David Gordon Green’s The Exorcist: Believer kept the horror peace train going at the box office with $2.85M in previews last night on its way to a potential high $20M to $30M start at the box office.
Previews began at 5PM yesterday in 3,050 theaters. Universal has Imax and PLFs on this one.
Exorcist: Believer‘s previews are just $850K more than what Lionsgate‘s Saw X pulled in last Thursday; that $13M production ending its first week very well with an estimated $24.4M. The tenthquel Twisted Pics horror movie led the B.O. in its weekdays despite Paramount and Spin Master’s Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie winning last weekend. The canine cartoon ended its first week with an estimated $27.1M. Unlike Barbenheimer this past summer, it wasn’t a Saw Patrol type of week with moviegoers dressing up like Jigsaw and puppies Delores and Skype, but it was a OK enough autumn frame at the top of the chart in the midst of an actors strike when thespians can’t promote.
The Nun 2, which demo wise Exorcist: Believer looked like in its eyeing of 18-34 year olds and older males, drew $3.1M in previews before posting $32.6M start.
While Saw X was the best in franchise with critics at 83% certified fresh, the $400M franchise pick-up of Exorcist: The Believer not so much at 20% on Rotten Tomatoes. By the way — not the lowest for an Exorcist movie as Exorcist II: The Heretic back in 1977 has 9% per the review aggregator site.
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