Whether or not you were a fan of The Curse of La Llorona, it’s yet another hit from New Line Cinema and James Wan‘s production company Atomic Monster. Everything the director-turned-producer touches turns to gold. While not promoted as part of the Conjuring Universe, it actually is and is yet another one of the films to open strong. Directed by first-timer Michael Chaves, the story of The Weeping Woman topped the holiday box office with $26.5M on just a $9M reported budget. Add another shopping $30M internationally (for a $56.5M global opening) and La Llorona is a hit, one that could be massive by the end of its full run.
The Nun worked its way to $365M worldwide, while Annabelle: Creation and the official Conjuring sequel broke $300M. While La Llorona probably won’t have the same impact, it’s still a massive success from the Conjuring team who are heading into the summer with Annabelle Comes Home (June 28th) and Chaves set to get behind the camera for the highly anticipated third Conjuring. There is no end in sight for the Conjuring Universe.
Lionsgate’s R-rated Hellboy (read our review) reboot is already flaming out in just its second week. The Neil Marshall-directed flop adding another estimated $3.88M for a $19.67M domestic total. Much of the international numbers are being kept under wraps, but Deadline quietly reported $10M last weekend, which would put this in the $30M global gross range on a tough-to-overcome $50M-$60M reported budget. At this rate, this will go down as one of the year’s biggest disappointments.
I like pointing out that the Pet Sematary (read our review) remake is quietly a hit, especially since so many sites wrote it off. The modern take on Stephen King‘s novel is already way into the profit zone with $92M worldwide. With $100M incoming, there’s no reason to think Paramount won’t pull the trigger on another. If they do, the producers have expressed a desire to explore a prequel, rather than a sequel.
A quick update on Jordan Peele‘s social slasher Us (read our review), which is now nearing the $250M global mark on just a $20M budget. The film doesn’t beg for a sequel, but if Peele wanted one, there’s no world in which Universal or Blumhouse say no.
Horror continues to be hotand it’s just April.
International numbers could trickle in throughout the day. We’ll try and keep this updated.
Co-founded Bloody Disgusting in 2001. Producer on Southbound, the V/H/S trilogy, SiREN, Under the Bed, and A Horrible Way to Die. Chicago-based. Horror, pizza and basketball connoisseur. Taco Bell daily.
