Paramount’sScream VIis punching above its weight at the box office, and easily knocking out last week’s championCreed IIIfrom the top spot. The sixth film in the iconic horror series grossed $19.3 million on Friday (including $5.7 million fromThursday previews), and is expected to deliver a franchise-best $43 million opening weekend. This is higher than the $35 million to $40 million that the film wasprojectedto open between heading into its debut weekend.
Scream VI’s $19.3 million Friday is bigger than the entire opening weekend of 2011’sScream 4. Last year’s fifthScreamfilm grossed $13.3 million on its opening day, on its way to a $30 million weekend. The previous top weekend grosser in the long-running series was 2000’sScream 3, which opened to $34 million. The firstScreamfinished with a $173 million worldwide haul, andScream 2ended its global run with $172 million.Scream 3grossed $161 million, andScream 4tapped out with a franchise-low $97 million. Last year’s well-received reboot, also titledScream, grossed a healthy $137 million worldwide, at a much scarier time during the pandemic.
Directed by the last film’sMatt Bettinelli-OlpinandTyler Gillett, also known collectively as Radio Silence,Scream VIopened to largelypositive reviews. The film’s box office performance suggests that fans are still interested in the series, which sets itself apart from other horror franchises with its meta commentary on the film industry, and tongue-in-cheek tone. The film’s B+ CinemaScore from opening day audiences certainly bodes well for its performance in the long run.
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Eyeing a $26 million second weekend, last week’s number one filmCreed IIIis on track to top $100 million domestically by tomorrow. The third installment in the Rocky spinoff series delivered a franchise-topping $58 million opening weekend, and grossed $7.5 million on its second Friday. This puts the movie on track to finish with around $150 million domestically. If the $26 million second weekend projections hold, the film will easily top the second weekend hauls posted by both its predecessors —Creed($14.9 million) andCreed II($16.6 million).
The week’s two other new releases — Sony’s science-fiction dinosaur movie65, and Focus Features’ sports comedyChampions— are looking at low openings. While65is eyeing a $10 million debut weekend after $4.5 million on Friday,Championsis looking to finish its first weekend with around $5 million, after $1.8 million on Friday. Elsewhere, holdover releasesCocaine BearandAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniaare neck-and-neck with around $1.7 million each on Friday. Both films have slowed down significantly after front-loaded openings. WhileCocaine Bearis expected to cross $50 million at the domestic box office soon,Ant-Man 3is struggling to pass $200 million domestically.
Scream VIwill likely surrender the top spot next week toShazam! Fury of the Gods, the latest entry in the perennially evolving DC Extended Universe. You can watch our interview withScream VIdirectors Radio Silence here, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
