After nearly two years of uneven results, Blumhouse has finally dialed up another major win. Universal’s Black Phone 2 dominated the weekend box office, opening at $26.5 million from 3,411 theaters. For a studio that built its brand on reliable, low-budget horror, this sequel marks a much-needed hit — and a reminder that Blumhouse still knows how to scare up big business.
A Comeback for Blumhouse?
While Blumhouse has remained active with smaller releases like Imaginary and Night Swim, none have reached the breakout success of 2023’s Five Nights at Freddy’s, which was a massive hit — grossing nearly $300 million worldwide despite its same-day streaming release.
Since then, Blumhouse had been searching for another theatrical success, and Black Phone 2 delivered exactly that. Its $7,769 per-theater average shows strong audience demand, and the film’s debut nearly matches the original Black Phone’s pandemic-era performance.
For Universal, it’s also a timely win. After a relatively quiet late summer, the studio’s horror partnership with Blumhouse continues to prove that genre filmmaking — done smartly and cheaply — remains one of the most consistent profit engines in Hollywood.
This isn’t just a rebound for Blumhouse; it’s validation of a formula that’s made the studio one of the most influential players in modern horror.
“Tron: Ares” Loses Power
In second place, Disney’s Tron: Ares slipped a steep 66% in its sophomore weekend, pulling in $11.1 million for a $54.6 million domestic total.
Visually, Ares delivers the goods, but audiences haven’t stuck around. Like Legacy before it, the latest Tron installment remains a visual showcase that fails to generate widespread excitement beyond its fanbase. With a production budget reportedly north of $150 million, the domestic numbers are underwhelming, and it will need strong overseas returns to avoid becoming a costly misfire.
“Good Fortune” Misses Its Mark
Third place went to Lionsgate’s Good Fortune, which debuted to a disappointing $6.2 million from 2,990 theaters. On paper, that might sound modestly okay — but given its $30 million budget and a cast filled with major stars, this opening is far below expectations.
With that much talent and a marketing push positioning it as a crowd-pleasing studio comedy, Good Fortune should have performed much better. Instead, it struggled to break through, suggesting that audiences simply weren’t interested in a theatrical comedy without a strong hook or fresh concept.
Comedies continue to face an uphill battle at the box office, and Good Fortune’s lukewarm debut will likely push it to find a second life on streaming.
Steady Showings for “One Battle After Another” and “Roofman”
Warner Bros.’ One Battle After Another held relatively strong in its fourth frame, earning $4 million — down 41% from last weekend — for a total of $61.9 million. That’s a solid run for a grounded war drama that’s played well with older audiences.
Fifth place went to Paramount’s Roofman, which earned $3.7 million, down 54%. After two weekends, it stands at $15.5 million total. Despite decent marketing, the film never quite found traction, and it’s fading fast.
Faith and Family Films Keep Steady Business
Angel Studios’ Truth & Treason debuted in sixth with $2.6 million from 2,106 theaters. That’s not a strong number, but Angel’s releases often build slowly through word of mouth. After Sound of Freedom’s unexpected success last year, all eyes are on whether Truth & Treason can replicate even a fraction of that staying power.
Meanwhile, Universal’s Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie brought in $1.65 million, down 52% but still showing solid legs for a kids’ title. It’s earned $29.9 million after a month in release — a quiet family hit that underscores Universal’s range this fall.
“The Conjuring” Keeps Possessing Audiences
In eighth, Warner Bros.’ The Conjuring: Last Rites continued its strong hold, adding $1.57 million for a massive $175.4 million domestic total after seven weekends.
Even deep into its theatrical run, the film remains one of the highest-grossing entries in the Conjuring universe — proof that horror franchises can maintain longevity when audiences trust the brand. After more than a decade, The Conjuring remains one of Warner’s most bankable horror properties.
“After the Hunt” Stumbles in Wide Expansion
One of the weekend’s most closely watched releases was After the Hunt from Amazon MGM. Last week, it earned strong buzz in limited release — but this weekend, the studio expanded it into 1,238 theaters, and the results were underwhelming.
Despite the big 881% increase in revenue week-to-week, that jump was purely the result of going wide. The film earned $1.55 million, bringing its total to $1.77 million — not exactly the breakout some had hoped for.
For a film positioned as a prestige drama with awards potential, those numbers are disappointing. It struggled to connect with audiences beyond its initial art-house crowd, showing that even with Amazon’s marketing muscle, mid-range adult dramas remain a tough sell theatrically.
Anime and Indies Round Out the Top Ten
Rounding out the top ten were Soul on Fire and Demon Slayer: The Movie, each earning about $1.3 million. Soul on Fire now sits at $5.5 million after two weeks, while Demon Slayer continues its remarkable run with $131 million total.
Anime remains a consistent force at the U.S. box office, often outpacing comparable domestic releases and proving that international fandoms are here to stay.
Final Thoughts
So what’s the story this weekend? Simply put: horror reigns supreme once again. Black Phone 2 not only gave Blumhouse its biggest win since Five Nights at Freddy’s, it reignited confidence in the studio’s ability to deliver crowd-pleasing theatrical scares.
Elsewhere, Tron: Ares short-circuited in week two, Good Fortune failed to cash in despite star power, and After the Hunt disappointed in its wide release.
With Halloween right around the corner, expect horror to keep ruling the charts for at least another week. After a long dry spell, Blumhouse is officially back — and the phones are ringing loud and clear.
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