"The Exorcism sequel, 'The Conjuring: Last Rites', revitalizes the box office, aiming for a $65M+ opening weekend record"
In a thrilling turn of events, the highly anticipated horror film, "The Conjuring: Last Rites," is set to dominate the weekend box office. Directed by Michael Chaves, the final title in Phase One of The Conjuring Universe is projected to earn $65 million-plus from 3,802 theaters.
James Wan and DC Studios co-chief Peter Safran return to produce "The Conjuring: Last Rites," which stars Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson in their final turn as real-life paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren. The movie is based on the Warrens' investigation of the Smurl haunting in Pennsylvania.
Mia Tomlinson and Ben Hardy also star in the R-rated movie, which has a net production budget of $55 million before marketing. "The Conjuring: Last Rites" is showing no signs of slowing down at the Friday box office.
Meanwhile, Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical "Hamilton" is projected to come in second for the weekend, earning $9 million to $10 million. The film, which is a one-week limited engagement, is booked in 1,825 theaters domestically, including over 100 premium large-format screens. "Hamilton" earned $850,000 in Thursday previews.
The Conjuring Universe, a horror franchise, has become the top-grossing horror franchise in box office history after collecting more than $2.3 billion in global ticket sales. "The Conjuring: Last Rites" is a sequel to "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It," also directed by Michael Chaves.
This story was originally published at 8:28 a.m., and has been updated with revised weekend projections at 1:50 p.m. on Sept. 5. The movie is projected to earn $50 million overseas from more than 60 markets.
As for the run of "Hamilton," it may be extended based on demand, according to the promoters.
Disney has re-released the filmed version of "Hamilton" following its successful run on Disney+.
Stay tuned for more updates on these exciting releases!
