The Exorcist: Believer

Source: Universal Studios

‘The Exorcist: Believer’

Worldwide box office Oct 6-8

 Rank Film (distributor)  3-day (world) Cume (world) 3-day (int’l) 3-day (int’l) Territories
 1.  The Exorcist: Believer (Universal)  $45m  $45m $17.8m   $17.8m  53
 2.  Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (Paramount)  $25.7m  $87m $14m   $48.2m  58
 3.  Under The Light (various)  $17.2m  $136.8m  $17.2m  $136.8m  1
 4.  The Creator (Disney)  $16.8m  $61.8m  $10.8m  $36.9m  51
 5.  Saw X (Lionsgate)  $14.5m  $52.7m  $6.4m  $20,1m  41
 6.  The Ex-Files 4:  Marriage Plan (various)  $13.4m  $104.9m  $13.4m  $104.9m  6
 7.  Moscow Mission (various)   $9.8m  $61.2m  $9.7m  $61.2m  5
 8.  The Volunteers: To The War (various)  $9.3m  $76.4m  $9.3m  $76.4m  2
 9.  The Nun II (Warner Bros)  $9.2m  $248.6m  $6.7m  $167.6m  76
 10.  A Haunting In Venice (Disney)  $7.1m  $102.6m  $4.4m   $67m  53

Credit: Comscore. All figures are estimates.

‘The Exorcist: Believer’ top worldwide – but can’t match the debut of 2018’s ‘Halloween’

UPDATED: After Universal and Blumhouse’s Halloween reboot trilogy grossed almost $500m combined at cinemas worldwide with a trio of releases in 2018, 2021 (Halloween Kills) and 2022 (Halloween Ends), the partners moved on to their next franchise reboot, once again directed by David Gordon Green.

The Exorcist: Believer – the first of a planned trilogy of films – has debuted with a confirmed $26.5m in North America and $17.7m from 52 international markets, combining for an opening of $44.2m.

In October 2018, Halloween began with a powerful $76.2m in North America, plus $14.3m in just 23 international markets, combining for a debut session of $90.5m.

The Exorcist: Believer has benefited from an international launch across more territories in its opening weekend, but the global numbers are well down on Halloween.

Still, Universal may be happy to have topped the North America box office with its film, as well as the international and worldwide rankings.

Among international markets, The Exorcist: Believer opened strongest in Mexico with a confirmed $3.8m (leading the ranking with 54% of the top five’s box office), ahead of UK/Ireland (topping the chart with a confirmed $2m).

Next come Italy ($1.3m), Spain ($1m) and Germany ($923,000). Indonesia (an estimated $863,000) ranks sixth in the international table for the film, and is the top Asian territory so far opened.

This Wednesday (October 11) sees The Exorcist: Believer land in France, with Brazil the next day, and some Middle East countries on Friday. South Korea follows on October 18.

‘Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie’ ranks second worldwide – hits $87m

Paramount’s Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie looks well on track to beat 2021’s Paw Patrol: The Movie at the global box office, based on results so far.

Although earlier feature-length films were spun off the Canadian animated series, cinema release of those titles was patchy, and the franchise’s big-screen iteration is considered to have begun in earnest with the 2021 film.

Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie added an estimated $11.8m in North America (dropping 48% from the opening) and $14.0m for 57 international markets. Decline in international holdover markets was 47%.

Totals so far for Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie are $38.9m in North America and $48.2m for international, combining to deliver a worldwide tally of $87.1m.

Brazil led the way among new openings, with an estimated $1.6m. Among holdover markets, China led, also with $1.6m.

In cumulative totals, China leads for international, with $13.2m. Next come Germany ($5.2m) and Mexico ($4.5m).

Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie has now played two weekend of previews in UK/Ireland, but the official release is this Friday, when all the box office will be bundled together into a powerful opening number. The film also lands in France and Spain this week, with Japan to follow in December.

Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie has already nearly matched the $40.1m grossed in North America by 2021’s Paw Patrol: The Movie. Globally, it’s 60% of the way to reaching the $144.3m total achieved by the earlier film.

‘A Haunting In Venice’ passes $100m

The latest weekend saw Disney/20th Century Studios’ A Haunting In Venice push past the $100m milestone, with the film adding an estimated $7.1m to reach $102.7m.

Top international market is UK/Ireland with a healthy $10.1m, ahead of Italy ($7.7m) and China ($5.8m).

With a more-contained setting and a production budget reported at $60m, this latest Hercule Poirot mystery was cheaper to make than previous franchise entry Death On The Nile, which grossed $137.3m worldwide in early 2022. Even if A Haunting In Venice fails to match that total, the film may yield a profit for the studio.

Also distributed by Disney/20th Century Studios, New Regency’s The Creator added an estimated $16.9m at the weekend for its second session, taking the total to $61.8m. The film dropped 57% in North America and 44% in international holdover markets. South Korea opened with an estimated $1.4m. Top territories so far are UK/Ireland ($5.2m), France ($3.6m) and Germany ($2.9m). 

‘Saw X’ beats previous film in franchise

UPDATED: Lionsgate’s Saw X added an estimated $14.6m at the weekend, taking the total after two sessions to $55.9m. This means that Saw X has beaten its predecessor in the grisly horror series – ninth film, Spiral – which achieved a lifetime total of $40.6m worldwide.

Internationally the horror added added $6.6m from 56 markets to reach $23.7m.

While Lionsgate will be happy to have already beaten the disappointing Spiral number, a more-ambitious test is how Saw X shapes up next to eighth Saw film Jigsaw – which grossed $103m worldwide in 2017.

Chinese films continue holiday run

Film released for China’s annual National Day (October 1) and the eight-day Golden Week holiday continue to make their make on the worldwide box office chart. The latest top 10 (see above) contains three Chinese titles: Zhang Yimou drama Under The Light ($136.8m to date), Tian Yusheng’s romantic comedy sequel The Ex-Files 4: Marriage Plan ($105.0m) and Chen Kaige’s patriotic The Volunteers: To The War ($76.4m).

Data gatherer Artisan Gateway calculates 2023 China box office at $6.63bn so far – a robust 75% increase on 2022, and 9.5% below pre-pandemic 2019 at the same stage of the year.