Although the spooky season this year goes to the theater/concert event, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, the bonafide horror films still get a chance to make a killing with audiences who celebrate the Halloween season by going to see the latest horror film for some holiday scares. While Saw X and The Exorcist: Believer already had their time to shine, the film adaptation of a popular horror game, Five Nights at Freddy’s, is coming alive in the shadows to give audiences a fright. Will the haunted pizza place film be one that breaks the video game movie curse?
Deadline is now reporting that Five Nights at Freddy’s should exceed the estimated $40 million opening with over $50 million made at the box office, which makes it the second-best fall debut under Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour. The movie from Universal and Blumhouse has a more humble price tag than the other Universal-Blumhouse Halloween movie, The Exorcist: Believer, with only a $20 million production. While not quite the frenzy that The Eras Tour generated, the presales for the video game adaptation had grown to a great amount, with over $11 million sold. This had some exhibitors estimating a possible opening of $85 million that could rival some tentpole films.
According to Deadline, “Universal has a theater count between 3,500 to 3,600 for Freddy‘s with PLFs included. Previews start at 2 p.m. Thursday for the PG-13 genre title. The movie hits Peacock on Thursday at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET.” Although the property has its legion of loyal fans, Universal possibly underestimated its appeal since it had scheduled a day-and-date opening with the film also streaming on Peacock. Box office analysts are wondering if the movie wasn’t additionally available for streaming, would it have scared up more money at the box office? Audiences are prone to public scare experiences around the Halloween season with haunted houses and parties and such, so maybe people are more willing to flock to theaters in October for a lesser extreme horror film that plays alternatively to Saw X and Exorcist: Believer.