‘Black Phone 2’ Rings Up $2.6M Previews – Friday AM Box Office

Universal and Blumhouse’s Black Phone 2 dialed up $2.6M previews yesterday at 2,900 theaters from showtimes that began at 2PM. That’s just under the $3M that the first 2021 movie pulled in before bowing to $23.6M.

Black Phone 2 previews are in line with that of Paramount’s Smile 2 which opened in the same weekend a year ago with $2.5M in previews and a 3-day of $23M.

The hope is that Blumhouse, after seeing a lackluster streak in a horror laden box office year for the industry, can actually get a break and post an opening that’s robust, this Scott Derrickson directed sequel figured between $20M-$30M. Reviews are solid at 74% certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

After the less-than-par opening for Disney’s Tron: Ares, and sophisticated adult movies in free fall (I’m sorry, except for One Battle After Another), it’s a doldrum time at the autumn box office, though according to ComScore for post Labor Day through last Sunday, the season is even with a year ago at $770.7M. It would be nice to finally see a movie meet its tracking forecast.

More…