The movie studio behind "Black Phone 2" is hoping for a big finish to the year. Their other movies this year didn't do so well. "Black Phone 2" cost $30 million to make, which is more than their usual budget. So far, people seem to like it, but not as much as the first one. The first movie was a surprise hit, making almost four times its opening weekend numbers. "Black Phone 2" will need to keep drawing crowds to be a real success. Meanwhile, the comedy "Good Fortune" isn't doing so well. It's only expected to make $5. 9 million this weekend. That's not great, especially with a big-name cast like Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, and Sandra Oh. Even good reviews and buzz from audiences aren't enough to make it a hit. It's tough for original comedies to find an audience these days. Another movie, "Tron: Ares, " is also struggling. It made $3 million on Friday and is expected to drop 65% from its opening weekend. It's not looking good for this sci-fi movie to make back its huge $180 million budget. In other news, "One Battle After Another" is holding steady in second place. It's earned $59 million so far, but it's not enough to cover its $130 million budget. "Roofman" is falling to fifth place, and "Truth & Treason" is opening in sixth. "After the Hunt" is expanding to more theaters but isn't getting great reviews from audiences.