Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions have once again proven that horror never goes out of style. Their latest release, Black Phone 2, has officially kicked off the spooky season with a solid $26.5 million opening weekend across 3,411 North American theaters. While it didn’t shatter records, the film easily dominated a quiet October box office, taking the top spot with little competition.
A Promising Start for the Sequel
The success of Black Phone 2 is a positive sign for both Universal and Blumhouse, especially in a period when audiences are still selective about what draws them back to theaters. The movie’s opening slightly outpaced the first Black Phone, which earned $23 million in 2022, a time when cinemas were still recovering from the pandemic slowdown.
However, the contrast between the two openings highlights just how much the movie landscape has shifted. The original film’s debut came amid heavy summer competition from major hits like Top Gun: Maverick, Elvis, and Jurassic World: Dominion. This time, the sequel enjoyed a quieter weekend, giving it room to breathe and secure a strong debut without any blockbuster rivals stealing its thunder.
The Global Picture
Black Phone 2 also performed well internationally, collecting an additional $15.5 million for a total global box office of $42 million. While that’s a solid start, the film had a higher production budget this time—$30 million compared to the original’s $18 million. With those numbers, the movie will need consistent momentum in the coming weeks to turn a meaningful profit.
Despite slightly lower audience ratings (a “B” on CinemaScore compared to the first film’s “B+”), early word-of-mouth appears encouraging. Universal’s president of domestic distribution, Jim Orr, shared optimism about its staying power, noting that audiences are responding well to the film’s suspense and performances. The sequel also brings back Ethan Hawke in his chilling role as The Grabber, a character who helped make the first installment a modern horror classic.
Horror Remains Blumhouse’s Secret Weapon
Blumhouse Productions has long been Hollywood’s master of low-budget horror, delivering massive hits like Get Out, Paranormal Activity, The Purge, and Halloween. However, the studio has faced a string of underperformers in recent months, including Wolf Man and M3GAN 2.0.
The success of Black Phone 2 is a welcome boost as Blumhouse gears up for its next big release — Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, slated for December. If that film also performs well, the studio could be back on a winning streak just in time for the year’s end.
Other Films in Theaters This Weekend
While Black Phone 2 dominated, other new and returning films had a mixed weekend.
1. “Tron: Ares” (Disney)
Landing in second place, Disney’s Tron: Ares earned $11.1 million from 4,000 screens — a sharp 66% drop from its debut weekend. The sci-fi sequel has now reached $54.6 million domestically and $103 million worldwide after two weeks. However, with a massive $180 million production budget, the film needs a long theatrical run to justify its costs.
2. “Good Fortune” (Lionsgate)
In third place was Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut, Good Fortune, which collected a modest $6.2 million from 2,990 locations. Despite strong reviews (78% on Rotten Tomatoes) and decent audience feedback (a “B+” CinemaScore), the film struggled to attract a wide crowd.
The fantasy-comedy stars Aziz Ansari, Keanu Reeves, and Seth Rogen, and tells the story of an angel who causes a body swap between a struggling gig worker and a wealthy investor. Analysts believe it’s a fair debut for an original, character-driven film but note it’s unlikely to recoup its $30 million cost through theaters alone.
3. “Roofman” (Channing Tatum)
Down the list, Channing Tatum’s dramedy Roofman grossed $3.7 million in its second weekend — a 55% drop from its debut. The film has earned $15.5 million domestically and $16.4 million globally so far, nearly matching its modest $18 million budget.
4. “One Battle After Another” (Leonardo DiCaprio)
Leonardo DiCaprio’s action-comedy One Battle After Another continues to hold steady in its fourth week, bringing in $3.75 million for a domestic total of $61 million. Internationally, the movie has crossed $100 million, for a global tally of $162.5 million. Despite this, the film’s large $200 million combined production and marketing cost makes profitability unlikely. However, its strong performances and direction by Paul Thomas Anderson could make it a serious Oscar contender, giving the studio value beyond the box office.
Smaller Releases and Indie Highlights
Angel Studios’ “Truth and Treason”
The World War II drama Truth and Treason debuted in sixth place, earning $2.7 million from 2,106 theaters. The story centers on a teenage resistance fighter who takes a stand against the Nazi regime, and audiences responded positively, awarding it an “A” CinemaScore.
“After the Hunt” by Luca Guadagnino
Despite critical buzz, Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt failed to find momentum in its nationwide expansion. The #MeToo-inspired thriller earned just $1.56 million from 1,238 theaters, totaling $1.77 million after two weeks. Even with major stars like Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, and Andrew Garfield, the film’s box office journey appears bleak.
Festival and Art-House Releases
Among indie titles, Jafar Panahi’s “It Was Just an Accident” performed best, earning $68,000 from three theaters in New York and Los Angeles, with an impressive $22,000 per-screen average. The film, which won the prestigious Palme d’Or, is already gaining awards-season attention.
Meanwhile, Richard Linklater’s “Blue Moon” had a softer start with $67,060 from five theaters, averaging $13,412 per location. The film stars Ethan Hawke as composer Lorenz Hart and explores the emotional fallout following the premiere of Oklahoma!, his collaboration with Richard Rodgers.
A Muted but Hopeful October for Theaters
Overall, the October box office is down 11% from last year, according to industry trackers, while the yearly total remains 4% higher than 2024. However, the industry still lags more than 20% below pre-pandemic numbers.
Black Phone 2 may not be a record-breaking hit, but its success signals that audiences are still eager for theatrical horror—especially when backed by proven creators and familiar faces. If word-of-mouth holds strong, it could end up as one of this year’s sleeper horror hits, helping revive momentum during an otherwise quiet fall season.