Warner Bros. claimed another box office milestone: The Conjuring: Last Rites delivered the biggest global debut ever for a horror film.
The ninth entry in the studio’s paranormal franchise collected $194 million worldwide in its first weekend, topping the previous record of $190 million set by 2017’s It. Opening to $84 million domestically and $110 million overseas, it set new international and global records for the genre. Prior to this, 2019’s It: Chapter Two held the international benchmark with $92 million.
Directed by franchise veteran Michael Chaves and starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, Last Rites had a production budget of $55 million, securing an immediate commercial win. The record-breaking performance also extends Warner Bros.’ remarkable run at the box office; the studio has now opened seven consecutive films above $40 million, including A Minecraft Movie, Superman, Weapons, and F1: The Movie.
For horror, the weekend’s result cements the Conjuring series as not just the top-grossing franchise in the genre, but one that continues to keep viewers coming back more than a decade after its debut.
