In a surprise box office victory, “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” triumphed over “A Quiet Place Part II” in the U.S.
The latest entry in Warner Bros. and New Line’s “Conjuring” series scared up $24 million in ticket sales from 3,102 North American venues, exceeding initial projections and easily leading domestic charts. Its results are especially strong because the film is readily available on HBO Max at no extra cost to subscribers.
Heading into the weekend, box office prognosticators expected reigning champ “A Quiet Place Part II” to lead again. The horror sequel, directed by John Krasinski, debuted last weekend to a pandemic-record $48 million and took in an impressive $58 million in its first five days of release. Even with competition from a fellow terror-inducing movie, “A Quiet Place 2” still enjoyed a solid sophomore outing. The movie generated $19.5 million from 3,744 theaters, boosting its total U.S. haul to a roaring $88 million. Overseas, “A Quiet Place Part II” added another $19 million, bringing its global tally to $138 million.
Warner Bros. did not report how many people watched “The Devil Made Me Do It” on HBO Max. At the international box office, where the company’s streaming service hasn’t launched, “The Conjuring 3” has made $33 million to date. The R-rated movie, which cost $40 million to produce, has amassed $57 million worldwide. In the recent installment, Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return as paranormal experts to investigate demonic happenings that trace back to the real-life 1981 murder trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson.
After this weekend, the “Conjuring” series, which intertwines with the supernatural universe populated by “The Nun,” “Annabelle” and “La Llorona,” has surpassed $1.8 billion globally, making it the biggest horror franchise at the box office.
Disney’s “Cruella” came in third place, dropping 48% and amassing $11.2 million in its second weekend of release. The “101 Dalmatians” prequel, starring Emma Stone as the puppy-snatching villain, is also available to rent on Disney Plus for an extra $30. Though Disney did not share viewership numbers, it is already working on a sequel so it’s safe to assume the studio was pleased with the film’s streaming performance. Overseas, “Cruella” added another $18.6 million from 36 markets for a global total of $87.1 million.
