Hamburger Anzeiger - Scary 'Freddy's' film scores big N.America opening

NYSE - LSE
RBGPF 100% 60.1 $
CMSC -0.65% 24.57 $
CMSD -0.61% 24.43 $
NGG -0.68% 62.83 $
BCC -2.76% 148.41 $
RELX 0.51% 46.81 $
GSK -0.38% 34.02 $
BTI 1.01% 37.71 $
BP -1.24% 28.96 $
SCS -1.33% 13.54 $
RIO -1.53% 62.03 $
RYCEF -0.29% 6.78 $
JRI -0.98% 13.24 $
BCE -1.46% 26.63 $
AZN -0.06% 66.36 $
VOD -0.56% 8.86 $
Scary 'Freddy's' film scores big N.America opening
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

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.

Text size:

"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)

Ch.Brandes--HHA