Box Office: 'Black Phone 2' at $10 Mil. Opening Day, 'Good Fortune' Fizzles
Blumhouse's horror sequel, 'Black Phone 2', is a hit with an impressive $10.7 million in Friday and preview screenings, heading for a No. 1 opening. Meanwhile, Aziz Ansari's comedy, 'Good Fortune', is struggling, with a modest $5.9 million opening from 2,985 locations. Universal's 'Black Phone 2' is projected to reach $24.4 million over the weekend, surpassing the original's $23.6 million debut in 2022. The sequel, starring Ethan Hawke, benefits from premium large format auditoriums, which carry higher ticket prices, and is competing with 'Tron: Ares'.
Blumhouse is seeking a box office revival after a disappointing 2025 slate of films. 'Black Phone 2' is their biggest opening of the year, despite a $30 million production budget. The R-rated film has received positive reviews from critics and audiences, with a 'B' grade from Cinema Score, slightly lower than the original's 'B+' grade. The first 'Black Phone' was a sleeper hit, but 'Black Phone 2' aims for a longer theatrical run, positioned as a premier horror release during the Halloween season. Blumhouse also has 'Five Nights at Freddy's 2' in the pipeline for December.
'Good Fortune', written, directed, and starring Aziz Ansari, had a muted start with $2.4 million in Friday and preview screenings. The film, despite a star-studded cast including Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, Sandra Oh, and Keke Palmer, and solid reviews, is facing challenges in the current theatrical landscape for R-rated comedies. Lionsgate's release is projected to earn $5.9 million, a significant drop from the $30 million production budget.
Disney's 'Tron: Ares' is also underperforming, with a 65% drop in its second weekend, earning $11 million. The sci-fi sequel, which opened to a disappointing domestic debut and poor turnout overseas, is unlikely to recoup its $180 million production budget. Warner Bros.' 'One Battle After Another' is in a tight race for fourth place, with a 45% drop in Friday's earnings, and Paramount's 'Roofman' is falling to fifth, with a 55% drop. Angel Studios' 'Truth & Treason' and Amazon MGM's 'After the Hunt' are also opening this weekend, with 'Truth & Treason' in sixth place and 'After the Hunt' in seventh, despite negative reviews.
