In its inaugural weekend, The Exorcist: Believer fell shy of expectations, raising questions about whether it’s the film’s lackluster reviews or the studio’s lofty projections for the franchise’s commercial prowess that are to blame. Friday saw the film amass $11.9 million, including a $2.8 million from Thursday previews.
Projections now anticipate a three-day opening weekend gross of around $28 million, slightly below the initial forecasts ranging from $30 million to $35 million.
Although the film’s production costs were modest, with a reported budget of $30 million, Universal‘s hefty $400 million investment in franchise rights hangs over the project’s profitability, casting uncertainty over recouping costs across the planned trilogy.
The Exorcist: Believer, helmed by David Gordon Green, known for his recent collaboration with Blumhouse on a triumvirate of new Halloween films, faces a daunting comparison. Green’s initial Halloween offering opened to an impressive $76 million, a mark The Exorcist: Believer aspires to achieve throughout its theatrical run.
Critically, the film has floundered, earning a dismal 23% rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, and a lackluster C CinemaScore from its opening day audience.
Last week’s chart-topper, the animated sequel ‘PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie,’ is poised to slide into second place after raking in $2.8 million on its second Friday. The film eyes an estimated second weekend haul of over $11 million, propelling its cumulative domestic earnings beyond $38 million.
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Comparatively, its predecessor, ‘PAW Patrol: The Movie‘ from 2021, concluded its domestic stint at $40 million, a mark the sequel is poised to comfortably surpass. Lionsgate’s ‘Saw X’ added $2.4 million to its tally on its second Friday, heading toward a sub-$9 million weekend, pushing its cumulative domestic earnings toward $33 million.
The well-received tenth entry in the enduring horror franchise appears to be holding its ground, facing direct competition from the new ‘Exorcist‘ installment, and is projected to experience only a 55% drop—a noteworthy feat for a horror title.
