For a while last year, it appeared Chuck Russell’s completed remake of 1986’s Witchboard had disappeared.
Well, now that it has been released, audience members likely wish the movie would’ve stayed lost.
Witchboard premiered on August 15th, and although the movie hoped to raise the dead, it’s safe to say it was dead on arrival…
Opening on 503 screens, Witchboard earned a paltry $79,000 domestically on its first day, finishing the weekend with just $197,000. This sparse final gross put the film in nineteenth place for the weekend when all was said and done.
Internationally, Witchboard opened in very few markets, and consequently, only managed to boost the opening weekend numbers by $6,092.
This takes the worldwide gross for Witchboard to $203,096… Given the production budget of $5 million, it’s highly unlikely that Witchboard will turn a profit for The Avenue, Atlas Distribution, or Highland Film Group.
It’s entirely possible that a lack of promotion contributed to the financial failure of Witchboard. Only one trailer was released, to a less than enthusiastic response.
It appears that the appetite for a Witchboard remake wasn’t there. Perhaps the filmmakers over-estimated the cultural significance of the 1986 original. Or perhaps the negative critical reception kept people away.
With Witchboard barely making noise at the box-office, it’s highly unlikely the movie will hang around in theatres for long. Undoubtedly, a streaming debut will come to pass very soon.
Given the poor turnout and negative reception, are you still curious to check out this ill-advised remake?
