ITZEL LUNA Associated Press

The film also broke records for the “Conjuring” universe, securing the biggest opening weekend in the franchise. NEW YORK — It's the year for horror and “The Conjuring: Last Rites” was no exception. Its opening weekend tipped the genre over $1 billion in earnings for this year's domestic box office. The horror sequel raked in $83 million domestically in 3,802 theaters, making it the third-highest domestic opening for a horror movie, behind “It” and “It: Chapter Two.” It's now the largest horror opening internationally, with $104 million in earnings outside of North American theaters. The film also broke records for the “Conjuring” universe, securing the biggest opening weekend in the franchise. The movie's performance is a testament to the franchise's success in producing classic horror movies since the first film released in 2013, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for the data firm Comscore. “Audiences know when they go in to see ‘The Conjuring,’ the minute this scary, ominous music comes up with the Warner’s logo, you know you’re in for a wild ride,” Dergarabedian said. The film has received mixed reviews from critics, carrying a 55% on Rotten Tomatoes and a “B” CinemaScore. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return to the big screen in the ninth installment of “The Conjuring” as the paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren who attempt to vanquish a demon from a family’s home. “Last Rites” also handed Warner Bros. Pictures yet another opening weekend box office win, becoming the distributor's eighth No. 1 debut win this year and the studio’s seventh film in a row to debut with over $40 million domestically. The movie's opening weekend numbers are nearly double that of other successful horror movies this year, including Zach Cregger's August sleeper hit “Weapons,”“Final Destination: Bloodlines” and “Sinners" — all of which are Warner Bros. releases. “It just shows how arguably more than any other genre, horror has stood the test of time," Dergarabedian said. "That’s because there’s nothing quite like seeing a horror movie in a darkened room full of strangers.” The horror genre last crossed the $1 billion mark in 2023. Meeting that threshold this early in the year is unprecedented, Dergarabedian said, “because usually you need a full year of horror movie box office to bank that much cash.” Upcoming horror films like “Black Phone 2” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” are likely to boost that number, Dergarabedian said. “Last Rites” blew past other titles at the box office this weekend. Disney’s filmed version of “Hamilton” landed in second place with $10 million domestically. The film was “perfect counterprogramming” to “Last Rites,” Dergarabedian said. The rest of the top spots were taken by several holdover titles. “Weapons” secured third place during its fifth weekend, bringing in $5.4 million in earnings in North American theaters. The movie's debut partner, “Freakier Friday” took fourth place with $3.8 million. The crime caper “Caught Stealing,” which debuted last weekend, rounded out the top five with $3.2 million in domestic earnings. Top 10 movies by domestic box office With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” $83 million.“Hamilton,” $10 million.“Weapons,” $5.4 million.“Freakier Friday,” $3.8 million.“Caught Stealing,” $3.2 million.“The Roses,” $2.8 million.“The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” $2.8 million.“The Bad Guys 2,” $2.5 million.“Light of the World,” $2.4 million.“Superman,” $1 million. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

The latter half of the summer box office struggled despite the success of movies like “Weapons." LOS ANGELES — “Weapons” found its way back on top during the Labor Day weekend, culminating a summer box office that's likely to fall right below meeting last year's earnings. Zach Cregger's horror proved its staying power as a late-summer viral success and regained the top spot after last weekend saw “Kpop Demon Hunters” give Netflix its first box-office win. “Weapons” generated $10.2 million during its fourth weekend in theaters. Universal’s 50th rerelease of “Jaws” also made a splash in theaters, securing the second spot. Steven Spielberg’s 1975 film took “a bite out of the box office,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for the data firm Comscore, earning $8.1 million in 3,200 North American theaters. “How appropriate that a movie that’s celebrating its 50 years, an all-time classic, Jaws, should be as relevant today as it was when it opened,” Dergarabedian said. “It’s so great because we need every dollar to contribute to the bottom line for this summer.” The rerelease helped boost a summer with earnings likely coming in at $3.7 billion, just under last summer. Still, this year will miss the typical pre-pandemic summer box office benchmark of $4 billion, Dergarabedian said. “There were casualties this summer. It’s a very crowded summer, very competitive,” Dergarabedian said. “At the end of the day, you can’t get to that four billion mark unless every movie just clicked and is performing at or above expectations.” This summer's earnings were front-loaded, with May releases like “Thunderbolts” and “Lilo & Stitch” becoming box office wins. However, the latter half of the summer struggled despite the success of movies like “Weapons." Dergarabedian said the summer succeeded in provided high-quality movies and marketing, but it's “kind of limping a bit to the finish line in terms of the summer movie season.” The crime caper “Caught Stealing,” starring Austin Butler, generated $7.8 million domestically and snatched third place its debut weekend. Set in 1998 and directed by Darren Aronofsky, the film follows Butler as a New York City bartender who is unexpectedly wrapped up the city's crime world. “Freakier Friday,” which debuted alongside “Weapons” early this month for a successful humor/horror double feature, took fourth place, earning $6.5 million domestically. “The Roses,” another newcomer, came in fifth with $6.4 million. “The Fantastic Four: First Steps" landed in sixth place with $4.8 million. The Marvel superhero film hit box office gold during its late July entry, debuting at $118 million. The film, however, experienced a downward trend in earnings since its release. “The Bad Guys 2" came in just below “First Steps,” with $4.7 million, followed by “Superman,” an early July entry that generated $2.6 million during the Labor Day weekend. Top 10 movies by domestic box office With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: “Weapons,” $10.2 million.“Jaws (1975),” $8.1 million.“Caught Stealing,” $7.8 million.“Freakier Friday,” $6.5 million.“The Roses,” $6.4 million.“The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” $4.8 million.“The Bad Guys 2," $4.7 million.“Superman,” $2.6 million.“Nobody 2,” $1.8 million.“The Naked Gun,” $1.8 million. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.