No major studio chose to widely release their films this Halloween weekend, resulting in an already quiet October box office slump. It’s not expected to even sniff an eight-figure box office hit, but something like this hasn’t happened since “Novocaine” debuted in March. Among the new entrants, Netflix is planning a second theatrical release of “KPop Demon Hunters,” this time with AMC Theaters, the world’s largest box office chain, on board. Meanwhile, Focus Features is expanding its acclaimed conspiracy thriller ‘Bugonia’ after a limited box office success.
But the top spot is likely to go to Universal and Blumhouse’s third horror film, “Black Phone 2,” which earned $2.3 million on Friday. Third weekend box office gross is expected to be $7.6 million, a mere 41% decline for a seasonally appropriate holiday weekend. The North American total is expected to be $61 million by Sunday, slightly outpacing the original 2022 Black Phone ($62.4 million in 17 days).
Paramount’s “Regretting You” earned another $1.2 million on Friday and is on track for second place, taking its second weekend box office to $6.6 million, a 51% drop from its premiere. The Colleen Hoover film adaptation is expected to gross $26 million domestically by Sunday.
Sony and Crunchyroll’s “Chainsaw Man: The Movie: Red Edition” was technically in second place as of Friday, but is expected to drop even more as the weekend progresses. The R-rated actioner hit No. 1 in its opening final frame and earned $1.3 million on Friday, but the three-day box office is expected to gross $5.5 million, which would be a 69% decline. This is a standard decline in anime that is usually front-loaded by fans at the box office. Domestic box office grosses are expected to exceed $30 million by Sunday.
Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” is back in 2,890 locations after three days of activity. The streamer’s platform’s most-watched animated blockbuster to date experienced a two-day slump in late August, theoretically ranking as the weekend’s No. 1 release and grossing an estimated $19 million. But theater-hating Netflix didn’t report box office revenue back then, and unless there’s a sudden change in policy, they probably won’t report box office revenue now. This new release is not expected to draw the same crowd as previous releases.
Meanwhile, “Bugonia” is a remake of the 2003 Korean film “Save the Green Planet!” Theatrical versions under Universal’s specialty label Focus are now being expanded to 2,043 theaters after opening in the final 17 theaters. This film, which reunites director Yorgos Lanthimos with Oscar-winning Emma Stone, who directed the Oscar-winning film “Poor People,” received high praise and buzz when it premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August. It grossed $1.8 million on Friday and is expected to gross $4.4 million over three days. This R-rated movie earned a so-so “B” rating on moviegoer polling company CinemaScore, but it’s not exactly intended to please audiences. The focus is on the long term.
Universal will also be re-screening Back to the Future in 2,275 locations to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Robert Zemeckis’ classic film. The reprint includes Showtime on Imax. The film grossed $1.5 million in previews and Friday, and is expected to gross $3.9 million over three days.
