Whilst we expected quite the box-office haul from Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, it’s the movies it was released alongside that have shocked us the most.
Taking in $45 million domestically, and a further $16 million elsewhere, Frozen Empire easily topped the box-office with a worldwide haul of $61 million. This comes despite a rather tepid critical reception, that chastised the film for its “bloated cast,” and a heavy reliance on nostalgia.
Opening alongside such a juggernaut was surely intimidating for studios NEON and IFC, but they rose to the challenge and are reaping the critical and financial rewards.
NEON launched their highly anticipated religious terror tale Immaculate opposite Ghostbusters, and proved a formidable opponent. Initially expected to debut to a disappointing $1 million, Immaculate ended its first day showings with an impressive $2.6 million. Over the three-day weekend, the film took $6.5 million, the highest theatrical debut of any NEON feature to date.
Additionally, Immaculate has been lauded critically, with praise going to its engaging plot, tight script, and an impeccable lead performance by Sydney Sweeny.
Amid a great deal of fan hype, IFC Studios also faced off against Ghostbusters, launching the much-talked about Late Night with the Devil.
Taking a different spin on found-footage horror, Late Night tells the tale of an exorcism taking place in real time on late-night television. Repeating the record set by Immaculate, Late Night with the Devil debuted to the highest numbers IFC Studios have ever recorded, raking in $2.8 million over 3 days.
Additionally, the movie has scored well with critics and audiences alike, obtaining a staggering 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Impressive!
So, horror continues to dominate the box-office, and we can’t say we’re disappointed. With a packed release schedule, we hope this is a sign of great things to come for 2024.
