Get ready for a thrilling ride as we dive into the world of cinema and uncover the latest box office battle! The crown jewel of Halloween weekend goes to 'Black Phone 2'!
In a nail-biting finish, writer-director Scott Derrickson's 'Black Phone 2' emerged victorious, co-written by C. Robert Cargill, who also adapted Joe Hill's horror masterpiece. With a whopping $8.3 million, the sequel dominated the competition and reclaimed its throne at the domestic box office.
But here's where it gets controversial... While 'Regretting You' initially claimed the weekend, its critical reception and audience response took a nosedive, allowing 'Black Phone 2' to snatch the top spot on Sunday. An interesting twist? Both films star the talented Mason Thames, who might just be the new face of the DCU's Batman franchise!
Horror fans, rejoice! 2025 is shaping up to be a banner year for the genre. 'The Conjuring: Last Rites' exorcised an impressive $485 million, while 'Sinners' and 'Final Destination Bloodlines' scared up $367 million and $315 million, respectively. 'Weapons' also took aim at a substantial $268 million.
In my recent Halloween article, I named 'The Black Phone' as one of the best horror films of the 2020s. And here's a fun fact: after screening the HBO horror miniseries 'It: Welcome to Derry', I realized just how much 'The Black Phone' captures the essence of a Stephen King novel. It's not just the aesthetics and tone, but also the ordinary progression of life in an ordinary town that King's novels are known for.
'It: Welcome to Derry', adapted from King's work, is among the best Stephen King adaptations, and it's no surprise that 'The Black Phone' and its sequel have achieved a similar feat. This aspect is often overlooked or missed in adaptations, but when it's done right, it's truly magical.
'Black Phone 2' is on track to reach a global cume of over $130 million, and with its strong Halloween performance and positive word-of-mouth, it might just continue its reign for a few more weeks. But with new releases like 'Nuremberg', 'Train of Dreams', and 'Predator: Badlands' hitting theaters this week, and 'The Running Man' and 'Now You See Me: Now You Don't' arriving soon after, the competition is heating up.
And this is the part most people miss... With the holiday season kicking off on November 21st and 'Wicked: For Good' leading the charge, followed by the highly anticipated 'Zootopia 2', the end-of-year box office sweepstakes are about to get intense. But 'Black Phone 2' has a fighting chance, especially with 'Five Nights at Freddy's 2' arriving a month later, which is expected to perform well, too.
So, will 'Black Phone 2' continue its box office reign, or will the upcoming slate of films steal the spotlight? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments and let's discuss!
