News Summary
The horror film The Conjuring: Last Rites has made a splash at the box office, earning $84 million during its opening weekend in the U.S. This film has achieved a remarkable global gross of $194 million, becoming the most successful entry in the Conjuring franchise. The summer movie season has faced challenges with declining ticket sales overall, but Warner Bros. celebrates this horror hit amid the struggles of other major releases. The film’s success suggests strong audience interest in the Conjuring Universe as the industry navigates a shifting entertainment landscape.
Los Angeles – The horror film The Conjuring: Last Rites has made a significant impact at the box office, achieving an impressive $84 million during its opening weekend in the United States. This performance also contributed to a global gross of $194 million, marking the film as the most successful installment in the Conjuring franchise to date. Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema are celebrating this achievement as a notable success amid a summer movie season that has struggled with a general decline in ticket sales.
In comparison to previous summers, this year’s ticket sales have seen a slight decrease of 0.2% from the same period in 2024. Total grosses for the summer of 2025 reached $3.67 billion across the U.S. and Canada, which is a drop from pre-pandemic averages of approximately $4 billion. When adjusting for inflation, summer revenue in 2025 decreased by 34% compared to 2019, further highlighting the challenges faced by movie theaters in rebuilding audience attendance.
Audience attendance is reportedly still below pre-COVID levels, which points to lasting changes in consumer viewing habits. This summer’s lineup of films was marked by the absence of major studio releases expected to attract large audiences, resulting in significant challenges for theater owners. Disney’s Lilo & Stitch remake was the highest-grossing film of the season, bringing in a total of $424 million domestically. However, it did not match the successes of major hits like last year’s Inside Out 2 or Deadpool & Wolverine, leaving theaters craving blockbusters.
Several high-profile sequels and reboots also struggled at the box office. For example, Jurassic World: Rebirth managed to earn only $861 million worldwide, making it the lowest gross for the franchise since 2001. Similarly, Warner Bros.’ Superman film earned $614 million, a significant decrease compared to the Man of Steel from 2013. Other Marvel releases like Thunderbolts and The Fantastic Four: First Steps gathered $382 million and $511 million, respectively, but still fell short of recapturing audience excitement.
The summer’s disappointing performance has led industry leaders to speculate on various factors affecting audience turnout. Many theater owners have pointed to the shrinking theatrical window, which has been reduced to approximately 45 days from the pre-pandemic standard of 90 days. Changes in audience preferences also show a tendency for viewers to prefer large-screen experiences or stay home for major releases, impacting the number of those opting for theater visits.
As the summer season draws to a close, studios are increasingly turning their attention toward adapting video game properties in hopes of appealing to younger generations who have shifted their entertainment focus. Meanwhile, the Conjuring Universe, with more than $2.3 billion in global ticket sales, maintains its status as the highest-grossing horror franchise in history.
Released on September 5, 2025, The Conjuring: Last Rites has also made a significant impact internationally, grossing approximately ₹49.54 crore (equivalent to around $6 million) in its opening weekend in India, where it set records as the highest-opening ever for a Hollywood horror film. Directed by Michael Chaves, the film once again features franchise mainstays Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson in leading roles, continuing the story that has resonated with audiences.
Despite its financial triumph, The Conjuring: Last Rites received mixed critical reviews, achieving a CinemaScore rating of B. The current dynamics of the film industry raise questions about the future of theatrical releases as production studios adapt to an ever-changing entertainment landscape.
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Additional Resources
- The New York Times
- Koimoi
- Deadline
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Box Office
- Google Search: The Conjuring Last Rites box office
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